This 
past week, our family made a change, and we joined our local YMCA again. We wanted the girls to be able to take swim lessons again. My husband wanted to work on his fitness before the outdoor season for soccer starts back up. My work fitness center is undergoing some major changes, and the amount of group exercise classes that I could take will be much more limited at work as a result of these changes. Our Y offers so many amazing group exercise classes that I enjoy. Do not despair my runner friends, I am not giving up running at all. These classes are for my strength training and cross-training workouts. I am testing out as many classes as I can while I am on vacation for the holidays to see which ones will fit best with my regular schedule.
After years of being a night owl, my fitness friends have gotten me to be an early bird. I am willingly exercising at 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. My alarm woke me today at 4:45 a.m. on my vacation. Sometimes I look back, and I marvel at how much discipline I have with my fitness. I still struggle with nutrition like most of us. this time of year is so easy to indulge. Exercising is my go to method of self-care. When I work out in the morning, I have more energy and more focus. I enjoyed some peaceful time this morning after my work out. I ate breakfast, had coffee and read a book all before my husband and my girls were up. I cherish this down time especially during this time of year. It helped me to reset myself. Lovely readers, what time of day do you work out? Is it difficult for you to fit it in?
Tranquila Mama 
Hey Tranquilamama!
I just read your post and i knew I had to reach out to you. I’m a photographer and entrepreneur currently located in Alabama. I’m starting a worldwide fitness group that I would love for you to take a look at. There is no, specific group exercise or anything like that since this will be global, but it will be focused on adding certain things to your diet. Nothing expensive or exclusive, just something to increase nutrition and fight childhood obesity. I would love for you to take a look at it to see if you would like to join us on our mission. If not, keep getting your workouts in reading.
By the way, I get my workouts done in the morning before I go to work.
Love hearing about the discipline! This Christmas break, I, intentionally, have allowed myself to slack a bit . . . I’m allowing myself to sleep in a bit, every day, but I’m still starting my morning, every morning (except Christmas & New Years days, when I won’t be waking up in my own house) with a workout.
If 2014 has taught me anything it’s that, as long as I keep “general fitness” in mind, the running comes along with everything else, even if running hasn’t been the priority. Sure, I didn’t get to my four-hour marathon that I had hoped (though, in my head, part of me is thinking it sure would be fun to run 26.2 on Tuesday, my birthday . . . but part of me also thinks that daytime drinking would be a wonderful time, as well, so we’ll see), but I did chop minutes-per-mile off of my personal best in every running event, from 5k to the marathon, and that was pretty cool; and the reason for those bests is because I shifted focus to clean eating & strength training.
So enjoy the time to check out the classes & figure out what you enjoy . . . can’t wait to read all about what your routine turns into!
Thanks John. I’m hoping to continue to build up my endurance this year through clean eating and strength training. I also want to keep shaving time off my average pace per mile. I got in a nice 3 mile run today with my BIL – just under a 10 minute mile. I’m striving for consistency this year.
Also I cannot wait to see whether it’s day drinking or a marathon on your birthday.