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Questions: 1. One reason my life is great 2. Someone whose presence make my life sweeter 3. Something I get to do today that i've always wanted to do 4. One beautiful reason to be happy right now Answers: 1. I get to work with enthusiastic and energetic people all day (whether it's the kids I tutor, the group fitness sessions throughout the week - Tuesday Fitness with the Rugby Lads, Mid-Week Movers, Sai Kung Night Runners, Fun Friday Fitness, Hyrox Prep Saturdays or the part-time training at two different gyms in HK. 2. Kim - she knows how to listen (I mean, really listen, with no judgments, no offer to help fix a problem I'm experiencing). Listening is half the battle to finding my own solution. 3. I got to train with some awesome people today. One group in my MegaStrength class, one in my Hyrox Training Club at H-Kore, one with the TodayFit Mini-Triathlon Urban racers and one with the dragonboat team I coach every Sunday. Wasn't sure I was going to get through all of it to be honest but, I did, and gained a great deal from these interactions. 4. Hmmm, a beautiful reason to be happy, eh? Maybe all of the above. Maybe my dog. Maybe that it's 9pm on a Sunday evening and I don't have the Sunday Blues kicking in as Monday fast approaches. You know what, it's been a difficult day and a long day. But, all in all, it's been a good day too. And I'll take that.

This is something that I've been questioning a lot recently. I have signed up to do 3 Hyrox races in the next 4 months, as well as a mini-triathlon and 4 dragonboat festivals. That on its own isn't the worrying thing. It's the training, prep and motivation to get out there, even on days when you really don't feel like it. But, a commitment is a commitment. There are weeks recently where I haven't given myself a single proper recovery day. I have just bounced (ok, hobbled) from one day to the next; running, swimming, lifting, paddling, cycling. It's been a lot. My body hasn't failed on me yet but I worry that it's going to. So I have given more significance to rest and recovery days. On these days, you can still get your 10,000 steps in by working up a little sweat and going for an easy walk. You can do a 30 minute stretch or some mindfulness meditation (something I definitely need to work on) but you don't have to go all out every single day. Too much of anything is bad: caffeine, sugar, sleep, work - you name it, too much of any activity is probably going to have a detrimental effect on your health, be it physical, mental or emotional. So plan your weeks. Even if you feel great one day and know that you could hit that 10km PB or 1 rep max, give yourself a little grace. Your body and mind will thank you for it in the long run.