Post run rewards are what gets me out of bed. Are you a pancake, breakfast taco or smoothie incentivizer?
When I first started running I would be incentivized by Root Beer, then I switched to Diet Coke and slowly while running in Austin, I became a coffee-drinker. Now, my favorite incentive for getting up early and running on Saturdays is seeing my friends and enjoying a specialty coffee drink after the workout is done. The first sip after a Saturday run is a feeling that is hard to beat. Whether we are doing the Sunrise Tour or running at the local coffee shop, we will usually stick around and chat about life. These conversations almost always include joking around and laughing, which always starts off my weekend happy. If that alarm goes off and I’m too sleepy, I just tell myself to think how happy I’ll be post-run sitting at the coffee shop with my fellow runners!
Liza Kate
I run for coffee in the morning. When I’m out doing a run, especially a long run, I’m thinking about a bold cold brew to finish off my run! In the evening, beer is the ultimate reward for me. I’m a big social runner, and luckily we have run groups that end with both.
Bethany
My biggest motivator that gets me going is running with friends and getting to laugh, talk, vent, and be silly! My friends and I especially love all the Halloween decorations and taking silly pictures with them! Fun gets me out of bed!
Jennifer
Getting out the door is the hardest part sometimes. Most mornings, if I’m only doing a short run like 3-4 miles, I’ll do a pre-breakfast workout. I can’t eat for 30 minutes after taking my thyroid medication, and don’t always have time to wait if I want to sneak out before the kiddos to wake up for a solo weekend run. But even with the stroller and the kiddos in-tow, a delicious donut is a great reward. There’s this neighborhood place called Donut Hub we jog and run to. They are perfect and just melt in your mouth. Also, if it’s an out and back, you can get them in a small bag and carry until the end of the run (or have the stroller transport), I’ve done that too. Speaking of donuts, there’s also a fun donut run in Round Rock every year, where mid race you eat Round Rock donuts, and let me tell you that’s harder than it sounds.
Rachel
My favorite post-run treat is a Juiceland smoothie: Wild Child (swirled not blended) if I want something refreshing, and Soul Boulder if I want something filling. I always add the animal-free whey protein for an extra 25g+ of protein to help with good muscle recovery! Sometimes it takes me awhile to get my appetite back after a long run or hard speed workout, so smoothies are a great way to still get nutrition in my body soon enough after finishing my run, without being too hard on my stomach.
Shanna
I’m not a morning person so coffee with friends is the best incentive to get me up early in the morning. I love trying new places, but Merit and Bennu are 2 local places that are my go-to if I don’t want to plan anything.
Coffee can be so varied so you can get your usual but it can still be different depending on the beans. Also, if you like to experiment or need something different based on your mood, you have a variety ways of getting that caffeine boost. That caffeine pairs with the natural endorphins from the run to keep me going with whatever I have planned for the rest of the day. Best of all, most coffee shops expect you and your friends to hang out + talk while you have your coffee.
Mary
I don’t drink much caffeine, so my treat after a Saturday group run is to get a green tea (my favorite beverage) at our local coffee shop. I also love picking up breakfast tacos on the way home!
Laura
Coffee and tacos with friends! I meet up with the Pfun Runners Saturday mornings at West Pecan Coffee + Beer. After the run we fuel up with coffee and when time permits we order tacos from my favorite local taco joint, Pflugerville Taco House. Running with friends has always been my motivation!
Sabrina
I see myself as a pancakes person, but I usually do not have the patience to go through making them post-run. Therefore my go-to is going to be breakfast tacos. The place that my wife and I frequent the most is Tres Hermanas off of Anderson Mill Rd. Not only is the taco truck very convenient to all of our running routes (yes we have made runs that end at the truck) it is a cash only spot, has a small menu so that you can try everything easily and also come back to some of your favorites. I tend to get the classic bacon, egg and cheese along with a nopales. When I am feeling extra hungry I will add in a carnitas no matter the time of day.
Mark B.
After an early run I like to sit and savor some coffee; Stok cold brew in the summer, hot Nespresso in the winter. However, if it’s a long endurance run (or ride) in which I have been out for 3-4 + hours, I like mini powdered donuts! It’s a guilty pleasure but they taste so good when you are completely tanked and out of energy. Donut shops are great, but I usually just buy the hostess bag, sit and enjoy. 😁
Julie
I am a fan of all carbs and Kerby Lane vegan pancakes with bananas or blueberries are my absolute favorite! Tacos and smoothies are also near and dear to my heart as are mimosas, which are best enjoyed with my running buddies. It is tough getting out of bed, putting on the sneaks, and going out in the wee morning hours, but knowing that I accomplished at least one thing that day – to take care of my health – motivates me to get out there. And on those extra tough days, when the weather is yucky or I just don’t feel like it, pancakes…I do it for the pancakes…
Amber
You can catch me post-long run picking up a chocolate milkshake. Nothing fancy. Fast food joints are best. If you’re anything like me, after a long run (especially during the warmer months which is like 10 months out of the year here in Texas) I want something cold, refreshing, and replenishing. Chocolate shakes cover all the bases!
Kim
When I have to get up super early to run I almost always plan to run somewhere that I end up near a coffee shop so I can buy myself a coffee after. As someone who makes coffee at home 99% of the time it’s a lovely treat that I look forward to. If I’m particularly unmotivated I promise myself Migas breakfast tacos from Spicy Bite afterwards. Best post run treat there is.
Chloe
Pancakes, definitely, get me out of bed at o’dark-thirty.
Perfect for replenishing carbs after a run and having post-run social time with amazing run-friends.
Magnolia Cafe, Another Broken Egg, and Kerbey Lane Cafe are fantastic Pancake Places!
Martin
What helps me get out of bed when my body tells me I’m tired and don’t want to do it, is that post run burst of energy I feel due to all the endorphins released. Those “feel good” chemicals I have to help get my day started off on the right foot.
Kristi
Before most people have even brushed their teeth in the morning, I’ve already logged my daily mileage. It’s the best way to start your day positive and with a great attitude. That’s my true incentivizer. However, I admit, it does make me feel less guilty grabbing that donut or kolache my co-worker surprises the office from time to time.
Scott
What gets me out the door at o’dark-thirty is a good stack of pancakes waiting for me after my long runs. A reward of French Toast will have even more excited to get up and run.
Josh
Usually my go to after a long run is a breakfast taco from Granny’s Tacos. I’m always wanting something salty post run and their tacos hit the spot.
Kayla
I get out of the bed at o’dark-thirty to catch up with good friends on what happened during the week while getting some exercise. Then afterwards we enjoy some coffee and breakfast tacos.
Nina
For me I can’t say that I have a reward at the end of the run. I’ve always looked at the reward as the run itself. Whether the run is bad or its amazing. The process along the way has been the best incentive. I am always working towards going faster or farther, at whatever distance that may be.
So if I had to say something about getting out there that is my reward – its the experience. Every day is a blessing, and every run is a gift itself. I don’t regret the runs I do, I regret the ones that I don’t do.
Isaac
All of the above – yes, please & thank you! 🙂 It really depends on my mood and hard I felt the run was. If it’s pancakes, Cafe Java has good pancakes but that results in a carb coma and I’m not counting on doing anything else for rest of the day – lol. I like Taco Shack’s breakfast tacos and smoothies are always good at Juiceland. Regardless of where I eat afterward, I love to reward myself with a tea or coffee from West Pecan Coffee + Bar. On a side note, I do enjoy trying local coffee shops with the Cap10k Coffee House 10k Sunrise Tour series! 😉
Sharon
I usually eat light at breakfast, eg a banana and yogurt. My motivator is having a bigger lunch and in Austin that translates to BBQ, Mexican, etc. It’s pretty guilt-free, since I burn up those categories running!
Ian
The thing that gets me out of bed for an early run on Saturday mornings is the social aspect of running. My pfellow Pfun Runners not only provide accountability, but also encouragement, support, and so many laughs! We typically run and then grab coffee at West Pecan, where we hang out and just enjoy being together. It’s a great way to kick off the weekend!
Susan
The coffee house socials are a great motivator. It gets to me to different parts of the city, the atmosphere of the runners, there’s coffee and pastries, and some locations have libations. 😄
Robert
My post run rewards are breakfast tacos and coffee or street tacos with a cold happy drink!
Claudia
Nothing motivates me more to roll out of bed before sunrise than knowing there’s a post-run breakfast taco and coffee waiting for me! After a good morning run, I head over to Granny’s Tacos in downtown Austin, where they serve up some of the best breakfast tacos in town. There’s something unbeatable about the combo of warm, hearty tacos and a fresh cup of coffee to refuel after a run.
But it’s not just about the food—it’s the time spent with friends, sharing stories and getting to know everyone a little better. Those early morning conversations turn the post-run hangout into a tradition that’s worth waking up for, every time.
Yash
Breakfast Tacos are definitely a motivator for me! It is not the only reason I get out before most people get up, but it is nice to know I worked off the calories to have that breakfast option. I am a bacon and egg/potato and egg kind of person. There are quite a few places in Georgetown that have some amazing breakfast tacos that allow me to switch it up based on what I feel like eating. If you are ever up in Georgetown I suggest you try Alicia’s Tacos, El Charrito, or Rio Bravo. All excellent!
Maria