Spectator Sport

Spectators at the Marine Corps Marathon

My heart is broken tonight, as the news comes that all 3 of the people killed yesterday at the Boston Marathon bombing were Spectators. Many of the 150 injured may also turn out to be Spectators by the time the final count is said and done.

On Social Media today, people have requested that Runners everywhere post pictures of their favourite race to stand in solidarity with the people of the Boston Marathon.

Not that any lady enjoys having her photo taken after running 26 miles, without makeup, in sub-freezing temperatures but this is the photo I have chosen. I chose it because it is the only official race photo taken by the Marine Corps Marathon of me that includes Spectators in the background.

Usually, Spectators crossing onto the course is a big "no-no" and is something that irritates Runners to no end.  But in finishing “this” Marathon, I was just happy that Spectators were still there in the 20-degree Washington, D.C. weather, some five hours down the line by the time I finally made it through.

As someone who has run 4 Marathons in my lifetime (not many, compared to some of my fellow runners), I’ve always felt a kindred spirit with Spectators who cheer us on. They don't know us from Adam --yet I know for a fact there are at least two Marathons I wouldn't have been able to finish without them.

You see, it's the lady at Mile 23 who points at you and says, “You can do this, you’re almost there, I just walked from there, don't give up, don’t even think it." Somehow with a simple nod, you feel you have just entered into some sort of tacit agreement with her. Or the many spectators who give you compliments on the message on your shirt – a message you stayed up late affixing to your shirt the night before in the hotel thinking, no one is ever going to notice this. It’s the people waving American flags all along the way. Or the coach for a Team in Training group who sees you need it and runs a hundred yards with you just to make you laugh, even though you are not his responsibility. You never know their names, but they all have a hand in helping you finish.

So much of life really is a team sport – yes, even running, which sometimes we think is all about us. It reminds me how interconnected we all really are as human beings – helping one another cross the finish line. It’s important to me to remember this in a world that, all too often, gives more credit to those on the court, rather than in the stands. (After all, what would happen to sports if no one was in the stands?)

My heart breaks for all of the spectators killed and injured along with runners in yesterday's terrorist attack. No doubt those spectators were special, special people – loyal friends, supportive of those in their lives who are runners, those who wait at the finish line with flowers in hand just to give their friends, spouses, and others a reason to finish the race. Their simple presence there on that fateful day is proof that Spectators are often just as special, perhaps even more, than the participants themselves.

May they rest in peace.
#UnitedWeRun

The Greatest Run in the Free World

Across this great nation, many cities can boast legendary running trails: the famous Lakeshore Trail in downtown Chicago. The Town Lake trails in Austin, Texas. The hundreds of miles of coastline along the coast of California.

Last week I had the opportunity to travel east, where I discovered that my list of this year's top "40" running excursions would not be complete without a journey back to where it all began for our nation – Washington, D.C.

With all of its majestic monuments, our nation’s capital offers the best scenic runs for Americans from 1 to 92.  Hands down (or, feet down…) my favourite running path has got to be along the National Mall.  It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful piece of real estate in the World.  All told, the National Mall stretches 1.9 miles. The perfect distance for a run.

It’s also a perfect place to reflect on history.

The National Mall is anchored on one end by the Lincoln Memorial, honoring one of the greatest Presidents of all time who freed slaves and changed the world.  At the other end is the United States Capitol, where the very laws that hold our nation together are crafted daily. Both landmarks are aptly overseen by the Washington Monument, a 555-foot tall marble obelisk honoring our nation's first President, George Washington.

Although the building of the National Mall took nearly 100 years from conception to completion, it is truly timeless and as relevant today as ever. It is often the site for some of this nation's most controversial events.

In 1963, the National Mall was the site for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom during which Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.  It was also the site for the Vietnam War Moratorium Rally in 1969 – the largest event ever held on the National Mall (an event which was re-created digitally for the movie “Forrest Gump.”)  It is where Pope John Paul II presided over one of the world’s largest Mass services in 1979, despite an appellate court protest by atheists that the service be stopped. And in 2008, it was the first time the National Mall was left open during an Inauguration (much to mixed reviews and much-needed repairs which followed).

While politics often swirl furiously about in this city – whose Party is better, whose pick for President was better, and perhaps among global visitors, whose country is more superior – there is no denying the answer after you visit the National Mall.  If you are lucky enough to be one of the 24 million visitors to the National Mall each year then you, too, will see with your own eyes why Washington, D.C. remains the greatest run in the free world.

Run, Drink and Be Merry

I love a good race.

But combine running with drinking?  That’s a match made in Heaven for an Irish girl.

That festive combination is precisely why I headed over to the 27th Annual “Runnin’ of the Green” 7K Race in Denver last weekend, where the green beer was flowing and the running shoes were goin’.

The race serves as the city’s first run of the Spring season and is a great opportunity for runners to dust off the cobwebs. It's the first real chance to test your fitness, gauge where you’re at, and come out of hibernation from winter (sometimes a scary proposition!).  No doubt this is where “beer” entered the scene, some sort of incentive dreamed up by a smart race organizer. Bribes… the Irish are good that way.

Legend has it that they once served beer during the race -- you know, like a Rock n' Roll Marathon but instead of a band at every mile marker, you grab a pint -- a habit which I’m sure was cut short by their legal counsel. But no matter, the end reward was well worth the effort as runners were treated to free beer, Irish music (cue the fiddle and bagpipes) and all the runners’ schwag your $47 registration fee could buy. And, it was all for a good cause: the race has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Volunteers of America since its inception. The first charity race of my "40 in 40" series is now officially in the books!

As I departed, satisfied and looking forward to Spring, someone actually had the nerve to burst my frothy beer bubble: they asked if I was glad to be there because (and I quote), “There are only 15 weeks ‘til Summer!” Talk about a sobering remark. But in true stubborn Irish form, I didn’t listen; I was certain they were inebriated and that was a complete miscalculation. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Sláinte!

Run Like a Girl

To kick off my “40 in 40” series – forty life-changing running excursions during my 40th year – I can think of no better pick for my first run than this:

Running with elementary schoolchildren.

In my new gig as a Coach for the nationally-renowned after-school program “Girls on the Run,” I had the pleasure this week of running with a group of 4th graders. Let me warn you, as a professional woman with no children, I believe the last time I actually ran with a group of 4th graders was, well, when I was in the 4th grade. (insert laughter here). But no matter.

Girls on the Run is a fantastic program that teaches inner-city girls self-esteem. The idea of the program is that as you’re coaching the girls to participate in their first 5K, you’re also teaching them healthy values and what it means to have confidence as young women.

Now, if you haven’t run with schoolchildren lately, let me tell you: They are fast. Especially when you encourage them with a good old-fashioned, “On your mark, Get set,…Go!” (clearly a huge mistake on my part). During my first day of practice, not only was I left breathless trying to keep up with them, but I was apparently breaking all of the rules. You see, I didn’t know that as the Coach you aren’t supposed to actually run with them as part of the pack; you are supposed to sit on the sidelines and count their laps as they ‘round the park.

Wait a minute… Sit on the sidelines? Doesn’t that go against the very principles of the program?

Besides, sit on the sidelines? Moi? I mean, have we met?

After some discussion with my co-Coaches, we decided that from here on out, we shall change the rules. Now whenever possible, one of the Coaches will always run with the girls. For safety. Austerity. Solidarity. I could tell from their looks that most of the time, that person is going to be me. Hey, no sweat…

I’m only two sessions in, but I can’t wait to discover more about these young ladies. Already, I see their personalities emerging, including a shy girl who after finishing first in her age group began to walk taller, with a more positive body language and with a smile on her face. I see the personalities of the other girls, who have already learned our names and have no hesitation whatsoever asking me if I can throw their (used) tissues away. Sure, why not, I’ve already had the flu anyway.

As I think about the season ahead, I think about what it means to be a confident girl, and whether I myself am living up to that (some days, yes; some days, no). I also picture what each of these young ladies will be like when she’s older. It’s a thought that makes me smile. Even after a short time, I already feel vested in their success. I can only imagine it must be how our parents feel, or how God feels when he gives each and every one of us a hand in life.

Above all, the course makes me have an appreciation for the unique sisterhood we all share as women, including my co-Coaches (one busy and very pregnant attorney, one Department of Education policy wonk, and myself) who all leave our day jobs early twice a week just to make it to the schoolyard in time so the schoolgirls aren’t waiting there alone.

With this post, I want to pay tribute to all of the grown-up “girls” out there doing it every day with confidence: the moms, the career chicks, and my favourite category of all, the women leaders in this world. Lest we forget, even the most powerful women in the world were all 4th graders on a playground once. Oh sure, it was all simpler then. Yet it’s still simple now… if we want it to be. In fact, it's so simple that a good old-fashioned run around the playground can bring sanity to a very busy world. And it can put you firmly back in good company – even if the average height of that company is approximately 4 feet tall.

For all of the above reasons, I am proud this week and every week in this 40th year, to Run like a girl!

Lordy, Lordy, Looks Who's 40

I had a birthday last weekend.

A big one.

The big "4-Oh!"  As in, Oh-my-god-how-did-THAT-happen?

It was an event which snuck up on me, so much so that I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t readily have anything monumental planned (save for spending the day with good friends and loved ones). No trips to Paris. No big birthday bash. Nor did I have any epiphanies about Life which I believe a person should have at such milestones.

Sounds pretty lame, huh?

Not quite.

You see, over the past 5 years I’ve done my soul-searching. I’ve survived the un-survivable. I’ve learned who I am. And more importantly, who I’d still like to be. I’m a Runner. A lover. A sister. A daughter. And I still hope to be so much more in Life. While I’m not perfect, I’m proud to say that as I blew out the candles this year, I’m happy with where I’m at, what I’ve learned, and how far I’ve come. I am at peace.

So, now there’s nothing left to do but Run.

And why not? The news is over-the-hill-good for chicks like me looking to turn back time. Studies show that Running actually slows the process of aging... even in Runners who start later in life, even as late as 50. Research also shows that as you age, Running can actually increase the growth of your brain cells, reduce memory loss, and even ease symptoms of depression and anxiety (helpful when staring down those 40 candles!)

In fact, a study from Stanford University tracked a group of 50 runners for 20 years and found that over the course of that 20-year span, Runners in the group actually had fewer disabilities as they began to age, they experienced longer life spans, and were only HALF as likely as non-runners to die of early deaths. For those Runners that did develop illness or disabilities, it occurred an average of nearly 10 years later in life than it did for the non-Runners in the group, who became ill earlier.

As for the long-held myth that Running creates more osteoarthritis later in life and thereby the need for surgeries like knee replacements? That has now been debunked by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine which reports that Running is not associated with a higher risk of arthritis nor knee replacements. In fact, when Running occurs in its proper form (straight ahead in a forward motion), the results were to the contrary: relatively few injuries, a decrease in muscle loss and a decrease in bone loss and osteoarthritis as the Runners aged. Great news for Runners like me who were always told that blowing out more candles might just mean also blowing out a knee.

The research is enough to convince me that the best way to commemorate good health during my 40th year on this planet is to run “40 in 40” --- 40 monumental runs that are life-changing, meaning 40 running excursions or races which I hope to recommend everyone run at least once in their lifetime.

I'll make the first announcement from my "40 in 40" list this week.  As I sit my old bones down and begin to compile the list, I welcome your suggestions. So go ahead, lay it on this old broad. After all, the research proves I can take it.

The 12 Days of Running

Given that it’s “12 Days before Christmas,” I made a list {and checked it twice} of the most popular holiday races to share with friends who are looking for something fun and festive to do with their kids – or their friends who simply act like kids – this holiday season. Plus, I couldn’t let a perfectly good #12-12-12 news hook go to waste.

So, here are my Top 12 Picks for races to run, over the next 12 days, in 12 different cities across the U.S.:

1.  The "Running of the Santas"

Not unlike Madrid’s famous “Running of the Bulls” in Spain, this race has plenty of wild animals running the streets. I would best describe this event as part-5K race, part-Pub crawl in that it begins at a bar and ends at a bar and well, if you’re into that sort of thing, what could be more jolly than that? Originating in Philadelphia, this race has become so popular it has expanded to two other cities (New Orleans and Atlantic City) and in the words of Tiny Tim, may the Lord bless them… each and every one. They're going to need it in the morning.

http://www.runningofthesantas.com/

2.  Re-Invent Yourself in Silicon Valley

For my Northern Cal friends, I’ve chosen a more family-oriented race. I love the downtown partnership that is San Jose/Silicon Valley. After all, where else can you see young upwardly-mobile families mingling with the next Mark Zuckerberg? Grab yourself a hot cocoa and enjoy this family-friendly race which loops around the Downtown Ice rink and provides joy for kids from one to 92.

http://sjdowntown.com/santa-run-silicon-valley/

3.  "Reindeer Run" Santa Monica

If you’re in the L.A. area, this is a fun, festive race set to the backdrop of Santa Monica’s famous pier and ferris wheel.

http://www.active.com/running/santa-monica-ca/reindeer-run-2012

4. Laughing All the Way

If running a race weren’t hard enough as it is, try this on for size: Ri Ra’s Irish Pub in Vermont sponsors a Santa Run that requires all runners to wear a full-size Santa suit (which comes with your paid Registration.)  Have your own stuffed suit? No worries, chubby, you can bring your own and get a discounted Registration.

http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=7619

5. Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Jolly Old Londontown is, well, not so jolly when outdone by us Yankees. So they’ve put together an entire month of Santa Runs in our festive American tradition in case you find yourself across the pond for winter. But I’ve got news for the Brits – we red-blooded Americans don’t like to be outdone, either. Let's not forget that our Seal Team Six knows how to up-stage a fancy Royal Wedding. And we won’t hesitate to shoot down any errant reindeer, either (just ask Sarah Palin). So, all of you lads and lasses in your fancy 8-hours-ahead timezone, let's keep it moving and send Santa our way. We’re waiting for him. Spit-spot.

 http://www.santadash.co.uk/

6.  Run for a Cause

As you know from this blog, one of my favourite things in life is to run a race, and to run it for a good cause. My most recent run for charity was the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K race in San Diego, which benefited Father Joe’s Villages to help feed and house the homeless. Fact: during the holidays, most fun runs donate their proceeds to charity. If you're on the east coast, check out this one in Boston which takes you through historic neighborhoods and is sponsored by the establishment that inspired the TV series “Cheers.”

http://runagainstcancer.org/holiday-5k/

7. "Santa to the Sea"

One of my girlfriends and her husband just ran Oxnard’s “Santa to the Sea” Half Marathon. A half marathon during the holidays? Now that’s impressive!

http://www.santatothesea.com/

8. Jingle Bell Jaunt

I'm not sure if it still exists anymore (read: I couldn't find it anywhere) but the Jingle Bell Jaunt in Long Beach, California has historically been not only a race but an event that marks the official kickoff of the holiday season along Long Beach’s funky “2nd Street.” The memory of my first Christmas in California is a good one, spent hunting and pecking through the sweet little shops with the most unique, thoughtful gifts I ever did see. Whenever I think of Christmas in California, I think of the salty air and this little seaside memory.

http://www.active.com/running/long-beach-ca/jingle-bell-jaunt-2010

9. Santa Runs Tacoma

Beyonce may think that girls run the world, but I think it's Santa. Turns out, he runs Tacoma, too.  For those of you in the Seattle area (and I know there are a few of you here), visit this family-oriented race:

http://www.santarunstacoma.com/

10. Your Treadmill

No list would be complete without mentioning that you can create your own personal “5K a Day” in your own home, your own gym, or your own neighborhood. After all, that’s how this very blog got started. After running the Coronado Bridge 5K one Saturday last year, I mused aloud about "the runner's high" and why couldn't I feel that good every day? And so the idea was born. That’s why this item makes the list here as my perfect “10.” Here, the original post that started it all:

http://5kaday2011.blogspot.com/2011/07/bridge-to-anywhere.html

11. Right down Christmas Tree Lane

While my attention is often focused on Coastal races, we can’t forget about those who live and work in the “bread basket of the world," the Central Valley of California. While you’re running those carbs off this holiday season, check out the Jingle Bell 5K race in Fresno, which takes you right down Christmas Tree Lane in the town square.

http://laraces.com/race/11313

12.  Ring in the New Year

In closing, there is one race that caught my attention, and that is the Los Angeles New Year’s Half Marathon and 5K, which kicks off at the stroke of midnight. Talk about getting the year off on the right foot. I don’t know about you but I’m inclined to be clinking a champagne glass that night, at that exact hour. However, the opportunity to actually run through downtown L.A. at midnight and not get shot? Sounds just intriguing enough to look into:

http://www.newyearsrace.com/

A Return to Sanity

As the Grateful Dead once said, “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

It would be an understatement to say that the 2012 Election year was arduous and somewhat strange for me, both personally and professionally. It was filled with new jobs, which later became lost jobs (due to California budget cuts), losses of Elections that were important to me, and being there in the final days for many highly-qualified friends who placed their names on the ballot for the first time – only to be crushed to find out that they, too, had lost.  It was a rough year, one which I’m not ashamed to admit I took hard. And I’m not embarrassed to say, as someone who had only lost one or two races in the prior ten years, it took me a full five weeks from Election Day to get over the losses. I am human, after all.

While I don’t often talk Politics on this blog, it’s a fact that my bio states here that I am a "Press Secretary by day, and a Runner by night" (...or morning, or the lunch hour, or whatever 15-minute period I can eek out.)  Honestly, this year it was pretty much wherever I could fit it in along the campaign trail. Sure, I got by just fine. However, after ten years on the road, I was left wanting more. Amid Election results that were wildly un-balanced, it comes as no surprise that I emerged on the other side craving more balance.

Which can only mean one thing: It’s time for a return to sanity.

I spent the weekend retreating –  a word not often looked upon with a great deal of favour in politics, or war, which I believe are nearly one in the same. But the truth is, it is necessary for the body and soul to retreat on occasion. No matter what little white lies we tell ourselves (that 3 ½ hours at night is plenty of sleep in a pinch), the truth is that human beings need proper rest to function. So does the mind. So does the soul.

This past weekend, I retreated to a cliffside beach not only to run, but for meditation and yoga – two things which I have often viewed in terms of being “out there,” politically speaking. But I’m coming around to the feel-good, meditative lifestyle I have shunned for so many years. After all, in my business it’s all about who can hit the hardest, work the longest, shout the loudest. But after this Election, voters sent a message that they’re not into that anymore. In fact, they’re not into much of anything that I’m into. So, it’s time to re-calibrate, re-invent. Time to do things a bit differently.

Does this mean I’m no longer a pitbull? Of course it doesn't. I'm still as feisty as I ever was when I came onto this planet, and I am steeled to my newly-centered core. I am simply choosing to fight with a bit of a different weapon, to channel my energy from a place of calm, instead of the angst we've all grown accustomed to. I’m only a week into it but so far, I like this new feeling – and more importantly, I’m certain my opponents won’t.

To the small group of loyal followers here, I admit that amid the fervor and the noise and the finger-pointing this Election season, my own fingers strayed from this very keyboard and my posts to you. At times, I even strayed from my own tightly-disciplined running regimen. But I pledge to you (and probably even more importantly, to myself) the words of a famous politician, “Read my lips: No new lapses.”  I hereby commit to take more time to enjoy the little things in life, and to make more time for the running which so clears my head and soothes my soul.  A new year is upon us and in the spirit of renewal I, for one, intend to consistently make the best of each and every day life has to offer – no matter how much noise will undoubtedly swirl about.

My new mission is to be a rock, a good friend, and a solid place of quiet refuge for my friends who are still in this fight with me. It’s the best way I can continue to give back to the life that has given me so much.

Namaste.

It's July - Now Let's Go for the Gold!

I could hardly believe my eyes yesterday when I looked at the calendar and it read “July 1.”

A reminder that half the year has passed.

And that my favourite sporting event is just around the corner: The 2012 Summer Olympics officially kick off July 27!

There’s just something magical about the Olympic games, beginning with the Opening Ceremonies. It’s a roll call of the nations, so to speak; a time to showcase the best athletes our nation has to offer.  The world opens up– not just for the Olympians, but for each of us here at home.

I remember being captivated by the 1984 Olympics. My best friend and I re-enacted the gold medal ceremonies, choreographed gymnastics routines from scratch, and even turned my parents' kitchen into a makeshift "Olympic Village" where we cooked meals we thought only Olympic athletes would eat. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the games that year (held in Los Angeles and chaired by California's own Peter Ueberroth) inspired me to move to California some years later. No doubt today there is a little girl somewhere who may be dreaming of London (this year's site for the games).

What I like best about the Olympics is the inspiration to push past our own boundaries. To dig deep. To go the extra mile. To find that inner something, to find “it” within ourselves to cross the finish line. It’s a world in which seconds count, and milli-seconds count even more. In today’s world, too many people put off until tomorrow what they could do today. Olympic finishing times remind me what only people who have been through a tragedy or an Olympic trial know: that every second in life truly does count. It is for this reason I wish the Olympics were held every day.

In fact, the Olympics are like one big, glossy window display of determination. It is an opportunity for athletes to showcase the willpower that has gotten them to the big dance, the big race. Whether the athletes came from poverty, learned to compete shoeless on the continent of Africa, or came back from a career-threatening injury, it is a reminder to me not to complain about the simple things (i.e., that it might be “too hot to run” when in reality, it is only 80 degrees for my jog after work.)

At the end of its two-week run – even after the athletes have returned home and the fanfare has disappeared – the Olympics serve as a reminder to amateur athletes like me that magic can, in fact, happen when you simply put one foot in front of the other, day after day after day...

In the coming weeks, I’ll highlight some of my favourite athletes who will be competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics and will share their stories of determination in hopes that it will inspire.  We've got 25 days 'til the Opening Ceremonies. I hope you’ll join me in training the next 25 days to get in tip-top shape so that we can ring in the start of the Games in golden health!

Elect to Run!

As I stood in the TSA Security Line this morning for my Monday morning flight to our Capitol, I saw a sea of San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon t-shirts draped on runners who participated in the race over the weekend.  Weekend warriors proudly displaying their schwag to mark a great achievement.

It got me thinking this very day before the 2012 Primary Election here in California, it is not unlike the schwag I’ve seen from various campaigns in the 2012 Election Year – t-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers and the like. In both Elections and Marathons, you have an array of memorabilia to help promote and commemorate the occasion.

In fact, an Election season in and of itself is not unlike a Marathon. How so? In more ways than you might think.

For starters, how you leave the starting blocks (i.e., declare your candidacy) is absolutely critical. In any race, you don’t want to falter coming off of the starting line because you never have a second chance to make a first impression. Same is true in a campaign. The goal is to send a strong signal to your competitors that you are a strong contender.

Second, in both an election and a marathon, it’s all about “pace.” Sometimes, you’ll have a candidate who wants to give it all away at the beginning of the race, but you have to remind them that it’s about pacing oneself. Just as a marathon is a daunting 26.2 mile experience, a campaign season is often nine months to 18 months, depending upon the race. Save the sprint for when it's needed.

Third, it’s all about the PR. In running, PR stands for your “Personal Record.” In the campaign world, it’s all about the Public Relations. But no matter which race you’re in, it’s all about doing your best – putting your best foot forward, so to speak.  In a marathon or during an election, you can’t fake good PR. It is all about performance, and the final clock doesn’t lie. You’ll either win, or lose. You’ll either beat your personal record, or you won’t. You’ve either got it, or you don’t.

Fourth, seconds matter. Whether you're trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, or working in The War Room or running the social media on a major campaign, every second counts.

Lastly, on both occasions you must “finish strong.”  In Elections, you can use those precious last weeks to solidify your lead and help drive up the score, just as a good Marathon runner can use those last few miles to help shave minutes off of their final time.

So, to all of those Runners out there in 2012 (the literal kind and the proverbial kind running for Office), keep on running. We will see you at the finish line!

Run or Be Run

There are sayings on the street: “Play or Be Played." "Sell or Be Sold.” They’re all about taking control of your own life. Ensuring that you are the master of your own destiny. The bottomline: either sell your game, or you will be sold someone else’s.

When it comes to running --- whether sticking to a running routine, or just plain running my life --- I have coined my own phrase: “Run or Be Run."

In my field, during a busy Election Year it’s easy to put off my running routine and allow the daily schedule to take over my life. We all know how it is. We swear we won't succumb to it. But before we know it, there we are with endless workdays, endless hours on the campaign trail, and a different city on any given week.

But I refuse to believe that fitting in a run during the week is impossible. In fact, it's imperative. I was taught that if you do the small things well, you will succeed in the larger ones. If I can control when I run, then I can control the rest of my day. So, in the face of a busy schedule I vow to make it work. There really is no other choice when it's important to you that you Run your own life.

So this campaign season, I’m making the extra effort by employing a few simple tips.  First, no matter what time I leave the office behind, I’ll try to hit the gym or go for a run -- no matter how tired I am. (I always leave with more energy than when I arrived.) Second, if I have an early flight the next morning, I’ll squeeze in a workout the night before (even if I’ve already gone that day), or I’ll get up super-early (hello, 4a.m.) to ensure I get it in.  Lastly, and this is the most important one, when I’m on the road I’ll check the website for any hotel in which I'm staying to ensure that they have a gym– one that is open 24 hours a day, by the way. (I’m sorry, but a gym that closes at 10pm does not work for a busy campaign operative. I mean, haven’t they seen the West Wing?!?) Oh, and if the hotel doesn't have a gym... well, then they don't have me as a customer. Simple as that.

Whether it’s my morning run or an afternoon power meeting, it is all connected for me. Small steps lead to big success. If I can’t carve out a half hour to run my routine, chances are I won’t feel that confident about running my Life. But if I get in a good run, I can conquer anything.  It’s as simple as that.

Run or Be Run.

A Cause Greater than Oneself

Many of you know whether it’s for the Semper Fi Fund to help wounded warriors, or for local charities, I run races not just for the betterment of my physical self but to benefit a charitable cause.

Such was the case last weekend when I travelled to Phoenix, Arizona to run the 8th Annual Pat’s Run to benefit The Pat Tillman Foundation.

You may remember Pat Tillman. In fact, how could you forget him? He was a star football player from Arizona who gave up a lucrative NFL contract after 9/11 to enlist in the ARMY to serve his country. He was a beacon of hope, the best America had to offer in the face of terrorism and the cowardice that it represents.

I remember what impressed me most about Tillman was that he enlisted in the ARMY as a regular bloke, asking for no special treatment, but quickly worked his way up to become an elite ARMY Ranger. Sadly, Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in an unfortunate tragedy. A tragedy which his family did their level best to turn into something positive. And lasting. So when I saw that a memorial race in his honor was still going strong more than a decade after 9/11, I knew I had to check it out.

So did 35,000 other inspired Americans.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I got to the starting line. I had expected a few thousand runners, tops. After all, this was a local race, set in the tiny town of Tempe, a college town. But when I approached the race grounds, to my amazement appeared a sea of red t-shirts as far as the eye could see.  And I mean as far as the eye could see. I have witnessed the crowds at the nationally-renowned Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. , a national, critically-acclaimed race that has been around for 30 years. I never expected the Pat Tillman run to rival that legendary race. But it did. And it showed me the power of one person, that one person truly can have an effect on thousands upon thousands of others who will then answer the call to service. Perhaps not in the strong way that Tillman did. But in our own 35,000 small ways.

The Pat Tillman Foundation did a remarkable job honoring the memory of this fallen hero. Every detail was meticulous. From the 100-foot-tall replica of Pat’s football jersey which adorned the side of a building near the starting line, to the exact 4.2 mile course (representing his football number #42), to the music that piped through speakers, which somehow seemed as if it could have come from Pat Tillman’s mp3 player itself. It was as if he was there. The organizers left no stone unturned when it came to matters of the heart.  You felt his presence.

You also felt a palpable sense that Americans still wish to do more, be more, give more, just as Pat gave.  As I ran, I witnessed military men rucksacking the entire race, in full military camo gear and heavy boots, in the 90-degree Arizona heat to honor of their fallen brother. And I noticed several first responders from NYFD’s Brooklyn Engine Company #238 that came out from New York to honor him. It left a lump in my throat as thousands upon thousands of men, women, and children of all ages streamed out of the starting gates and then later streamed into the famous Sun Devil Stadium toward the finish line Tillman.

At the end of the day, the organizers raised funds toward their ultimate goal of $3.9 Million – the amount that Pat Tillman turned down in an NFL contract to join the ARMY. Those funds will now help returning troops and their spouses return to school to better their lives. I encourage you to visit The Pat Tillman Foundation today and give $42 in honor of his NFL number, to benefit the troops.

God Bless America, and may God be blessing Pat Tillman somehwere right now.

Hop to It!

To all of the parents out there who slaved over a hot stove this weekend, boiling eggs, coloring easter eggs, and taking all manner of measures (including flashlights) to hide prizes in the backyard, it is you who embody the true spirit of the Easter Bunny.

Except, in one regard.

He can run like the wind.  Literally.

If you think you run fast with your 6.0 setting on the treadmill, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

The average bunny can run 25mph to 45mph, far outdoing the rest of us weekend warriors.  The standard backyard domesticated bunny runs approximately 25 to 27 miles per hour, whereas the wilder hares out in the wilderness zip around at a stunning 47 miles per hour.

But they’re not just about the speed. Oh no. It turns out that rabbits have evolved over time to avoid becoming easy prey. Their bodies have evolved to perform feats such as the "zigzag" and the agile leap as few other creatures in nature can.

But don’t feel badly. All of this might actually explain why no one (and I mean, no one) has ever seen the Easter Bunny in person.  >”<

Everything I Learned in Life, I Learned as a Runner

Part two in a series: These days, I realize that (almost) everything I learned in life, I learned from being a runner. So, I decided that over the course of the next week, I'd share a few lessons learned along the way....


Brace for the elements

Whether planning your outfit for race day, or planning for life, you have to know what to expect. You wouldn’t set out for a long run without a jacket when it’s pelting rain outside, so why would you meander through life this way?

Get a plan. Get the forecast. Get the 4-1-1 on things. When setting out for a race, I usually study the course a few days or a few weeks before. Sometimes right after I sign up. It’s helpful to know what to expect on race day. It helps with your training. After all, if you don’t know there are four massive hills during your Marathon, how will you know you need to do hill work during your training? It helps you determine how you will pace yourself, to know when to expect massive hills, exposure to the elements, and so forth. The same is true of life. It’s the old adage, how do you know you will get to your end goal if you don't know the path you'll take to get there? Plan it out.


Find a Buddy

As in running, in life it is equally important to find a buddy. Someone who enjoys the sport. Or, someone who will at least go along with you, even if it's just to humour you. I have often boasted that running is the one thing in my life that isn’t a “team sport” – it’s the one thing I can do by myself, to get in a little “me” time, away from the noise of the world. But the truth is, I have spent many a race by myself, and I have to tell you, staying in hotels by myself is something that I am completely over. O-v-e-r.  It is lonely. And isn’t running, at the end of the day, about belonging to a community, even if only a community of runners you may not know? I am thankful for the good girlfriends I've made in the running community and the mates who willingly travel along with me, just because they know it makes me happy.


Finish Strong

In life, as in running, it’s important to finish strong. We all fall down from time to time. But the important thing is that we dust ourselves off and continue toward the finish line.

In my last Marathon, a knee injury nearly kept me from finishing the race. But I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the people who had contributed to the charity I was running for, and I couldn’t let them down. I knew I had to finish. And you know what, it's a funny thing: success breeds more success. As I got closer to the Finish Line, I got stronger. Instead of limping across the finish line like the wounded animal I actually felt like, I finished as respectably as I could.

And thank God for that. Little did I know that the Marine Corps Marathon had hired a webcam company to provide Live streaming coverage of runners crossing the Finish Line, and my friends saw me online. Proof that you never know who's watching you. Just one more reason to finish strong.

Everything I Learned in Life, I Learned as a Runner

The older I get, the more I realize that (almost) everything I learned in life, I learned from being a runner. So, I decided that over the course of the next week, I'd share a few lessons I've learned along the way. 

Pace Yourself

It’s important to dream big and charge hard in life. Believe me, the famous General Patton quote, “Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way” is part of my digital signature. So, you would figure I’d be the last person to say, “Pace yourself.” But in a Marathon, as in life, one has to realize that 26.2 long miles of road lie before you, and it turns out there is such a thing as "all things in due time."

I came to realize this during my last Marathon when I had pain at Mile 14, and I’ve realized it along the way in life when I’ve had other pain (some of it self-inflicted). I've even come to realize it in writing this blog, at times having to pull back on my love of writing in my leisure time, due to starting a new high-profile job (which I recently did.) But that is life. Sometimes in order to sustain long-term success, you have to pace yourself.

Besides, the journey itself can be filled with a lot of interesting scenery along the way... 


Run for a Cause Greater than Yourself

Whether a Politician or an avid runner, a person ought to run for a cause greater than oneself. I made a decision last Fall that I wouldn’t run a race unless the race itself benefited a cause, or unless I could raise money for a charity while running. This includes my participation in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. a few months ago (where gracious friends and colleagues contributed more than $900 to aid injured troops) and this includes our participation in the upcoming 8th Annual “Pat’s Run” in Phoenix, Arizona to honor fallen hero and football great, U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. In this day and age, with so many charities coming online, no matter what city you live in there is always a way to raise money or awareness for a cause. Now that’s what I call going the extra mile. 


The Moment You Turn to Look at your Competition, is the Moment You Lose

I ran track in junior high. Now, don’t go calling me Florence Griffith Joyner or anything (unless you’re referring to my nails), but I could hold my own in a competitive race. I’m just obnoxious that way. I also competed as an adult in the Corporate Challenge, an intramural competition that pits adults against other adults from their workplace. To be sure, it was a scene straight out of Mr. Mom, minus the tricycles. (If only we could settle all of our workplace disputes this way!) But I digress.

No two ways about it, I won practically every contest I ever entered --- with a couple of exceptions. I ran the 440, the 880, and was often the final leg of the 1600 4x4 relay. Normally, that is a position reserved for the person who looks like a gazelle with long, lanky legs (a fascinating creature I have never resembled in my entire life), but for some reason the little scrappy runner (that would be "moi") was entrusted to bring home the baton and make up for whatever lost time had occurred earlier among the team.

Oh, but a few times, I allowed myself to be taken off my game. In one particular case, it was the girl in the lane next to me. I swear to God, I could hear her breathing, I could feel her hot breath on the back of my neck, gaining on me. I became so concerned about my competition that I actually turned my head to the right for a moment to look at my competitor, and you know what? The moment I turned to focus on my competitor, the race was over. Not only had I physically flinched (oh sure, I had messed up my physical pace), but more so because I knew I had mentally flinched. Somewhere, within the deep recesses of my brain, I knew I had given up. I had admitted that someone could possibly be faster than I was.


Don’t Get Tripped Up Running with the Pack

I can remember pleading with my parents in junior high about various topics, but specifically the topic of how unfair life was. One particular complaint surrounded the girls at my school who had a seemingly endless supply of Guess jeans in their closets, when I only had two pairs. (Little did I know at the time that those two pairs had cost more than my parents’ first car.)  But my parents were gracious. My Dad would simply reply with, “Well, some girls don’t have any Guess jeans, did you ever think about that?" Then he would add, "You’ve got to realize there will always be someone who has more than you, and someone who has less than you. Don’t compare yourself to other people.” This has turned out to be some of the best advice.  It is true in life, true in running.

You can’t compare yourself to someone who starts out quickly from the starting block. You never know what their game plan is. Perhaps they start out fast, then fade at the end. You never know. I have often been worried I wasn’t able to keep up with Marathon runners I started a race with, only to pass them up later at Mile 16 when they were huffing and puffing and in obvious pain, as I sailed quietly by.

I can’t say it enough, Stay in your own lane. Focus on your own race. In life, and in running, stop thinking about where someone else is and start focusing on setting your own best personal record (PR).


Over the next week, I'll be sharing more about what I've learned in life from my marathon experiences. I welcome you to share yours! E-mail, post it here, or Tweet it!

New Year's Resolutions

As I sat down to pen my New Year’s resolutions today, I resolved to get to the bottom of a little mystery: Where (and when) did we begin torturing ourselves with New Year's resolutions?

Like so many painful things in life – Pilates exercises, nuns who rap your knuckles with rulers, and gladiators who fight to the death – they originated in Italy. As they say, all roads lead to Rome.

The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back to 153 B.C., when Romans began utilizing the occasion of the New Year to look for forgiveness from their enemies.

In fact, it was none other than Julius Caesar who designed a calendar that would more aptly reflect the seasons than previous calendars. He named the first month of his new year after a mythical Roman God named Janus – a mythical “God of beginnings” who had powers to reflect back over the past and also to look into the future. Illustrations of this mythical creature include two faces – one on the back of the head looking backward and one on the front representing the face which always looks forward. Thus began January and the annual tradition of reflecting back over the past year while setting sights on the year ahead.

On New Year’s Day, Romans also began the tradition of giving each other branches from sacred trees for good luck and good fortune. I like to think of this tradition as extending an olive branch to one another, so to speak.

Where fitness and good health is concerned, I think we all ought to extend a proverbial olive branch to ourselves --- in forgiveness for the things we could have done better to honor our bodies last year, and in positive anticipation of the great things that will come in the New Year.

Here’s to good health in 2012!

Beat the Holiday Rush

 

I know I’ve said it before.

I know it sounds as crazy as a Black Friday shopper charging the door at 3a.m. 

But I love working out during the holiday season. 

Not only does it help keep my energy level up during a stressful time, but the gym: It’s so empty! 

Think about it. The ability to choose from any treadmill, get into any premier fitness class, be able to sit in the sauna without 50 of your not-so-closest friends breathing down your neck. It’s the kind of holiday bliss only Santa could deliver.

Yes, Virginia, I’m taking full advantage of the time now. Because come New Year’s Day, anyone who’s ever been to a gym the first week of January knows: it’s a post-holiday hell.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love fitness, and I love kindred spirits with hopeful souls and newly-pledged goals of fitness and well-being. But must all 300 million of us pledge to begin on precisely the same day?
 

I know, I know, it's so selfish but I’m already thinking of how difficult it’s going to be to get an already-coveted pass to my Body Pump class. And getting into yoga or spin class? Forgeddaboutit.

Sure, I realize by the third week of January the neophytes will have flamed out and we’ll all have the place to ourselves again. But it will seem an eternity until then.

For now, I’ll ask Santa for a little patience. And I'll invite you to give the pre-holiday gym experience a try. I think you'd like it. As for me, I plan to keep pushing hard to get a leg up on that late date in January – just in case my new yoga pants don’t see the inside of a classroom until then!

What Stayed in Vegas...

I took a road trip to Vegas with friends last weekend.

We didn’t play blackjack at the card tables. So, I didn’t lose my shirt. I did, however, lose my favorite pair of running shoes. And I've been sans running shoes ever since.

As a runner, I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t have a “backup” pair of running shoes. In fact, I’d venture to say that my closet is a cross between a Sex & the City/New York-style closet (think: 4-inch heels and peep-toe shoes) and the closet of a California beach bum (all manner of flip-flops present and accounted for). But, no extra sets of running shoes. Thus the predicament.

I survived about three days without running. I cross-trained instead, wearing my flip-flops to weight-training class (I’m pretty sure that’s against club rules). And I avoided the urge to jump on the treadmill Zola Budd-style for fear I might get stange looks (or worse, kicked out of the gym entirely.)

But after three days, I couldn’t take it anymore. I broke down and went to Target and bought a pair of cheapie tennis shoes ($15.99, thank you very much). They are pretty stylish and they’re from a brand I trust (Champion).  But they’re not my shoes, if you know what I mean.

A good pair of running shoes is, well, much like a "woobie" blanket. It makes us feel comfortable when we slip down into it. If you ever lost a woobie blanket as a child and your parents tried to replace it, I bet you weren't fooled. It was scratchy. Not the same as your woobie, right? Well, I’ve been imagining all manner of things happening to my feet in the cheapie shoes (is that my ankle popping? I think I just heard something.) Alright, so I may be a bit paranoid -- and spoiled with my $85 Saucony Italian running shoes. But you'd miss them, too, if you logged these training miles!

I will survive. After all, there are far worse problems to have these days. Hard economic times. High unemployment. Shoot, some people in the world have no shoes at all. (To give soles to those souls, btw, you can visit Tom's Shoes here.) 

Tonight as I go to bed missing my woobie, I’ll say a prayer to count my blessings. I'll also send out a prayer to the Catholic Saint Anthony -- saint of lost and stolen items -- in hopes that my wayward shoes will make their way back to me soon.

Fast Friends... yet Slow to Depart



Exhibit A: The burger, fries, and Guinness beer I consumed post-race.

Five weeks ago I crossed the finish line of a Marathon, then proceeded to redeem my post-race reward: a meal I had been craving during the last several miles of the marathon. A hamburger, fries, and a Guinness beer.

Sure, I deserved it. In fact, after running 26 miles, I felt I deserved a million bucks.

Little did I know this single burger would spark a chain reaction (literally) that would take the next five weeks to break.

You see, after arriving back home, I continued to crave this all-American beauty. There wasn’t a drive-thru window I didn’t visit. I knew the location of every McDonald’s chain within a 50-mile radius. I consumed more hamburgers than Bill Clinton during both of his Presidential terms combined.

It didn’t take me long to realize I had created a monster. One that (what's that saying?) felt so good on the lips but even after several turns on the treadmill was starting to cling to the hips.

So, I went straight to someone who could help: a holistic doctor I've visited over past year who has helped me align my eating habits to a healthier lifestyle. As I sat in the office of Southern California's founding preventative medicine doc -- he, too, seemed puzzled by my meaty addiction. Mostly because I’ve never even been a big meat-eater. In fact, my diet has almost always been vegetarian. Damn near vegan, really.

While he needled me with his tiny acupuncture tools, he began to needle me with questions as well. “Tell me. What was the first meal you ate immediately following the Marathon?” 

“The first thing I ate?,” I replied. What does that have to do with anything, I wondered. Then I thought back to that fateful night. My eyes grew as big as my little stuffed tummy. Sheepishly, I replied: “A hamburger."

Bingo.

He grinned slightly. I could tell he was impressed with himself.  I admit, I was impressed with him, too. Not even pausing to take a victory lap, he went on to explain that when the body goes through a period of physical exertion or exhaustion (such as it does during a Marathon), at some point the body starts to tap into precious protein stores. That can leave a person ravenous for protein once the event is completed. With this craving, I had reached for the lowest common protein denominator: the good ‘ol American hamburger.

As if I was being read a line straight out of “Eat This, Not That!,” he went on to describe how making one simple, smart choice after the race could have helped me avoid all of this. Instead of meat protein, I could have opted for a healthier source of protein in the form of nuts, seeds, or legumes. This one simple choice would have saved me weeks (not to mention countless dollars) at the drive-thru fast food window. It is a tip I feel compelled to pass on to my fellow racers.

Fast forward to today: I’m happy to announce I’m off the hooch. With the help of the holistic healer, I downed my last hamburger several days ago. I’m back to eating healthy. And more importantly, I am equipped with the knowledge to make smarter choices after my next long race. Oh sure, I'll probably still go a little crazy, throw caution to the wind, eat something I wouldn't normally eat. But I'll be much, much more careful to choose a food companion I'll be willing to have around for weeks afterward.

25 Days of Running

There's nothing like the beginning of a fresh, new month to serve as a great motivator to reinvigorate one's running routine.

So, during the month of December as I'm decking the halls, I will also be running throughout the "25 Days of Christmas."

It may sound crazy at first blush. I mean, most people shut things down during the holidays. Take the month off. Throw their fitness routine to the wind, right? Surprisingly, I find that running actually helps keep me centered during harried times. It relieves holiday stress, helps me sleep at night, and oh yes! keeps me firmly in those fun, sparkly, holiday dresses.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I still intend to partake of the holiday festivities. Have a bite of a holiday cookie. Enjoy a hot toddy. Eat so much on Christmas Day I wish I'd never been born. But keeping up my 5KaDay running routine will at least help take the edge off of the holiday stress. And help keep the Santa-sized pants at bay.

So go ahead. Join me. This Christmas season, while you're out doing things for others, get out and do something for yourself. Give the ultimate gift to yourself - one of good health.

'Tis the Season to run!

For Love of the Game

The recent scandal at Penn State has got me thinking.

About our “Love of the Game.” And the unfortunate number of sports figures who've allowed their love of the game to be surpassed by a love for something else.

In the case of former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky, he let his love of something quite else stand in the way of his love of the game.  And we have watched as it has robbed him of the greatest gift he could have given to an entire generation of fans: a pure, unadulterated contest on the field.

Looking back over the past decade, you needn't look far to witness this flaw toppling great men -- and entire sporting empires.

Golf legend Tiger Woods let his love of women surpass his love of the game. He lost everything as a result. His wife, his children, his career. He hasn’t played as well since.

In the case of track-and-field star Marion Jones, she let her love of winning supercede her love of the game. After testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, she paid the ultimate price by having to give back her Olympic medal.

It happens just as often in the game of life. You see it in the person who allows their love of alcohol to rob them of their God-given relationships. An overeater who allows their love of food rob them of the life they wish they had. A politician who lets their love of power outweigh their love for public service (the love that put them in power in the first place). Let the downfalls begin.

The bottomline is this:  When we let our game on the field become surpassed by a love of something off the field, we rob our fans – and ourselves -- of the very innocence that makes sports so great. True grit. Sweat. Tears. Hard work. Struggle. All of the things that make us human and allow us to connect with other human beings on an authentic level.

When you’re focused on your game, you’ll let nothing deter you. Not even the greatest temptation. Sure, it takes great skill.  But then again, isn’t that what true athletes are made of?

Love the game. Keep it pure.