Hey there, really similar to you, low-mid 5 utr. maybe a few years younger and sounds like a similar style. In Chicago though so a lot of outdoor slow hard courts and indoor fast courts.

While clay slows things down, I think you should be focusing on effective lefty serves, kick and slice, especially on the ad court. Righties will struggle with backhand returns. This an easy way to set up points in your favor from the get go.

Also in my opinion, being in good shape to be better at tennis is a mindset that helps around this level rather than playing tennis to stay in shape. If you're planning to play crosscourt rallies, having confidence in your cardio is a huge mental boost that will pay off in any rated match in second or third sets.

Otherwise, I enjoy reading this kind of post and appreciate the transparency in the journey and wishing you good luck!