Note: The events depicted below may not have happened exactly as described, but they did happen exactly as remembered. Or it could be a mixture of many mornings. My alertness level and ability to retain memory are not at their peak levels between 5:30am and 7am. All thoughts are actual thoughts I’ve had during class at Golden Gate Park.
5:30am
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP goes the alarm clock. Time to get up for class…. Guess I should get up. Why oh why did I sign up for a 6am class??? ….SNOOZE button pressed.
5:39am
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!! Okay, it’s really time to get up now. 5:39? Why 9 minutes instead of 5 or 10? (shake my head) Think about that later, time to get to class. If I’m there even 5 minutes late, who knows where the class will be and I can not be awake at 5:39 for nothing. I can’t believe I have to get up!!!
5:49am
Quick swig of mouth wash. Very important if I plan on talking to people.
5:50am
Out the door with my keys, phone, license (in case I get pulled over), medical card (in case I fall over), heart rate monitor (to make sure I’m trying and conversely to make sure I don’t need to use my medical card), zBar (kid’s version of a clif bar, much tastier).
5:52am
Just got in my car. Warming it up. Have to leave by 5:54 otherwise I’m running by myself. Wow, it’s like really dark outside. Just as dark now as it was when I went to sleep. That is not happiness I feel.
5:54am
And on my way. Please no red lights, please no red lights. Why does the inner sunset smell like onions? Like, seriously, a lot of onions.
5:59am (and 30 seconds)
Lot at Sharon Meadows is pretty full. Okay, eat half that zBar. Press button on watch to check resting heart rate. Crap. Forgot my watch. Wearing a chest strap for no reason. I hope I don’t chafe.
6:00am
Dynamic stretching time. High knee hugs. Toe touch walk for the hammies. Some side shuffling. Leg swing for a minute or so.
6:03am
And away we go!! Um…where are we going? Time to blend with the pack and just make sure I don’t lose sight of the group.
6:06am
Someone yawns. I say “Stop yawning. Yawning is just another form of complaining.” I say stupid things in the morning. Good thing I used mouth wash.
6:18am
Okay we are still running. Shouldn’t the sun be up? When’s that daylight’s saving hit? Fall Forward, Spring Back. It’s Fall Forward, that means we get an extra hour right? I may get to exercise in daylight?
6:20am
I hear the instructor say something to the effect of “Run up that hill, come back down, do a plank, back up the hill, then…..” More is said, but it’s 6:20am and it’s dark. My face (along with a couple of others) conveys the emotion of “HUH?” Instructor says “I’ll tell you what to do when the time comes” or something to that effect.
6:35am
The last 15 minutes have been tough. I can’t remember exactly what we did, but hopefully I remember enough to fill up 140 characters so I can tweet it (shameless plug for www.twitter.com/foxbehungry). Feeling better about my decision to get up. Almost completely awake.
6:40am
Time for the endless stairs. Looks like a million, but probably only 150-200 steps. How many times? Four? Oh boy. I need my ipod. Something to distract me. How about counting. I’ll try counting.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. One, two, three.. crap. That didn’t feel smooth. Probably that dumb seven. Two syllables. Messed up my rhythm.
One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four… There you go, that’s my internal count for stairs. Forces me to take breaths. Turns out when I count in my head, my lips move and I breathe.
6:45am
Holding that plank. Holding. Holding. Holding. Still Holding. And… DONE. I’m laying chest down on a wet side-walk. And I don’t care. I’m a little dirty, but whatever. I hope I brought a towel to put on my car seat.
6:48am
Back to Sharon Meadows.
6:57am
Some good stretching. Can’t believe I made it. Can’t believe I have that same thought every morning. “Can’t believe I made it.” I feel good. I’m so glad I got up! Maybe tomorrow I’ll think “Of course I made it. Bring it on!” Yeah, I don’t think I’ll actually say that out loud. Maybe I’ll just grunt as a recognition of a job well done.
7:00am
Time for work. At least now I don’t have to worry all day about fitting some exercise some time in the afternoon. Oh, there’s my watch on the floor of my car. Where’s the rest of that zBar…..
***Thanks for taking the time to check out my exercise thoughts. Please direct questions or comments to foxbehungry@gmail.com or check out my food and exercise twittering at www.twitter.com/foxbehungry***