I woke up at 3 a.m. to spend 12 hours learning what it takes to be a leader from former Navy SEALs

As my Uber pulled up to the Marriott hotel in Times Square at 4:40 a.m., I noticed two guys wrapping up a jog.

It was former US Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, and they had just finished the outdoors workout I was about to start. I later learned they had gotten up at 3:15 a.m. — about the time I woke up in Brooklyn to show up on time — and started exercising a half hour later.

I was there to attend day one of Echelon Front's Muster conference, a chance to immerse myself in the minds of some SEALs for 12 hours. After that and the next day's Brazilian jiujitsu introduction in Queens, I was left with a toolkit of career and fitness insights that overcame the potential pitfalls of the "civilian pretends to be in military for a day" cliché.

I had interviewed Willink and Babin a few times since 2015, but this was a chance for me to play on their field for the first time, and that meant trying one of their favorite habits: waking up before dawn to work out.

SEE ALSO: Former Navy SEAL commanders explain why they still wake up before dawn every day — and why you should, too

Of the 436 people in attendance, there were about 300 who showed up for the workout that cold morning. Plenty of them were brimming with excitement at the prospect of "getting after it," as Willink and Babin like to say.

Willink and Babin waived the $2,295-to-$2,895 fee for me and Business Insider video producer Joe Avella.

Muster lasted two days and attracted 436 people from 46 states and 12 foreign countries. Avella and I were there to attend the first day, May 4, in full, as well as the bonus jiujitsu lesson that concluded day two.

We jogged a few blocks to Bryant Park. I have a half marathon coming up, and the light jog got me wondering whether this was going to be an easy workout catered to a bunch of the middle-aged attendees. I was getting ahead of myself, as I'd soon discover.

Willink, Babin, their Task Unit Bruiser buddy Jeremiah "JP" Dinnell — who joined Echelon Front last fall — and a friend of Babin's, CrossFit coach Bryan Kapustinski, gathered everyone in the park. It was about 4:50 a.m., and the streets were mostly empty.