This is my second week of getting up at 5:15 a.m. to walk. My shins don’t hurt anymore. Besides that, I’ve realized there are hidden benefits to walking before the sun even rises.
1) It’s dark. No one can see exactly how scary I look. If you are embarrassed to be seen walking around town, I recommend walking in the dark.
2) By 7:00 a.m., you’re finished. No bargaining with yourself all day, saying to yourself, Tonight, I will exercise. When the day ends, you can collapse without guilt.
3) You feel virtuous and can casually mention your pre-dawn walks and people will be impressed.
Those are just the benefits of walking at 5:30 a.m.–these are in addition to the well-known health benefits of walking. And if I can do it, so can you. I am not a morning person, but having a walking buddy gives me a reason to get out of bed. She is waiting for me. I have to get up and get moving. Even in the rain. Even when it’s frosty out.
I just know for sure that I don’t want to grow up and be my mother, who at age 62 has a handicapped parking tag on her car because she can’t get around very well anymore. After all, my grandmother is turning 99 next week and I could very well have another fifty years to live.
So, in eight hours, I’ll be heading for the hills–quite literally.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
This non-morning person is truly impressed … as I sit here sleepless but not in Seattle.
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That’s super, Mel. Way to go!
But how the heck do you get up so early and still stay awake all day?
Suzanne
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That’s my problem too. If I got up at 5am I would have to go to bed around 5pm!!!
I do like the idea of walking in the dark though. Morning face sans makeup can be a pretty scary thing to take out in public in the light of day.
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Way to go Mel!
I exercise in the morning, too, but am accountable only to myself, which has made it easy to slack off and not get up some days. I do find that I feel worse on the days that I don’t exercise, and end up thinking I should have just dragged myself out of bed and done it anyway.
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This non-morning person is truly impressed … as I sit here sleepless but not in Seattle.
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That’s super, Mel. Way to go!
But how the heck do you get up so early and still stay awake all day?
Suzanne
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That’s my problem too. If I got up at 5am I would have to go to bed around 5pm!!!
I do like the idea of walking in the dark though. Morning face sans makeup can be a pretty scary thing to take out in public in the light of day.
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Way to go Mel!
I exercise in the morning, too, but am accountable only to myself, which has made it easy to slack off and not get up some days. I do find that I feel worse on the days that I don’t exercise, and end up thinking I should have just dragged myself out of bed and done it anyway.
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I can’t imagine moving before the sun is up. I just can’t do it…–>
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I can’t imagine moving before the sun is up. I just can’t do it…
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