Morning is my favorite time to workout – just not first thing out of bed in the morning. Ideally, I like to wake up about an hour before I want to workout. So, if I want to start at 6 a.m., I will get up at 5 a.m., maybe 5:15 a.m. Why? Because I need to go through what I call “my process.”
My husband John thinks I’m nuts. Last week as I was going through “my process,” he commented, “I don’t get it. How can you just sit there, relaxed, and not go?”
I laughed and replied, “I need to go through my process.”
So, what exactly do I mean by “my process”? I would characterize it as a series of pre-run rituals. Do I have to do it? Absolutely not. I can do my training without doing the process, I simply prefer to go through these rituals before starting.
One of the most important elements in my process is coffee. I can live without most of the other elements, but I really want (need?) my coffee. I enjoy smelling the coffee as it brews, and I love the sounds of the coffee maker “put-putting” while I brush my teeth and put on my workout clothes. When I don’t get this element, the workout seems off, which I learned last Friday, when I woke up late: 6:41 a.m. My plan for the day was to take a spin class at 7 a.m., after which I would run, and then do some weight training. So, I shot out of bed, and hurriedly put on my clothes and went out the door–with no coffee. No smell, no sound. Just in the car and off to class. I got the workout done, for sure. I pushed and pushed, but I never had that feeling of flow that I so love about training. I just love my morning cup of java!
In addition to the scent and sounds and taste of coffee, my process allows for time to mentally wake up. I’m foggy when I first get out of bed. At least, that’s how John describes it: “foggy.” On the occasions when I do have to start my workout without having time for the mental wake up period, I’ve felt like I’m waking up about 20 minutes into the workout, not really remembering exactly what that first 20 minutes was like!
During my mental wake up period, other elements of the process come into play. I sip my coffee while I check my email – and of course, check in with all of my running and triathlete twitter buddies. Twitter is a somewhat recent addition to the process, but one that I look forward to very much. I love reading the “good morning” wishes from the people I follow, along with the listing of what everybody has scheduled for working out that day. It makes me feel like I am a part of a community–that I’m not simply running alone. I am running with a large corps of dedicated and committed endurance freaks. On days when I may be tired or less than motivated, reading the thoughts and goals of my fellow runners and triathletes gets me out the door. And, let’s face, I’ve NEVER regretted a run, but I have always regretted NOT running.
By this time, about 45 minutes to an hour has passed, and I am ready to rock. Do I get to go through my process every day? Nope. But, I try to incorporate as much as I can to ensure the best performance and most enjoyment for that day’s workout.
What are your pre-workout rituals? I would love to hear about them!
