Rise and grind: Women In Tri's early bird hacks

As the seasons change and the mornings get "so dark and unappealing," the call of the comfy bed becomes almost irresistible. It’s a struggle we all know well! As Jessica Persell recently shared, "the thought of getting up at 6am to go on a run, etc. makes my bed seem even more comfy, pls help lol."

Well, you asked, and the incredible women of Women In Tri UK delivered! We’ve compiled your best, most practical, and most creative tips for lacing up your shoes, clipping into your pedals, or hitting the pool when all you really want to do is hit snooze.

3:30 AM. Summer Solstice. Open water therapy. Goal achieved.

Tactic #1: Making the 'get ready' part effortless

The consensus is clear: eliminate any friction between your alarm going off and your body heading out the door.

• Prep is Queen: "Having kit out ready the night before so it sits and winks at you when you wake up," says Karen Mayle. Nicola agrees: get "all your kit ready, so you literally need to fall out of bed and go, without giving yourself excuses."

• The warm-up trick: Laura has a brilliant hack: "put your clothes on the radiator overnight and if you can set the heating to come on half an hour before so they're warm when you put them on."

• Don't faff! Chelley keeps the transition time minimal: "Don't give yourself too much time to faff, I get up about 7 minutes before I need to leave... toilet, let the dog out, teeth, dressed, gone."

• Safety first: For dark runs, don't forget practical gear. Laura mentions she uses a "Proviz chest strap with lights on."

A sunrise alarm clock, as recommended by Emily Murray, slowly brightens your room to mimic natural daylight, making those early winter wake-ups a little easier.

Tactic #2: Master your mindset

Getting out the door is often the hardest part, as Stacy Dowding notes. It comes down to accountability and remembering your "why".

• Forced accountability: Roxanne gets to the pool at 5 am, and she has a fantastic method: "I make sure I book a slot so I'm accountable, plus the no show fee makes me get up!" Similarly, Chelley uses social commitment: "If I have a run buddy or class to go to, I'm more likely to go. I'll let myself down, but not someone else".

• The power of the alarm clock: Emily Murray calls the sunrise alarm clock a "huge game changer. The light slowly comes on so that it's like daylight when your alarm goes off." Laura suggests a more painful, but effective, option: "put your phone away from next to you so you have to get up to switch off the alarm- way less likely to snooze".

• Move immediately: "You need to get up as soon as the alarm goes off; the moment you linger, it immediately makes it harder" advises Nicola.

• Don't check the forecast: Gemma found a great way to avoid giving in to the rain: "Another thing I stopped doing was checking the weather. If I’m up dressed, out the door and see it’s raining, I’m already out so it doesn’t matter".

  
  

  

  Crisp air, frosty fields, and a glorious sunrise to light the way. Cold mornings are just character building... and require very bright running gear! Time to seize the day.

  
  

Tactic #3: Make it a reward

Give yourself something wonderful to look forward to that's only accessible after the effort.

• Fuel the fire: Laura meal preps a delicious, exciting post-workout breakfast, like "overnight oats but plan to try baked oats soon, which basically looks like cake for breakfast". Mara agrees: "I love having something nice to look forward to when you get back".

• Entertainment incentive: "Make a fun playlist or plan to listen to a podcast you love while running" suggests Laura. Mara also suggests audiobooks for company.

• Remember the feeling: As Nicola reminds us, knowing "that I’ll feel so much better for doing it" is often the biggest motivator. Chelley encourages us to "embrace it and enjoy the feeling of getting it done before the rest of the world wakes up."

My happy place for winter watts! Turbo on, headphones up, goals in sight. Getting the work done.

Tactic #4: Be flexible and kind to yourself

Sometimes, you just can't do it. And that's okay. You have options.

• Find your time: If mornings just aren't working, don't force it. Bianca simply says, "opt instead for lunchtime or post-work sessions". Jo Watkinson has found success with rearranging training to do "more in the early evening" finding that fighting morning fatigue led to an "unsuccessful session".

• Switch the session: Jo also suggests: "If I can only fit it in in the morning, I make it my easy day so an easy swim or run. My harder sessions are all in the evening!"

• The gradual approach: Linzi, started by simply getting up early to complete light errands, slowly changing her body clock, planning to work her way up to a run by January.

• The Plan B: Allie's key tip is to "have a Plan B". If your outdoor run gets rained out, or your commute to the gym is cancelled, what's your backup? Jennifer suggests something simple like skipping indoors for good cardio.

• Be patient: Cathy reminds us: "the first week is hard but I’ve found that once it becomes routine, it is a lot easier as your body adjusts". But, she adds, "be kind to yourself" and don't push it if you know you are tired or run down.

Morning glow and happy vibes! Catching the sunrise at 5:45 AM over the water is the perfect way to start a training day. Feeling energised and ready to go.

Roxanne leaves us with a great idea for managing the work-life balance: ask about flexibility at work, such as building up time in lieu to use for daytime workouts.

The biggest takeaway? You are absolutely not alone in the struggle! As Bianca says, "You got this 💪"

What's your favourite morning workout tip? Drop it in the comments below!