An old friend of mine from high school who has a successful psychiatry practice in upstate New York recently published a blog post on addiction that got me thinking… What is the tipping point at which something is no longer a hobby, an interest, or even a way of life – but becomes an addiction?

Can one be addicted to running?

Dr. Ferraioli points out in his post that addictions “…DISCONNECT us from ourselves and from our real lives; and that includes the people in our lives such as our children, our spouses, our friends, and our communities, among others.”

Many of us use running to escape. For me, it’s a brief period in the day where I can clear my head and find respite from everything else that’s going on. And I think that’s a very healthy thing. Everyone needs time to “recenter” and many of us find that time running.

But can you take it too far?

As with anything else in life, the key to success is balance. Ask yourself, does your running strengthen your family relationships or strain them? Is your family included in your running goals, or does your running make your family feel excluded? Does running bring you closer to the ones you love, or does it disconnect you?

If you find yourself on the wrong side of the balance, now is the time to take action. Talk to your family. Include them. Listen to them. Value them. And then take another look at your training plan and make sure that it gives you the balance you need. Unless you’re a professional athlete, it’s OK to cut back on your training. It’s OK to not hit a PR every time. It’s OK to give yourself a break for the sake of your family.

My family has had a very busy summer this year. I’ve been lucky to log two runs a week lately, and I’m happy with that.

I hope to run well into my old age, but I know that the day will come when I will no longer be able to run. My joints will be too old and my muscles too weak. I expect that when that day comes I will not regret a single missed run, failed training plan, unshed pound, or cancelled race. Instead, I will cherish the extra time I got to spend with my family, and hope that we grew to be a stronger family because of it.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”

From A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Over the last two weekends, my kids ran two different fun runs. (That’s my youngest in the photo)

One was sponsored and coordinated by the local hospital, with the goal of promoting health and fitness. The other was sponsored and promoted by a school, with the goal of raising funds for the financial aid fund.

One had post-race entertainment consisting of healthy homemade foods, a variety of physical activities, and a live band playing kids’ music. The other had a free can of soda pop for each kid that ran.

Pop Can Fun Run

The Pop Can Fun Run drew hundreds of local kids between the ages of 2 and 10 to have fun and promote health and fitness. The race was run in heats by age (2 year old race, 3 year old race, etc.). The 2 through 4 year olds ran down the block about 0.1 miles. The 5 through 10 year olds ran down the block and back, about 0.2 miles. Boys and girls ran in separate heats, and it was especially great to see so many girls at the race! (The photo above is the start of the 5 year old girls race)

Yet, with all its potential, the Pop Can Fun Run left a bad taste in my mouth. Despite the event being sponsored and run by the local hospital, right next to the hospital, to supposedly promote health and fitness, each participant (including the 2 year olds) could claim their own can of soda pop after they ran.

Pop Can Fun Run finisher’s tent

Something just doesn’t sit right with me when a hospital hands out free sodas to kids. Yes, they did need to run for it. But is that what we’ve come to? We need to bribe our kids with soda to get them to come out to a race?

“I’d do anything for a soda — I’d even run!”

I should expect higher standards from a hospital, and yet somehow I’m not surprised. What a great event for educating the public! Yet there were no nutrition pamphlets or advice to be seen, no nurses talking to families about how to keep their kids healthy, and no displays or activities promoting fitness. Wasting such a golden opportunity for public health education would have been bad enough, but handing out free soda to kids took the cake.

For more on why I think handing out sodas to kids is such a bad idea, check out my previous post on the scary truth about sugar for runners.

CVMS 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Run

Although not as well attended as the Pop Can Fun Run, the CVMS 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Run (which drew less than 200 participants across both events) was outstanding! Sponsored by the Chemung Valley Montessori School, the purpose of this event was “to help our students, families, and communities focus on the benefits and fun of fitness while fundraising and supporting those in need.”

Both the 5K and 1 Mile events were kid-friendly — and in many cases entire families ran together. The entire 1 mile course, and the majority of the 5K course, went out and back on a rail trail (pictured below). Some kids ran the whole way. Some ran and walked. Some stopped to pick flowers or look for birds in the marshland adjacent to the trail.

CVMS 1 Mile Family Fun Run

After the race, kids and families were welcomed onto the school playground to enjoy homemade food including (but not limited to) a variety of fresh fruits, hummus, pasta salad, and granola bars. An inflatable was set up next to the kids’ band so the children could bounce away what energy they had left after running while the band played kid-friendly music like “Cheese Man”.

All in all it was a fabulous family event — just what a family fun run should be.

So what do you think? Am I being too hard on the hospital? Chime in with your comments below!

Do you ever wonder why kids grow up wanting to be Michael Jordan, but not Ryan Hall? Or if distance running will ever be able to match the popularity and advertising budgets of MLB?

The article then goes on to speculate how showcasing events online through new media or making races more spectator-friendly can lead to an upsurge in popularity for running.

Interesting ideas, but they’re based on the flawed assumptions that more popular equals better and that professional athletes who can be idolized by the masses are a necessary ingredient for attracting the masses.

This connection to athletes and spectators is vital in creating a growing and loyal fan base. … “There is an obvious connection between the masses and the professional athletes, some of whom began as mid-packers.”

Bigger isn’t better

For all the millions and millions of baseball fans out there, how many of them actually play? Maybe they played in little league or scraped up stickball games when they were kids, but I would speculate that the vast majority of adult baseball fans are spectators — and that spectating does nothing to advance the sport. Sure, it brings in billions of dollars of revenue and gives people something to talk about at work the next day. But it also creates problems like the Barry Bonds steroids scandal.

Is this what we want for running? As it is, running is already plagued with its share of blood doping and other scandals. Fortunately, if you Google “running scandal” you find lots of scandals, but nothing related to running until you get to the bottom of the page. Try the same thing for “baseball scandal” and you get pages and pages of examples of exactly what we don’t want to happen to running.

Don’t spectate, participate!

The other downside to the media glitz and high profile image of professional sports, like baseball, is that it actually reduces family participation. Kids no longer want to play ball with Dad. Dad isn’t good enough anymore. They’ll sit on the couch or in a stadium and watch a ballgame with Dad while he drinks a [few] beer[s]. But instead of playing ball as a family in the backyard, Mom and Dad shuttle their kids off to endless T-Ball and Little League games in hopes that they can be good enough to make Varsity in high school, and then play ball in college. And while Junior has dreams of getting drafted and growing up to be just like Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa, Mom and Dad continue to watch from the sidelines.

I think the beauty of running is that it isn’t spectator-friendly. The only way to enjoy running is to participate! And through participation, we turn an individual endeavor of striving to achieve milestones of new distance records and PR’s into a community event where it’s more about supporting each other than competing against each other.

I don’t expect my kids to grow up being active and fit because they want to be just like Usain Bolt. But I do hope that in time they will emulate my commitment to running and physical fitness because I can set an example for them that may show them how to live happier and healthier lives.

And it is in this way that Running gives each of us the opportunity to be better role models for our kids and our families than Barry Bonds could ever be.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Running in the Family would like to wish all Moms, whether running mothers or mothers of runners, a very happy, wonderful, and joyous Mother’s Day!

All the wonderful moms out there go the extra mile every day to keep our families running. But with all the running around moms do to keep their families running, there’s not much time left to get the right info to keep yourself running. So with you in mind, here’s a selection of running resources for moms to help you get more out of your running. I personally follow each of these and hope that you’ll find them as useful and enjoyable as I do.

Healthy Mom Blogs

You may or may not live in a community where there is a group of active moms who support each other. Even if you don’t, you can tap in to a virtual community of fit moms. Check out some of these mom-friendly fitness blogs.

• Training for Fun — Training for fun, by Luann Abrams, shows you how to stay fit with your kids, instead of in spite of them. The site is packed with great ideas for turning workout time into playtime with your kids, and at the same time helping them to grow up healthy and share in your fitness values.
• Bookieboo — Bookieboo is a place where moms into fitness, weight loss, and healthy living get together to share. Among other things, it features the Bookeiboo blog with health and fitness tips, tons of resources, and Mamavation — a group of moms helping each other to reach their fitness goals together. Created by Leah Segedie, Bookieboo includes a bunch of contributing moms and a very active community. (free registration required to access most site features)
• Workout Mommy — Workout Mommy, written by Lisa who was a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, features other fit moms and shares the joys of challenges of staying fit with little kids. Workout Mommy is also a community moderator on Bookieboo.
• The Well Mom — This blog, written by Heather Cabot features a wealth of articles helping moms to stay well-nourished, well-centered, well-toned, well-pampered, and well-connected.
• Active Kids Club — Active Kids Club started as an outdoor playgroup in Toronto, and has turned into a fantastic website with tons of articles, resources, and information for how to stay active with your kids, and how to form outdoor playgroups of your own!

Recommended Family Blogs

While not specifically fitness-related, these are blogs that all moms can relate to. Some are insightful, some are funny, and hopefully you will enjoy them all.

• Zen Family Habits — This minimalist blog shows you how to enjoy your family life more by simplifying and focusing on the things that really matter to you.
• The Bad Parent — The Bad Parent is a column hosted on Babble.com which features “taboo-breaking confessions” from parents who either didn’t quite do things by the book, or who perhaps even completely ignored the book and forged their own path. Definitely worth a read!
• Rocks in my Dryer — Hilarious takes on family life that we all can relate to. For a good sampling of what you’ll find there, check out the posts on the Best Of page.

Running Resources

Here’s a list of my favorite running resources. Although these aren’t “just for moms,” I think a list of resources for moms would be incomplete without these.

• RunAddicts — Fabulous professional blog for runners with great tips and articles.
• John “The Penguin” Bingham — I miss reading “The Penguin’s” column in Runner’s World, but you can still follow him online! A definite “must read” for all non-elite runners (like me).
• Runner’s World — The ubiquitous runner’s magazine online.
• Road Runner Sports — The World’s Largest Running Store. This is where I buy all of my running shoes and running gear! (affiliate link)

If you know of any great running resources for moms that you would like to share, please let us know about them in the comments section!

I hope you find these resources to be useful, informative, and enjoyable. But most of all, I hope that you find the opportunity this Mother’s Day to do something that makes you feel special. Happy Mother’s Day!

Do you know what your kids are doing this summer?

This is the time of year when parents across the country are scrambling to schedule their kids’ summers. When does school end? When does school start up again? What week(s) are we going to all go on vacation together? What long weekends will we take? And most importantly — What summer camps will we sign up for this year?

The summer camp options seem almost limitless, with, of course, more and more options opening up as your kids get older. Well, here’s an option you may not have considered.

Try a youth running summer camp

These camps are a great way for your kids to have a lot of fun in a safe environment while improving their running and learning about fitness with peers that share the same values. And, believe it or not, there are kids running summer camps all across the country! Most are open to kids in Middle School through High School, but age requirements vary from camp to camp. If you search locally on Google chances are you can find one near you. Here’s a selection of running camps from across the country that are worth checking out!

Kids Summer Running Camp List

• Nike Running Camps — locations nationwide, ages 14 to 18 This is the 800 lb. gorilla of youth running camps with programs all across the country. Check out their website to find a Nike Running Camp near you. These camps are all professionally staffed and held on college campuses. Definitely worth a look!
• Warr10r Camp — Locations in Florida and Georgia, ages 12 to 18 This camp has kids run on trails in the Florida and Georgia countryside. If I still lived in Georgia, I’d send my kids here!
• Runners Workshop XC Camp — Lake Tahoe, Malibu, and Idyllwild, CA, ages 12 to 18 California has some of the prettiest running country and best weather around!
• Stars and Stripe Track Camp — Oregon, ages 6 to 18 Kids as young as six can attend this daycamp to learn and practice a variety of track and field events.
• Steens Mountain High Altitude Running Camp — Oregon, ages 13 to 19 When they say “High Altitude” they’re not kidding! Base camp is at 7500 feet, and with daily runs through the mountains, this camp is not for the fainthearted.
• Elevate Running Camp — Arizona, high school ages Another mountain running camp, Elevate puts a focus on on learning with instructional sessions everyday in addition to regular runs and typical camp fun.
• Camp Isaiah — Colorado, middle school to high school ages This Christian camp allows kids to enjoy running and other activities while exploring their spirituality in the Rockies.
• Carrie Tollefson Training Camp — Minnesota, middle school to high school ages Started by running star Carrie Tollefson and held in her hometown in Minnesota, this high performance camp is exclusively for girls.
• Wilderness Running Camp — Missouri, teens Located in the beautiful Ozarks, this camp is a true outdoor adventure that combines trail running with fun outdoor events like float trips.
• First XC Running Camp — South Carolina, teens Held on the grounds of Furman University, this camp is for runners of all ability levels.
• Cavalier Distance Running Camp — North Carolina, teens Located near Asheville, NC, this Christian running camp is packed with outdoor activities such as a ropes course and hiking through the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
• X-Treme Running Camp — New Jersey, middle school and high school ages This high performance camp located near the Delaware Water Gap is geared towards helping competitive runners jump to the head of the pack.
• Aim High Running Camp — New York, middle school and high school ages This camp, set in upstate New York’s Adirondack Mountains, is packed with activities!
• Portsmouth-Newport Running Camp — Rhode Island, high school ages Open to runners of all ability levels, this camp is set on the scenic campus of Portsmouth Abbey School near historic Newport, RI.

So what are you waiting for? Find a camp near you and sign up before they fill up!

And if you know of a great kids running camp that I missed, please let us know about it in the comments!

No running in Mrs. Obama’s plan?

I, along with the rest of the fitness community I’m sure, applaud our First Lady’s commitment to fighting youth obesity. This is an epidemic in our country which has long been ignored and it’s wonderful to see it getting some serious attention. But is it missing something? Donald Buraglio and Mike Dove of montereyrunninglife.com point out in The Herald Monterey County that she has neglected to include running:

Maybe we’re paranoid, but we’ll put this one out there … we’re a bit offended that the Surgeon General’s “Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation 2010″ says children should have 60 minutes a day of vigorous exercise but doesn’t mention running. Included in the activity examples are softball, racquetball, kayaking (Really? In inner cities?), skating, mall walking, and washing the car, but somehow running didn’t make the list.

I couldn’t agree more!

See, here’s the thing: running is the simplest, cheapest, most accessible and most effective means of exercise there is. Although we risk offending the kayaking or shuffleboard lobbies by saying so, we feel our sport deserves a much higher profile in fitness programs.

It’s almost hard to imaging kids at play outdoors without running. Running has always been a core activity of children’s playtime, and as such should be a vital part of any children’s fitness initiative. Thank you Donald and Mike for pointing out this flaw in the program!

So what should we do about it? I think we should let the First Lady know how we feel. Unfortunately the blog on letsmove.gov does not have a comments section, but they also have a Facebook page. So go ahead and post a comment on their wall! Let’s not let running get overlooked.

Cops and Kids

Is it possible for a parent to ever be excited about having their own children chased by cops? It is if it’s during the Spring Training Classic 10K Cops-n-Kids Fun Run in Jupiter, Florida!

The run takes place on March 5th, 2010 and finishes at home plate in Roger Dean Stadium with the kids being led by a police motorcycle and accompanied (chased?) by officers. Additionally, there will be a Mobile Command Vehicle, a SWAT team, and K9 officers available for instructional tours.

What a great way to promote family fitness and public safety, while introducing our neighborhood heroes — police — to kids in a friendly environment. Kudos to the towns of Abacoa and Jupiter for this fabulous event! I hope it serves as an inspiration to towns and communities across the country.

Along with planning beautiful themed resorts and wonderfully manicured landscaping, the Disney Imagineers have also included a network of walking/jogging trails around the resorts that you can run on. My favorite area is the Epcot Resorts area, home to the Disney Beach Club, Disney Yacht Club, Disney Boardwalk, Disney Swan, and Disney Dolphin resorts. These resorts are beautifully set around a lake, tucked away behind Epcot’s World Showcase, with canals that connect both to Epcot and to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Lots of people are out running every morning, so you’ll have plenty of company (or competition) to keep you motivated. I ran in the afternoon while the kids played at the Beach Club pool. There were less runners out then, and more casual strollers to look out for and avoid — especially on the boardwalk.

There are three sections of running trails in this area. One runs along the canal to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and then back on the other side (after crossing on an overpass) to the Swan and Dolphin resorts. (photo 1) If you’re lucky, you’ll get to race one of the Friendship boats down the canal (I won).

The largest section is a running/walking path along Epcot Resorts Boulevard, which circles around all of the resorts. (photo 2) You have to watch out for one tricky part where the path stops as the road goes under the canal, but the length of this path makes it easier to get some distance in.

Of course the most popular is running around the lake. (photos 3 & 4) This stretch includes a section on the Disney Boardwalk, and you can find runners here at almost any time of the day.

If you want to plan your course before you run you can do so on MapMyRun. Or you can use RunKeeper to track your time, pace, and distance on the fly.

So along with your Mickey Mouse ears, don’t forget to pack your running shoes, and have a magical run!

Losing focus on your running goals?

How are you doing with your running and fitness goals? How is the rest of your family doing?

As the Holidays pass and we become re-absorbed into the activities of our daily lives, it gets easier and easier to find excuses — especially at this time of year. It’s too cold to run outside … It’s too dark to run in the morning … It’s too dark to run in the evening … I’m getting tired of the treadmill and wish I could just run outside … I’ll just skip today … I’ll get back on track tomorrow …

Publish your running goals and keep track

One of the best ways to make sure you don’t slack off is to publish your running and fitness goals and track your progress. It doesn’t have to be complicated. One technique is to just post your goal in big letters on the fridge or the family bulletin board — DADDY WILL RUN 3 TIMES A WEEK. Then keep a log sheet handy and write down each time you complete a workout or otherwise make progress towards your goal.

You can also use some great online tools to make your goals public.

• Daytum.com is a simple and attractive site where you can post goals and track metrics for free. This is the site I’m using to aggregate and track my Run 48 States progress. Create your page in a few minutes, then post it on Facebook, Twitter, or email it to friends that you know will keep you honest.
• MapMyRun.com (affiliate link) is a comprehensive site that lets you log workouts, publish them to your Facebook and Twitter accounts automatically, and view metrics in a variety of different ways. Better yet, if you get your running friends on it as well, you can link your profiles and see what your friends have been doing to keep each other honest.
• Runkeeper.com is another online option that is a bit more streamlined than MapMyRun. It has less functionality, but is much easier to use and is better designed. You input your workouts on your iPhone (support for other devices coming in the future) through the RunKeeper app available through the App Store for free. RunKeeper then charts your progress both on your iPhone, and on their website. It integrates nicely with the GPS capabilities of the iPhone, plotting your course on a map during your run and providing statistics for distance and pace. It also integrates nicely with Facebook and Twitter, and allows you to build a network of running buddies called your “Street Team.”

There are plenty more out there. These are just the ones I’ve used. If you have a great suggestion, let us know about it by leaving a comment!

Rely on your family for support

Believe it or not, your family wants you to be successful in your running and fitness goals. Think about how you feel about them. Don’t you want your spouse to be healthy? Don’t you want to help your spouse find time to work out? Don’t you want your kids to be healthy and to realize their goals? Well your family wants that for you too.

You should have shared your fitness goals with your family when you set them. If you didn’t, share them now. OK, maybe not right now, but do it today. Make sure your family knows what you’re trying to achieve, and that they understand why.

Then ask them for help. If you are starting to find yourself struggling to keep up with your commitments to yourself, tell them what your challenges are. While you’re at it, don’t make it all about you. Ask them how they’re doing on their fitness goals. Work together as a family, as a team, to really understand what each of you wants to achieve — and then support each other and help each other be successful.

Working together and keeping your lines of communication open helps your entire family support each other. You can celebrate each other’s successes. You can help each other deal with challenges as they come up. You can use your running and fitness goals to bring your family together, and keep each other on track.

This week’s Sunday USA Weekend newspaper insert contained a brief article entitled “How to sneak fitness into your children’s lives” (online version here), highlighting a book by Larysa Didio called Sneaky Fitness: Fun, Foolproof Ways to Slip Fitness into Your Child’s Everyday Life.

For some reason, the article troubled me as I was reading it, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. After all, anything espousing fitness for kids has to be good, right?

And then I figured out what was bugging me so much.

Family fitness is not something you should “sneak” in

Family fitness is not the same as hiding the dog’s medicine in his dogfood. It’s not something that’s supposed to be good for you, yet so unpalatable that you need to sneak it in.

Somehow, deceiving our children holds a strange attraction on parents. From Santa, to the Easter Bunny, to the Tooth Fairy — tricking our kids has become part of our parental culture.

One day my kids used a kit to make little colorful martians out of gel. When they weren’t looking, the martians disappeared because “their spaceship took off!” For the next half hour, I would make the martians keep reappearing somewhere else in the house when the kids were looking the other direction so that they could be rediscovered to squeals of delight moments later. The kids had fun with it. We had fun with it. But I don’t think our kids will grow up into adults who believe that little martians really did fly around our house that day.

I also don’t think that parents expect their kids to grow up believing in Santa, or the Easter Bunny, or Leprechauns, or all the other cute little pranks we play on our innocent children. So if we expect our kids to figure out our subterfuge as they mature and grow out of it, then why would they not also “grow out of” our fitness subterfuge?

If the only way you can get your kids to stay fit is by sneaking exercise into their lives, what happens when they grow up and move out? Parents should be preparing their kids to live their lives on their own by helping them learn how to make good choices, not by pushing our choices on them through stealth.

Family fitness should be something fun! It should be something you want to do with your kids, and also something that your kids want to do with you. It’s not just about doing it because it’s good for you. It’s about enjoying activities together, and enjoying a healthier lifestyle together.

So how do you make family fitness enjoyable?

On this count, the article pretty much has it right — create fun challenges; give them the tools (although I don’t particularly see how replacing dining-table chairs with fitness balls could possibly end well); and be fit together.

I think the more open you are with your kids about fitness, the more they see you living a healthy lifestyle, and the more you include them in your activities, the more you will all enjoy fitness together.

People are catching on. People want to have fun with their families and they want to have healthy families. Families want to do fun and active things together, and more and more resources are becoming available to help families do just that. (In fact, there’s a great website in my blogroll focused entirely on how to make fitness fun with your family.)

Take a walk with your kids, play tag, go orienteering together, go on a bike ride, go swimming, set up an ad-hoc obstacle course in the backyard. Do anything, just do it together. Your kids will keep begging you for more, and you won’t have to sneak it in.

In all fairness, I haven’t actually read the book in question (and, frankly, am not adding it to my book list after this article), but I ask anyone who has to please comment below with your views. And if you have some creative ideas for including kids in fun and healthy activities, please share them in the comments!

The Santa Shuffle — Chicago, IL

If hundreds of runners in Santa suits don’t motivate you, then I don’t know what will!

When you’re running a family, it’s hard to find time to run. And it’s easy to make excuses not to.

“I have an early meeting, so I can’t run in the morning.“
“I don’t know what people at work will think, so I can’t run at lunch.“
“I’m too tired, so I can’t run in the evening.”

Finding or forming a group (like the “Lunch Ladies”) is a great way to keep yourself from falling prey to your excuses. If you know other people are expecting you to be there, you’ll be less likely to wimp out. (if you didn’t click the Rachel Ray Show link earlier to watch the video, now would be a good time)

And even if you don’t run with a group, you can use friends and family to keep you on track. Tell them your fitness goals. Tell them how often you want to work out. And then ask them to check in on you and keep you honest. Of course, if they’re good friends, they would never make you feel bad for missing a run here and there. After all, running should be a way to improve fitness and relieve stress — not add to your already high stress level. But just knowing that they know you want to run, and that they support your fitness goals, will make you run more and run better.

Finding a wacky race is also a great way to shake it up and add some fun to your routine! There are lots of great local races like the Santa Shuffle all over the place. All you have to do is find them, and then sign up! Sometimes they can be tricky to find, so if you know of one go ahead and post it in the comments!

Then take your family along with you, and have a great time together!

After we finished a wonderful shrimp and risotto dinner this evening, my wife said, “You should go to the gym tonight.” I was feeling rather full, but it was my turn to work out — and I was excited to add some mileage to my Run 48 States endeavor. So I changed into my running clothes, and off to the gym I went.

My plan was to run an easy 10K. I didn’t want to push it after dinner, but I really did want to start racking up some miles.

The reality

But once I started, my “easy” pace didn’t feel so easy. I told myself that after a mile the dinner would settle and I’d feel better. A mile passed and then I told myself that after two miles I’d feel better.

The second mile was harder than the first. By 2 1/2 I was just hoping to be able to make a 5K. I finally did make 5K (barely), and then I had to stop.

At first I was really disappointed.

Disappointed that I didn’t run the whole distance. Disappointed that I ran 5K at such a slow pace. Disappointed that I felt so tired and spent.

But what was my alternative? To not have run at all?

The realization

Sometimes any run is better than no run. A slow 3.1 miles is better than 0 miles. 300 calories burned is better than 0 calories burned. And trying and making an effort is better than not trying at all.

So what if I didn’t run 10K? I ran. And it wore me out. And then I listened to my body and stopped.

There’s nothing wrong with that — and I got home in time to help put the kids to bed.

That’s good enough. In fact, that’s great!

Flickr: andrepierre

Yes, the Christmas season is upon us. I hope you have the opportunity to use this wonderful time of year as a chance to connect with family and friends, and to reflect on what is truly important in life. If you are spending time with family, why not invite them to run with you while visiting — so you can burn off those extra Christmas cookies while spending time reconnecting. And speaking of Christmas cookies, don’t forget to enjoy them in moderation.

May your holidays be merry, may your family be healthy, and may you enjoy peace and prosperity in the new year!

Downhill skiing and snowboarding

Skiing and snowboarding are both great for working leg muscles that don’t usually get much attention when you run. You may not feel particularly winded after a run down the slopes, but you are definitely working those leg muscles — especially your thighs! Make sure you take your family along with you and enjoy the slopes together. Just because you’re a better skier than your kids doesn’t mean you can’t ski with them. Unlike running, which is constant forward motion, downhill skiing tends to be bursts of activity with rests in-between. So if you make it down a part of the slope before your kids, take a break. Watch them come down after you, or enjoy the scenery. Family days out on the slopes are guaranteed to be fun, and you’re building memories for your kids that they will always treasure.

Cross-country skiing

Cross country, or Nordic, skiing is a favorite among distance runners. You’ll definitely get your heart rate up and will enjoy a very vigorous workout, especially if you’ve got a few uphill slopes to battle through. If you’re new to cross-country skiing, make sure that you don’t dress as warmly as you would for downhill skiing. You won’t be sitting still on a lift freezing, so you can wear much lighter layers. In fact, I would recommend dressing like you would for a run — just make sure you have waterproof pants or leggings. Beginners should start out on a flat course. The downhills take some getting used to, so you’ll want to get comfortable on your skis before attempting them. You can also bring your family for an outing together! Just make sure to take rest stops to let the slower family members catch up. Remember, when you’re trying to have fun as a family while doing something healthy — you don’t want to leave your kids or your spouse behind! Save the Olympic effort for when you’re out solo.

Snowshoeing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwona_kellie/

Snowshoeing is a fabulous way to keep running no matter how deep the snow gets! And, no, I don’t mean on those wooden and string things that you see in the movies. Running snowshoes are lightweight, streamlined, and built for speed. (OK, maybe not for speed…)

You’ll find that you will need to modify your gait a little so you don’t stumble over your snowshoes. It may feel clumsy at first, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly. You’ll also want to make sure you have the right gear — heavy or clunky snowshoes can be very frustrating.

This snowshoeing article from active.com has some great information to get you started.

Sledding

Photo credit: phaewilk from morguefile.com

Of course the most family-friendly way to cross train is sledding! You’ve probably never viewed sledding as cross-training (and may not have even tried it since you were a kid), but if you get out there with your kids and spend a few hours trudging uphill after each thrilling ride down, then you’ll really be feeling it the next day. Besides, your kids will get a kick out of seeing Dad or Mom try to fit on one of those little plastic discs, slide down the hill, and wipe out in a cloud of white powder. If you’re at a loss for nearby sledding, look for a golf course. They usually have lots of hills and rolling terrain, even in areas that are largely flat.

By including your family in these fun winter activities, not only will you get a good cross-training workout but you will also help your family stay fit while all having fun together. And when you’re done, you can all share some hot chocolate while laughing about Dad’s huge wipe-out!

Is it just me, or was running really a lot easier BC (Before Children)? Back in the BC era, there seemed to be so much more flexibility and time for running. But now that I’m in the AD era (American Dad), things are different. With dropping off and picking up kids from school, taking them to soccer practice and other activities, parent-teacher conferences, school volunteer activities, and everything else that goes on in American family life, I’m usually logging miles in the minivan instead of in my running shoes. So how does one find time to run without compromising family commitments? Here are a few tips.

Make running a team effort

If you and your spouse both run, then it’s not just you. Your spouse is feeling the same pressures to balance family, work, and working out that you are. Have you talked about it together? That’s the first place to start. In order to successfully fit running into your family life, you can’t make all the decisions on your own. Make some time – maybe even get a babysitter go out for a nice dinner together – and talk to each other about your individual and your family fitness goals.

You should both agree on what priority running and fitness takes in your individual lives, and on how much time to devote to it. You should also agree on what priority running and fitness takes in your family’s life, and how you want to promote it. If you want your children to grow up with a love for fitness, then they need to see it in practice as a cooperative team effort – not just something that either Dad or Mom does. If your children can see you make trade-offs to make sure your partner has time to work out too, then they will learn by example to respect the needs of others.

Take turns running

Unless you’re an elite runner, you probably don’t need to run every day. Three or four days a week is plenty. You may not hit a PR each time you race, but in the grand scheme of things how important is that really? I trained for my last marathon running only three or four days each week and completed the marathon in 3:45. It wasn’t a PR for me, but it was good enough. And if you only run three or four days each week, you can then take turns with your spouse so that both of you have time to work out.

One good approach is to swap mornings. One of you runs or works out first thing in the morning while the other gets the kids ready for school. Running first thing in the morning is great because it means all of those surprises that come up during the day and steal your time won’t have a chance to pop up before you get your run in. And by taking turns, you each get to spend time in the morning with the kids so that no one parent has to bear the brunt of getting the family going in the morning.

You can also take turns with challenging races. You don’t have to both train for a big race at the same time. You can sacrifice a few days here and there so that your spouse can focus on her race. Then after you’ve supported her and cheered her to the finish, she can recover and skip a few days while you train for your race. Choosing a race and taking turns makes it easier to figure out who has to give a little when other commitments compete for your training time.

Run at lunch

If your employer supports physical fitness (something which more and more employers are supporting nowadays), then make full use of their policy and do your running at lunchtime! It’s a fabulous way to de-stress and refocus in the middle of your hectic workday. After your run you’ll return to work refreshed and energized, and you may even find that some great ideas came your way during your run.

One problem that lunchtime runners encounter frequently is lunchtime meetings. The first thing you need to do is block out your running time on your work calendar so that people know you are busy. The second thing you need to do is tell the people you work with that running is very important to you, that your employer supports physical fitness, and that you like to run at lunch. The third thing you need to do is be a little flexible. If you have an important client meeting, or if lunch is the only time you can get a group of key people together, then it won’t hurt you to skip a day here and there. But if you find yourself skipping your lunchtime runs regularly, then ask yourself if lunch is really the best time for you.

What if your employer doesn’t support physical fitness? Well, the last thing you want to do is sneak out to go running. That’s a good way to get fired (which would then give you plenty of time to run…). If your employer doesn’t support physical fitness, your choices are to find another time of the day to do your running, or get with your co-workers and find out how many other people there are who value fitness as much as you do. If you can band together and present your case professionally (fit employees are happy employees, fit employees take less sick days, fit employees have lower medical bills…), then maybe you can persuade your employer to change their policy. A good place to start is usually HR.

Keep running in perspective

Regardless of which approach you choose to take, remember what role you decided running should play in the life of your family and children, and keep it in perspective. By agreeing on your approach in advance, you’ll find that you really will be running with your family commitments, and not running from your family commitments.