Jered Benoit
Jered Benoit is a marathoner, CrossFit coach, caffeine connoisseur, and associate director of web services at Christopher Newport University, living and working in York County, Virginia.
What is your morning routine?
I wake up at 4:00am Monday through Friday, trying to get up as quickly as possible to use the facilities, get my workout clothes on, and head to the gym where I’ll work out for an hour, and (schedule dependent) coach a CrossFit class.
Once I get home I’m responsible for breakfast. The kids wake up and immediately want to make coffee with me, so depending on the day we’ll make espressos or a pot of coffee. Once we’re all fed and dressed, the kids will pack their backpacks, I’ll pack mine, and we’ll walk to my daughter’s school before I drop her off at her classroom and head on over to my office.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
Ever since I started walking my daughter to school (the 4:00am start has been on and off, mostly on, for the last two years).
What time do you go to sleep?
I try my best to get to bed by 9:00pm. If not, I have a really hard time getting up the next day.
The rub is my wife is a night owl, so she wants to stay up. Our lives are super busy, so I want to spend as much time as I can with her, which means there are plenty of days when I am up later than I should be.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typical have?
Breakfast is usually an hour and a half (ish) after waking if I’m not coaching, two and half hours after if I am.
I love eggs, I would eat eggs every day if I could. Bacon is always a bonus, but I also try to have a vegetable with my breakfast. My kids think it’s weird, but I aim to eat vegetables at every meal.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
I CrossFit at least three days a week and lift heavy things as fast as I can, often in different combinations.
I used to be a runner, but the community that I get at the gym is so much better than running in the dark by myself. On days I don’t work out I should be stretching, but I’m often too sore to do anything and usually end up dorking around on the internet instead.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
Getting the kids ready for school. Getting some coffee. Working out.
In that order.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning, either for calls/messages or social media and news?
I’ll admit I’m guilty of checking my phone first thing. As the alarm goes off so early it really helps me wake up.
In a former life I was a systems administrator (still am in some ways), so I usually check out of fear that something has broken, which it usually hasn’t. Then I catch up on Twitter and App.net before rolling out of bed to get to the gym.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
Usually some water at or after the gym, but then I’m straight on the coffee. Coffee is my weakness.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
The coffee is always there. Getting the kids ready is always there. The gym usually isn’t. Making breakfast usually isn’t. If I’m not at home, I’m probably on vacation, so the morning routine will usually go out the window.
What do you do if you fail to follow your routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
If I leave out the gym, it is because of one of two things: I’m up too late, or I’m too sore from earlier in the week. In this situation I’ll need to sleep in an extra hour. When I do wake up, I’m not upset with myself, but I always recommit to doing it again the next day.
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