What's the daily routine?

As a full time athlete it is easy to lose routine if you don't maintain focus and discipline. It would be easy to sleep in until 11am and then have a relaxing morning with daytime TV. However, this would be a wasted opportunity to capitalise on my unique situation.

Lockdown and lack of races and training with groups has made it harder to motivate and set goals. Some days I have to grind out the training, but others are easier and I know I'm in a privileged position with a good opportunity. Sticking to a routine has made this easier. Certain habits ensure that I keep the focus. e.g. Starting the day off with a green smoothie or ended the day with stretches before bed. My activities change daily depending on the training, but below is what I try to follow:

Morning

0645: Usually wake up naturally or by a sunrise alarm clock. I may do a HR variability test.

0700: Coffee (at least 2 cups!). I will check the weather, the days training and update and social media.

0800: Mobilisation drills or plyometric warm up.

0815: Out for training run (usually in a fasted state). This could be one single longer session of up to 2 hours or a shorter 1hr run if I'm running again in the evening.

1030: Shower, eat and hydrate (electrolyte drink). (Get in a green smoothie and/or an omelette and avocado).

Day

1100-1600: During the day tasks vary e.g. house DIY, reading, shopping and any other jobs. If the morning session has been particularly hard a will try and nap, to enhance recovery. I try not to sit for too long and keep active through the day. If I'm training later at Bath Uni, I will travel there, where I may also use the track for a session. I don't eat too much in middle of the day, as I don't want to be too full and lethargic for the PM session.

I like to read biographies on sport or entrepreneurs. This helps to motivate as well as educate. It is also important to have activities away from running, to distract me and focus my mind on other things. 

1600: 2nd session on the day. This could be a run, cycle (Zwift or mountain bike in the winter, road bike in the summer), swim, S&C or yoga (with Adriana). I have 2 plyometric sessions to choose from, 3 strength based ones, or 2 conditioning. 

Evening

1900: Cooking and eat. I enjoy to cook and try new recipes. Meals are usually lower in carbs than one may expect from an endurance runner. Some meals are Paleo or Keto, but I'm not too strict on that. Lots of fruit and veg, with a variety of herbs and spices is important though. I feel that a morning fast is just as important for my diet. This keeps hunger under control and has many performance and recovery benefits. On average i aim for 4 pints of fluid a day, depending on conditions. 

2000: Relax time, where I may do stretching in front on the TV with the log fire on in winter. I use a range of tools depending on what I need, this includes; vibrating foam roller, golf ball, Voodoo floss, yoga mat, ice, and infra red.

2200: I will usually aim to be asleep by this time.

Consistency is key and all on the small things add up to make a difference. If I don't stick to a routine, I end up forgetting to do things. Having objects around the house and set times will help to prompt me into doing it. Although, I don't stress too much if I forget something. I listen to my body and use my years of experience to make the right decision. This particular routine works for me, but may not work for someone else. But routine is very important to help reach those goals.