I ran a mile every morning for a week—here’s what happened

I’m not usually into running, preferring boxing or HIIT workouts for cardio as I find long form cardio monotonous. However, recently I’ve been in a workout rut so I decided to try a quick morning run to shake things up a bit.

I haven’t always avoided running—I ran the NYC Half Marathon in 2018. After that, I continued running occasionally but an ankle injury derailed me a couple of years ago, and I stopped completely.

For this challenge, I limited my morning runs to just one mile. I set no expectations and didn’t pressure myself to run a certain pace. I simply wanted to ease back into running. Here’s how it went.

What I learned from running a mile every day

I faced some mental barriers

At first, I had doubts about the challenge. I worried about my endurance and how I’d cope with the early morning starts. But after running the route once, I knew how long it would take and what to expect, which helped put me in the right mindset.

I also happened to start on the hottest week of the year. Despite the heat and humidity being a menace, I managed to stick to shady areas and ran in the mornings, the cooler part of the day.

I loved getting outside

Running not only provided me with a way to be active first thing in the morning, it was also a great excuse to get outside—a big plus since I work from home. Being outdoors calmed my mind and energized me for the day ahead.

For the first five days, I was in the suburbs with my family so I stuck to the same route, avoiding hills and staying in the shade. By days six and seven, I was back in the city and found I was running faster on flatter ground and new routes. I also enjoyed running along the water for a refreshing breeze and different scenery.

I felt energized without soreness

I was surprised not to experience any aches or pains from my first run or throughout the week. My body adapted to the routine well. Win-win!

I also noticed being out every morning put a spring in my step that lasted throughout the day. It felt good to achieve something before work. I enjoyed the routine and will continue running regularly alongside my other workouts, although perhaps not every single day.

If you're relatively new to running and want some more tips, read through our advice on how to improve your 5k running time and how to improve your running form.