Normally I get up at 5:30. If I am going to bed and getting up at a consistent time, I typically wake up before my alarm. But I still set the alarm, because you never know.
I've always been an early riser because I like to get my work done early so that I can go play. During the week I try to work hard and play hard. On the weekends, I sleep in, relax a bit more than usual and spend as much time as I can with my kids.
I rotate my breakfast between scrambled eggs--I have to have Tabasco sauce on my eggs--and bacon to smoked salmon with a healthy seed-type of chip to chicken apple sausage. I grew up eating cereal, toast and all sorts of bread products, but I somehow have developed a gluten intolerance. Now I can't eat any of that.
My fourth option, which is what I had today because I'm going to work out, is a protein shake made by a company called Ryno Power. In the shake, I have coconut milk, a banana, coconut yogurt and a vanilla-flavored protein mix that has about 40 grams of protein. When it's race season or close to a race, I drink an organic spiced chai tea. When it's not racing season, I'll drink a cappuccino or vanilla latte.
My wife and I have three children. The older two girls are three and five and they are up at 8:30. I generally eat two breakfasts, and the second is whatever option I didn't have for the first. Sometimes it lines up with when my kids eat breakfast. I typically eat 5-6 times a day depending on my workouts.
I'm 44 and still love to race. I'm constantly exercising to keep my mind sharp. On top of that, I have to give my body the right fuel to do what I want to do.
I work out 3-4 times a week, and usually wait two hours [after breakfast] to do it. Kitt Cope, an MMA and Muay Thai kickboxing fighter, is my trainer. When he is in town [Park City, Utah] we do an hour and a half of pad work, then in the afternoon we do strength work. When he is not in town, I will do an hour of intense cardio mixed with weights. The workouts vary from mountain biking to hiking to swimming. In the gym, I use the elliptical machine, recumbent bike or Aerodyne machine. Today, I will use the Aerodyne machine. It's an old style, but works exceptionally well. Racing not only takes a lot of ability in the car, but it's also about who can last for two to three hours at a time. Being in top cardio shape is really important.
