My days can run together....

We service multiple events happening on the same weekends.  And  our team  is producing our own events such as the Stampone Law Women's Philly Tri which is all encompassing. In order to prepare myself for daily tasks, it's extremely important for me to set the tone with my daily routine. Now, this is not always easy as I do travel for events and finding the time can be tough, but in the end it's always worth it. NOTE: I will not bore you with the mundane nuances of my morning routine, but I will share what I cannot miss no matter the circumstances.

3 days for 10 Seashells. Let me explain.

There was a time in my life when I would not BUDGE on my morning routine. Yes, there were some positives about this, but ultimately the routine became a point of anxiousness. If I didn't do something in particular order, I felt like my day was already out of sync. THAT IS NOT THE POINT OF HAVING A ROUTINE. Now that I'm pushing 50 and have a better understanding of what matters most in life, I do not sweat about the morning routine like I used to. Some days things go perfect, some days life shows up and punches you in the mouth. With that, here are my 3 days:

• 3 Days Per Week. It doesn't matter what days, it only matters that I get it in.
  
  • I walk to the jungle gym about 250 yards from my house with a 35lb kettle bell in each hand to get the blood going.
  • 5 min stretch
  • Jog ½ mile, then
  • 10 Rounds of the following: 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 20 air squats
  • Each of these are done slowly for maximum effect
  • Each time I complete a round, I grab a seashell from across the bike path and place it on the ground. I am now 1 seashell closer to being finished.
  • Jog ½ mile, then
  • Flag Swim ( about 250 meters) in the ocean ( somedays I get this part in, others I do not...I don't SWEAT it)
  • Walk back to my house with kettle bells
  • Cold Plunge
  • Give Thanks to the Gods

Last year, this workout was impossible due to my knee surgery rehab.  I  doubted whether I would ever be able to do something like this again. But with time, patience, and persistence, the strength returned, and with strength came the confidence. I think about the long road traveled physically, mentally, and spiritually to get to this point. I understand how important it is for me to continue to move with intention and to mark those intentions with a seashell.

You see, the shells represent more than a round of body weight exercises; they represent every "no" I have ever heard, every doubt that creeps into my mind, and every tear I have shed along my journey. I tell myself, "If I can do this workout 3 days per week, I can do anything." For some, the workout looks impossible, for others super easy. For me, I don't care what anyone thinks, because it's MY TIME.

The most gratifying part of stacking my seashells isn't looking at them all lined up nice and neat knowing the workout is over. Nope. It's a distant second place to the feeling of me picking them up, placing them into the palm of my left hand, and throwing them back from whence they came.  You see, I have won the morning, but the moment is over, and I'll have to metaphorically stack the shells throughout the day, but at least I know I can do it.

-DELMO