Morning started at 5:45. Cold air hit different today—sharper, almost metallic. I could hear the neighbor's dog two blocks over while I laced up my running shoes. That kind of quiet makes you notice things you usually miss.

Did my usual loop through the park. Three miles at an easy pace, focusing on form rather than speed. Saw the same guy at the water fountain, the one who always nods but never speaks. Today he said "good form" as I passed. Small moment, but it reminded me that people notice the work even when you think you're invisible.

Here's what I got done:

• 3-mile run (recovery pace)
• 20 minutes mobility work
• Meal prep for the next two days
• Foam rolling (finally)

The mobility work is where I saw improvement this week. Last Saturday I couldn't touch my toes without my hamstrings screaming. Today I got palms flat on the ground. Not because I'm suddenly flexible—it's because I've been doing five minutes every single day instead of cramming it all into one painful session on the weekend.

Made a mistake with yesterday's leg day though. Pushed too hard on the squats and my right knee felt it this morning. Pride gets you hurt. I should have dropped the weight when my form started breaking down on set four. Instead I ground through it and paid for it today. The discipline isn't just in showing up or pushing hard—it's in knowing when to back off.

Tried something new with meal prep. Instead of cooking everything Sunday night, I did proteins today and I'll do vegetables tomorrow. Keeps things fresher and doesn't turn the whole process into a three-hour ordeal. Small change, but it made the task feel less like a chore.

Recovery is training too. That's easy to forget when you're chasing numbers. Today was light work on purpose. Tomorrow I'll hit it harder, but only because I respected the process today.

Tomorrow's plan: Upper body strength, eight hours of sleep minimum, and I'm finally going to organize that workout log I've been putting off.

#fitness #discipline #recovery #training #consistency