My watch alarm goes off, it’s 4:55a. Eye of The Tiger blares on my Amazon Echo Dot in the Kitchen, and the coffeemaker gurgles its last drop through the filter.

I pour my coffee and sit in front of my open laptop on the kitchen table, I add another 500 words to the plan for my next training season.

After typing for 45 minutes, a reminder on my phone dings, letting me know it’s time to walk and finish the audiobook I’ve been enjoying the last few days, Grit by Angela Duckworth (I highly recommend it). I slide on my New Balance Fresh Foam Mores and walk out the door.

I finish my walk 45 minutes later, and still have plenty of time to shower, get dressed, and…💩… before it’s time to leave for work.
When I arrive at work, I don’t know what my day will be like. For an anxious person like me, it’s nice to know that at least for two hours this morning, I was in charge.

This morning, I knew what would happen next. While everyone else in my family of seven slept, I read a book, practiced my writing, planned training sessions, and prepared for my 37.5 mile race. 5am might be early, but the rewards that come from those two hours are infinite, even if it means being a little tired now and then. 

In a chaotic world, this is how I take control–even if only for a moment.