The Buddy System

I'm far from needy and am happy to do things solo, but the "running alone thing" is getting a little old. To top it off, I slack off when left to my own devices.

That's why I was psyched when two injured reserve marathoners came out on Tuesday and ran a conservative pace with me. Yay!

Such a delight to have some folks to chat with and ensure that I don't slack off.

The good news is that other than a persistent tight left calf (ouch!) the run went very well and I wasn't tired.

Here's to hoping that better weather and daylight savings time will bring more folks out to Tuesday Night Run.

Hit The Defrost

As I packed my gear for tonight's run I was pretty amped up. In theory it felt great to hook back up for a workout with the crew. I knew it was cold ---- I mean I have been running on Saturdays in the frigid wintry mix.

Here's the thing. I don't think I'm a baby, but stepping out of the car and preparing for the workout was brutal. I mean really brutal. I'm pretty sure that with the wind chill it was close to 17 degrees. I'm serious. The moment I stepped out of the car I was already shivering and wondering if I could convince these other three clearly insane people to bail and hit Five Guys or something. Sadly we all decided that our attendance was the commitment we needed to just get rolling and knock out the workout.

Unfortunately the three guys I was with were much faster and as a result I lumbered behind them ---shivering and wishing the workout to be over so that I could get back in the car. I was surprised by how cold it was --- teeth chattering cold, body shivering cold and so cold my throat was stinging. I spent the majority of the workout just trying to make my mind go blank and almost meditate through the entire experience --- which was difficult because everything just felt off. My legs felt like lead and almost like they were completely disconnected from my brain.

I guess I should feel worse for the guys because they slowed down periodically to make sure I was still behind them and ok. What gentleman.

Soon enough I was done, back in a heated car, shivering, teeth chattering and shaking my head wondering how the hell I got here --- to a place in which I voluntarily would choose to do this. My goodness.

Terrific Tuesdays

I love Tuesday Night Runs. Seriously, it's the best route in the city and on a night like this when temps finally dipped down a bit --- it was nearly perfect.

We had a nice, manageable crowd that spread out among the paces. But for the usually killer potholes near the Kennedy Center that require you to keep a close eye and having run through clouds of smoke in Rossyln, it was nearly perfect.

Only bad news was that I forgot to turn on my Garmin. Duh! Was especially a bummer b/c I was pushing myself and wanted to see what my time was.

Oh well. There's always next time.

Slowing it down

Welcome to taper week!

On Tuesday I met up with the DC Road Runners for Tuesday Night. Instead of the loop, I headed out for an out-and-back on the Mt. Vernon Trail. Nothing too facing or too fast. Just a steady, conversational pace along the trail.
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Hello Tuesday Nights!

I never thought I would say...that I miss running in the Fall and Winter. Last year I enjoyed the hot/sticky summer. This year...not so much.

Tonight I made it out to Tuesday night run. The good news about tonight is that despite being completely low energy I somehow was able to keep running...and courtesy of Coach K I finished sub-10. Wowzers. I didn't expect that after the day I've had.

It really is incredible how much more dedicated I was last year training for Army. I came to the regular workouts and I did my mileage during the week on my own. I was so fresh-faced and bushy-tailed.

This year I'm a bit more blah. Not sure why, but it's kinda annoying to be so half-ass about my own running. I used to love-love-love every single second of the run.

I know that I have to push myself in order to be faster...and that's what I'm gonna have to do. Stop whining and start running.

Today was my first day back to Gateway for Tuesday Night Run in a heck of a long time. After the two weeks I've had it's a welcome sight to get back into a routine and away from a feeling a chaos.

We headed out for the usual 3-mile out and back. It was hot and muggy and gross. Welcome to summers in DC.

Looking forward to getting back into a regular routine.

Trudging along

I wrapped up my route in the chilly December evening. Glad to have gotten my 4.3 miles in, but was trudging along.  I just really wanted it to be over.  I wasn't happy with my pace in the moment,  but was surprised that it was faster than I thought it was.

I was outfitted in full cold weather gear today --- gloves and hat included.  I also wore my new running tights and I'm not thrilled with them. I'm a bit short and these pair are a little longer than I would like. The zippers at the ankle are bugging me a bit and for some ridiculous reason they also are a bit low-riding. Who the hell thought that was a good design decision????  Just call me Shakira.

Waaah...waaah...waaah.

Super fast

I'm not super fast...the group I'm with now is super fast.  There are lots of marathoners in our group and they zoom through the run.  I heard a group talking about how their Saturday SLOW pace is a 9:30 minute mile.  Seriously...that's my FAST time! 

I'm definitely faster this season vs last season...but I'm still left in the dust among this group.  Oh well, there's always something to aim for.

Stop slacking

 

Another night time run in the misty...sorta chilly...sorta yucky weather.  I had a pretty good run.  This is a very fast group.  Lots of former athletes getting back into the groove and folks who have done distance running in the past.  None of my buddies were able to come tonight.  :(

I had a fine run.  I realized that I was completely coasting and not pushing myself.  I need to keep pushing myself.  The key is for me to find a fellow runner to use as a target throughout the run.  When I don't do that (like tonight) I just fall into step with whomever I am running with and hang at their pace...which is not always a good thing.

I know that the key to picking up my pace is to do speed work.  Unfortunately, the weekly track practice I did last season was canceled while the club looks for a new site for us to use. 

The club uses another track, but that it is dominated by the masters/elite runners...and they do not welcome novices like me.  I planned to just crash it and tell them to f*ck-off, but was told by reliable sources to stay away.  They'll literally torment you if you try and share the track with them.  Yikes.  I guess I'll pass on that.  I'm hoping to try and find a way to do some speed work on my own.  We'll see.  Speed work is hard and boring.  Hard to get excited to hit the track on your own.

Nightlife in the big city

Another Tuesday night run down! Here's a pix of the beautiful Washington Monument thst I took on the way home.

The group definitely tripled in size since the winter training program started. Lots of faster folks are here --- marathoners and half-marathoners --- but I'm happily trotting along.

I had a good run. My goal this season is to more consistently finish the longer distances in the 10-ish minute per mile zone. Onward and upward!

 One funny story.  Everyone talks about the huge rats you encounter while you are running through Georgetown at night.  We heard some rustling in the grass twice on our run.  The first time, I'm sure it was a family of rats running around.  The second time, the rustling ended up being a guy taking a leak in the bushes by the C&O Canal.  Nice!

Keeping committed

I was glad to actually make the Tuesday night run yesterday evening. Work was busy and I was worried I wouldn't make the group.

As I quickly changed in my office, hustled through the metro and jogged to the meeting spot, I had to laugh. The old me would have bagged this in a heartbeat. Who runs...to a group run??  Though I still have that little voice that tries to convince me to be lazy, I've learned to ignore it a little more every day.

The run was good and the weather was unseasonably warm. We did a little over 4.25 miles tonight.
Our group is pretty small right now since the official winter program hasn't started yet. It should bulk up starting next week.

Though small, it's a fast group (well under 9-minute milers) and I finished dead last tonight right behind another runner....which actually doesn't bother me at all. Just like back in the days swimming laps during swim team practice, the best place to be is in the chase position. You can't get better if there's no one out front just out of your reach.

Back to Tuesday's at Iwo Jima

Got a bit busy at work so am just catching up on some entries.

I was so happy to be back with the Tuesday night crew over at Iwo Jima. The group has thinned quite a bit since the Army 10-Miler training program ended and the National half-marathon has yet to begin.

I was thrilled to be back out there, but definitely feel the effects of not being with my regular group. Running alone makes me lazy and my pace definitely suffers. I was happy to have someone faster than me push me on this run --- though she may have been kind to slow her pace to let me keep up. Either way...was very grateful.

Looking forward to more Tuesdays...though I need to pick up some winter gear. Short-sleeves just ain't gonna cut is much longer.

Slow...

I reluctantly decided to participate in the Tuesday night run tonight.  I was worried about doing anything this week in advance of Saturday's Baltimore half-marathon, but figured I might as well just go slow.

This Baltimore race is gonna be a BEAR!  My goal is to use it as a "fun run" and just finish it...anyway that I can...running, walking, crawling, crying.

I'm officially chilling/tapering until Saturday.

Last Tuesday night run...

Man...the seasons changed rapidly.  I was shivering while I waited for the small group of lonely runners to get rolling out of Virginia tonight.

We did our regular 4.25 route.  No one was interested in the further distance --- especially since the big race is on Sunday.

I was sluggish a bit because my workday was a wreck and I only ended up eating a couple bites of my sandwich at lunch.  Nothing like running on fumes!  Nevertheless, I had a nice kick at the end of my run which made me feel better.

Off to bed...and on to another full work day that starts with an 8:00 AM urgent meeting.  Joy.

It's the little things that can get you

Tonight I started out quite well and then I just got a bit lazy at mile 3 of the 4.25 mile run. I picked it up towards the end to make up for being a slacker.

With sunlight fading into darkness faster each day, we are all adjusting to our new environment. Running in the dark definitely has it's pluses and minuses.

The pluses are the cooler weather and feeling of calm as the city slowly sinks into their evening routine. Note: the tourists are out regardless of the time.

The minuses are having to be extra mindful of cars, freaky folks lurking in corners and small obstacles that could cause ankle injury.

Exhibit A --- as I rounded the corner in Georgetown I didn't see a rock in my path. As my foot hit the rock I felt my ankle twist to the side. Images of crutches and cheering from the sidelines on race day flashed through my mind. Luckily I caught myself and I was able to walk it off without any injury. That was a close one!

On a tragic note, as I ran up to Iwo Jima I noticed that the road was closed and the night was filled with the flashing blue lights of police cars. Cops in vests and flashlights were directing traffic and the road was a mangle of cars.

We learned that a pedestrian had been struck. I later heard that the pedestrian died.

A little extra credit can be a good thing

What a great run! We wrapped up our Tuesday night run out of Iwo Jima. A handful of us decided to add a little more to our regular 4.25 mile route by running around the Reflecting Pool and WW II memorial too once we passed the Lincoln Memorial.

We thought our extra credit would equal 5 miles vs our regular 4 miles. Throughout the run I kept checking my watch and was surprised that I was running strong, but my pace did not make sense. It seemed slow given what I thought the total distance was. We found out once we wrapped up that our total distance was actually 5.86 miles! That helped to explain our pace!

With the welcoming of Fall, the nights are darker sooner. It is nice to run when it's cooler and downtown DC is beautiful at night, but the danger is being careful crossing streets and being more watchful of unforeseen obstacles --- like bumps and cracks in the sidewalks. Don't want a twisted ankle before the race.

I felt a lot better tonight vs Saturday's run. I think the two day break from running was a significant factor.

I also think I found my mid-run snack ---- the Sports Beans (see http://www.jellybelly.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=98482). They don't upset my stomach and the taste isn't bad.

I was talking to two of the coaches tonight about the Army 10-Miler race and they have set a goal for me to run a 10.5 minute mile pace throughout the race. Coach Rachel will be the pacer for this time and my goal will be to stick with her the entire way. That's a bit faster than my Saturday long run pace, but they are confident that a 10.5 minute pace should be attainable for me. Okie dokie.

Good thing pedicure season is over

Today we did our regular Tuesday run out of Iwo Jima. According to the GPS, we did 4.23 miles.

Today's unseasonably cool weather was a welcome surprise. What a big difference 15-20 degrees can make!

A few new runners joined our group this evening. I think the guy in the National Track & Field t-shirt wasn't fooling anyone that he wasn't gonna be a speedster.

The run felt good. No drama. I had a good amount of energy left at the end. I'm still not sure what that is. I'm pretty certain I can't run faster throughout the run, so it's not like I'm completely holding back. I think I just get so excited to finish that I get this extra kick. Weird.

Lots of folks were out today --- enjoying a run, bike, stroll or cocktails on the Georgetown waterfront.
A few things of note:

• Unfortunately, I'm not one of those lucky runners who can chat for 4 miles straight. I get tired and lose focus if I talk too much. I can chat some, but am happy to listen or do a mix of talking and running.
  

• Many of the Georgetown University freshman were touring the waterfront today with what appeared to be their advisors. There's nothing like 20+ runners barreling through the narrow waterfront, while the freshman wander around. It was quite a show. It was like Frogger.

• Finally, it looks like I'm gonna lose my first toenail. It doesn't look good. My shoes and socks fit well. It's a product of the miles. Luckily summer is always over. Nothing hotter than a black toenail.

Please pass the crab cakes

Tonight's Tuesday night run was pretty uneventful. After a long day at work, logging 4 miles can be tough. The humidity still makes running a challenge.

There were a number of folks running tonight --- including some folks I have never seen before. Looks like folks are participating in the Tuesday night run now that we are meeting at Iwo Jima.
We did the same 4-mile loop as last week --- Iwo Jima, Lincoln Memorial, Georgetown and back to Iwo Jima. Apparently, this is the official Tuesday run. I hope I don't get bored with the loop.

I felt a bit lethargic tonight, but was surprised that my time wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. My pacing buddy was running injured tonight (she had a bad fall earlier in the week) so we ended up getting separated once we crossed the Memorial Bridge. I ended up running alone for the majority of the mileage...which made it pretty boring.
Without someone to chat with, I had a bunch of time to think or zone out. I realized that I probably need to sleep more, drink more water and likely rethink going to the gym on Monday's. It's tough to do weights and then turn around and run on Tuesdays. Maybe I'll try and move the gym to Thursday's instead.

A few observations from tonight's run:

• Bikinis on the Mall: I noticed that the volleyball courts by the Reflecting Pool were packed tonight. I'm all for getting into your sport with all the right gear, but I thought it was odd that there was a girl in a bikini playing volleyball. Doesn't she know that this is DC...not Southern Cal or Miami? Very strange.
• Ready for my close-up: I'm sure I look like a disaster when I run --- messy stride, sweating, hair flying, visor/hat etc. As I pass other runners I notice that they either are a bit of a mess like me or super-sporty. Given what I am used to seeing, I was surprised when I saw a girl running down the trail who was stylized as if she was filming a sports apparel ad --- cute outfit, effortless stride, no sweat and gorgeous blown-out hair cascading down her back. It was quite impressive. I had to give her a nod as we crossed paths.

• Pass the crab cakes: It was quite an experience running along the Georgetown waterfront as the bars and restaurants were filled with folks taking in the last days of summer. The smell of crab cakes and cigars were overwhelming.

Tonight I wrapped up a little over 4 miles on a new route out of Virginia. After having started out of Gateway Park for the last few weeks, we finally were able run "the loop" out of Iwo Jima (see above). The summer concert series that are hosted at Iwo Jima conflicted with our Tuesday run schedule and resulted in our group having to come up with other running routes until the concert series ended.

Tonight's route starts at Iwo Jima and hits the following sites:

• runs by Arlington National Cemetery
  
• over the Memorial bridge (just breathtaking)
  
• past the Lincoln Memorial (lots of tourists!)
  
• past the Kennedy Center
• along the Georgetown waterfront (hello Sequoias! A bit odd running past everyone enjoying happy hour drinks and snacks)
• up 34th street (I admit I walked up the stairs...it was just too much!)
• across the Key Bridge
• through downtown Rosalyn
• ...and finally up to Iwo Jima (did someone say "hill"?)
  

Since this was a new route, it took me a good 1-1.5 miles to get comfortable. No surprise there.

I felt a bit tight after the gym yesterday, but finally got into a groove later into the run. I was happiest once we hit Rosalyn and knew that there was only one more hill up to the finish line.

The weather was a bit odd today. We arrived at the meeting point to some raindrops --- which were welcome given the incredible humidity. Once it was time to run, we were able to make the entire run without any rain or lightning. Lucky break.

One injury to note. I appear to have a blood blister on one of my toes. It is a bit irritating and I'm treating it now. Hopefully it will be in better shape tomorrow in advance of track practice. If not, I'll have to sit the night out.

A bit spacey

Though I was looking forward to just getting out there tonight, I wasn't really mentally engaged during the run...which was disappointing.

We ran for time vs distance --- a 45 minute up-and-back along the Mt. Vernon Trail. Based on what we've run before on this trail, I'm thinking we did 4 miles.

It was hot, the metro ride to Rosslyn sucked b/c of a delay and this odd biker was riding up behind me and wouldn't pass...so annoying. [insert crying baby now]

The thing I'm learning about running is that it is more mental vs anything else. The reality that you can stop at any time and just walk or give up is so different from other sports. In most other sports you just can't stop and disappoint your team.

I think the key is to trick yourself to keep going...by telling yourself it's only a little further or telling yourself that you can walk in 10 minutes f you still feel the same way. Usually the feeling passes and you are able to keep moving.

On the positive side, each time we go out I learn something new from one of our coaches or a fellow runner. That's a nice bonus.

Now I'm mentally preparing for track practice tomorrow.