My First Half Marathon: The Greater Binghamton Bridge Run

By Richard Docalavich  

So: it is Sunday May 3rd at 7-ish in the morning and I am at NYSEG stadium in Binghamton NY with a crowd of other people getting ready to run the Greater Binghamton Bridge Run 2015 Half-Marathon. This is my first half-marathon. It’s a beautiful day for a run - sunny and a little chilly. I am thinking to myself "what was I thinking getting ready to run 31.1 miles for fun. Who does this?" My stomach is in knots and my head is racing. I position myself toward the middle and the back of the crowd because my goal is to just finish I am not looking for a specific time. Next thing you know I hear the Star-Spangled Banner being sung - and quite well I may add. I hear the countdown then the horn! The race is on!!!

First let’s do a flash back. This all started about 8 months ago when I was going through some major issues in my life. A little background - I smoked and weighted nearly 270 lbs at 5”7’ in height. I was clearly obese. So I started walking because it cleared my mind - and walking a lot. The problem was the walking took a long time. So a friend suggested I try running. I did the "walk two minutes run two minutes to get started running" twice. Then one day I ran three miles straight. It took me almost an hour but, I did it. I felt like a superstar. I was pretty heavy to be able to just start running like that, but let me tell you the feeling of accomplishment from doing that was awesome. So I started running a lot. It was my new addiction. I went from 0 miles a month to 70 miles a month. I signed up for my first 5K “The Pink Dress” which I halfheartedly planed to do in September.

Needless to say I ran that and loved it. The people cheering was amazing and even the runners that finished before me stayed to cheer people on. I was hooked. I ran a few more 5ks then a 10k. In the process I have lost nearly 52 lbs from running. I lost weight so fast that I couldn’t keep clothes fitting. I was the incredible shrinking man. I know - not really a "bad" problem, losing weight really fast. So, lets get back to the point of the article: my first half marathon.

Like anyone that runs, I knew a good portion of the race is in the preparing for the race before it even starts. The race start time was 7:30. I planned the night before to wake up at 5:00. See, in my training I found out that around 5 or 6 miles I tended to have to go "number 2" and I wanted to avoid that in the race. My plan was to wake up early enough so that hopefully I could get that out of the way. So I woke up at 5:00 all ready and excited. I had laid my clothes out the night before. I went down stairs and made a smoothie for breakfast since I was afraid to eat anything that was solid. The smoothie consists of yogurt, a banana, peanut butter, and a blueberry\strawberry\raspberry frozen mix all blended up. Then I took 1 Imodium which I was hoping would help with not having to do the "number 2" during the race. I also drank lots of water to make sure I was hydrated.

I arrived at the race around 6:30 I walked around a bit and was hoping that I could take care of the "number 2" thing maybe get my system to work that out. Unfortunately I think my nerves were not letting that happen which in turn made me even more nervous! I ran into some fellow runners that I knew and we talked. I wasn’t sure if I was shaking because of being nervous or chilly. Everyone was telling me that I would do well and I, of course, was hoping they we right. I stretched a bit and was really hoping that I was actually ready for this. Thirteen-point-one miles is a long ways. THIRTEEN-POINT-ONE MILES! Am I crazy? I am not ready for this! "Stop. Stop." I told myself "You're psyching yourself out. Baby step it. I am just doing a 5k (4 times). I can do this! I am ready. -- I have run this distance before once and stopped a few times. I am not ready!!"

Back to the start of the race: I lined up with a friend that had run 4 of these before and she said she was running around the pace that I had set on my watch. I set my Garmin watch for a pace of 10:40 min/mile which was a little faster than I though I could run it in, but I could always slow down. 

Race starts: so the first mile's done. Not so bad, only 12.1 miles to go. I have been keeping up with my friend. The watch is saying I am ahead of my pace, OK not a bad thing. I notice there are a lot of bystanders watching the race and cheering which is really cool and actually makes it easier and the sign were great! “13.1 miles you are only half crazy” and “When you legs give out. Let your heart take you the rest of the way.”

Approaching mile 2: watch still saying I am head of my pace and I feel like I am really moving faster than I had trained for, which is great but I am doing 13.1 miles not a 5K. I check my watch my friend and I are running a 10:19-10:15 pace this is too fast I can’t keep this up for another 11. I tell my friend I am going to have to drop back I am afraid that I can’t keep that pace. She says "ok, good luck!" and now I am on my own. Half way between mile 2 and 3 I have to pee. No porta-poty until mile 4. I can hold it - well, I have no choice! I can’t just stop and go, people are all over the place. I will get arrested.

Mile 3: the sun really starts showing itself and I start really working up a sweat. It keeps running into my eyes and I can’t see well. I have to keep adjusting my hat and wiping. My eyes are burning and I still have to pee. But the running I am doing well. I'm still ahead of my pace. The watch beeps and I put in a cough drop. Oh I forgot to mention I don’t do well with drinking water so I take cough drops when I run to keep my mouth from getting dry and it keeps my nose free and wide open. All in all, mile 3 feeling good besides the eyes.

Mile 4: yes! Bathrooms coming up! I have to go pee. I run off to the side to the porta-potties and they are full. I wait a minute in my mind it’s an eternity I see people running by. I am in a race! Forget it, I can hold it till the next one - another 2 miles. So basically I was worried about making to the bathroom all of mile 4 and mile 5 and listening to my head phones. I had a good beat going. I had chosen club music for the fast beat to keep me going. The burning in my eyes stopped. Still sweating but I think I am just used to it by now. My body is feeling good. I got this!! Just have to pee!

Mile 6: yes! Made it! Pee time! I run to the porta-pottys - OMG full. People running by. I am getting passed waiting to pee. Seriously, I have to go!! Waiting: can’t do it. I start running again. Two more miles and I can go. Two more miles and I have to go. No ifs or buts - even if I have to wait. 

Mile 7: I have to pee soooo bad. I start thinking about how I have read articles that some people just pee themselves in the race. Now I am pretty dedicated to running, but to pee myself - not sure if I am that dedicated. I spend the next mile weighing the pros and cons on peeing my pants. Next thing I know.

Mile 8: bathrooms I make a bee line for them. One is open. Awesome!! You have no idea how happy I was that one of the porta-potties was open.  The release of pressure from my bladder was pure joy. My legs went weak for a bit it felt so good. OK, I don’t have to go pee anymore. I start running again and I am feeling awesome - you would have never guessed that it was mile 8. I had a pep in my step. I even drank a Gatorade. I am feeling surprisingly good.

Mile 9: noting special starting to get tired of running but not too bad. 

Mile 9.5: I think I hit a wall. My body is saying I am done. Everything is starting to hurt. I am convincing myself to keep going. How can I stop now I am over half way? Then it hits me. If I stop I will still have to walk back to my car. My car is at the end of the race. Why would I walk it when I can just run it and get it done faster?

Mile 10: I start joking with people that are cheering me on. That I am just looking for my car and that I will never park so far away again. I am trying to keep my mind off the fact that my body wants to quit. I am not going to quit I didn’t sign up for this to quit. Besides I have to get to my car to get home and that is at the finish of the race. This is what I keep telling myself anything to keep me going. Then I started thinking "wait I only have 3 miles left. This is a 5k. I do 5ks all the time! I got this!!"

Mile 11: Still have in my mind it’s a 5k and I hear in my head one of my run friends saying that you need to give it all on a 5k. Give it all so I keep treading through. I have yet to walk or stop except for the bathroom breaks I am doing good. Miles 11 and 12 are kid of a blur not really sure how I got through them. Half way through 12 I actually walked for a bit but I found that it hurt to walk. My body had been running for so long that it was painful to walk. My pace had slowed down considerably and my watch said I was behind pace. I did not care I just wanted to finish. At mile 12, I took 2 cups of Gatorade and sipped then as I really slowed down didn’t walk because it hurt but went as slow as I could without walking. It hurt to walk. I was still encouraged by the bystanders cheering me on encouraging me. These were people that had no idea who I was and they were telling me that you can do it you got this. More signs that I remember reading “Pain is temporary but the online stats are forever”, “ Run like you stole something”.

Almost to mile 13. Seriously what was I thinking signing up for this? I paid for this, what is wrong with me? Where is the finish line? My watch says 13 miles I see nothing but more road. Where is the finish line? Seriously what is going on? Freaking out a bit at this point thinking this will never end. I notice that everyone is turning left. I turn left and come over a knoll and I can see the finish line. People are lining the streets cheering for us for me. There is nothing more powerful that a bunch of random strangers cheering you on. Suddenly I feel lighter. I feel like I got my second wind, actually more like my 5th or 6th wind!

The last .1: This is where all the pain from the race was wiped away. I was sprinting to the end (not really but it was all I had left). I have people cheering. I remember they take a photo at the end. Strike a pose while running! I hear my name called over the loud speaker. Well not my last name - a version of it when you can’t actually say it correctly, but still awesome. I cross the finish line and the feeling of accomplishment is crazy. Friends are there congratulating me because most of them are faster than me and have ran these before and finish before me.

Richard before weight loss and after finishing his first half marathon!

All in all I am going to run more half-marathons. All the pain sweat and tears (yes, there were tears) are worth it in end. I am proud of myself for doing this and like the one sign said “Pain is temporary but the online stats are forever”. This is an accomplishment that no one can take from me and I did all by myself. I did have a lot of support and I would like to thank everyone for that. Also I would like to give a shout out to the all the bystanders and their signs and support you have no idea how much a part of a race you actually are. Thank you.

Morning Cuppa: Caffeine for Performance Enhancement

by Coach Matt Gawors

Caffeine is a ubiquitous drug that can enhance the body’s chemical processes. When most people think of caffeine, a picture of a mornin’ cupoa joe pops into their mind. When most think of the use of caffeine, so often it is a substance to get jolt of energy in the sleepy time morning or mid-afternoon.

Athletic Performance


But what about caffeine use in athletic performance? Can it be used efficiently? Is it a necessity? Is the use that effective? Yes, Yes, and YES! Major studies have been done on the effects of caffeine on athletic performance and these are some results from Active.com:


“The average improvement in performance is about 12 percent, with more benefits noticed during endurance exercise than with shorter exercise (eight to 20 minutes) and a negligible amount for sprinters. More benefits are also noticed in athletes who rarely drink coffee, hence are not tolerant to its stimulant effect.”

Recovery

Caffeine can not only be an effective tool in athletic performance, but athletic recovery as well. Because caffeine speeds up chemical body processes, it inherently speeds up the time it takes for the body to repair itself from previous workouts. Additionally, Caffeine can increase the effects of carbo-loading for race weeks. Read Caffeine used as a Recovery agent for a more in-depth analysis.

Register now for the Bridge Run Half Marathon and 5k!

Legality

But is this legal in endurance sports? Again, Yes! In the ITU, USAT,as well as USATF rules it explicitly states that Caffeine is NOT a banned substance and can be used in competition.

How about ethically? Is it wrong? This is a matter of opinion but I believe it is not wrong. Caffeine is widespread, available to everyone, and is generally not harmful (extra high doses can trigger anxiety attacks and such).

According to the New York Times, “Caffeine, which is legal under International Olympic Committee rules, is the most popular drug in sports. More than two-thirds of about 20,680 Olympic athletes studied for a recent report had caffeine in their urine, with use highest among triathletes, cyclists and rowers.”

Dosage

So what is the proper dosage of this drug? Studies show that fewer than 2mg of Caffeine per kg of body weight has no athletic enhancing effect while over 6mg of Caffeine per kg of body weight actually hurts athletic performance.

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Source

Where to get it? Your first thought is probably “coffee.” While this is easily the quickest and cheapest way to obtain caffeine, studies show that caffeine in coffee may not be utilized as effectively as other sources. While this may be true, other options include eating 1000 calories of 90% dark chocolate (I love chocolate but let’s not get carried away), tea, or caffeine pills. Personally, I’ll take a few more ounces of the joe’ to compensate.

How to use caffeine efficiently?

When used on a regular basis, the effects of drugs on the human body tend to diminish over time. This is no different for the use of caffeine. Those who use it as a wake-up call every morning are going to see less pronounced effects.

While I haven’t found any studies pertaining to the tolerance effect of caffeine, I recommend scheduling it’s use sparingly (not daily) based on trial and error experience. I find that the athletic enhancements of caffeine diminish greatly after using the drug three or more days a week. Use caffeine twice a week on Lactate/Aerobic Threshold and VO2 Max days to enhance training performance. Three weeks before an “A” race, use is cut down to once a week to break tolerance levels so there is a greater effect during race week.

Schedule caffeine use on days with higher carbohydrate intakes for maximal carbo-loading. A study from the Journal of Applied Physiology (July 2008) found that glycogen levels were substantially higher with carb/caffeine ingestion as opposed to just carb ingestion. Most endurance athletes would call this glycogen storage “carboloading.”

Example for a Build week in Triathlon

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
90min Ride 90minSwim	2 Hour VO2Max Run	90min Run 90min Swim	2.5 Hour LT Ride (Long Sets)	90min Ride 60min Swim	60min Swim	2 Hour Weighted Run
	Caffeine		Caffeine

Eating Healthy is LAME!

by Matt Gawors

Nutrition, like exercise, is considered by many to be lifestyle, not a means to an end. What’s great about lifestyle is it can shift, but only in small increments. The human body craves nutritious and healthy food and good quality exercise. Yet because of the way we have evolved, it is easy to be self-destructive with the foods and activity patterns of modern society. I would like you as the reader, not to be defensive towards the ideas listed here. Read them, learn them, and even apply them if you wish.

I have been living a low sugar/carb, natural diet for a few years now. I stay away from most processed and high sugar foods. Though last week I visited my Aunt’s house in long island and fell away from my normal diet. She makes the greatest chocolate chip cookies known to man and just like crack-cocaine, the high of getting one is all about getting more. After eating about 12 cookies, I became nauseous (like I usually do) and felt sluggish for the next 2 days. It's easy to realize how un-healthy certain things are when you don’t have them often. But how can you move to a healthier lifestyle? It’s not as easy as a magical transformation or going cold turkey from all un-healthy foods… It’s about small lifestyle changes.

Below is a screen shot of a healthy lifestyle presentation I made for increasing athletic performance. The graph stresses the importance of taking small steps to change your lifestyle. You will notice you become stressed when your lifestyle shifts toward the less-healthy, you also become stressed (temporarily) when your lifestyle shifts to a healthier state. Only when this new stress dissipates and becomes part of your normal lifestyle should you include another healthy habit and stress the lifestyle again. (Athletes, does this sound familiar? Stress the body, rest, stress the body, rest)





How to: Try using the following steps to make small lifestyle changes healthier and happier living!

The LAME Method

Limit – Every 2-3 weeks, limit intakes of damaging nutrition. Find one “un-healthy” staple of your diet and greatly reduce your intake. Some examples would be Soda, Fast-food, or other processed foods that may be high in added sugars, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils. This goes for activity as well, for instance, you could limit TV to two hours instead of three.

Add – Every 2-3 weeks, increase your intake of healthy nutrition. Find a healthier food to try to regularly add to your diet. These can include fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, olive oil, eggs, or even daily goals. Goals could be shown as “eating a fresh vegetable/fruit at every meal,” or eating a healthy non-sugar/carb-heavy breakfast every day. You can commit to add a 15-30 minute slow walk around the neighborhood after meals. These smalls decisions will add up over the weeks and months and slowly develop your lifestyle without stress.

Maintain – After your 2-3 week lifestyle shift ends and a new cycle begins, try to continue with the small lifestyle changes you had made recently and try to incorporate another cycle of changes with those. If you haven’t become completely accustomed to the new changes that were made, don’t incorporate anything new but take another week or two and get used to what you changed. It’s not perfect, but what lifestyle is?

Enjoy – You may find that over time you can’t imagine how you lived without the new changes. Your changes hopefully become routine and easy to remember over time. Just remember, it’s just a series of small, slow steps to healthier living. But the most important factor is to ENJOY what you are doing. If you don’t like tofu, try eggs, if you don’t like zucchini, try a cucumber instead. Tastes, preferences, and abilities all vary and there are endless possibilities to living healthy! Eat, Exercise, Enjoy!

10 Ways to Keep Off the Holiday Pounds (While Still Having Fun!)

It's that time of year again!  Those days between our Thanksgiving feasting and our New Year's binging that are full of delicious holiday treats, perhaps alcohol-laden beverages and holiday parties with lots of snacks.  This is the time of year when most of us put on a nice layer of padding that, while it may keep us warmer in the winter months ahead, none of us are too happy to see.  Who wants to give up our holiday fun and festivities when it really comes down to it, right?  So many of us rationalize our way into a bigger pants size every year.  Well, not this year!  Here's your guide to make it through this holiday season in the same pants size, while still having fun!

10.Plan Christmas Activities That Don't Revolve Around Eating

Cookie-making is an obvious and fun activity for Christmas, but the temptation is there to eat as many as you possibly can, especially during busy days where it's hard to find the time to cook healthy meals. Instead of spending days baking all kinds of calorie-heavy treats, consider doing some holiday crafts instead!  A hand-made ornament for the tree or hand-made Christmas cards are lovely holiday gifts that can be made in place of the traditional cookie plates.  Pinterest is a great resource for all kinds of holiday craft ideas and many are very simple and fun to do! Here are some craft ideas for your family to try together:

• paper snowflakes 
• making origami ornaments
• dried fruit ornaments
• stringing popcorn for your Christmas tree

9.  Take Advantage of the Snowy Weather

Despite the groans and complaints when the snow starts to fly, those of us living in areas that are lucky enough to get snow have the advantage of variety in our outdoor environment. Since variety is the spice of life, let's take advantage of it!  Whether it's going downhill or cross country skiing, winter hiking or snowshoeing, making a snowman or just taking a walk out there in our winter wonderland, getting out there in the snow to be active will not only burn calories from the act of doing whatever activity you've chosen, but just being out in the cold can burn calories simply by way of the body needing to heat itself.  Beyond that, being cold can increase your metabolism overall!  So go ahead, get out there and take advantage of the natural metabolism boost that you can gain from cold climates. 

8.  Go Caroling!

Taking a walk with a group of friends and singing Christmas carols is a quintessential Christmas activity that has mostly been lost in this day and age.  It not only gets you outside, which as we've already discussed is great for burning calories and boosting your metabolism, but walking is a great calorie burner, as well.  According to About Health, 

"A rule of thumb is 100 calories per mile are burned for a 180-pound person and 65 calories per mile for a 120-pound person"  

They also have a handy calculator for figuring out exactly how many calories you could be burning on your walk.  Most of all, you're creating fun holiday memories with your family and friends.

7.  Take a Walk (or Run) to Enjoy the Christmas Lights Instead of Driving

During this time of year, most of us venture out at least once to take a look at the Christmas light displays our neighbors have provided.  Why not take the opportunity to walk or run to see the Christmas lights instead?  In the Binghamton area, we have a group run planned to go enjoy Christmas lights as a group, but there's no reason you have to wait for someone else to plan this.  Don't forget that you'll want to dress in bright colors and reflective gear so that you're visible to drivers at night.


6.  Start Your New Year's Resolutions Early

There's no reason to wait that extra couple weeks to start in on your New Year's resolutions.  In fact, starting them immediately and then boosting your resolve when they New Year rolls around will encourage you to have at least a month of consistency with your resolution and more likelihood of keeping it up, long term.  It takes about a month of consistency to make a lifestyle change become a normal part of your life, but make sure to set reasonable goals.  Instead of broad or vague resolutions like "stop eating sugar" or "lose 10 lbs", try creating positive and smaller goal steps like "eat 5 kinds of vegetables per day".  It can also help to have a progressive plan where you add additional small goals over time to progress to your goal instead of trying to dive in headfirst.

Most areas also have a "Resolution Run": a 5k race planned on New Year's day (or sometimes New Year's Eve).  Starting a couple weeks ahead can give you a head start on being able to complete or compete in such an event.  Why not sign up now to keep you motivated to keep the calories down and the exercise up through the coming weeks?

5.  Sign up for That Event NOW, Not Later

I know, I know, most of us are a little short on cash this time of year.  Despite that fact, signing up for a spring event, whether it be your first 5k or half marathon, a triathlon, or a relay with your friends, it can be enough to motivate you to be mindful of your eating and exercise over the coming weeks and bring you through the New Year without a lot of weight gain. Remaining healthy is always an excellent use of your money.

4.  Think "Less" not "None"

It's a huge bummer to get to a holiday party and think "I'm not allowed to eat any of this."  Holiday willpower is hard enough, but add in an alcoholic drink or two and and suddenly it's completely out the window.  Instead, at that Christmas party buffet, consider just taking half a spoonful of the things you would normally want to eat and then mindfully savor every bite.  According to Mireille Guillano, author of the book French Women Don't Get Fat, the key is not to avoid the delights that life brings along, but to take a small amount and savor it slowly and fully.  Where we Americans tend to just shovel delicious things into our mouths faster, Guillano suggests taking tiny spoonfuls and focusing on really enjoying the flavor while it's in your mouth instead of immediately swallowing it in order to shovel in the next mouthful.  Mindfulness in eating can really slow you down and keep your calorie intake lower while still enjoying all your favorites this season.

3.  Eat a Healthy Snack Before Heading to That Holiday Party

This is really standard but great advice that we all need to remember during the holidays.  Arriving to a holiday party hungry is just inviting overindulgence.  The best way to combat this is to fill your stomach with some healthy alternatives before you go.  It doesn't need to consist of a full meal, but a healthy snack before you go can go a long way to help you wait a while before starting in on the buffet, while also making you more capable of serving yourself smaller portions. 

2.  Alternate Calorie-laden Drinks with Water

Most of us forget that calories taken in liquid form are still calories, but they can really pack a "punch".  Alcohol, itself, has 7 calories per gram.  That's more than carbohydrate or protein have, and nearly as many calories per gram as fat!  Most favorite holiday beverages, like egg nog or punch, include fat AND sugar in them, as well as alcohol.  Instead of continuously enjoying your favorite beverages at the holiday party, start with a tall glass of water, and then alternate a glass of your favorite calorie-laden drink with a glass of water.  Not only will this help you cut back on your calorie-intake, but it'll stave off the holiday-hangover, while still allowing you to enjoy your Christmas favorites.

1.  Use Exercise to Reduce Holiday Stress 

We all have it, this time of year: Holiday Stress!  With so many holiday preparations and parties, many of us become stressed out and exhausted by what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.  We forget that we need to take time for ourselves.  It's important to carve out time in your busy schedules to de-stress.  Whether it be a scheduled yoga class, a consistent group run, or just some time by yourself out in nature, it's important to think of yourself so that you can be relaxed and present for everyone else this time of year.

Your turn to share: What are your tips and tricks for keeping off the holiday pounds?

Confluence Kids!

We've got exciting news for kids and parents in the Southern Tier!  

Recently, Binghamton was listed as one of the most overweight cities in America.  We want to align with the city's initiative to promote health and fitness in its citizens.  Our goal is to make it easy for parents to encourage a love of fitness for life in their kids through fun races and group fitness activities.  We've started a page on facebook to keep you updated on all the running and endurance related events for kids in the the Broome County area.  Along with that, we've posted a new kids-only endurance events calendar right on our website including lots of events that are totally free to participate in such as fun run races and group activities, to make it easy for parents to find events.  

When kids participate in fun endurance related events, it encourages self esteem and can-do attitude.  Why not try a few fun runs with your kids?  Many of these events are completely free of charge and available to anyone in the community.  Most of them have day-of sign-ups, so you can even do it last minute, if you suddenly find you have available time!

We have started a new Confluence Kids program of kids-only group runs with some health and wellness education tied in.  This is a great opportunity for kids in the Southern Tier to not only get fit, but learn about their bodies, training, and general wellness. Not only that, but associated with the Confluence Kids events, we'll be holding a Beginner Group Run/Walk.  What better way to encourage your kids to be healthy than for you, as a parent, to work toward good health, yourself?  The Beginner Group Run/Walk will have a goal of two miles, and all abilities are welcome.  No runner left behind. We hope to see you there!

We've also started a Marathon Miles program for kids participating in Confluence Kids!  Come to any Confluence Kids event and you can participate in the Marathon Miles program by getting stamps on your Marathon Miles card.  Every time you fill up enough boxes to get to one of the pictures, just bring it in to Confluence Running and claim your prize!

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses... Go Run!

Who doesn't LOVE the holidays? Spending time with family, friends and all the food (hello pie!!). However, it's usually always right in the middle of a training block or can totally screw up your workout routine. You know what I'm talking about. Here's a few common 'excuses' and some plans of action to limit them!

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Holiday Distractions

Excuse : With all the holiday distractions, I'm not motivated to exercise.

The Fix: Make a realistic plan and be consistent. Take time to set some concrete fitness goals for yourself during the holidays and share them with your family. Or commit to a road race or triathlon - Holiday races are a fun time for everyone and typically donate to a local charity.

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Holiday Travel

Excuse : I can't stick to an exercise routine because of all my holiday travel. 

The Fix: Be flexible and think ahead. Find training partners in the community or connect with local running clubs. Further, neighborhood gyms often offer special deals for travelers or mix up exercising by doing fitness routines from your favorite magazines or trying something new, like yoga!

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Holiday Meals

Excuse : I can't resist huge holiday meals.

The Fix: Cut yourself some slack, but be smart. If you're watching calories, have a plan before you indulge. Also, don't commit the common blunder of going for a long run or ride before the big feast. With a revved up appetite, you'll eat even more. Better to go to dinner with normal hunger, then burn off those carbs with a long workout the next day.  

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Finding Time

Excuse : I can't find the time to exercise.

The Fix: Get up early and enlist group support. Of course, there will be times when the best plan gets sidelined, but just keep moving- a little is better than nothing.

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Snacking and Packing

Excuse : With all these treats and goodies around, I'm constantly snacking.
The Fix: Control your cookie monster. While a few holiday meals won't set you back, constant snacking can be detrimental. But it does help to know a few tricks - Eat a small meal before you go to a party to avoid overindulging. Stay away from the bar--that glass of pinot could cause you to eat more. Fill three-quarters of a plate with healthy foods, saving a small space for treats.