Hot Dog to the Head

That is the name of the song I'm listening to right now. Also known as weiner to the face. It is 1113 on the east Coast of America. I haven't been working very many early morning lately. It has been known to family and friends since I was very young that I am a night owl. I do not know why, nor do i care to look into it, it is plain fact. At night, I come alive. my best ideas are always at night (or in the shower), and I feel more productive in the late hours. here is what trips me out though, there is nothing I love more than getting up at 0500, bangin' out a quick set of something, training from 0600 until about NOON and then having the rest of the afternoon to do whatever I feel I need to do. I teach classes Monday through Thursday evenings, and two on Saturday mornings, so it is not like my day is completed at noon, yet i do LOVE to be up early and done before my fellow humans on the West Coast of America have even showered and shaved. No matter what the circumstances of my morning are, I ALWAYS get pumped up at night. Some days I am straight up pooped and go to bed early, like my girlfriend who beds down every night at 630PM. really. But other days (nights), I sit down at the computer, read the forum, surf for new info, make a play list for the next days workout, etc., and I just feel great, like I can stay up all night. And I am crack free! Kicked coffee about 8 weeks ago, switched to tea in the morning. I only drink Sprite Zero or Caffeine Free Diet Coke if I need carbonated goodness. I'm even off Decaf coffee. And I don't swallow tons of thermogenics like I did when I was a youth. Nonetheless, I am a night beast. I love to go to supermarkets, gas stations, and 24 hour Wal Marts at midnight and just kick around. My girlfriend and dog (our son, practically) are in bed wondering what the hell i'm doing and I'm out buying London Broil with my iPod strapped on and air guitaring my way into the wee hours. Who knows why I do it.

SO, in light of some sleeping problems (read, NOT SLEEPING) which led to me cancelling/rescheduling some early morning clients right around thanksgiving, I have retooled my schedule. I get up early and train starting at 0600 only on mondays and tuesdays. Wednesday, thursday, friday I have no alarm clock. But here's what's great! I get up anyway! I don't sleep until noon like a bud of mine who is a total turd, I get up at 0700 or 0730, which is late by USMC standards but early enough to still have a whole day to do stuff (read, train from 1Pm on). So this morning I get up LATE. 0745! Oh no, the world is ending! So as soon as I could, I went for a short man maker. Took my dog to the track, and tried for snatches and laps in the 25 rep to 1/4 mile ratio. What I got was 25 l,r + one lap, 20 l,r + one lap, 15 l,r + one lap, and then my erectors were screaming. My lower back whipped out a megaphone and was like "Hey A$$hole! Give me a break I'm dyin' over hea'!" And yes, my lower back does have a Jersey Accent. I don't know why, I try hard to stay away from Jersey. So I took a break. And that, my dear, took ALOT of discipline. You see, I cannot take my own advice. When I sense pain, I play through it until it is debilitating, and I have to miss work (not good). So this time, I stopped and went right home. Though I am determined to shed some body fat and make 240lbs. by April 1st, I knew this was the right thing to do. You see, sicne I cannot take my own advice, I took the advice of my clients, friends, Chiropractor, and girlfriend, recited it in my own head in MY voice, and then it was OK. I was taking a suggestion from my brain very seriously. So here I am. Clad in half sweaty workout gear, still itching to lift a bell, with a whole afternoon of training ahead of me. This ain't so bad. Thanks everybody, for helping me get better at my job and my life every single day.

OOH RAH Marine Corps,
W2