'Tis The Season

I know I’m not alone with the sentiment that the holidays are notorious for delicious (and overwhelmingly unhealthy) food habits—some stuffing here, a few gingerbread cookies there—and before I know it, not only have I totally derailed the healthy food and exercise habits I’ve built up, but I also guilt myself into defaulting to my go-to New Year’s Resolution of doing something healthier.

I decided to avoid that route by laying out a few guiding principles for myself this holiday season:

• Make the time to work out, even if it means a shorter routine than usual (along the lines of one of my older posts, “Better Than Nothing”)


• At meals, eat the nutritious food first so I’m more likely to fill up on that (I borrowed this one from Oprah). And don’t go to parties hungry.


• And lastly, The March Rule: Ask myself, “would I eat like this in March?” (For example, “Would I eat 2 slices of pecan pie followed by some chocolate chip cookies for dessert in March?”). If the answer would be “no” in March, chances are it should be “no” now, too. In other words, try to eat the way I usually do.

I can’t say these have been totally fool proof, but they have gotten me through the past few weeks of holiday party treats and other temptations without compromising any of the fun. And I’m happy to say that I can focus this year’s New Year’s Resolution on something else altogether…such as maintaining a more active blog, perhaps? ;-)

Happy Holidays, All!

Losing Track

I recently started running on Boston University’s indoor track on days that are too cold or wet to run outside, and while I will always prefer running outdoors, I am starting to develop a fondness for the track. However, I only realized this fondness once I found a way to overcome my initial frustration.
Ever since I trained for my first marathon last year, I’ve gotten fairly into calculating the distance I run. Treadmills obviously make this a no-brainer, and online mapping programs (like my beloved Map My Run) are also pretty straightforward. I assumed it would be just as simple on a track, where the “loop” provides a clear distance metric.


But on the relatively small track where 7 laps = 1 mile, I immediately found myself losing “track” (of course, pun intended), and within minutes my self-questioning of whether I was on my 2nd or 3rd lap compounded into uncertainty regarding whether I was on my 7th or 15th.

Feeling a bit frustrated with my apparent lack of preschool-level math skills, I decided I was better off disregarding distance altogether. To my pleasant surprise, I found myself able to completely relax and zone out—possibly more so than I have in a while: No pace-per-minute calculations, no street traffic to navigate, and best of all, no counting.

While I have no intentions of abandoning my distance tracking as a whole, I do think I’ll pursue a more Zen-like approach towards the track.

Speed Demons

Those who know my running style know that ‘fast’ has never been my thing; I’m a fairly slow runner and never really thought much of it. However, lately I’ve felt that I need a new challenge to re-energize my running, and inspired by the Monday night 5Ks I’ve been participating in, I decided to focus on improving my speed.

Not knowing where to start, I solicited feedback from my friends and other running enthusiasts through Facebook and LinkedIn. (As a marketer who’s increasingly using social technologies professionally, I must admit I’m growing quite keen on leveraging social networks for information).

The advice I received on how to run faster covered a wide spectrum, ranging from the humorous: the “oh sh*t a bear is chasing me” approach, to the technical: e.g. “try to improve your per-second pace by 6-8%”, to some advice that I first thought was a joke and then realized I was simply lacking some key running vocabulary: fartleks, anyone?

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to give me their recommendations, and I wanted to share a few of these with others:

• Break running speed into two components: Turnover (strides per minute) and the distance each stride covers. Runners should first focus on improving turnover rate, and then on springing off their feet more and more. For more details on this approach, contact athletic coach Steve Bentley or visit his Website.
• Fartlek (interval) training: Varying pace throughout the run—including quick bursts of high intensity running (around 30 seconds each time), followed by a slower recovery pace. Active.com (as well as many other sites) has some easy-to-follow examples of fartlek programs.
• Pace workouts: After choosing a specific distance to train for, break that distance into intervals and set a target time for each. Then aim to run the interval at the target pace and recover with a slow jog in between. Pace charts can be helpful for this, and Runner’s World has a few of these on their site.

A common theme across all of the advice I received was to listen to your body and not take on too much too soon in order to avoid injury. I also feel obligated to add a disclaimer that I am by no means an expert (or even have much experience yet) with these approaches, so take from it what you will (and I am planning on doing the same). I will keep you posted on my own progress in an upcoming post.

Someone Else's Words

Over the past few months I’ve been collecting motivational running quotes I’ve come across, and (aside from the fluke nice weather we’ve had in Boston the past few days) the combination of daylight savings & colder weather makes this just the right time to break out some words of inspiration. Some of my favorites include:

• “The feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you had gone for a run.” - Unknown
• “My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.” - John Bryant
• “Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” - Lou Holtz
• “Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” – Steve Prefontaine
• “You should run the first 3rd of every run with your body, the second 3rd with your mind, and the rest with your heart” - Unknown
• …and my #1 favorite (and most motivating) running quote: "Ask yourself, ‘when is the last time I went for a run and regretted it?’”

For more running quotes, check out some of these resources:

• Daily e-newsletter: Runners World’s Daily Kick in the Butt running quotes
• Websites with running quotes: Brocaw Blazers’ Famous running quotes, Run the Planet, The Running Advisor

My Italian Vacanza

I had every intention of continuing my morning runs throughout my multi-city vacation in Italy last week. However, I failed to account for one key factor: Vacation is not about squeezing in my morning runs. Vacation is about RELAXING.

So while I did have the pleasure of venturing off for a memorable run in Florence along the Arno River, I spent the rest of my trip exploring these cities as one should when visiting Italy: lots of walking, lots of food, and lots of wine.

And I have to say, I'm pretty sure my sneakers appreciated their vacation, too.

It’s Cold Out There

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to broach this topic for a few weeks, but cooling temperatures in Boston (and now during my week long stay in London) are an unwelcomed reminder that winter is just around the corner.

It’s a bit disheartening to acknowledge, but my favorite thing about running in the cold is the gratitude I feel once the temperatures rise again in the Spring—not necessarily the best attitude given Spring is a solid 6 months away. But in the meantime, I’ve started reflecting on some of the things I do differently to accommodate the cold weather, including:

• Bundling up. My $2 gloves from Target go a long way towards keeping in the warmth. And when the temperature drops a bit more, I’ll rely heavily on a fleece vest and headband to get me through.


• Extra stretching. While I usually don’t allocate enough time for stretching, in the colder months, I make a point to find the time to stretch pre- and post-run, as I notice a significant improvement in how I feel both during and afterwards.


• Embracing the dark. Whether before or after work, the shorter days leave little choice but to run in the dark, and while it’s generally not my preference, I try to make the most of it. This morning for example, I ran a 3 mile loop around London’s theater district. Rather than avoiding the run altogether, I brought my camera along and snapped some 6AM “night shots” along the way—a very different landscape than I would have seen at the same exact time just a few weeks ago.

Curious as to other’s perspectives, I found a short and to-the-point article on Runner’s World on “10 Tips for Running in the Cold” which highlighted a few aspects I hadn’t thought of, like warming up indoors and running with the wind. Got any others? I’d love to hear them.

The Windy City

I have to thank the existence of this blog for my motivation to run while in Chicago last week as admittedly, the idea for writing a post on ‘running while traveling’ preceded the trip itself. In fact, the motivation to run was pre-empted by the notion that if I didn’t, not only would I be disappointed in my lack of discipline, but I would also need to come up with another topic to write about.

Regardless of the reason, I was able to venture out for three runs throughout the trip, each of which highlighted a different approach towards running while traveling:

• Run with a local: A few weeks ago I brought along a colleague visiting from out of town to run one of my usual 5K’s, so when the opportunity arose to run in her hometown, I was keen on the reciprocation. Running someone else’s regular route is fun because you get to run a mile in someone else’s shoes (yes, pun intended). I particularly appreciated her pointing out her favorite landmarks along the way, as I definitely enjoy doing the same when others are running my route.


• Run at the hotel gym: While I’m generally not a fan of treadmill running, I do enjoy checking out the layouts and equipment at various hotel gyms. A few particularly cool ones stand out in my mind, like the hotel I visited in Orlando that featured stationary bikes embedded with video game screens that enabled users to play a Tetris-style game, synchronized with the workout. While the gym at the Chicago Marriott was nothing to write home about, at least the anticipation got me down there. And at the end of the day, a run is a run.


• Run and explore: On the last day of the trip, I had the pleasure of running through downtown Chicago with another colleague of mine. We ran through the upscale shopping district on Michigan Ave, down the picturesque Navy Pier, and then looped back to the hotel. It was a great way to get my bearings and explore a new area that I wouldn’t have had the chance to see otherwise.

My only regret was that I didn’t have a camera compact enough to bring with me on these runs—something I fully plan on addressing before my trips to London and Italy later this month, so stay tuned for more ‘running while traveling’...

Better Than Nothing

This was one of those weeks where I felt I had more to do than hours in the week to get it done. And while I hate to admit it, these are the situations when I have far too easy a time crafting excuses not to run: “I need to save my energy for other commitments”, “I deserve a few days off”, or “I just can’t find the time”.

But this week, as I started assembling my arsenal of excuses, it finally dawned on me that I’ve been needlessly practicing an “all or nothing” approach to running—if I couldn’t run my usual distance, I would take the day off all together. Why do I have this mentality towards my workouts when it’s not how I pursue other commitments? Take work for example: If I have a doctor’s appointment and need to miss a few hours of work, I don’t just decide to take the whole day off. Or if I can’t make the beginning of a party, do I decide it’s not worth going at all? Generally, no. So I decided to extend this same mindset to my running.

When my 8AM meeting on Tuesday left me with only 30 free minutes in the morning, I opted for a quick 1.5 mile loop around my neighborhood. And my only chance yesterday was jumping on the treadmill for just 20 minutes before heading out to Chicago for a few days. Both times I was really happy with myself afterwards—not only did I avoid defaulting to excuses, but I also appreciated the therapeutic benefits of those runs even more than on any other given week. So the next time I find myself concocting reasons not to run, I plan on applying my newfound “better than nothing” approach.

The Neck Check

Early last week, I was out of commission with a bad cold. Walking from my bed to the couch was sufficient physical exertion, so running was clearly out of the question. But within a few days I felt mostly better and was debating whether to head out for a run or take it easy. My (totally unfounded) hypothesis was that the endorphins I’d release when running would help strengthen my immune system. But given that a fast recovery was higher priority than sustaining my weekly mileage, I decided to do the responsible thing and see what the experts have to say.


An article in Runner’s World, “Should You Run When You’re Sick” had some good info, and a few of the articles I read concurred on the “Neck Check”—if your symptoms are all above the neck (cough, runny nose, etc) it’s okay to run. If you have other symptoms or your body doesn’t feel up for it, a run will likely do more harm than good.


By Saturday I was finally feeling better and headed out for a run—and was glad I had waited to do so. Once I was on the road I remembered my favorite part of being sick—a renewed appreciation for my healthy self.

It’s Not About Winning

Yesterday I ran the Honan J Brian 5K in Allston, and having been the first race I’ve run in months, was a much-welcomed reminder of how much I enjoy races. The course went through Allston and Brighton centers and was followed by a parade and street festival on Harvard St.—featuring live bands, arts & crafts vendors, and samples of food, drinks and random health-related giveaways. I walked away feeling full and happy, and took home a bag full of freebies—my favorite being a 6-inch, Walgreens-branded plastic basketball set that has already found its way to my office.

For those who haven’t run a race before, they’re a fun way to motivate and breathe new life into a potentially stale workout routine. You don’t have to be fast or a serious runner to run a race—just the inspiration to sign up and the interest in seeing it through. I find them a great way to stay motivated: Having a race on my calendar gives me an obvious goal to train towards, and signing up with a few friends makes it all the more fun.

For shorter distance races (5K, 10K) there are thousands out there and you can find one near any given city on mostly every weekend. Some of my favorite Websites for finding races are New England Runner, Active.com (nation-wide, and site has other, non-running races too), and Runner’s World (which has lots of great running resources).

Longer distance races are a great way to boost endurance. Half marathons are my personal favorite, because while they definitely require training, they aren’t as all-consuming as a marathon. If you’re thinking of doing one, I would strongly recommend following a training program so that you can build up your endurance and not get injured. There are hundreds of different programs to follow, but the one I used (and really liked) is Hal Higdon’s marathon training guide—which has different options for half vs. full & novice through advanced.

In the spirit of fun and motivation through organized runs, consider this your open invitation to join me this Sunday morning in Brookline MA to run a (completely non-competitive) 5K. Get more info on Facebook on my event page. Hope those of you in Boston are able to make it!

The Snooze Button

Fall has definitely arrived, and (like most of my fellow Bostonians) I’m feeling a bit robbed of my summer. The few months of mild and rainy weather left much to be desired. And suddenly a telltale sign of fall—dark mornings. For the first time since spring, my alarm clock went off in the dark, leaving me a few tempting Snooze button clicks away from skipping my morning run altogether.

But I pooled a few ‘mental resources’ to motivate my way out of bed, namely:

• Running to my ‘point of no return’. I have a landmark towards the beginning of my run and tell myself that if I’m still not in the mood when I reach it, I can turn around and go home, guilt free... Though I contentedly have yet to take myself up on that offer.


• Letting music do the work. Using my phone as a second alarm (judiciously set 15 minutes later than my alarm clock), I have it set to play a high energy (and quite obnoxious) tune. If I rest my phone close to my ear, falling back to sleep is no longer an option.


• Putting my faith in my ‘alarm-setting self’. Rather than rationalizing my way through multiple Snoozes, I persuade myself that I must have been wiser the night before when setting my alarm than I am at present. And usually I’m so groggy (e.g. gullible) that it works.

While these suggestions definitely help get me out of bed, they’re by no means fool-proof (believe me, I am certainly guilty of backpedaling my way out of many morning runs). Wiki-How also has a few words of advice on the matter of over-snoozing. And if you have some early morning motivators of your own, I’d love to hear them—because for better or worse, we have plenty of months ahead to test them out.

Consistency or Complacency?

I am definitely a creature of habit. I have 1 running route that I run 95% of the time, knowing it so well I could run it in my sleep (and in fact, during my pre-work morning runs, with both eyes and mind at half mast, I generally am more asleep than awake). There’s something comforting about running the same route. I know exactly which physical landmarks align to my internal ones: My muscles loosen up by the time I cross the BU bridge. I get my first burst of energy as soon as Mass Ave comes into view. And I know that once I hit the 2nd water fountain I can pick up the pace and rely on a good song or two to carry me through.

But yesterday I thought I'd shake things up a bit. Halfway across the BU bridge, I decided to check out the Boston Common. I ran East where I usually run West (crazy, I know) and a short while later found myself in Beacon Hill. I ran by a group of adult tourists photographing one another sitting on the Boston Common Ducks; an unusually and somewhat eerily quiet (pre-Labor Day Sale madness) Newbury Street; and later a quorum of bikers from the “weird bikes gang” I occasionally see around the city.

I got home, mapped the run, and much to my pleasant surprise discovered that I’d run the easiest 7 miles I’d run in months—and almost 2 more than my default “long run”. Apparently my body appreciated me throwing myself a curveball. If anyone reading this is also too reliant on a regular route, I would definitely encourage the occasional deviation to keep things interesting...