Morgan Jaldon
Morgan Jaldon is an avid marathon runner who was born, raised, and is currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
What is your morning routine?
How you wake up is how your day will start. If you always start it with a positive mindset, you will have a positive day. It’s all about attitude!
My alarm goes off at 4:00am every morning. I take about ten minutes to lay in bed and actually wake up. I drink one full bottle of water (500ml); I always keep two bottles readily available because I get extremely thirsty throughout the night and into the morning. I tell my boyfriend “Good morning, I love you,” because you should always start your day by reminding a loved one that they are loved.
I then get out of bed, head over to my yoga mat, and do some light stretching, before doing two sets of twenty push-ups. This gets my breathing in place and my mind focused. It also warms and wakes my body up. After I’ve done that, I brush my teeth.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
Surprisingly, I have stuck with this routine for over a year. I used to not be an early riser or an active runner, so once I changed my lifestyle, I changed my mornings.
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
Oh man, before I discovered running I used to sleep in, wake up, and grab a McDonald’s breakfast just before they stopped serving it at 10:30am.
I guess now they do breakfast all day? But that’s besides the point! It took me a while to find the best way to start my day, so I used to not do a warm up stretch. Then I felt like I should do something consistently every morning to make me stronger so I added push-ups to my morning routine.
What time do you go to sleep?
Because I wake up early, I do my best if I’m in bed by at least 8:00pm. I run often, so it’s ideal for my body to get eight hours of sleep. I’m not always that lucky though. When I have really late workouts, I’m in bed at 10:00pm, and only get six hours of sleep. But I still feel just as energized!
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
I always set out my clothes for the next day so they’re ready for me to put on once I’m ready to start my day! I always make my lunch and snacks the night prior as well, so I’m not completely rushing my morning. Once that’s all done, I’m ready to hop in bed.
I take time before I close my eyes to reflect on my entire day: what my favorite part about it was, what I could make time to do the next day, etc.
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning?
My handy, dandy iPhone is my alarm! I set two just in case. One for 4:00am, and then a second for 4:05.
If it’s the weekend, I try to sleep in. I mean, my idea of sleeping in is waking up at 6:00am. That’s the time my internal alarm clock wakes me!
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
I eat breakfast immediately after I brush my teeth. I eat a one cup of Cheerios with soy milk and a slice of wheat toast with peanut butter. I eat this for breakfast religiously. This is around 5:00am, then I have a second breakfast of oatmeal at around 8:00am when I get to work.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
On weekdays, I do my best to catch a 6 or 7:00am SoulCycle class (a 45 minute spin class).
If it’s the weekend, I do my long runs, which usually consist of something over eight miles. I like to drive far away from home, at least thirty minutes away, for my long runs. I like to get away for them. I like to change the scenery, explore new trails, and literally get lost running. It’s the best.
Do you have a morning meditation routine, and if so what kind of meditation do you practice?
Yes, I do light yoga stretching before I do my push-ups! Nothing too extravagant, just mainly concentrating on my breath and one good yoga flow. At least five simple minutes to gather my thoughts while getting a good stretch.
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
I do check my email first thing in the morning. I read through them but never answer them until later in the day. I like to think about what I read and how I will respond.
Do you use any apps or products to enhance your sleep or morning routine?
Besides my alarm clock on my iPhone, no. Nothing else!
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
I check it as soon as I wake up. It’s my alarm! I just check email and Facebook first thing. Then when my eyes get adjusted to the light I get out of bed.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
My most important task in the morning is making sure that I’m ready to conquer my day.
Like I said, it starts with attitude. You can’t expect to wake up with a bad attitude and have a good day. It’s all mental. So when you wake up, smile. Appreciate that you are alive and breathing for another day. Once your mind is right, your body will follow. You have to mentally feel good before you physically feel good.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
Water. I drink one full bottle of water right when I wake up. When I wake up, I usually feel dehydrated so I have to get my liquids in!
Do you also follow this routine on weekends, or do you change some steps?
I do the exact same routine in the morning.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
Yes. It took a lot of training to get this morning routine down, but now it’s just become a habit!
If I’m on vacation, I always squeeze in a run. I believe I run more when I am on vacation as opposed to at home. When I went to the Philippines, I woke up every morning at 5:00am just to get a good five miles done before the sun came up (it gets so hot and humid there). I ran everywhere during that trip. I ran to get food, ran to the beach, ran to sight see. If I’m somewhere visiting in the States, I try to look for a local run club or yoga studio to get an awesome workout in.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
I don’t think I’ve ever failed to follow it. If I did, I’d feel like my day was completely off!
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