I write about the 4 a.m. Wake-Up Club on the days I work out — and let me tell you a little secret: I loathe getting up at 4 a.m. (3:50 most days). But I do it because my boot camp starts at 5 on the dot and I usually leave the house at 4:30 a.m. I do it because that’s when I can get my workout in and still get home in time to help get Amy and the boys get out the door on time. I do it because I know that’s the one time I can get an intense workout in. While most the world sleeps, I’m pushing myself to the edge of vomit.
I’ll be honest with you — I’m tired. My lunch gets eaten by 9 a.m. and I’m ready to sleep by 3 p.m.
Coach Paul’s drill was the last drill of the day for Line 1 today. We had done quite a bit of running (I burned 853 calories today) and by the time we made it to him, we were tired. There were five cones and we did short sprints, shuffles, backwards runs and karaoke (crossing legs over as we move backwards) pretty much nonstop. Then at the end, we had a sprint to the 50 and back twice.
He said to us as we were gasping for breath, “It’s how you perform while you’re tired that matters. That’s when you become successful.”
He’s right. When everyone else is tired, you’re working. Yes, you’re tired, too. But you have a goal, a dream and a mission to reach. That’s your caffeine. That’s what gets you out of bed at 4 a.m. like an idiot.
Now if you will excuse me, it’s 9:10 a.m. I have to go eat my lunch.