I'm voting for the low blood sugar. You need to go out fueled. You're using up energy stores from the previous night in 20 mins or less and there's nothing left in the tank. Sometime a snack before bed works, but I find that usually keeps me awake.

If you're able to get up 40 minutes or so before the run try experimenting with different light foods, toast, peanut butter, yogurt, bowl of cheerios, bananna, etc. Don't forget to hydrate before you go out or take along a handheld.

An Ensure, wheat toast w/ peanut butter and a bananna usually works for me. I'll carry along a gel or 2 for longer early a.m. runs just in case I get the queasies.

You can do this it's just a matter of getting some fuel in the tank.

I think cayman's advice of eating something before you run is a good place to start. From your post it does sound like it might be from a lack of eating. But getting up that much earlier to eat may be a hinderance. Do you really want to get up at 4am? Everyone's stomach is different. I don't eat anything before an early AM run. Eating makes me sluggish. Alarm goes off and I am running within 10 minutes. It might also be something as simple as not being acclimated to running that early in the morning. Problem solved after a few weeks of 5:20 runs.

And BTW, if you ever do IM Australia, don't say you 'bonk' on the run. You'd get some quizical looks.

Thanks guys - I'm going to keep at it and try some different things to see what works. Hopefully, it's as simple as eating something - what a strange feeling tho.

I don't think I'll be in Australia anytime soon (although hubby travels there on occasion) - but I'll be careful not to "bonk" while I'm running ;D

I doubt the electrolytes for so short a run even if it's hot....It takes quite awhile to deplete your salts.
Low blood sugar yes. I'm with cayman. Give yourself enough time to eat light before the workout, even if it's some sports drink or a gel.
Some folks can get out of bed and hit the road. Others can't, but need some wake-up time and some calories. I'm in that group...I have to have some stuff to burn in the morning or the workout is just horrible...

I also don't always like food in the am before I run, but even a couple gulps of juice can help. For longer stuff I throw a gel in my shorts.

kylie, you're supposed to EAT those... :)

do you open up the gel before you throw it in your shorts?

Well duh! Of course! Doesn't everybody?

Whadda ya mean that is not what they're for? ;-O

maybe a good anti chafing solution; but I don't think using it that way will give you much energy, depending on...well, that could go in a whole new direction...

I'm in the camp of needing some calories in me before morning workouts. I learned my lesson long ago when I actually passed out after doing a set of leg squats in a gym working with a trainer. We were doing hard circuit training and I hadn't eaten or drank anything and finished a nearly all out set and literally "fell asleep." When I came around the manager of the gym was there, they all had lots of worried expressions, and a Gatorade for me... That solved the problem - and I've done lots of really early AM working out since then, always with some juice, a powerbar or something of the sort before hand.

For the record, I don't throw gels in my shorts yet. I'll work on that during next year's base training. Should I throw it in the front, back or side of the shorts?

If your body needs to get used to rolling out of bed that early, my guess is it will take more than a few times to get used to it.

Hopefully getting some calories in you will solve the problem.

A little fuel in the tank does wonders!! ;-)

Glad it worked for you! And soon you won't be able to run without that gel there -- chaffing is a thing of the past :-P