Tag Archives: Babies

Better Than the Alternative Tuesdays: Crazy

9 April 2013

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So many of you have already emailed, Tweeted, and Facebooked (did I just make that word up?) me your photos from your Virtual 5K this morning. Keep ’em coming, your photo gets you another raffle entry AND makes me smile.

Ok, they also make me cry a little. But mostly smile.

BIG smiles for such an early hour of the morning!

BIG smiles for such an early hour of the morning!

This has obviously been a HUGE undertaking for me these past few weeks. With finals kicking in, training amping up, and wedding/shower/baby season getting into full swing, this is a Crazy time of year.

I have never shied away from the Crazy. I was, after all, a musical theater major in my first undergraduate career. I think we can all agree that none of us in that program are working with a full deck. But even when things get Crazy in life, I tend to do just fine.

I mean, sometimes I get a little narcoleptic but seriously, who doesn't every now and again?

I mean, sometimes I get a little narcoleptic but seriously, who doesn’t every now and again?

“If you want something done, ask a busy person” ~Lucille Ball

In my world, it would be more like, “If you want something done, ask CRAZY busy Abby.” For better or for worse, I am a girl who operates best when my plate is full overflowing. When life is Crazy, I am at my most efficient.

For some people, Crazy = bad. Crazy = way too much going on. Crazy = stress. Crazy = too much.

(Image courtesy of toonpool.com)

(Image courtesy of toonpool.com)

For me, Crazy means that I have a lot of amazing things happening in my life.

No matter how much I complain (and whine and cry and whine and cry…) about how Crazy I am with finals, I absolutely cannot WAIT to be a physical therapist so I can practice what I’ve been learning.

Name tag-got it. White coat-ordered. Soooooooooo close (but not really).

Name tag-got it. White coat-ordered. Soooooooooo close (but not really).

No matter how Crazy busy work gets, especially with school and life, I have the best clients who trust me with their fitness and health. I love helping them meet their physical goals.

And when I have 5 weddings and 6 baby showers to go to in 6 months (6 MONTHS!!!) and my weekends are Crazy packed with parties, I am reminded that this is such a beautiful time for my friends and family. New journeys, new life. And parties are fun.

And babies. I LOVE babies.

And babies. I LOVE babies.

No matter how Crazy things get, I try to remind myself that they are all a GOOD Crazy. Life is happening all around and embracing the Crazy is the only way for me to stay positive and happy cuz life isn’t gonna slow down and I don’t plan on slowing down either.

And isn’t that a better way to go through life? Happy, positive, and grateful for the Crazy. Way better than the alternative, right?

Now go out and run.

(And don’t forget to send me your pictures from your 5K today!)

Better Than The Alternative Tuesdays: Bad Stuff

6 September 2011

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Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful end-of-summer Labor Day weekend and are getting pumped up for the Fall race season, wherever you are. I, for one, am relieved that I made it through yet another New York City August without passing out from the intolerable heat and humidity. But that’s not our theme for today. Today’s Better Than The Alternative theme is Bad Stuff. You read that right. Bad Stuff is the reason why it’s better to be here than there.

Bad Stuff, like people getting sick, having the worst race of your life, losing a friend, failing a class, having to DNR a race, missing the train, getting sick yourself, anything bad that happens to babies or children, or simply having tremendously bad luck under difficult circumstances, happens. It just does. And it sucks.

Having experienced enough of this Bad Stuff in my life, I know that it has given me a gift in return. The gift to appreciate the moment and what I have. It’s a special gift that I know not everyone possesses.

I have a very large, very loud, very close family whom I love and who love me deeply. Whenever something happens, we pull closer together to support one another without missing a beat. Not everyone has that. When we lose someone, there are tears that always end with a party. When there’s Bad Stuff happening, none of us is ever alone. Maybe it’s just lucky we have a big family. Or maybe it’s that we are blessed to be as close as we are. Either way, with every trying time, we become more tightly knit together.

Bad Stuff in the form of bad races are the worst for me, at least physically. I had the worst race of my life in Jersey this year. I thought I wouldn’t finish. I was dizzy, sick, getting sick and so far away from the finish line and my husband that I couldn’t imagine I’d be able to get through the last 12 miles. But after that horrible race (and my victorious finish!), I have a newfound appreciation for when I feel awesome during a race. Or, at least, when I don’t have to stop 8 times at the POJ’s and get the dizzies. Even the ridiculous humidity at the Battle of Brooklyn didn’t stop me from celebrating my getting through the entire run without feeling yucky once! Yay!

Bad Stuff happens all the time. To good people, to everyone. No matter how horrible it is to go through the Bad Stuff, it has always taught me to respect the time that I have and to love the people I have in my life. So we endure it. We live through it. We fight through it. And we come out the other side different. Stronger. A little wiser. And we go on with that learned knowledge and newfound love for the good and we share it with the world.

If you are going through Bad Stuff, whatever it may be, please know that you are not alone and you are stronger than you think. You will come out the other side, we will all come out the other side, and we will be all the better for having gone through it. At least, that’s what I’ve experienced. So, I’m grateful for the Bad Stuff because, as cliché as it sounds, I have learned more from having gone through it than anything else in my life. And that’s why it’s better to be here rather than there; the good stuff is that much sweeter. And the good stuff (ahem, like baby nieces!!!) is GREAT.

So, friends, keep fighting the good fight. Now go out and run!

“If you’re going through hell, keep walking.” -Winston Churchill

Running On Vacation (M.I.A.)

31 August 2011

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Hello friends!

I know, I’ve been gone so long. I promise I have a very good reason for being away and not sharing workouts with all of you for the past two days. I am busy falling in love. That’s right. And going on dates. And snuggling. It’s pretty serious.

I mean, if you had the choice of either hopping online or holding this little angel, which would you choose? That’s what I thought. So, are we still friends? I hope so. Because I am absolutely going to enjoy every single minute I can get with my sweet baby niece.

Unfortunately, she’s too small for me to strap into a jogging stroller and push along for five miles. No worry, I still got my run in! It’s a challenge when you’re traveling, isn’t it, to find the time to grab a run. Especially if you aren’t familiar with the area. So, how do you make sure you stay on schedule when you’re on the road? The simple answer is: you plan.

#1. Bring your stuff. You don’t need a ton of changes of clothes (if you’re buying the tech stuff) because you can easily rinse it in the sink and hang it out to dry overnight. Hooray for quick-dry fabrics. Your sneakers might be the bulkiest thing you pack so my advice is to wear your sneaks on the plane. It’s a lot easier than trying to stuff them in next to your clothes.

#2. Know your distance. Either map it out on Map My Run or make sure your Garmin is all charged up so you’re sure of your distance and how long you’ll be away. Let others know where you’re going and when you should be expected back and maybe make a mental note of where the bathrooms are along the way (or is that just me…?).

You can’t see it very well, but I got stung by a wasp or something right before I needed to find a bathroom. A successful run it was not because I passed up the bathrooms I saw earlier. Apparently, this was how I was being punished. DOH!

#3. Do an out and back. Run in one direction for half the time you want to workout and and turn around and run back for the rest. See if you can’t run a little faster on the way back and make it a negative splits workouts. Out and backs are great for when you have no idea where you are and you really don’t want to get lost.

#4. Get it done early. When visiting friends and relatives, it’s so easy to let the day get away from you and all of a sudden, your workout is a distant memory. If you’re up because of a time zone switch, sneak out early for a jog and get it done. You’ll be so glad to have the rest of the day to cuddle with cute babies and the like.

Get a manicure before you get there to save time 🙂 Airport spas are the BEST!

Do your best not to let your workouts suffer simply because you’re out of your usual routine. Go out and explore new land! Breathe fresh air (for you New Yorkers)! Meet new people! It’s lots of fun. I’m hoping to get a few more runs in this fresh mountain air before I have to leave my new love.

What are you waiting for? Go out and run!