Most races want you at the starting line early in the morning, making an a.m. run routine an obvious choice for mimicking race day conditions. But if you’re a night owl or have a jam-packed schedule, evenings might better suit your schedule.

Runners need to juggle sleep , hydration, nutrition , and training , all while making time for work, family, and a social life. So your unique lifestyle likely determines the time of day you run.

But could running when the sun comes up offer more benefits than heading out after work or vice versa?

To help you optimize your schedule, we spoke with exercise physiologists and run coaches to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of morning versus evening runs and help you choose which works best for your goals.

1. Simulate Race Day

As mentioned, most runners race in the morning, says Greg McMillan , exercise physiologist and USATF-certified coach, so if you run in the morning consistently, you’ll be in the routine you need for race day.…