Running - how does time of day affect your running?

[PleaseTieMyBow]

I have been running about 4 years. For most of that I have been "just" a parkrunner, with occasional other runs in the week (always in the morning). My last parkrun pb was 2 years ago, having gradually improved by about 8 minutes.
Anyway I have now increased the running a bit, adding a bit of distance as we are preparing for a half marathon in the autumn. All is going well. But it has had no affect on my 5k time which is resolutely stuck a couple of minutes or so over my pb. That's fine, I'm really not bothered.
But, yesterday I did a 5k race, in the evening. It felt good (despite having had a migraine in the week, a night out and a crap sleep the night before) and I didn't feel sick or awful at the end of it. My time came in at just 15 seconds outside my 5k pb I'm absolutely delighted of course, but it got me wondering whether some people run better in the evening? And that much better? Surfaces were similar (road) and no big hills (similar inclines).

I prefer running late afternoon, my body just seems more fluid, less stiff. I'm well-fuelled and hydrated by this stage of the day too. My running is always slow, but I usually feel better on an afternoon run.

My daughter hates morning running, reckons she finds breathing really hard, and just feels like it is all a terrible effort on all her systems. She runs best at tea time.

I do better in the afternoon/evening too. To be fair, that is usually when I get a chance to run but on the rare occasion that I've been able to go in the morning, I just feel sluggish and it's harder to get going. I am not a morning person generally though!

I generally haven't run in the evenings because of family commitments and also because I lose my motivation. I'm definitely more disciplined at getting up and just going and don't hate or even dislike morning running! Maybe I'll do a few more runs now the evenings are lighter and see how I go.

I think I read once that physiologically evenings are the best time for running. I do all mine in the morning though, otherwise I wouldn't get out!

For me it's more about when I've eaten, so I don't like running on a totally empty stomach (i.e. before breakfast) nor do I like running in the few hours after a meal as I get stitches really easily. So just before lunch or just before dinner are my best running times! Also the thought of my imminent meal spurs me on

I struggle with morning runs partly general stiffness but mainly due to not eating (so lacking in energy) but I need a good 2 hours after eating and a toilet visit before I can do more than about 20/25minutes. I also find if I've eaten late at night & it hasn't 'left' my system a problem on a longer run.

Best time is early evening before dinner. I've actually just run my first 10km in under an hour a couple of hours ago . Only ever done 10km once before so feeling pretty chuffed with this and there was one really big bloody hill that I've never managed to run all the way

I prefer earlier in the day than later, mornings are usually best for me. The reason being when I've eaten meals over the course of the day I feel heavier, more sluggish and am slower. I prefer running on a close to empty stomach and have a light breakfast before I go out.

I feel better in the evening. Sunday tea time runs are normally the ones that make me feel . My body is fuelled and hydrated and loosened up. That's not my greatest opportunity to run though!

I find it hard to get the balance between fuelled and not bloated. Late morning before lunch tends to work well as some of my runs are done when.DC are in school.

I'm a mid-afternoon/early evening runner. 4pm is ideal. Fortunately, my work time is my own to organise.