03/17/2026
What started as something to do during Covid somehow turned into a family.
Most of this story starts at 5:15 a.m. (the kind of early where you’re not sure if you’re dedicated or just making questionable life choices). For years that alarm went off in the dark and somehow I kept showing up. Recently there have been a few later mornings since leaving the classroom (6:15, 7:15, and on very rare occasions 8:15), but 5:15 will always have my heart.
I never expected to find a community here, but I’m beyond thankful that I did.
This group has also seen me collect injuries like souvenirs.
Subluxing my elbow during a sn**ch gone awry. Busting my ankle on a box jump. Random aches that seem to appear out of nowhere. And yet somehow I keep coming back.
But the best part has always been the chaos in between the workouts.
The trainers casually reminding me they graduated high school after I finished my graduate degree. The book recommendations I wish I had my phone on me to write down because I know I’ll forget the titles. Conversations about family trips, HYROX training, and random bucket list ideas.
And of course figuring out how many Girl Scout cookies we’re all going to support this season.
Some of my favorite golf conversations (and even some of my favorite people to play with have come from these early mornings too.
There have been breaks along the way for illness, travel, and schedule changes. But every time I come back, it still feels the same. Welcoming, encouraging, and full of people who somehow make the hard workouts a little more fun.
What I didn’t expect when I first showed up at 5:15 a.m. was discovering strength I didn’t know I had and finding a community that would cheer for it.
And it feels very fitting that this milestone landed on St. Patrick’s Day (one of my favorite times of year). Don’t worry, I wore dark leggings today, so no pinching occurred. 🍀
Here’s to the early mornings, the sweat, the chaos, the injuries, the laughs, and the friendships that somehow came out of all of it.
❤️ Not everyone who made these 5:15 mornings special is in this photo. But you know who you are, and I’m so grateful for you.
