For the past few years I have bemoaned the G-Force’s daily wake up time of 6.30am. He finds it almost impossible to sleep in while I find it almost impossible to wake up early and smiling. I am more of a night person and I think that 8am is early. But this year I have decided to take a different view on early mornings.

I usually wake up when the G-Force wakes up. Now, instead of lying in bed trying to get more sleep and becoming increasingly annoyed, I will get up. My aim is to have a quick coffee and breakfast by 7.15am before heading out with Wispa the Wonder Whippet for a walk of 45 minutes to an hour.

In time I might build up to a run. My problem is that early mornings and running do not seem to work well for me because I wake up very hungry. If I eat breakfast and run I suffer a sore stomach. To run without fear of a sore stomach I need to consume my breakfast two hours before the run. But I think that over the next few months I might be able to move from a brisk walk to a run having eaten only a small breakfast immediately before.

Why an hour’s walk is a good idea

I won’t be losing an hour from my day. I will gain an hour of exercise. Walking at a brisk pace will improve my fitness (I plan to carry on with all my other training sessions as normal) and ensure that Wispa remains slim and whippet-like. I am also in training for an event that will include a lot of walking so I need to build up my walking muscles (more about this event to come!).

When I walk I also think. Having an hour to myself to walk and think will surely be beneficial for my mental health.

Don’t think, just do it

A useful tip I have for keeping up the exercise routine is to make sure you plan ahead. If you know you will walk each day, whatever the weather, you will already have in place a routine. Routines are easier to stick to than ad-hoc exercise schedules.

I will walk in the rain, snow, ice or wind. I hope there will also be some sunshine. I will wear the right clothes for the weather and while it is still dark in the mornings I will use a head torch.

I already have a 45-minute walking route mapped out in my head from my house – and I know of an extra loop that will take it to one hour. When time allows I will drive to the local country park for a less urban walk but for now it seems like a good idea to get up, eat quickly and leave the house for my walk.

Do you have any plans for grabbing an extra hour each day?