Running Every morning and finishing 1.5 miles - 2.5 miles before 5am isn't easy. Getting up out of bed may be the hardest part of the day after 4 or 5 hours of sleep . If you have plenty of work to do and its either a Monday or Friday, It can be easy to just quit.
So quit. Don't do the hard work and just take it easy. Go ahead, save yourself some pain . Also no need to read on since this blog entry is about my 4am routine. You won't be interested .
So, now that I have your attention and your still reading, I wanted to just share a few of the experiences i have in these early mornings from as soon as i wake to as soon as i finish my run. The schedule is fairly loose and the objective is incredibly clear. Run at minimum 1 mile before 5am every single day.
I have 3 alarms, and I'm even working on a 4th since I need a mechanical one to rely on instead of all digital. Ive missed one of my 5am deadlines recently and I couldn't tell you if it was my alarms not going off or just me sleeping through it. The truth is it isn't an excuse. I assume responsibility . 4am sounds like a truck backing up on my wrist(watch) ,on my bedside table(phone) and from my sprinklers hitting the bedroom window(hence the need for a "4th" alarm).
My advice for getting up in the am Is simple, don't give yourself enough time to think about it. Get up and get going. Plan the night before otherwise your already behind. Prepare your clothes and get your shit straight so that when you wake in the am you can function on auto pilot . If you wait more than a few moments in bed thinking of the day or wishing for more sleep, STOP. Get up and get at it. Note to self.
Within a few minutes of popping out of bed, I am dressed ,a photo of my watch is taken and shared on my social media for accountability, and I am off . No thinking, just doing. As soon as I Hit the pavement I am starting with a slow jog and by the time i hit the end of my block its a run for the next mile or so. My hears immediately starts pumping harder and my feet are sore from the previous day. Within minutes this all disappears and my mind starts to engage. Now .5 miles in the same thing always comes to mind, Why am i doing this? the answer is always the same. Because of who i will become for completing this task.
It's not that running a mile will alter the course of my life dramatically or that burning a few calories is enough to consider my morning run a feat. What I do consider this activity to be is a small milestone to start my day right , With no excuses and just getting it done kinda attitude. This preps me for the rest of the day since the hardest part is already over. And i didn't let my mind get in the way of my body.
Here we are. A mile and a half later my heart is racing my feet are numb to the pain and I am sweaty even in the cool fall morning . I am ready to go for the rest of the day and wide awake before most are still snoring. Its a great feeling and absolutely worth it. My Father always told me- "Go to sleep the same day you woke up". Thats his way of saying getup early ,get shit done and earn your sleep, at least thats what I heard.
The days are short and life doesn't wait. We can talk ourselves out of doing the thing we know we should be doing but for me that isn't an option. I always feel better when my personal requirements are met, And I feel the pressure when I've slept in. When I wake up and having slept through my alarms I guess I could think, well maybe I needed the sleep. Nope, thats your brain getting in the way. Get up, get at it and don't give your mind enough time to distract you . Get your Gear that you have prepped the day before and get going. You can sleep later after you have earned it.
Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments what kind of mindset you have that helps you along the way regarding your personal goals? What do you do to ensure your getting the things done you have labeled important?
““Get after it” - Jocko Willink”
