Stirred Awake

Here, root yourselves beside me.
I am the Tree planted by the River,Which will not be moved.
I, the Rock, I the River, I the Tree

I am yours--your Passages have been paid.
Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need

For this bright morning dawning for you.

* * *

Lift up your eyes upon

The day breaking for you.
Give birth again

To the dream.

- On the Pulse of Morning, Maya Angelou

Last Friday, I learned an important lesson:

Waiting until Friday evening, after a long day and long week at work, is NOT the time for me to excel in a two hour run / swim workout. Sure, I got through it - but I grumbled the entire time, felt sluggish, didn't make my interval times, and spent nearly 120 minutes convincing myself not to quit. Perhaps, that's effective mental training, but motivating it is NOT -- and despite my attempts at being a zen master, motivation is what was sorely missing last week.

After Friday's lesson, I've decided that my motivation is strongest in the morning, and as such, this week I've embraced my morning person identity in a very strong way. From here on out, 5:00 am is my new training partner. At 5:00 am, when the world is quiet and my husband is still sleeping, I can rise and take on just about any challenge (provided I'm appropriately caffeinated!). At 5:00 am, I can hit my t-pace over and over again; I can hold my heartrate in zone 3 on my trainer for longer than ever before; I can watch the sunrise and get in several miles before most folks have even hit the snooze bar once.

At 5:00 am, as Dr. Angelou says, I can "Give birth again / To the dream."