ashleyd /

A Commitment That Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly

Hello Healthy Happier Bear readers!! Are you thinking about training for a marathon? Are you already training for one, or a second one? Third? WHY? Get used to that question…Some people just don’t get it. They look at us like we are aliens, or crazy, or crazy aliens.  With horns. They think of 26.2 miles as a long drive, never mind trying to fathom it as a run! You are about to cross over into Superhuman territory…and it is awesome and you are welcome here! I am AJ from 5 Miles Past Empty, 3x marathoner, 1x Marathon DNF-er, 17x half marathoner.

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In my past life my marathon training had no moderation. I ran my first 26.2 in April of 2010, then my second in October 2010, and my third in December 2010.  Had y first DNS (Did not start) in November 2011 and first DNF (did not finish) in April 2012.  The only one I feel went well was my first. I am here to tell you what I learned while training for three marathons in a matter of 9 months, and then two not-so-great attempts.

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1. Training for a Marathon is a commitment not to be taken lightly. Sure you can just show up for a 5k, 10k, some of us for a 13.1 but if you just show up for a marathon you will get hurt. You will do damage, whether it is immediately noticeable as in blisters and muscle soreness or sneaky, long-term damage like ITB irritation, stress fractures, or plantar fasciitis (all just the tip of the damage iceberg).  So make a plan, there are some great free ones online or treat a veteran runner to coffee and talk training plans. Be honest with yourself about your time available. Identify your roadblocks (childcare, family responsibilities, work, travel, routes, weather-it all factors in). Once the plan is made this is where the commitment comes in…Hang it on the fridge and repeat after me: With this magnet I Thee wed…I promise to run and to rest, from this day forth…rain or shine, PMS or not, until I cross the finish line. And this is an awesome Segway into #2….

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2. Training for a Marathon works best when you make it a lifestyle change. It’s hard enough as it is, but toss in the late-nights out with friends, eating food that isn’t good for fuel and muscle repair, and trying to train is just a recipe for disaster.  The first few weeks of an 18 week training plan you may be able to get by with this. But come time for your mid-week long runs of 10+ miles and your weekend long runs in the teens and eventually 20 or more miles,  you are going to need your rest, recovery, nutrition, and mental fortitude.  So commit to making a lifestyle change, even if only for the 3 months you train for your 26.2. BUT…don’t totally deprive yourself. Treat yourself to that girl’s night out or glass of wine. It’s ok, in moderation.  Stay focused on your goal…which  leads me to #3….

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3. Set realistic goals. Enough said. I mean really, yes we all would love to BQ on our first marathon but is it realistic? For some yes, for others….notsomuch. And that is just fine. My “A goal” for marathon #1 (and 2 and 3 and 4 and all those to come) was to finish with a smile.  If you don’t finish with a smile then what is it all for? Of course you can add your “B goal” with a goal time, “C goal” with a second best finish time…however you chose to do it just make sure you set yourself up for success, not disappointment.  Find running gurus who can help you visualize and set your goals, which leads me to #4…
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4. Birds of a feather flock together…or run together.  It’s just easier when all your friends and family understand your goal-whether it be to win, to BQ, or to finish with a smile, their support is crucial to your success. Surround yourself with people who are positive.  Do what you can to find running partners. They will join you, stride for stride. They will laugh with you, cry with you, push you and pull you mile after mile…and you will find you are doing the same for them. It will blossom into an amazing friendship and better yet, if you actually share that first 26.2 miles together you will have forged a connection that will bond you for life…kind of like another “first” I often compare sharing a marathon to.  And on that note, you only have one first marathon…and you want it to be perfect.
 
If you follow these four simple pointers you will be well on your way to completing your first (and/or subsequent) marathon with a smile…and probably even accomplishing a time goal. And be aware that throughout this journey you will transform. You will slowly morph into a superhero of sorts. You will gain self-confidence, clarity, and strength that reaches all the corners of your life. So go ahead, make the commitment and drop me a line when you finish with a smile…

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ashleyd /

A Blogging Journey

Almost two years ago, I attended my first blog conferences. I had no idea what to expect and I barely knew anyone in the blogging world. In case you’re new let me give you a brief blogging history.

  • May 2009: Meet Melissa who then convinces me to start blogging about balancing life in NYC while planning a wedding, starting a new job, making new friends, and trying to learn a new city.
  • July 2009: Get way too overwhelmed with blogging and wedding planning. Therefore I unfortunately take a blogging break.
  • January 2010: Decide that the honeymoon is over and it’s time to get back in shape and focused. Figure that starting to blog again will be a great positive influence.
  • January 2010-July 2010: Blog casually, 3-4 times per week, while starting to participate in more blogger meet ups in NYC.

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  • August 2010: Attend BlogHer 2010 in New York City and Healthy Living Summit in Chicago.  My life as a blogger changes overnight after spending a long lunch talking with Kath, Sabrina and Tina.  Realize that my blog will never grow if I don’t put into it what I want to get out of it. The group convinces me to start blogging daily. Also am amazed that these three women spend the entire lunch talking with me, a stranger, and sharing so many great ideas and insights.
  • September 2010- Current: I do my best to balance my career and blogging, aiming to blog daily and share my life with my friends, family and readers.

I’ve had amazing opportunities along the way to not only meet other bloggers but to work with some wonderful organizations like Fitfluential, partner with brands that I believe in and love such as New Balance or REFUEL Chocolate Milk, participate in a 32 hour relay race with a blogging team, and more.

But, at the end of the day, it’s the friendships that have kept me blogging. Maybe it’s the shared interests or the accessibility, but many of my blogger friends have evolved into my closest friends over the past year. I can’t imagine my life in New York City without Theodora or Melissa. Both friends I met through blogging, they’ve truly been my rocks. Meghann on the other hand, though over a thousand miles away, has become one of my biggest motivators, a running role model, ski friend, and soon a bride whose side I’ll happily stand by in January!  Even the larger group of bloggers from across the US with whom I’ve bonded have enjoyed girls weekends away, supported each other after a tough race or emotional post, pinged back and forth on Google Chat with questions and ideas, and served as each other’s moral support on a daily basis. Making our lives an open book is a decision that we made years ago when we started blogging but that doesn’t always mean it’s easy.

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I am so thankful that I attended both BlogHer and Healthy Living Summit back in 2010. Each conference, valuable in different ways, prompted me to take blogging more seriously and evolve it into more than just a casual hobby. Since tonight marks the beginning of Healthy Living Summit and I have the honor to be speaking on a panel again this year, let me take a minute to share with you my Top 3 reasons why I would recommend attending HLS to any blogger or reader.

  1. You will go home with at least one new friend with whom you will develop a close relationship. It’s inevitable. For the most part, people who attend these conferences are looking to develop new connections and therefore it’s like one long weekend blogger/reader dating game. You have the opportunity to put names with faces, interact in stress free, casual settings, and experience an awesome city all at the same time. My first year I had the chance to get to know Meghann and Jes quite well. Last year my roommates Anne, Theodora, and Gretchen fill my memories including our late night chat sessions and early mornings.
  2. It is the perfect place to learn. Whether you want to take better pictures, conquer marathon training fears, enjoy a new workout class, learn more about a brand, or take your blogging to the next level you’ll have the opportunity to do these things and more at Healthy Living Summit.
  3. There is no better way to discover a city than with bloggers! When you explore a city with bloggers, you are promised to have your adventures captured on film and blogs so your memories last forever. The Friday night cocktail party is often in a great location that allows you to party it up in style while enjoying delicious food and cocktails.  There is no better way to get to known people than jammed in a photo booth posting for silly pictures. And last but not least,  this year, like last year, I will be helping organize an early morning run/walk which allows you to explore the streets of Boston in great company.

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So there you have it! I’m always a comment or email away if you have questions about Healthy Living Summit or BlogHer! I look forward to seeing all 199 of y’all in August!

*Note: I should also mention that my blog was hacked in February 2011 and therefore I eventually have to manually repost posts from before then back on my blog from Wellsphere where they were all saved. It is a long arduous process and therefore I’ve only done top posts thus far including restaurant reviews, travel, marathon training, and race recaps.

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