"You can't get fat"

I am a generally active person, and I am a runner after all. Unfortunately, I am a greedy, greedy, disgusting pig if there is food in front of me. 

I hear this sentence, all the time: “You’re a runner, you can’t get fat.” 

It actually really bothers me when people say that.

In my experience, a lot of casual runners have a complicated relationship with food. I mean, a lot of runners have diagnosed eating disorders. On a less serious scale, if you have no self-control (like me), running is a way to allocate some of those ingested calories. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get caught up in believing you’re invincible.

I mean, on a day that I go out and run 10 miles, I don’t think twice about spending $20 on Taco Bell. I’ll go to Dunkin Donuts and buy enough donuts to feed an entire office, and eat them all myself. I go crazy at family functions. I constantly avoid the inevitable “What are you doing after you finish college?” question by efficiently shoveling scoops of potluck food into my mouth hole. 

I work at a Mexican restaurant, and I get a free shift meal every time I work. I devour burritos the size of 7-week-old puppies more or less every day. 

People notice, too. The chef at my restaurant commented, “For a skinny girl, you eat a lot.” Constantly, people ask me where all the food goes. My mom’s friends encourage me to eat, so I can keep on running. I listen to them. It’s a cycle. I eat a lot, and I’m encouraged to eat more.

Shit gets real when your jeans won’t fit or your shirt rides up your belly. The worst is when my boyfriend used that horrible, horrible word: voluptuous. That poor, poor boy.

The fact is, you can get fat as a runner. Running might actually make you fat. When I started training for the marathon, I gained a lot of fat because I overestimated the calories I was burning. This is a common thing. To quote Admiral Ackbar: It’s a trap.

Obviously, healthy eating habits are encouraged. If you want to be a great runner, you need good fuel (like your vegetables and all that stuff). But if you’re lazy like me, just remember that a daily run isn’t a free pass. Keeping in mind that the rules still apply might be enough to keep you out of the plus size section. 

The iPhone

The worst thing that ever happened to me fitness-wise is the iPhone.  

You wouldn't think so, but it's true. I mean, every other technological advance has been beneficial for me. 

You see, when I started out running, I was 12. I had some baby fat, so I'd run around the block. I didn't have any music. I could go about a mile before listening to my rhythmic wheezing killed my resolve. 

Then, I started borrowing my mom's CD player, or "Walkman." It made me 100% a better runner. I would craft these 20 song mixed CD's with pirated music from Limewire. I loved Eminem, Pink, Sonique, and Sugar Ray. My parents' computer was completely ruined because of me, probably. I would run with the CD player placed out in front of me like I was a ring bearer carrying a pillow. That still didn't keep the damn thing from skipping, or turning off altogether. It did keep me going further on my runs, though. 

Then my mom got me this crazy red CD player for my birthday one year. It was the Sony Psych. It was AWESOME. It wouldn't skip. It had these clip on headphones that stayed on my ears, even when they got all slippery from sweat. I thought I was the shit. I could go for miles, and the thing wouldn't even skip that often. 

Ipods started coming on the scene shortly after that.This, I thought, was the greatest thing ever. I got my 30 gig video iPod for Christmas my freshman year of high school. I could go running with it. I could have literally all of my music in one place. If I needed a particular song to push me through some extra miles, it was right there. And, the best part of all, it was smaller than a CD player. I didn't have to baby it, either. I could run like I was holding a big USB drive in my hand, because that's exactly what it was.  

I ran with my video iPod for years. Being the blind consumer that I am, though, I wanted the next new thing. I decided that I deserved not to have to carry anything while I ran. I got the iPod shuffle for Christmas. It's absurd, really. The thing has a touch screen, and holds about 1500 songs. You can clip it to your shirt and not know it's even there. I was going on really long runs, with my hands free. I was spoiled by now, having dozens of running playlists on my iPod to choose from. I thought it couldn't get any better than that. 

But then, then came the iPhone. 

Once I started running long distances, I realized that it was a good idea to take a phone with me. At first, I didn't like the idea of carrying something while I was running, after owning my iPod shuffle. But I quickly warmed up to the idea. You would think that the iPhone would be a great thing for me. 

I mean, it has apps for running, like MapMyRun. I can never get lost with it. I can access my whole iTunes library with it. Even more than that, I can go on 8tracks, Pandora, or YouTube if for some reason a particular song doesn't work for me. 

Unfortunately, the iPhone is almost too good. It's so good that half of my run is now playing with my iPhone. I stop to take pictures of graffiti to post on Instagram. I have a thought and I need to post it as a status on Facebook. The iPhone has taken my soul. I used to work on sculpting my body into a running machine while thinking about deep questions, like the meaning of life. Now I'm walking around in running clothes, eyes glued to a tiny screen, considering what kind of anecdote or statement will get likes from my Facebook friends. I am completely overstimulated on my runs now. I actually think it made me dumber. 

Even knowing all of this though, I'm still taking it out with me tomorrow. Isolated contemplation is overrated anyway. 

 

Getting Back

Not that anyone noticed (hell I barely noticed) but I haven't written a North Philly Run post in a while. There's a good reason. I haven't been running that much. It's pretty hard to write about your running lifestyle when you aren't doing it anymore.

I need to get back to it, though. That's one of the craziest parts about running (or maybe other forms of exercise, I don't know) -- it's an addiction. It's not like I want to go outside and sweat in the sun and get weird tan lines and shin splints. If I don't though, I feel guilty. Like right now.

There's all sorts of reasons that I haven't been getting much mileage. I mean, it's summer, I'm busy. I go back and forth to New York pretty often. I have an internship. I have a job. It's hot out. I discovered tea cup pigs on YouTube and Breaking Bad is on Netflix. It's endless really.

The real reason I haven't been running is because I stopped in the first place. Getting back into the habit sucks. The trick is to acknowledge that you'll be a little slower and a little more out of breath. But nothing will get better if you don't get started up again.

On that note, Kelly Drive calls.

Shit I See in North Philly

Part of the complete awesomeness of running in North Philly is the shit I see. I mean, there's murals, there's funny characters, there's graffiti. Looking at stuff is what makes me finish runs sometime. I mean, I like running a lot, but sometimes it can get a little boring.

Sometimes while I'm out, I like to play a game called "what happened here."

Here is a series of pictures I snapped on 17th street between Susquehanna and Diamond.

I wish I'd been there to witness it.

Sound

I am one of those spoiled bratty runners who can't do anything without music. Sure, I can run 10 miles, but I can probably not make it down my block without some kind of beat pumping into my skull.

Headphones are on my mind today. I just had to replace mine. Again. I've had a constant battle with headphones, though. I've gone through a whole bunch of them since I started running. Here's just a few:

Skull Candy "Smokin' Buds."

Pros:

1. These stay in your ears while you're running.

2. They come in cool-looking colors.

3. You get to say you own Skull Candy earbuds.



Cons:

1. The sound range is mediocre.

2. MOST IMPORTANT: My left earbud quit on me after 20 days.

Sony clip-on earbuds 


Pros:

1. Pretty cheap ($20)

Cons:

1. They do not stay in your ears.

2. They get tangled in your hair.

3. The earbud does not actually go into your ear, so the sound is really quiet.

4. They only lasted me about 3 months, before the left earbud started shocking me.


"Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Comfort Plus Novelty Noise-Reducing Stereo Earphones"

Note: I bought these out of desperation at a gas station on a road trip.

Pros:

1. Super cheap ($10).

2. Look like chocolate.

Cons:

1. Horrible sound quality.

2. They do not stay in your ears while running

3. I can't speak for how long these last. I think I left them on the subway or something.

Skull Candy Full Metal Jacket

Pros:

1. Great sound range, quality.

2. Volume control on the cord

3. Stays in your ears while running

4. Has a clip so it doesn't swing around while running
Cons:

1. Expensive as all hell ($60 in stores!)

2. Very capable of being stolen. (More my fault than anything)

These were my favorite pair of headphones. They were also the only pair I bought the extended warranty for. I lost them. Go figure.

Yonkers

My apologies to anyone who noticed (which might be like one person), but I didn't post this morning. I was out of town. Specifically, I was in Yonkers, New York, visiting my boyfriend.

I haven't been running very much recently. April and May mean finals and late nights. I work at a restaurant with a huge patio, so the spring weather means more hours. And all of that work means that I want to blow off steam, which means epic partying the likes of which has not been seen since last summer. The last thing I want to do when I wake up is go running.

Usually when I go to Yonkers, that is my time off. I eat $15 worth of Taco Bell by myself and smoke hookah and watch Futurama in my boyfriend's basement. Having skipped so many days of running this time, though, I had to get out. While he was at work, I put on my shoes and tried to explain to his grandma who speaks almost no English at all, that I was leaving and I would be back soon.

Running in Yonkers is different from running in North Philly. In the area I was in, there are trees and bridges and lots of lush gardens from these well-tended upper middle class houses situated on little hills. Even so, I'll take the North Philly blocks any day. Even if I have to dodge a diaper in the middle of a North Philly sidewalk, it's still better than running in Yonkers.

Why, you ask? The main reason is the way people look at me. North Philadelphians are pretty rad, most of the time. I've had people yell out to me, cheer me on, run beside me for a block, or give me nicknames. My old neighbors used to call me "legs." I can deal with whistling and cat-calling. Bring it on.

What I can't deal with is Yonkers. People in my boyfriend's suburbs look at me like I'm going to steal their wallets as I go by. When I get into the more urban areas, I get a lot of blatant staring. Pedestrians will stop walking and their heads will follow me. I feel like an alien. There are no runners in Yonkers, at least not that I've seen.

I ran until I got completely and hopelessly lost and then used the Maps on my iPhone to find my way back to my boyfriend's house. I was so glad to be back. Its eerie having strangers stare at you for an hour without saying a word.

My boyfriend's grandma, at least, was happy to see me. She barely speaks English, but I think she likes me. She handed me two bananas, patted my muscles and said "big." Max's family is pretty much all I like about Yonkers.

Running Sick

My first instinct when something awful happens (like someone dumping a beer on my MacBook Pro and hiding it under the couch), all I want to do is run. But this weekend I couldn't because I was sick.

I have a few symptoms that I simply don't mess with.

1. Super high fever. This is one of a very few things that can keep me off my feet. To be clear, a little bit of a fever is fine. In fact, I usually feel better after running. But if it's to the point that I'm a good alternative for a hot plate, I sulk on my couch watching Cartoon Network instead.

2. Aches. I can't run when my nerves are on fire. You know that feeling, when you catch the corner of your kitchen counter with your forearm and it is just the worst thing ever. Every little bump and movement from every stride just kills me.

3. "Stuff in my lungs." You know, disgusting, viscous, neon snot. If you're coughing it up every four seconds, it's not a good idea to be out running. Runner's World ran an article in 2004 that presents a "below the neck" rule. The biggest piece of advice I've taken from this is not to run if there is stuff in my lungs. For one, it's really gross, and two, I've only gotten sicker from running like this.

4. Uh. Anything that could potentially be really embarrassing. I guess by this I mean, if there is any chance that I could shit myself, there is no way I'll go outside at all. No way. Same goes for vomiting. I'm about as not-vain as a girl-runner can get, but I have my limits.

I fear I might have revealed too much about my weekend.

Second Time Around

I made a spur of the moment decision yesterday. It's going to dictate a few things in my life and schedule for the next few months. I may end up hating myself. But for better or worse:

I am going to run the 2012 Philadelphia Marathon.

This will be my second marathon. I ran my first two years ago in 4 hours, 1 minute, and 9 seconds. My dad paid the $80 registration fee because I had zero money to my name. I had the unwavering support of my mother and sister, who memorably took me out to lunch at the Ugly American directly after the race. I remember eating some eggs benedict. And then I remember launching that eggs benedict into my dorm toilet later that afternoon and then lying motionless on my friends' couch for several hours.

Running a marathon was on my list of life goals that I made when I was 13. I never thought I'd want to do more than one. Believe me, at mile 22 of my last one, the last thing on earth I ever thought I'd do is sign up for that hell again.

To be honest, I really wouldn't do it again, except I think I can do better this time. In 2010, I didn't follow a real training schedule. I didn't have a goal time or any concept of pacing at all. I was horrifically sick the day of the race. Perhaps the most damning of all, as a first-semester sophomore at Temple, I was a borderline alcoholic who ate nothing but popcorn chicken doused in buffalo sauce for weeks on end.

This time around I enter the training process as a quasi-responsible adult with a goal of 3 hours and 40 minutes.

I'll keep you posted.

Survive the Heat

City streets are relentless in the summer. Or even, as yesterday proved, in mid spring. It was 91 degrees outside by the time I worked up the motivation to get out of my house and hit the pavement. Especially after a spell of cold to pleasant temperatures, the heat was downright jarring to my system.

Luckily, I own one of the greatest inventions a runner can own: the Camelbak.

I am not a running gadget person. I shun all fancy footwear and pedometers. I wear run-down crappy clothes when I work out. I don't like to use running apps on my iPhone. Outside of long-distance races where I get things for free, I shun products like Goo and sports drinks. But the Camelbak is one thing that I can't live without. I got mine for Christmas last year, and it might be the most useful thing I've received in years.

For the uninformed, a Camelbak is a backpack with a water reservoir. You access the water with a hose that hangs down over your shoulder. There are many different sizes of Camelbaks, designed for different activities. Mine happens to hold 1.5 liters of water, and includes a small pouch that could feasibly stash an ID and maybe some keys.

Even though I hydrated throughout the day, I felt thirsty almost as soon as I stepped out my door. I kept the little rubber nipple in my mouth as I jogged down 17th street. I tried to stick to the east sides of the streets to enjoy a little shade as I zig-zagged toward the boathouses on Kelly Drive. I slurped down so much water that I had to refill the pack in the Visitor's Center a brief 2 miles in.

I'm not hardcore enough to run long distances in the heat. Yesterday, I headed right back to my house from Kelly drive. I don't like having a steady stream of sweat running in my eyes. Breathing air hot as car exhaust isn't too fun either. But now I can at least arm myself against the heat. Maybe I'll stay in distance shape during our inevitable heat weaves this year after all.  

10 Things You Should Know About Running In North Philadelphia

I've lived on campus at Temple University for two and a half years now, and for that whole time I've been running over car-window glass on the sidewalk. Sure, I'll get out to the places that all Philly runners go, like the Schuykill River Trail or the Ben Franklin Bridge, but I have to start and finish in North Philadelphia.

There's plenty to say about two and a half years of running 6 times a week. But here's my top 10 most important lessons:

1. Running on Broad Street sucks, but... Working out on Broad means you have stop wait to cross the street a lot. It also offers pretty ugly scenery further North. On the other hand, Broad Street is safer than many of the North Philadelphia side streets, and, especially if you're new to the area, it can give you some piece of mind when you're venturing out on your first solo runs. It is pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to get lost if you're on Broad Street.

The one exception to this is The Broad Street Run.

2. Running with music is fine, unless you start walking. Most people can't deal with running without music. I am one of those people. However, if you have to stop to walk anywhere close to your North Philly crib, take your headphones out, even if it is broad daylight. You want to be aware of your surroundings. (Take it from someone who almost had her iPhone stolen on 17th and Jefferson.)

3. Take $2 with you if you are running more than 8 miles. If you're running 8 miles, it may take you about an 60-90 minutes if you're running the whole time. If you can't muster up the strength to keep going halfway through, that's about 4 miles back at 15-20 minutes per walking mile... You do the math. If you have money along, you can grab public transit to recoup some of your time lost. Also, if you have cash along and you get thirsty, you can stop anywhere and get water for about $1.

4. Run South. This may sound obvious to Philadelphia natives, but I didn't understand the city at all when I first got here. The first time I went running in Philadelphia (after I worked up the guts to run outside instead of on the indoor track at Temple's gym) I started on Cecil B Moore Avenue and went North on Broad Street, up past Rising Sun. The area is sketchier than going South, and the scenery won't exactly keep you going. Unless you want to go to the Taco Bell by Toronto on Broad (legitimate reason in my book), it's not worth it.

5. Pay attention. Do not trust people to stop at red lights. They'll coast up sometimes, or just hit flat out you. Also, watch out for bicyclists. They are likely to hit you crossing the street because they don't follow traffic laws most of the time. Do not text while you run, you become a hazard to yourself and the people on the sidewalk. And you'll look like an asshole, especially after you trip over something.

6. Take your phone. It's always a good idea to have your phone with you, especially if you are running alone. This is true in any setting.


7. Wear real shoes. I guess what I mean is, do not wear these: "minimalist running shoes" or these 5 finger running shoes. To be fair, I don't like these to begin with. I know some people swear by them. But, in my opinion, if you're running in North Philly, you need something that has a better sole than that. There is glass EVERYWHERE, not to mention the occasional syringe. If you wear these shoes, you are not offered much protection at all. You'll spend your whole run worrying about where you step.

8. Broad Street and the Franklin Parkway are your best bet in the winter. I run year round. It doesn't matter if it is cold or snowing, I'm out. In icy conditions, I get off the side streets and go toward the main routes. Often, the sidewalks are salted and shoveled.

9. Do not run at dusk. This is especially true if you're like me and you run by yourself most of the time. It's just not safe. In the winter, I usually do not start a run later than about 3:30 p.m., or start one before 6:30 a.m. In the summer, I won't start a run after about 7:30 p.m., or before 5:30 a.m.

10. Get out of North Philly! Just because you start your workout here, doesn't mean you have to stick around. There are a ton of amazing places to run that you can reach from North Philadelphia. I'll go into them in my later posts!