Waking up to the chirping of birds is a
growing trend in Goa. With a new class of ‘early to bed and early to rise’
individuals, the members of the 5am Club are increasing in number. As exclusive
as this may sound, this club doesn’t require any membership and there aren’t
set rules to follow. All you have to do is wake up early and begin your day
with renewed energy by exercising, meditating and getting organised.
Rajesh Malhotra, owner of professional bike retail store Probyk, lives in Miramar. While an early morning, pre-sunrise jog on the streets of Miramar makes for a lovely experience, Rajesh prefers cycling. He wakes up at 5am, has a cup of green tea, gets dressed and heads out with his bicycle. “I cycle for around 30-40 kilometres per day and return home by 8am. I rarely go for a run. I enjoy the calmness of the morning which gives my day a calm, smooth beginning. If I wake up at 7am, the day has already begun and everything is moving and it is difficult for me to ease into the day. Waking up early gives me more space and time,” say Rajesh who winds up his day by 11pm for an early start the next day.
Sapna Sardessai runs a publishing and advertising business called Printer’s Devil in Porvorim. As she is tied up with work during the day, her only option is to wake up early and exercise. She hits the bed at around 9:30m or 10pm so that she can get adequate sleep. “I wake up at 5am to get freshened up and head to the gym to join the first batch of the day at 5.30am. I have been doing this for over a year now. Once back home, I have to complete my cooking and then leave for office by 9.30am. I prefer waking up early because if I get up late, it upsets my routine. Mornings are a great time to regroup your thoughts when it is quiet and I enjoy the clarity,” says Sapna.
Endurance cyclist Terence Moniz from Panjim is a member of the popular cycling group Cycling Goa. Terence’s workout regime has programmed his body to wake up exactly at 5am. “I used to get up at 4.45am earlier and once by mistake my alarm didn’t ring, but I still woke up exactly at the same time.” He adds, “Though I get up at 5am, I know people who are awake even at 4.30am and already out jogging on the beach. I go cycling or do my core exercises in the morning.”
“It is important to get up in the morning for most endurance cyclists because if we have to compete in a 1,200 kilometres cycling brevet it has to be completed within 90 hours which leaves very few hours to sleep in a day,” explains Terence.
Dr Belinda Viegas-Muller has been waking up at 5am since her student days and nothing has deterred her from changing her routine. A practising psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Dr Belinda recently participated in the 2nd Edition of Daal Bati Choorma, a 1,200 kilometre Enduride in Delhi, after completing the Goan Yoyo, a 1,200 brevet in Goa.
“I either cycle or exercise for nearly 2-3 hours per day. I reach my clinic by 8am and some days I cycle for a few hours more and head to the clinic by 10am. I don’t miss getting up early. I feel like I’ve accomplished something for the day. It even gives me more time to read and write,” says Dr Belinda. She goes to bed by 10pm and takes a power nap of around 20-30 minutes in the afternoon. “I feel rejuvenated for the rest of the day,” she adds.