Blue skies & A Day In The Life
Celebrating the arrival of Spring, sharing what the daily routine of an athlete looks like & some of my favourite recovery products
Just a spontaneous Substack to say that, yesterday, I felt the sun on my face for the first time in what feels like forever and, wow, I forgot how good it feels. Clear blue skies and little lilac flowers mean that Spring is on its way and that is very good news.
Since moving to Worcester, I have to say that I feel a lot happier. It’s been 5 months now and I don’t regret it. London became too loud after a while. I got sick of stepping on gum, walking into people’s bubblegum-scented vape clouds, waiting for the 3 people walking side-by-side and taking up the entire width of the pavement to never re-assemble into single file….
24 years of London was long enough and, extreme flooding aside, Worcester is exactly what I needed. It’s peaceful and scenic here, and whilst there are certainly things to stress about, I feel less stressed. A lot of that is down to Ads, who does a very good job of putting things into perspective for me when I’m not very good at it, pushing me when I need to be pushed and reassuring me whenever I question the meaning of life (I can be a touch dramatic at times).
My current focus in life is based around how I can forge a lifestyle that allows me to live, train and compete as an athlete. I love it but I sometimes forget how different it is to others’ lifestyles. Being in bed before 10pm, not drinking alcohol, stretching at home on a Saturday night…it doesn’t exactly scream glamour, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t bring in much money either (there’s not a lot of funding in CrossFit, especially as it has a long way to go before it can be recognised as a professional sport), but I feel rich in other ways. Every day I feel so lucky that I get to do what I love with a bunch of inspiring like-minded people.
So what does a day in the life involve for me?
Between 7-7:30am I’m up. I wash my face, take my vitamins and greens, then have my eggs and avocado on toast (I’m a very basic savoury breakfast person) with a coffee. We invested in a Sage coffee machine a couple of months ago and it’s been a game changer - I enjoy the process of making a coffee and it saves us from buying takeaway ones all the time too.
At around 9:30am I’m at the gym and starting my first session, which is usually a conditioning piece, followed by a bit of accessory work.
From 11ish, I eat and work - managing various social media accounts and programming for my online clients.
At around 1:30/2pm, I start my second training session. This is usually my longer, heavier piece with barbells, skill movements and accessories.
I head home around 5pm, where I eat, work, stretch, watch a show (currently between One Day and Modern Family) and go to bed at around 9:30pm.
Things I find helpful for leading - and recovering from - an active lifestyle (and hope you will too!):
*Not affiliated with any of the brands below (I will always mention if it is a paid partnership), just a genuine fan!
Earplugs and an eye mask for a solid night’s sleep (I’ve mentioned the Drowsy Sleep Co in a previous Substack but stand by it - something I love as a light sleeper in a room without blackout blinds!
Vitamin D to keep the winter blues at bay - I use Better You’s Oral Spray which I really like - it’s minty too!
A mini Theragun for my lazy sofa recovery protocol. Doesn’t quite get the knots out like a sports massage or a foam roller does but it gets blood flow to the muscles which is important for recovery and it feels nice.
FourFive CBD Thermal Joint Gel - going to be very clear on the fact that, although CBD is a popular product, the research on its benefits is actually very inconclusive, so I wouldn’t buy it just for that. This gel is enriched with natural Glucosamine and Arnica, and I use it on niggles/sore areas purely because of the thermal sensation it creates (see blood flow comment from the theragun) and the fact that it smells like deep heat.
I’m listing that last thing as a positive because, despite being somewhat overpowering and reminding me of my poorly structured running days where I’d slap deep heat on an injury, lace up and hope for the best, I personally really like the smell of deep heat. But then I also love the smell of chlorine, so maybe don’t take my word for everything.
Electrolytes - Phizz or Science In Sport effervescent tablets are perfect for popping in a water bottle during training (because water alone is not enough to stay hydrated!) and this is a big part of recovery.
Hope you enjoyed gaining an insight into my daily routine and the products that help support it! Please let me know if there’s anything else that would interest you about training to compete in CrossFit & I’ll do my best to write about it.
Loz x