12/17 Friday OS Confessional: How Do You Handle The Holiday Travel
It's holiday time and that means, for many, miles in the air or on the ground to visit loved ones. I solved my travel woes by making everyone move close to me (mwuhuhahahaaaa), they exact their revenge by showing up at will (dowh!), but the holidays are largely a non-issue for us.
But for those of you who have to fly / drive, how do you deal with the miles? How to you avoid eating all that crap out there? How do you fit your workouts in? What, in other words, is you super-double-top-secret travel hack!?!??!
Thanks for sharing and happy friday!
Coach P
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As far as eating, I take a similar approach and try to at least somewhat of a plan in place each day or at least make an effort to stop and eat frequently. This may be bringing healthy snacks or simply planing times to stop and eat. Where I get into trouble is when we don't have any sort of a plan and just wait until we are starving to eat. Then fast food sounds like a good idea and I make poor choices. Or worse, showing up to a holiday party hungry is a receipt for trouble. I purposely eat something small about 30' to and hour before getting to a party.
In both cases if I have a plan I'm about 10x more likely to get it done then if I say I'll figure it out on the go. Of course plans change but that's another story.
On the eating side I pretty much follow what Matt does. I make sure I have something healthy around so that I can pre-eat to prevent over-eating and bad choices.
When we are doing long drives or airplane rides I like to wear my compression tights to keep the blood from pooling in the legs. I also try to get out and do some jumping jacks or run around the gas station/airport. People look at you funny, but that's part of the fun.
I'll be in/traveling to Atlanta Dec 23-28th. I really, really hopeful that my ankle will allow me to run, any distance, every day. I'll also do my best to knock out pushups, core, pullups, etc. But if there is food around during the holidays, I WILL eat it...pretty sure it's a law or something.
When I come back, Joanne, the pups and I are taking the trailer straight out to the desert to camp with some friends. He's a cyclist/dirtbiker also, so we are bringing our road bikes as well. So, again if the akle is good, I can run in the AM with dogs (wide open desert, very cool, and Riley digs it), go for a 3-4hr dirt bike ride and then a 2-3hrs spin with my friend x 3-4 days.
But we recommend that you treat vacations as a running block, if possible, and just pick the bike up when you get back. Also, it's only Dec/Jan so anything you do or don't do in the next couple weeks really won't make a difference for a race that's months and months away. Relax, have fun, get your holiday food and booze on, and enjoy the season!
Mark Bittman, the New York Times food writer, has a policy of being vegan until six p.m. My holiday adaptation of this is being mostly vegan unless I"m at a holiday party.
Since I've had four holiday parties, this week, I kid you not, I've categorized them into A, B, and C parties. A party: I eat until I feel like a state fair butter sculpture. There is a necessary and human place in this world for feasting. B party: Skip the cookies. Enjoy the wine. C party: Vegan. San Pelligrino and grilled veggies for me.
x2 on the getting up early to go. Also, NYT article this week on how running early in the day (before food), can help you metabolize the food and alcohol from the night before (or the oncoming day, I suppose): http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...f=homepage
Personally, I throw my TRX and running kit in my suitcase before any trip ... business or vacation. I figure between the two, I'll get at least SOME exercise in somewhere. There's no better way to start the day than a run (even a slow one) and it's also a great way to get to see/know a town/city/neighborhood.
For probably most of us, a little exercise takes the edge off and makes us all a little more relaxed!
I'll be visiting my wife's family in Birmingham, AL from 23rd to the 30th, and had something like this planned. More running focused, and I will probably hit the local gym as well to ride the stationary bike a few sessions. Luckily for me, my wife and her sister are both very into working out over the holidays, so that is a benefit.
Oh, and since its Alabama, you better believe I am taking down some ribs
same way I handle all of my business travel, I run lots and drink too much. I
http://www.swimmersguide.com/
For car trips of 50-80 miles, I ride the bike there and back. Southern California is nice like that.
Finally, I just saw the article below in the Wall Stree Journal about a few hotel chains that are starting to offer full workout clothes (including running shoes) to guests. Not sure I want to wear a used pair of running shorts or inflict my gross sweaty clothes on others, but not having to carry that in the luggage sounds pretty good.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704681804576017702959786720-lMyQjAxMTAwMDEwNTExNDUyWj.html
mapmyrun/ride helps me find good routes. Usually I can find a MURP (Multi-use recreational path) near wherever I am. S&S couplers on my bikes helps as well.
But I'm with Coach P: For 30 years, we've been telling our kids two things, trying to brainwash them:
1. Settle near us so we can help you with your kids. Luckily we live near a city (seattle) and in a state which have a lot of attractions to 20 & 30-somethings.
2. You're not ready to get married until you can plan and pay for your wedding yourself. we hope that'll save us grief and $$!
On the travel - I always go with 3-4 Cliff/Powerbars in briefcase....Just lots of junk in airports/airplanes...so always best to have something to get you thru vs. feeling stupid cause you just ate a something you didn't really want....
Love the idea of A,B,C parties......Going to fellow ENer' Tucker's party tonight - think I better make this one an A party!
Their workout facilities are adequate, everything else is first class. This year I knew it would be a running block on the treadmills with the possibility of some biking on the big fitness bikes, not spinner bikes. I really didn't like how I fit to the bike or how my legs were feeling, so while away I think i got in an hour. it had a pwm built in, not sure on accuracy. but I got in some hard work, just not a lot.
but my running was really good. I ran 5 of 7 days and got in my two harder runs. we also did a fair amount of walking.
Often times I'll put on 7lbs on a trip like this, but this year I only added 3. So I'm pretty happy. Got home and hit the bike to get ready for testing tomorrow.
I do more run focused workouts, and get them done early in the AM. I hit the stationary bike when I can find one. I travel in compression tights and take all trigger point roller tools.
x2 on bringing the roller and trigger toolkit.
For me, holiday time is half a year. I am a pilot by profession, so half of my yearly workouts take place on the road. It took 3 years to fully master the concept. I spent 7 years with an airline and now last 5 with a big fractional operator. I am on a 7 on/7 off schedule.
I have ran around every airport in this country, my bag is littered with head lamps, reflective vests, 3 pairs of shoes, swim gear...
For swimming swimmersguide.com is your friend.
Cycling takes place on stationary bikes.
mapmyrun.com is another friend.
Now in Carlsbad, CA for a family vacation. Have been running along 101 in rain two days in a row and it ain't letting up. Tomorrow, swimmersguide.com AM than PM run with wife, in the rain again. Tuesday AM, google Carlsbad High School, I assume it has public accessible track to run some I-pace and T-pace cruise intervals......Have to get very creative, android phone helps locating many things I need.
@Steve, I live in Dallas and will be back there on the 27th from NorCal. PM me if you wanna try to connect. I don't work again until 1/3/2011.
Although I already miss my bike dearly, I always plan on a run block while I'm on vacation - in between boozing days and glutenous meals (like this last two days). Time to get back on the horse!