Many years ago now, I used to drag my lazy self out of bed three mornings a week to go to kickboxing at six in the morning. I did this for a few years and I kept kickboxing up until I was seven months pregnant with my firstborn.
Once my son was born, I could no longer go to the early morning classes because my husband worked even earlier than my exercise class and, as you might expect, you probably shouldn't leave your babies home unattended.
I mourned the class for a long time because there was something supremely satisfying about beating the crap out of a punching bag in the wee hours of the morning. Recently my husband's schedule changed and I have been able to attend kickboxing again for the first time in seven years.
It's hard.
Very, very hard.
And now I am out of shape.
So far, my mornings are now a variation of the following: wake up inexplicably at 3 a.m. and try unsuccessfully to go back to sleep until my alarm rings at 5:30 a.m. Then, after fretting about not sleeping, I will fall deeply asleep fifteen minutes before I need to leave to get to the gym on time. After madly rushing around getting my gym clothes on, I pour myself exactly one half cup of coffee that I sip in the minivan.
Probably I will not spill the coffee on my gym clothes but I don't count on it.
Once at the gym, I try to remember if I've brushed my teeth (it's been yes to that so far) and if I've brought my water bottle (sometimes). For the next 50 minutes, I want to die. Many of the women at the gym I go to have been going for well-over a decade and it shows. Kickboxing women are strong, beautiful and so very energetic in the mornings. Eventually, I will become that person again but it will take some time.
Once the class is finished, we all run out of the gym at 6:50 a.m. and rush home to shower, make lunches, corral children or if you are retired (mom), you enjoy a leisurely coffee in a quiet home.
My mornings are anything but leisurely now but I am not sure they ever were easy since we've had children. My morning refrain is less "I'm so tired" and more "jab, cross, hook, dig" and repeat. I already feel stronger and I could (maybe) take someone down if needed. Thank you to the ladies at PG Functional Fitness for their continuing inspiration and general awesomeness.
You are living proof that strong is beautiful.
