I’m lucky enough to do so much of life alongside six incredible moms.  But while that village handles the soul, my 6:00 AM gym crew handles the sweat.

If you know me, you know I have fully embraced the gym rat life. You can find me at my local HIIT gym at 6:00 AM every weekday, and I am officially obsessed with the intensity of our weekend sessions. This group of folks is a different kind of village, one built on collagen in our water, Tabata racing, and a shared goal of getting through the workout of the day. I am currently riding the high of a Spartan race I finished this past weekend, and the focus has already shifted to training for Hyrox in June.

This month was a deep dive into the “Holy Grail” items: What is in your gym bag that you literally cannot live without?

After polling the squad and surviving the mud of the Spartan, here are our non-negotiables for the fellow gym rats.

“I need a lacrosse ball.”  

Coach Mark is my morning regular coach, my training coach, and someone I have forced to be my friend.  I have a lacrosse ball in Coach Mark’s hand often.  A lacrosse ball massage is a highly effective, low-cost form of self-trigger point therapy that uses a dense rubber ball to relieve muscle knots and tension. 

“D’Alba White Truffle First spray and a magnetic gym bag.”

I watched Manuela scale a 7ft wall this past weekend.  She is an absolute beast and is an incredible human being.  Manuela loves the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall.

“It’s 5AM or 6AM when I go.  And while I look exhausted, I always have on a gloss.”  

Lurdeliz swears by Summer Fridays, and I couldn’t agree more. And while she didn’t mention this, Lurdeliz always has an amazing matching set on.

“I can’t workout without an Anita sports bra.”

Betty is like nobody I have ever met.  She was in the army, is in her 60s, and can hold a plan longer than anyone I know.  And she is so consistent at the gym.  She loves the Anita brand for their quality and breathability.

“Lavalin deodorant – the only thing I will use.”

Marianna comes to WORK, will always make you laugh, and now I know why she always smells great!

“I always have a good sanitizer, a reusable water bottle, and an extra hair tie.”  

Josephine loves Touchland Wild Watermelon and a hair tie that doesn’t leave a crease, like Kitsch. Her hair is always flawless after a workout.

“Two pairs of sneakers – one for lifting and one for running”

Mike is the official ambassador of our gym, and an all around amazing guy.  He wears Nike Zooms for running and TYR CT-X2 for weight training.

“Fruit of the Loom socks have never, ever failed me”  

Besides being a NYC firefighter, Amy is a coach and personal trainer.  She is amazing and swears by Fruit of the Loom socks!

“Just show up!”

Yes, Allen! Some days it’s 8 hours of sleep on a pillowcase, while other days it’s 6:00 AM sled pushes in a parking lot fresh out of bed.

What matters most isn’t the finish line or the perfect skincare routine before – it’s finding the people who show up for you in the dark and cheer you on through every obstacle. I’ve learned that life is really a team sport. I’m endlessly grateful for both of my villages.