Benefits

As well as having the energy to go faster (which I put down to having had breakfast – my morning runs are done fasted), I felt less achy and stiff at the start of sessions. When you get out of bed, it’s normal to feel stiff because our fascia (the web that holds our bodies together) is just waking up and takes a bit of time to loosen. Having a walk or just moving about the house for a few hours beforehand meant that by the time my warm-up was over, I felt far more ready to work than usual.

Performance aside, lunchtime running had a distinct benefit on the rest of my day. Gone was the 3pm slump; the afternoon sped by and I felt alert for the whole time (no need for an afternoon coffee!). Even my lunch tasted better after a session, even if it was eaten while working back at my desk.

Running at lunchtime, Dr William says, “can be good for more intense training as your body is warmed up and you still have good energy levels.” She suggests making sure that you leave at least an hour in between eating and running, or running before lunch.

Negatives

The main issue with lunchtime running is the faff factor. I was showering and dressing in the morning (putting my running bra on under my shirt) and then having a second shower five hours later. It also meant needing to be more prepared – from having clothes ready to change into to lunch being ready to eat and a tight route planned.

“I ran before, during and after work for a month and it changed my running regime for good”