Let me start by saying that I am as lazy as anyone alive. I have been so lazy that I have weighed as much as 245 pounds (fine if I was a middle linebacker or heavyweight boxer, but…no). For YEARS I would stay up late eating and watching teevee or browsing the web (research!), and for a time, internet pokering (not a word).

Scientists will tell you that when you stay up late, you sleep late. To EXTREMELY prove their hypothesis, I was always sleeping in and then making a TASTY BREAKFAST. It’s a known fact that you burn a ton of calories while you sleep so you need to replenish immediately! #Science

Now let me point out that I am still as lazy as fuck, but something clicked in the last three years. Number one, a dude named Pete Beers (Hi Pete!) invited me to ride hills with him and some other folks once a week on Tuesdays. Great! Except it started at 6am sharp every morning. That is early.

Something about those rides, though. Being out in the dark with minimal traffic, just our lights and Pete’s music blasting out of his bike speaker. It was almost serene. Then we would catch the sunrise (beautiful!) and go have coffee and food together. The rides were great and it made the breakfast that much sweeter. It felt earned.

This is not to say I am special for getting up early and getting out for a run or a hill ride. I definitely am not. But on the days I don’t get out before breakfast? They aren’t as sweet. I don’t get that feeling of peace that comes with being outdoors alone or with friends in the early hours. I don’t get to see the sun come up. I don’t get to take pictures of our beautiful world as all of the lighting changes. Most importantly? I don’t get to feel like a dude on hunger strike who finally gets to eat his first meal in weeks. That is a great feeling.

That’s why I got out early today and do it as much as I can. Thanks Pete!