Rather than Fit Mama Friday this week, I’m thrilled to have my second fit dad featured on Fit Dad Friday! Eric Rayvid, the blogger behind Dirty Old Sneakers and a runner extraordinaire, is brand new to the fatherhood scene. He and his wife Denise, whom he describes as his partner in crime and the only woman crazy enough to deal with him on a daily basis, welcomed their son into the world four months ago – just four days before Eric was due to run the NYC Marathon. As well as working full-time as the Director of PR for the Best Friends Animal Society, Eric is also a social reporter for NYRR to help promote its marquee races – he’s a regular feature at NYRR races, filming with his GoPro. Not always as healthy as he lives today, running changed his life nearly 10 years ago when he was sick of feeling unhealthy, overweight, with a pack-and-a-half a day smoking habit. Eric is one inspiring Fit Dad Friday story.

Meet Eric.

As someone who totally transformed his life through running and healthier habits, can you even imagine being that old unhealthy Eric anymore? What was the impetus for you to make a change permanently? How difficult was it for you?

I never thought I would be the kind of person who would enjoy pushing my heart rate so high that it would make me sick. Who does that? I was the guy who would look at weekend runners in the park and think, “I sorta get it, but who wants be out of breath for hours on end?”

But almost nine years ago as a 36-year-old overweight guy with high cholesterol and a pack-and-a-half-a-day smoking habit, I decided that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. So I stopped drinking and smoking and decided to get into shape. As a cycling enthusiast my entire life, I was able to start riding my bike the way I had always wanted to (and by that, I mostly mean consistently).

After being on the bike for a while, dropping a significant amount of weight and getting into shape, running seemed like the next challenge to tackle. And I loved it. In fact, it turns out I loved it more than the bike (which I never thought would happen). After training for my first marathon (who is this person I’ve become?!?), triathlons seemed like the next logical step. But since I have an irrational fear of open water, I settled into life as a runner and cyclist (although I still do about two tri’s every year).

Is that a big motivator for you to continue getting out there, running, cycling, eating healthy – so that you don’t go back to the unhealthy person you were before making the decision to change your lifestyle?

If I didn’t work out, I would absolutely become that person I was before I started – overweight, lazy and eating Chinese take out three times a week. If I have a run planned for the next day, it’s harder to eat fried foods the night before. Have you ever tried eating a really heavy meal the night before a run? For me, it makes the run awful; I struggle enough with motivation and making running feel good that I don’t like to stack the deck against me. That’s my long-winded way of saying, I like to eat healthy (but I’m not perfect).

Will I ever go back to being that person I used to be? I can only tell you that I hope I don’t but I can’t make any promises and I’m doing everything I can to keep that from happening.

You’re a brand-new dad – how has your expectation and reality measured up to the real effect of having a new baby in your life, in terms of training, working out, running?

Before we had our son, everyone I know warned us that our life would change. But what they didn’t tell us that if you wait 10 minutes it changes again. And after another 10 minutes, it changes again. And then when you get used to that, 10 minutes later it changes again. How does one prepare for that?

This is the first year in the nine years since I’ve started running that I wasn’t in shape to run the NYRR Fred Lebow Half (formerly the Manhattan Half and the first 13.1 of the NYRR running calendar). I’m struggling through 10K’s when I used to run 13.1’s in my sleep. I don’t say that to be a braggart just to illustrate how dramatically my running life has changed. My focus right now is my son and my wife. That said I’m on track to get my ass back in shape.

Your son arrived just a few days before you ran the NYC Marathon last year – how was that marathon? Were you running on fumes and joy? Did you feel wrecked afterwards? 

I was running on fumes. And my fumes were on fumes. I’m 45 (44 at the time) and had just watched my wife birth my first (our first) child. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement (and still kinda is, but we’re getting the hang of it). It had been a LOOOONG time since either of us had pulled an all-nighter and we had just pulled three in a row. I was honestly unsure if I would run the race and vacillated up until the day before the race. The day of the race at 4AM, I left my brand new son and wife at the hospital and went home to prepare. Strangely, my pre-race routine included not just a hearty breakfast and a clean-shaven head, this year it included putting together a diaper-changing table.

NYC was a tough race this year even for those that were properly trained. If you ran it, you know what I’m talking about; it was frigid with brutal winds (to the point where the NYRR started the wheelchair athletes and hand cyclists after the Verrazano Bridge because they felt it wasn’t safe for them). This was honestly the first race I ever considered a DNF. But the idea of walking back into the hospital and telling my wife (who wasn’t crazy about me running it in the first place) that I bailed was enough to get me to the finish line.

Going strictly by time, this was my worst race. If you consider what I felt like after the race, this very well may have been my best to date. Strangely I felt awesome. I was pretty sore, don’t get me wrong, but my usual post-race routine usually includes a burger and fries, a hot shower and a long sleep. None of that happened. I had a buddy come over and move some furniture around and then we went to the hospital to see my wife and son!

Do you run every race with your GoPro? Where do you wear the camera, or do you carry it on a stick? What are your favorite videos of races you’ve done? 

I love running with the GoPro, but if it’s a race I’m trying to PR, I leave it at home. It takes a lot of mental energy to film while on the course; I’m constantly looking at the people around me, runners, spectators, scenery – always looking to find different and interesting footage. And some of the best footage I’ve gotten is when I stop running during the race and walk backward to film the runners. Or stop and interact with spectators. I think my best video is from last year’s NYRR Brooklyn Half. I carried the camera on a Go Pole and really took my time looking for the shots I wanted.

Prior to that race I used to carry the camera in a SpiBelt and take it out every once in a while to shoot. And I wasn’t shooting video, I was shooting 0.5 second stills and stringing them together. You can see the difference from something like the 2013 NYC Marathon (when I was shooting stills) vs. the 2014 NYC Marathon (when I was actually filming).

So what’s your workout routine like now that you’re a dad? What’s the biggest challenge?

Currently I’m doing everything I can to get my ass out of bed in the morning and drag it to Central Park for a loop or two. I’m also trying to get my fat butt back on the bike but that’s been a lot harder this winter for the obvious reasons.

The biggest challenge is finding the time to do it. The best piece of advice I’ve been given so far as a new father (running wise) is that I need to make running a priority. With a four-month old at home, that’s not the easiest thing to do, but I’m working on finding that balance.

I need to find the fun in running again. This winter has been brutal with the record snow falls, the record low temps and my record lack of running. In order for me to enjoy the sport, I need to remember why I started in the first place. I run because it makes me feel like a warrior when I’m in good shape and can dig deep to finish whatever I’ve started.

Is your wife Denise as fit and healthy as you are? Do you guys work out together? (Or I guess, did you pre-parenthood?) 

When I met my wife, she was starting to get into cycling. She gave that up and started running. She’s been slowly integrated into my running group and it’s gotten to the point where she’s more popular with them than I am. I’m okay with this as long as they continue to let me come around 🙂

What’s next for you? I know you don’t feel in stellar shape right now, but what races are you planning on for this year?

I’m going to see how I do at the NYC Half and if I feel good after the race, I’m going to sign up for a spring marathon. From there, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump to my 9^th NYC Marathon in November!

Congrats again on your son’s birth – everyone tells you parenthood is the hardest and most rewarding thing you can do in the world, but you never realize what that means until you’re in the thick of it! I’m sure you’ll be back to your pre-dad pace in no time. Thanks so much for being part of Fit Dad Friday, Eric!

 

Want to connect with Eric? You can read his blog, Dirty Old Sneakers, as well as follow him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Vimeo. 

 

Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday

Every Friday on Fine Fit Day I feature a Fit Mama or a Fit Dad story of how and why a fit and healthy mama or dad ensures fitness is a priority in her or his life. You’ll read about all kinds of parents and their fitness stories. Some are stay-at-home parents, some are single parents, some juggle more than one job on top of parenthood, but they are all committed to a fit and healthy lifestyle. As you’re getting ready for your weekend, I hope you’re inspired to be active after reading about these kick-ass mamas and dads on Fit Mama Friday – Fit Dad Friday!

 

Do you want to be featured on Fit Mama Friday? Or do you know someone you’d like to see featured? Please contact me for details!