A Life Less Ordinary

Life Is Here And Now And It's Just Begun

My alarm went off at my usual wake up time but with the time change it was an hour earlier than I was used to. Ah well better to get used to it now than when classes start. I'd gotten back from my run the night before to find that a meal plan box had been dropped off for me. I was delighted to find a weeks' worth of ready-made meals. I ate the poached salmon and sweet potato meal. It was a nice change from poached chicken breast and steamed broccoli I usually ended up eating during the season.

I ran through a quick stretching routine before changing into a second set of work out clothes. Apparently, Gabriel had supplied me with a few new sets, so I didn't have to put last nights set back on. I'd rinsed it out when I came in from my run, but it wasn't dry yet and the thought of putting a damp outfit on grossed me out. Pulling my track pants on I carried my jacket, phone, headphones, gym bag with indoor gym shoes, a towel, my training schedule, and water bottle downstairs. Today was going to be long. I had try outs all afternoon. I needed to get my run and conditioning in this morning, text Victor for what the audition pieces needed to be, though I had a couple ideas depending on requirements, eat three meals and a variety of snacks.

I pulled out one of the pre-packaged smoothie mixes from the fridge. I didn't really like them, but I needed the extra protein during the training season. I struggled to keep weight on during the season. My metabolism ran incredibly fast without adding any extra activity. When I first started playing competitive sports, I lost nearly twenty pounds the first month of training. The school dietitian and nutritionist worked with me to come up with a diet that would allow me to put the weight back on and hopefully a little bit more as a buffer. As it was, I still struggle to maintain a hundred pounds during the season. I dumped all the ingredients for my smoothie into the supplied mixer and blended the fruit and greens together, plain Greek yogurt, coconut milk and whey powder finished off my morning smoothie. I sat on one of the bar stools at the counter to check emails and drink breakfast. Blegh, whoever thought kale was actually edible needs to sit down and have chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and real whipped cream, now that is a breakfast. Sadly, not the type of breakfast I was going to see much of between now and the end of the season.

I was just cleaning up my mess when Tamlyn entered the kitchen. I checked my phone hoping it wasn't as early as I knew it was.

"Did I wake you?" I asked her, watching as she blinked sleepy eyes at me like she wasn't sure why a crazy person was standing in the dorm kitchen at quarter to six in the morning.

"Why are you up, dressed...sort of, and already finished breakfast before six am?" She asked, as her eyes scanned over me and the kitchen.

"I'm always up earlier. I discovered a few years ago that if I could get a run in and my conditioning done early enough no one else was in the gym or on the track. That meant I got my choice of equipment, machines or peace and quiet to run. I'll try to be quieter in the future." I explained, worried that I'd done something wrong on my very first day.

"What sport do you play? I saw Kota and Vic carrying up an equipment bag yesterday but pretty much everyone who is back now has one." Tamlyn inquired as she popped a coffee pod into the machine.

"Field hockey. My team was state champions last year. I generally play defense but can slot in to just about any position other than goalie."

"Karen is going to love you. She's in room 408 so other end of the floor from you. She's team captain this year and is desperately trying to rebuild the team. We won nationals last year and then three quarters of the team graduated or transferred. Have a good day and I'm sure I'll see you around here at some point today. We're on summer hours so curfew is relaxed, just be back in dorm by midnight unless you let me know you'll be out later. Curfew will tighten up once the school year starts but that still six weeks out so enjoy." Tamlyn waited for her coffee to finish then she waved at me and left without another word.