Habits

My running mind started thinking the other day about all the habits running has helped me change from bad to good. I was going to blog about all of them but felt that each one probably deserved its own posting. For now, I will start with SMOKING.

Running helped me to quit. In combination with chewing gum and an anxiety med, I was able to giving up the nasty habit.

I began smoking when I was in high school. Like most teenagers, I did it because I thought it was cool. That coolness quickly turned into a terrible addiction that I would battle with for years. At the time, I didn’t care about the health consequences. I smoked Parliament 100s (the super long cigarettes) in my last year of high school and pretty much all through college. At some points, I was smoking a pack a day. I loved to smoke whenever I was drinking. Alcohol and cigarettes just seemed to go hand in hand. I thought smoking was sexy. I remember a guy once telling me that I looked sooo sexy smoking a cigarette after I had taken a drag. HA I must have looked so TRASHY!!!

After college, I smoked less because I was working. I wanted to make a good impression at my first job so I didn’t smoke during work hours. Instead, I would light up a cigarette when I got home or whenever I went out for happy hour. I also became sick more frequently with all kinds of tonsil/throat infections. I knew I had to give up the dirty habit for health reasons but it was very difficult. Sometime in 2004, I began to hit the gym more often. I also began taking an anxiety medication because I was seriously terrified of my boss (God rest her soul because she dropped dead a couple of years later). I also think my anxiety was a result of the drastic changes in my life- going from college straight to the work force, working 9 hours a day/5 days a week, commuting, missing my college roommates, etc. I was overwhelmed and did not know how to handle it. Little did I know at the time that anxiety meds have helped people quit smoking. I only stayed on the meds for about 6 months because of working out and running. Physical exercise helped me to gain control of my life. I also quit smoking heavily, however I still smoked socially (meaning I only had a cigarette if I drank or was with friends which was a couple of times a week). It was tough to give it up fully but at least at this point, I was no longer as addicted.

The last time I had a cigarette was Christmas Day of last year. In about two and a half weeks I will officially have my 1 year anniversary of quitting smoking. I truly believe that I have not smoked a cigarette this entire year because of running. I embarked on my long distance running journey in January of this year. I was focused and determined in racing the half and full marathon. The urge for a cigarette vanished quickly. I wanted to run far and fast so why would I jeopardize all of my running progress by smoking a cigarette? This is why I quit entirely. I traded cigarettes for a pair of Asics. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

There are a million and one reasons to give up smoking. However, it is not easy to quit. I know I smoked because I was bored. Running was my relief from that boredom. Although I was able to run when I did smoke, I did not run as well as I do now. Being a smoke-free runner makes my runs much more enjoyable. I’m no longer gasping for air after running a mile. If you are a smoker and want to quit, try finding something you love to do that will help get rid of your boredom. I know running is not for everyone, but you should give it a try. It worked for me.

Trying New Things

This past week has been the week of trying something new. I love to try something new because it can be nerve-racking and exciting all at the same time. Sometimes having a little bit of anxiety is a good thing. It helps push you to conquer your fears.

As you know, I tried hot yoga and physical therapy this past week. With the yoga, I was nervous because it was my first class and as for the physical therapy, I was afraid of what the Doctor would say about my knee. Both turned out to be wonderful experiences and I am going to back for more.


On Friday, Calleigh (my one and a half year old Bull Terrier) and I tried a new dog park. NYC has certain parks that are designated off-leash areas from the park opening time till 9am. One of these parks is about a mile from my home and we decided to give it a quick 15 min trial. Calleigh is very good off the leash. She doesn’t go far from me and follows me as we walk. However, if she spots a squirrel, off she will run and run circles around the squirrel’s tree while trying to figure out how to climb it herself. Silly Dog. She likes people but LOVES other dogs. As we entered the park, I saw a pack of dogs and a pack of owners. This was very intimidating to Calleigh and I, as all the dogs quickly surrounded Calleigh and all the owners quickly gave me the look of “Who are you?”. As Calleigh’s mommy, she was my first concern and I quickly ran to her rescue to get all the horny boys off of her. They were sniffing all over and I could tell she was scared. Her ears were down and the tail was between the legs. Although the owners didn’t say much to me, they did help break the dogs up. Once we broke from the pack, we went on our way just walking around the park. She sniffed while I browsed. I felt very out of place. Calleigh and I were not part of that dog click and we were outsiders. We needed to be insiders. I left the park feeling happy but a little bit upset. I was happy that we tried something new, Calleigh got her exercise and that she loves me sooo much that when walking around, she always lifts her head up to make sure she does not lose sight of me. It’s great to feel that wanted and needed. I was upset that we were not welcomed as we would have liked to been. I reminded myself that not everyone will like us and that if at first you don’t succeed, try again. With that in mind, we headed back to the park on Saturday. Calleigh was so excited that she sat on the stairs and started yelping at 7am to wake me up and take her to the park. She is my smart little Bully. Off we went for our second try at the dog park and it was a success. We walked into the park and the owners asked me if she was friendly (of course she is…I don’t know who would let a non-friendly dog run around off leash at a park). I didn’t even have to respond because there she was running around with the pack of dogs, her tail wagging and all. Since Calleigh is my little Celebri-doggy (Bullies are not common up here in NYC) many owners began to ask me questions about her and the breed. She quickly made friends with a German Shepherd boy and soon I was chatting it up with all the owners, who turned out to be really nice. We were in. Job well done Cals. We were back there on Sunday and my husband came along. We walked around the park with the pack of owners while our dogs ran free. It was a great day and I’m glad we tried this new park.

I also tried a new pair of running kicks this weekend. I forgot to mention in a previous post that my feet got another gift in the mail last week- my new Mizuno Wave Creation 10s. I actually received these a little while ago, but had ordered a size 9 which turned out to be small. I had to exchange them for the 9.5 which finally arrived last week and look gi-normous. I guess Mizunos run a little bit small. I’m usually a 9 in my Asics and New Balances. This was my first pair of Mizunos. My husband loves the brand and has raved about his own, so I was excited to try them out myself. I hopped on the treadmill for my easy 15 min run and the shoes felt good. I was nervous that they may affect my knee but fortunately the knee did not mind them. The shoes did not have as much cushioning as I was used to in my Asics. I definitely felt the ground (or I should say treadmill) more with my feet. I also noticed the shoes had less support around the ankle than my Asics but that didn’t seem to bother me. I’m not sure if this is good considering the Doctor told me I had weak ankles. I’m going to bring my shoes to him and get his opinion. Anyways, I can’t wait to try these out on the pavement. There is nothing like trying a new pair of running kicks. Isn’t it exciting?

Trying new things is important. As a runner, I have tried new running gear, new running routes, new races, new running fuel, drinks, etc. and they all have provided me with some sort of excitement and anxiety. But once I overcome that anxiety, I am usually pleasantly surprised.

PS- I also tried new Tic Tac Chills today. I tried the exotic cherry kind. I didn’t think I would like them but I almost finished the whole pack at my desk today. It’s a good thing that they are low in calories.