For those of you who may not know it, I travel. A lot.
My life is a bit like George Clooney in UP IN THE AIR, except I don't fire people. (I find talented young people for an acting conservatory.)
Since July I manged to hit Silver Elite status with Continental two months ago.
Believe me membership does have it's privileges.
Continental and United take wonderful care of me.
American Airlines can crawl into a hole and die. Every time I fly them there are mechanical delays and of course basic essentials (such as running water in the bathroom) don't work or are absent.
US Airways, while being a terrible airline, upgrade me if I get a hangnail so I can't complain. In fact they actually take pretty good care of me. Maybe I'm lucky. Sure there are problems but they are really quick to make me happy so I they have grown on me and I don't mind flying them that much.
Delta, I just hate them because I always seem to get stranded in Minneapolis overnight and they have been downright rude and unhelpful and are quick to pass the buck.
You might be reading this and thinking, why would I care?
Well I care. I fly every week for work. Every week a different city. This month alone I have been on the road more than I have been home. It's the 24th of the month and I've been on the road for 16 days. (And now I'm heading for Arkansas!) While there is an aspect of cool to this I don't necessarily go to cool places. I have often thought about revamping my blog into a travel blog of ordinary destinations. In fact it might evolve into that. Who knows what the future will bring or the blogger app on my iphone?
At some point I will have to start my evaluation of hotels and which chains are the best. (I will say the Hilton in New Orleans, right next to French Quarter in the CBD has one of the nicest staffs I've ever had contact with. And these people work in tourism in NOLA so they have the right to be angry but they are amazing and sweet as pecan pie.)
This travel season I have been in the following places and many of them two or three times: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Cincinnati, Phoenix AZ, New Orleans, Fort Wayne Indiana, Memphis and Wichita KS.
Right now though, I'm going to post tips for the frequent traveler to stay healthy and sane . . .
1.) You can take non-gel deodorant and your razor in your carry on. And no they don't need to be in a plastic bag.
2.) You can bring those flat packets of anti-bacterial wipes with you on the plane. In fact you should. Airline trays are some of the dirtiest, filthiest things in existence. Plus 1/3 of all of my flights lack running H2O in the bathroom. ( I wouldn't trust that water anyway.) So I always carry anti-bacterial wipes to use on objects and my hands.
3.)Wash hands frequently.
4.) Drink tons of water. Stay hydrated when traveling. It fights jet lag and all sorts of issues.
5.) When traveling I only eat soups and salads. It keeps me from over indulging in crappy airport comfort food and the fiber and hydration helps.
6.) Podcasts are your friend.
7.) Read every local newspaper you can. It gives one an insight into the community in which one is visiting and traveling though.
8.) Always pack running shoes and a set of workout clothes.
9.) Workout. My only hotel stipulation is that they have a gym. Why? Working out for me beats jet lag and travel stress. It also keeps me out of the bar and it helps reset and de-stress during tough travel days. When the weather is nice, running the streets of where you are at can be an incredible way to learn about a place. FYI by the San Francisco Airport, if you are staying at one of the hotels over there, there is an amazing trail that takes you North along the bay and it is gorgeous. Just don't give up, keep looking for it. I had to work my way through more than one parking lot in the dark, but it was worth it. Beautiful.
10.) Pack very, very light. Only bring what you need. I wash my work out clothes after every workout in the hotel sink and hang them to dry. I always pack socks, underwear and undershirts. Everything else is negotiable. With unexpected layovers I have been known to wash things in hotel sinks and hot iron them dry. (Don't you judge me!)
11.) Always bring your vitamins. I do. I also take Emergen-C when I fly. I find it helps keep sickness at bay as well as the vitamin boost helps beat the jet lag. Exercise, hydration and vitamins I attribute to keeping me healthy. I haven't been sick this whole travel season.
12.) Men, travel in a tie. I do. (Or one of my Doctor Who t-shirts.) The tie automatically makes people nicer to you and respect you more. The Doctor Who t-shirts are great conversation starters and everyone loves and is nicer to a fellow geek. We have to look after our own. (Do you know how many free upgrades and free cups of coffee I've gotten because of the Doctor Who t-shirts? I'm convinced Doctor Who fans make the world go round.) I've had people on the street and on planes stand up and yell things at me because of my Doctor Who shirts.
13.) Learn to give up shoelaces. If you travel like I do you your running shoes will be the only thing you own that has laces. It really does save time at security.
14.) Bring a pen and notebook. Don't ask me why but some of my best thoughts happen on planes and in restaurants.
15.) This is my girliest point: bring your own body wash, lotion and face wash. Yes this outs me as being very metro . . . but changing water and products all the time can lead to break outs. Hence why I bring my own products. It keeps break outs at bay and it helps you miss home a little less when you always smell like you. It sounds strange but it matters to me. Smell matters. I use Jack Black products. I love 'em. And you can buy all of the products in 3 oz size containers. I refill my stuff off of my bigger containers I keep at home. It's also vegan, non-cruel and no crazy chemicals. Plus they have a face wash and toner in one. Love it. The body wash you can use as a shampoo. Yes this is horribly metro of me. But it makes me happier and I don't get acne break outs. So there.
16.) Text and send photos of stupid stuff to loved ones. It helps them (and you) feel connected. Traveling can be hell on relationships. So put in the effort. Even if you aren't home you can still make them feel like they are a part of your life by texting and sending them photos of stuff you are seeing/experiencing. Remember it goes both ways. Yes traveling is hard on the traveler, but you are on the road working while they are at home trying to figure out how to have a life without you in it. Keep them a part of things.
17.) Learn PATIENCE. Seriously. The only thing that gets me riled up anymore when traveling is when there is a complete and utter disregard for customer satisfaction. (American Airlines I'm talking about you.) You can't change the weather or most mechanical problems (be happy that they caught them) or traffic or most anything. When you travel as much as I do you discover that you are at the mercy of the universe. Your best best is to, if I may quote a jiu-jitsu term, "flow with the go." And don't be afraid to turn to the person next to you and strike up a conversation.
Until next time True Believers . . .
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Marathon Thoughts
I know it's been a while since the ING NYC Marathon drew to a close and I should have written about it before now.
The time just didn't seem right.
When the marathon ended I didn't event want to think about running, let alone talk or write about it. (Although I am a twitter follower of many elite runner.)
I needed a break.
Recently I received my marathon finisher's certificate in the mail. I also need to decide if I am going to qualify for the 2013 ING NYC Marathon.
While I am deciding what to do next here are my thoughts . . .
If you have ever wanted to run a marathon than you must run the ING NYC Marathon. It is an experience that will be hard to match. The neighborhoods, crowds of people cheering you on (if you write your name on your shirt), the camaraderie of your fellow runners and a sense of accomplishment like no other.
Knowing that you have done something that most people wouldn't even dare to attempt does give one's self a certain swagger, a certain sense of "I am superhuman."
Of course with everyone running marathons and ultra-marathons and triathlons and the Iron Man, well it does water down one's sense of self importance.
And no matter what anyone will ever say, it is a group effort. I could not have run it without the support and love of my girlfriend Mandy, the support and patience of my manager Cyd and my sister Sue.
All that being said here is what I learned about running and training for my first marathon.
1.) Don't fly across the country a bunch of times the week before the race.
2.) Stay off your feet the day before the race. (Even if you want to hang with your sister at the expo.)
3.) On race day don't pace around the starting village, lay down and put your feet up no matter how nervous you are.
4.) There are two pacers. Follow the correct one. One pacer runs the first half way fast and then slows down, the other keeps a steady pace. I thought my Garmin was broke since I was running 8:15-8:30 miles when I wanted to run 9's. (But hey I was following the 4 hour pacer!) Only when I started slowing down did I see the other pacer who was running how I trained. (Ugh, you live and learn.)
5.) Carbo loading means carbo loading. Don't think you can cheat it. I tried. That's why at mile 18 I realized I had no glycogen left in my muscles. I still plowed through but life would have been a lot easier if I had really increased my carbs that last week.
6.)Work for negative splits on half marathons during your training. It will make you stronger.
7.) Hills. You don't need to run steep, hard, fast hills. For my next marathon I will run a fast 10K then jump on the treadmill and do mile long hill repeats with the incline on 6 or 7. I ran steep, hard hills and lots of stairs. It's not the same. The bridges are long slow inclines. So hill train the way you need to for your race. (Of course I will still do really hard steep hills as well.)
8.) Don't stop lifting until 2-3 weeks before. (It will make a huge difference.)
9.) Foam rolling and yoga are your friends. Make them a part of your daily life in some fashion, even a little bit.
10.) Drop weight. Cut 10-20 pounds during your base or speed phase of marathon training. (It will be easier during that time. That way when you are doing 20 mile runs (and longer) and need more recovery time etc., you don't have to worry about losing weight or keeping it off, all you have to do is maintain. And quite frankly losing the 10-20 pounds (If you have it to lose) will make your body a lot happier after 26.2 miles.
11.) Marathon distance is a b$t&h to train for. It will consume all of your time and you have to be willing to give up a lot of your life. I prefer the half-marathon distance. I can still run long and train hard, but no run has to be longer than 2 hours. It means I still get to keep my Sundays.
12.) Taper. No really taper. Taper smart. Did I mention you should take tapering seriously?
Until next time true believers.
The time just didn't seem right.
When the marathon ended I didn't event want to think about running, let alone talk or write about it. (Although I am a twitter follower of many elite runner.)
I needed a break.
Recently I received my marathon finisher's certificate in the mail. I also need to decide if I am going to qualify for the 2013 ING NYC Marathon.
While I am deciding what to do next here are my thoughts . . .
If you have ever wanted to run a marathon than you must run the ING NYC Marathon. It is an experience that will be hard to match. The neighborhoods, crowds of people cheering you on (if you write your name on your shirt), the camaraderie of your fellow runners and a sense of accomplishment like no other.
Knowing that you have done something that most people wouldn't even dare to attempt does give one's self a certain swagger, a certain sense of "I am superhuman."
Of course with everyone running marathons and ultra-marathons and triathlons and the Iron Man, well it does water down one's sense of self importance.
And no matter what anyone will ever say, it is a group effort. I could not have run it without the support and love of my girlfriend Mandy, the support and patience of my manager Cyd and my sister Sue.
All that being said here is what I learned about running and training for my first marathon.
1.) Don't fly across the country a bunch of times the week before the race.
2.) Stay off your feet the day before the race. (Even if you want to hang with your sister at the expo.)
3.) On race day don't pace around the starting village, lay down and put your feet up no matter how nervous you are.
4.) There are two pacers. Follow the correct one. One pacer runs the first half way fast and then slows down, the other keeps a steady pace. I thought my Garmin was broke since I was running 8:15-8:30 miles when I wanted to run 9's. (But hey I was following the 4 hour pacer!) Only when I started slowing down did I see the other pacer who was running how I trained. (Ugh, you live and learn.)
5.) Carbo loading means carbo loading. Don't think you can cheat it. I tried. That's why at mile 18 I realized I had no glycogen left in my muscles. I still plowed through but life would have been a lot easier if I had really increased my carbs that last week.
6.)Work for negative splits on half marathons during your training. It will make you stronger.
7.) Hills. You don't need to run steep, hard, fast hills. For my next marathon I will run a fast 10K then jump on the treadmill and do mile long hill repeats with the incline on 6 or 7. I ran steep, hard hills and lots of stairs. It's not the same. The bridges are long slow inclines. So hill train the way you need to for your race. (Of course I will still do really hard steep hills as well.)
8.) Don't stop lifting until 2-3 weeks before. (It will make a huge difference.)
9.) Foam rolling and yoga are your friends. Make them a part of your daily life in some fashion, even a little bit.
10.) Drop weight. Cut 10-20 pounds during your base or speed phase of marathon training. (It will be easier during that time. That way when you are doing 20 mile runs (and longer) and need more recovery time etc., you don't have to worry about losing weight or keeping it off, all you have to do is maintain. And quite frankly losing the 10-20 pounds (If you have it to lose) will make your body a lot happier after 26.2 miles.
11.) Marathon distance is a b$t&h to train for. It will consume all of your time and you have to be willing to give up a lot of your life. I prefer the half-marathon distance. I can still run long and train hard, but no run has to be longer than 2 hours. It means I still get to keep my Sundays.
12.) Taper. No really taper. Taper smart. Did I mention you should take tapering seriously?
Until next time true believers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)