I feel a bit off today.
Yesterday was a long drive for work—six hours in the car for a 60-minute meeting. On the surface, that doesn’t sound like a great use of time, but it was. Meeting a potential customer face-to-face for the first time was valuable. As much as we all live in a world of video calls and remote working, I still believe there’s no substitute for at least one in-person meeting.
Still, the thought of the drive had been weighing on me all week. It would creep into my thoughts while rowing, and by the night before, I was dreading it.
Then I had a brainwave.
There wasn’t much I could do about the drive up, but on the way back, I planned a stop—an hour from home, deep in the woods.
A Reset in the Woods
I pulled in, put on my walking boots, grabbed my earphones—then stopped.
I switched off the music.
Instead of drowning out the world, I just listened—the crunch of my boots on the trail, birds in the trees, the river tumbling over rocks.
It was fantastic.
I walked for an hour and twenty minutes and felt amazing afterward.
But here’s what I realized:
1️⃣ I checked work emails while walking. Guilt crept in. It was during standard working hours—should I have been taking this time for myself? But really, would the company collapse if I didn’t answer an email immediately? No. My mental health is more important than instant replies.
2️⃣ I didn’t drink enough water. Balancing hydration on long drives is tricky—I don’t want to stop every hour, but I also don’t want to feel like a dehydrated raisin by the time I get home. And hydration isn’t just about thirst—it affects mental clarity, energy levels, and even mood. Yesterday, I got it wrong.
This lack of hydration carried over into today. I woke up sluggish and cranky—not ideal. But I dragged myself to the gym anyway.
Telling ChatGPT What I Needed
I explained my situation to ChatGPT:
Me: “I was in the car for six hours yesterday but managed to get an hour and 20-minute walk in the woods. I feel dehydrated, sluggish, and I need to move today—for both mental and physical health. What do you recommend?”
ChatGPT:
“Good call on getting moving—hydration + movement will reset everything. 🚀💪”
🔹 Recommended Gym Session (Mobility + Controlled Effort)
✅ Rehydrate first – Sip water while warming up.
✅ Light Warm-Up (5-10 min) – Assault bike or easy row at 2:10–2:15/500m.
✅ Rowing (Low-Moderate Effort) – 6,000–7,000m @ 2:05–2:10/500m.
✅ Mobility & Strength (if feeling good):
- Bodyweight squats or light leg press
- Lat pulldown or seated row (light-moderate)
- Shoulder & back mobility (band work, face pulls)
“Today is about movement, not max effort. Get the blood flowing, hydrate well, and reset. 🚣♂️🔥 Sound good?”
7000m Later…
That’s exactly what I did.
🚣 7,000m row at 2:05/500m pace—felt good.
And then… I pushed it.
💥 3 x 250m sprints
- First two in 49.5 seconds
- Last one in 50.5 seconds
That last sprint? Probably a bit much.
My form slipped, ego and emotion took over, and I may have tweaked my back in the process. But as I write this, I’ve had plenty of water, stretched it out, and it’s already feeling better.
Lessons from the Last 24 Hours
🔹 1️⃣ Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish.
Stopping for a walk in the woods made me better when I got home. Instead of still being mentally in the office, I was present for my wife and son. The moment my key hit the front door, I was home.
🔹 2️⃣ Hydration isn’t just about thirst.
It’s about brain function, mental clarity, and general wellbeing. Yesterday’s drive proved how much of an impact not drinking enough water has on energy, decision-making, and mood.
🔹 3️⃣ Writing it down makes a difference.
Journaling this process is showing me how much I live inside my own head. Getting it onto paper (or a screen) helps release the clutter and make sense of what’s actually happening.
This is The Sub-7 Experiment.
And it’s becoming about more than just rowing.
The Sub-7 Experiment 