Holy cow, you guys. I found a rhythm this week. 

Lots of stuff aligned, like I started remembering to check on my previous scores before starting the workout, instead of bumbling blindly and half-asleep down to the basement with no expectations of myself. Having an expectation meant all I had to do was pull a tiny bit faster score than last time, so I could get into a rhythm during the workout rather than searching for it without certainty. The correlation with running would be checking your average mile time, knowing what you’d like to be keeping consistently, rather than trying to calculate it as you go without knowing where you want to end up. It changes the mindset. 

I also had 2 run-throughs of each workout under my belt. I came into the Race Day workout with less fear and more curiosity (a Ready Set Row mindset, which is the awesome program I’ve had a couple of opportunities to work with since the summer). I knew what I had done, so I was curious if I could do better, or if I could do the same but feel less terrible about it. Woo! Big win. 

I was also much smarter about the schedule. This is a big deal and can make a big difference for anyone, no matter the workout. I had a great conversation with a friend about it this week. Let me explain: Mondays are low-stress before the kids are up. Monday morning for me is an extension of Sunday, which is usually a restful day. I feel good about putting a hard workout on Monday morning. Tuesday is a different story. Tired Tuesday is how I think of that morning. That’s a steady state day, or jog day if we’re not under feet of snow. Wednesday can be a little tougher, and Thursday is back to steady state. Friday mornings are yoga days because the week gets long by then, and then Saturday morning, I hit it hard because I know I’ll have time to recover afterward, followed by Sunday as a rest or easy day, as I mentioned. What a cycle. It’s beautiful. 

So here I am, enjoying myself as I do a training plan mostly alone in my basement while my family sleeps or works in the rooms above me. It’s pretty cool. I’m realizing how grateful I am to have the time and space to do it. Thanks, family. Love you.