Leveling Up with Micro Wins

Six out of seven days a week for a bit over eight years, I've been working out at Orangetheory Fitness studios. I had begun my health and fitness journey a few months before entering my first OTF and that pretty much was it - I never looked back and it has changed my life entirely, mentally, physically and spiritually.

My mindset is much stronger, I'm faster than I ever had been during my younger years and believing in myself became much easier.

The cool part about all this, was that I began this journey on the latter side of forty.

I can create tons of content with that journey and it has served me well, to say the least; because it keeps me challenged and motivated. I've always said, that OTF comes first. If anything interferes with my Orangetheory consistency, scheduling or overall workout - there will be hell to pay.

A lot of the way I approach life these days; I've drawn from my Orangetheory journey and that more specifically goes for my career, relationships and well-being.

Tiffany and I met and were friends first, because we were married and life happened and we ended up together and have been together for almost most of my OTF journey and she has been along that ride with me for almost as long. We plan to marry this year. More like an elopement and will bring her boys with us of course.

The pandemic was a rollercoaster of deep shit and blessed moments.

Throughout the last few years, taking my age into consideration (I'm 55 years old); I take everyday as a challenge. I wake up and consider myself blessed to do so. My efforts with my online marketing and my daily activity on HIVE, I take very seriously and give it 100 percent; but I also keep myself level-headed to know that everything takes time.

Now, here is why this post exists today; because as I said, a lot of my life is drawn from my OTF journey.

This morning was a signature workout called Infinity, which is a less intense version of Orangetheory's twice a year Dri-Tri challenge. It's like a triathlon, but under the orange lights. It's 300 reps on the floor - all body weight exercises, 2000 meter row for time and a 5K on the treadmill. You have to do all this as fast as possible.

I've done the individual - which is the Dri-Tri Original. If I remember correctly, this was before they were tracking it with the app - within 45 to 47 minutes.

I also did the Dri-Tri Relay, which is a team Dri-Tri. I believe we placed third out of about 7 teams.

The only one, I have NOT done is the Dri-Tri Sprint, which you would do as an individual in a half Dri-Tri set-up. Considering it, but I work that weekend; so we'll see how possible that may be.

Today's workout, basically prepares members two ways. If you are participating in the Dri-Tri, great practice or OTF's way of giving folks a taste and see if they can entice them to participate.

What happened in this morning's workout (I post my usual breakdown of everything we do in a session on @actifit - I'll post that in a few hours), went through the template without struggling to breathe (because of the long COVID issues) less pain (hamstring has held up well, just nagging injuries I deal with) and although, I wasn't super exited about my results (I did not PR my row) the feeling was amazing. I had not felt that fresh after a tough session like that in a long time.

It got me thinking, how everyday; there is an opportunity to put a check in the win column. A small win is so gratifying for me these days, because there will be those big time moments; where those micro wins catapulted me to the big wins or will in the long-term.

I don't ask for much in life, because life is a gift and the gift of living is more than enough; but we are human and have goals or at least most of us do?

Well, as luck would have it; Tiffany and I have another challenge coming up and one we've done before. If you see our collection of medals (some of you have seen me post a photo of it), then you know we love to participate in running events. This Saturday, is one of our favorites. The Best Damn Race.

We are running the 10K leg of that event and it's been a long while since we've done the 10K. It was pre-pandemic. In the last few months, we've stuck to mostly 5K's except for that previously scheduled half marathon when I only was able to run 7 miles of it and walked, ran, limped the rest. I was recovering from the hamstring injury and still was struggling with the breathing.

Since then it's been a handful of 5K's, where I've been happy to keep my running time to under 30 minutes, although I have to get back to about 26 minutes for my own goal crushing mentality.

I won't set a goal for the 10K, so not to put extra pressure on myself; that is one where I will bank it as a win, if I get through it without stopping.

This morning, I ran about 1.65 miles without stopping in 14 minutes and not gassing out; so that's a good sign for this Saturday's run.

As a torture bonus, OTF has a 2000 meter row challenge next week; so more challenges - YAY (sarcasm)...

ALIVE and THRIVING

I AM ALIVE

*HIVE Divider Courtesy of @doze