Sunshine Makes Everything Beautiful

This week has been pretty uneventful training wise......I am prepping for my last twenty miler on Sunday, so I have run a few less miles than usual.   Two easy five mile runs and one five mile tempo ( 3 miles at a 8:10) completed my week.   As the weather has continued to be a thorn in my side lately, the treadmill is still the venue for a majority of my shorter runs.   This week, I did the tempo run and one easy run at the gym.   I have thought about it and decided, that the newness of a non-floridian winter has officially worn off.    Those few days of sun in the 50's ruined me.   I thought spring was upon us.    I was sadly, sadly mistaken.   Earlier, during the freezing month of January, I would boldly bundle up and take off into the cold and wind.   Now, it is less blustery, but I am much more likely to avoid an outdoor run in the cold.   I am just plain tired of it.   I want to runs without anything on my ears, hands or legs.   I want to get ready for a run in 30 seconds instead of the necessary 5 that it takes now to suit myself up.   So, all this being said, I loved my run yesterday (wednesday) afternoon.   I reveled in the sunshine.   I think I even ran especially slow as to prolong the run.   The weather was awesome....still a little on the chilly side, but the sky was so blue and the wind was calm.   

I did my stand-by 5+ miler from Rosslyn to Arlington Bridge to Lincoln Memorial and back through Georgetown across the Key.   From the Mount Vernon trail, I caught my first glimpse of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument behind it and I was wowed.    The monuments are truly beautiful on clear days because their white color pops against the vivid blue in the sky.   Even the Potomac looked sparkling......okay, that may be taking it too far, but I was excited to finally feel the sun's rays.  What can I say?    If I want to look at the glass as half full concerning our new life away from the constant sun of Florida, I definitely believe that living here has helped me appreciate the true value of a calm, sunny day.   It can be such a spirit-lifter!  No wonder Florida is such a popular vacation spot.   People are chasing the sun.    But here in DC, the blue sky and sunshine truly are tools that make all the monuments sparkle.

So, back to the run.   In addition to the beautiful weather, the competitive (and I admit, silly) side of me was also satisfied yesterday because I inadvertently found myself in a little foot-race with another runner.    I passed her the first time near the Lincoln Memorial.    She was walking.   5 minutes later, she came flying past me and I was behind her for the entire mile to the Georgetown river-front.   Then, she walked again, so I passed.    Then she passed me again.   Don't get me wrong, I understand the Galloway method and plan to use it myself during the National Marathon, but the competitor in me was tired of this girl interrupting my sunshine run every 5 minutes.   So, when she paused to walk up the steps to the Key Bridge, I took the opportunity to blow past her and officially leave her in my dust.   In all honesty, she probably lives in Georgetown and didn't cross the Key Bridge, but I am letting myself believe that I won....plain and simple.    Really silly, huh?   And I can honestly say that I usually do not fall into that game during my runs.   It would be disastrous for me here, because DC seems to be filled with serious athletes who could smoke me everyday without breaking a sweat.   But, it was definitely a fun little activity that nicely accompanied my beloved blue sky day.  

I will be running 20 at race pace this Sunday, so you can expect a post that is charged with excited anticipation of the upcoming marathon, or a post that is defeated and discouraged by the failure to hold the pace.    Let's all hope for the former!     

Running for a Cause

Sorry about the week and a half of silence.   Don't worry, I didn't take a break from running, just a break from blogging about running.    But, I'm back and ready to keep you posted on the training events of the last 4 (only 4?  gulp!!) weeks until the marathon.   I actually have two solid reasons for my absence over the last 10 days.    Last weekend, I ran the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville, Fl and in preparation for that, the weekend before, I did a very short and fun 7 mile easy run.   Last week before the marathon, I tried to take it easy, only running 2 easy five milers.    So, I was busy preparing for my trip, and my runs were not very exciting, so I thought I would spare you the repetitive posts.  I did sneak in a tempo run though--7 total miles with 5 being at an 8:15.  I could have posted something about it, but I will just plead plain ol' laziness in regards to my lack of post on that run.  It was a nice tread-mill work-out and I finished feeling really good.   I knew I would be running the Breast Cancer Marathon slowly, so I figured I should push through with my scheduled speed-work....despite the lovely sirens of the taper whispering in my ear that I deserved a break.    

The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer is very young.   This year was the second annual event and it is amazing.    A local news anchor/cancer survivor/runner started the race and it is unique because 100% of the profits go to cancer research or to treatment of financially struggling patients.   It is such a hopeful event because so many people are running specifically for somebody in their own life.    And the absolute best part is the survivors division.    There are special awards and shirts for the runners who have survived the disease.   The majority of runners are not die-hard runners.    They are there to replace the feeling of helplessness that comes with the disease and put hope and action in its place.   

Last year, I paced the 5 hours group and it was by far my favorite race experience ever.   So, when the race director asked for pacers again this year, I was one of the first to sign up.   This year was extra special because my running partner of the last 3 years came into town from Memphis to run with me.   She and I trained together for several races (including our first marathons) while we lived in Jacksonville, but we are both married to Navy Pilots and are currently enduring our first training program without each other right now.   So, it was awesome to be able to reunite in Jacksonville to  pace together.   Two of my other running friends did part of the course with us as well and it could not have been more fun.  

Part of the race is on the beach, which I love.   Yes, a little sand does get in your shoes, but it is 100% worth it to see the ocean and feel the sea breeze.   People were cheering from the hotel balconies  and every 100 yards or so, big signs were set up with an encouraging word......hope, love, determination, faith.   These signs were at the expo and people had signed them with dedications for family members and friends.   At the risk of sounding really sappy, these signs really were a source of strength during the run.   Unfortunately, the beach part of the run is in between miles 4-8, instead of mile 20-24 when the signs really could have provided an added boost.   

The crowd support in this race is spuratic, but really awesome.    The run winds through some of the most unique and beautiful neighborhoods in the beaches community of Jacksonville, and the home-owners were so so supportive.   My favorite parts of the race were definitely the big front-yard parties (one family even had a bouncy house for the kids), complete with beer, food, and huge speakers blaring awesome songs like "Love Shack".    A couple of these parties were giving out frozen ice pops which are such a welcome treat at mile 15 or 17 as the Jacksonville sun was started to cook the course!   

I felt great the entire time, which was really encouraging.  But I think the best part of being a pacer is that I don't have time or energy to focus on my own pain because I have to concentrate on the pace and keeping my group going.   Shannon and I definitely deserved the award for most obnoxious pacers because around mile 20 when the going started getting really tough for some of our runners, we started in with the corny jokes and stupid antics that we hoped would be a big enough distraction to keep them going.   Some of our jokes were met with silence and even frowns......some of the runners were not fans.    Our goal was to drown out the sound of screams from their quads with our silliness, and I think it was a pretty effective strategy,  because after the race, they were all super happy that they came in before there goal time.   Shannon and I crossed at 5:00:02......we would have been on the money to the second, but we were waving at the crowd and slowed down too much at the finish.   We tried to sprint the last 10 yards, but we didn't quite make it.   Last year I was under by a few seconds, so I think I'll go by the average of the two to find my accuracy rate as a pacer.  :) All in all, the entire weekend was exactly what I expected:  amazing and I feel extremely blessed to have been a part of it.  

Now, I have just 4 short weeks until I get to do it again, hopefully an entire hour faster!     

The Joy of Mile Repeats

My training schedule is pretty simple.   Four runs a week, including a long run, a speed work-out, and two easy runs.   I recommend this because it prevents burn-out by giving you three days off each week.   This week my speed work-out was awesome.    My training plan has me doing more tempo runs and less mile repeats,  which I normally like because I am a huge wimp about running fast.   But, this time it has been different and I find myself looking forward to the mile repeats.    Weird, huh?   Anyway, the weather on Sunday was short-lived so I was back on the tread-mill for this one.   I was a little concerned about the boredom factor because I had to run 8 miles total.   But I brought along my trusty mp3 player and let "Standing Outside the Fire", "She's a Maniac", and "The Eye of the Tiger" carry  my through.   The work-out started with an easy mile warm-up.   Then I did 4 x 1 mile repeats with an 800 walk/jog in between each.    I walk for a minute after each repeat then finish the 800 at a jog that slowly builds back to a 7:45 pace for the next repeat.    My schedule called for a 8:00 pace, but I was feeling inspired, so I did them all between 7:30 and 7:50, with the last one being the fastest.    

Needless to say, I left the gym feeling great.   Based on my work-outs so far, I'm starting to feel that my 4 hour goal may actually be achievable for the National Marathon.   We'll see in 6 weeks!   Hope everybody takes a run to enjoy the sunshine this weekend!  

Fun in the Sun

Well, while my last post was all about the snow, thankfully, this week I get to describe my long run in the spring-like weather last Sunday.   It was lovely because it was the first time I had run without leggings, ear-warmers, and mittens.    It felt to so good to feel the air on my skin without it stinging and chapping my skin!  (By the way......I have a tip for the skin chapping issue......I have found that if I put body glide on my cheeks, nose, and chin before a cold, windy run, it works as a barrier for a little while.)   But, as I was saying, last Sunday was gloriously sunny and 55 degrees so I was body glide free and loving it! 

I needed to run 16 miles, so I modified my typical long run loop, starting in Rosslyn, running down the Mt. Vernon trail to the Arlington Memorial Bridge.    After crossing the Potomac, I headed along the river to the FDR Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.  The wind was pretty strong along the river, but I didn't care because it was warm wind!   I had never seen the FDR Memorial, so I took a walk break and checked it out.    It was extremely cool and so many of his memorialized words that are on display seemed to be speaking specifically to the country right now.    Like I have said before, the best part of being a runner is all the cool stuff that you happen upon during your work-outs.  

I continued on to the Jefferson Memorial which is so beautiful and provides such awesome views of the rest of the mall across the river.   I headed back to Lincoln, then ran down the mall towards the Capital.   Of course, the Mall was packed with people coming out of winter hibernation to enjoy the warm sun.   Unfortunately, the mix of melting snow and ice and the 4 million feet that tromped around during the inauguration, the mall is a mess.    I usually run on the gravel, sandy paths that run along the mall, but I had to use the paved sidewalks Sunday because the mud was everywhere.   

I usually take a gel and get some water in the bathroom at the ticket stand for the Washington Monument.   But it was closed for cleaning.....(why are they cleaning this thing in the middle of the first sunny afternoon in weeks?)   I was irritated for maybe 5 seconds, but as soon as I looked up and saw the Capital ahead with the blue sky as a back-drop, I dropped my attitude and headed to my plan B, which is the Smithsonian Information Center.    They have a nice, big, clean bathroom so it is a great place to take a gel and get some water.    On the topic of water, I am perplexed every time I run on the mall that none of the water fountains work.   Does anyone know why this is?    It makes me crazy because if I'm thirsty, my hopes go up every 200 yards or so and then they are quickly dashed when I try each fountain unsuccessfully.   As I find more water stops around town, I will post them.

I ran up Capital Hill (ouch, that's the one tough part of running in DC)  and around to the Supreme Court and Library of Congress.    Then I headed back on the other side of the mall towards the White House.    I received a happy surprise when my husband called to say that he had run down to meet me.    So, we met on 15th and finished the run through Georgetown along the river and back across the Key Bridge.   It was over-all a wonderful run.   This weekend is supposed to be equally beautiful so I plan on running both Saturday and Sunday.    (Short runs because I am in taper mode for the Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville next weekend.)   Isn't tapering so fun?      

Fun in the Snow

Sorry for the lack of posts this week.    For those of you that live in DC, you know that the snow/ice/sleet/freezing rain made it pretty difficult to do any outdoor activities.    This unfortunately includes walking to the metro or the drug-store.    At least in my neighborhood, certain side-walks are still an invitation for a head injury or broken leg.    

But, as I've mentioned before, my husband and I are transplants from Jacksonville, Fl, so snow is something that we have been anxiously anticipating.    On Tuesday morning, we kept a watchful eye on the snow as it fell, proclaiming excitedly, "It's definitely sticking....look!   How cool!"    It really was beautiful and the first chance we got Tuesday afternoon, we were bundling up and out the door to go for a run/play in the snow adventure.   

The snow was covering a lot of the sidewalks, but it was soft and powdery so instead of being dangerous, it was just fun.  (at least at first while the novelty was still alive and well.)   We ran from our apartment in Rosslyn and took the Mt. Vernon trail to Roosevelt Island.    It was so neat running on the Mt. Vernon trail because the snow created a new variation of quiet and peacefulness.  Also, the Potomac was still frozen and was now snow covered.   It was really beautiful.    The run to the island is less than 2 miles from our apartment, so we were still feeling great and loving our snow-running experience when we arrived.   We stopped on the bridge over to the Island to throw a couple of snow balls at the river.   We were like children...really.   

Once on the Island, we walked up to the Theodore Roosevelt monument, which was breathtakingly beautiful in the snow.    It really was amazing how different the quiet sounds in the snow.    We took in the monument for a few minutes and then continued our run on the trail that follows the exterior of the island.    This is when the newness and novelty started to fade ever so slightly and my quads started to whisper that they were a little annoyed with me.    This snow was really powdery, so it was exactly like running in soft sand. By the time we ran the 1 mile loop around the island, we were both breathing much harder than normal considering our snail's pace.    (I was insistent that we go slow and be careful as to prevent a stupid injury that would make all the training documented on this blog a complete waste.)   And, in addition to the breathing hard, my quads were no longer whispering their opposition to this run....they were complaining loud and clear.  Each step was a new rigor, and the quads were not amused.   

We paused on the bridge to throw a  couple more snowballs.   A family with a small child was doing the same thing, making me feel a little ridiculous, but it was our first snow!  Acting like small children was our prerogative and responsibility!   We were excited!    As we started our journey home, we were thankful for a brief respite from the snow when we ran through the parking lot at the island.  It had been salted and was snow-free.   But once back on the trail we were in the snow the rest of the way home.   Our run home from the island is uphill.   Those of you familiar with Rosslyn know this well.   So, by the time we made it back to the apartment, my quads were very angry with me.    They were not impressed with the snow at all.    But, while it was difficult, I found myself really enjoying the challenge.   It was such a unique work-out.    And the sound of each foot-fall is so satisfying as you crunch your way along your route.   

Unfortunately, the sleet and rain that created a rock-hard frozen layer on top of the snow made our snow-run a one time opportunity.   The rest of the week, it was treadmill or nothing.    I was forced to do another dreaded tread-mill speed work-out.   This one was a 7 mile tempo with 5 of the miles at an 8:30.   Thanks to my previously-mentioned old-school mp3 player, I killed the workout and even managed to keep the pace for mile 7 instead of slowing down for a cool-down.    I was proud and pumped.    Later this afternoon I will do a 16 miler.   I am very excited because the weather forecast is predicting temperatures in the 50's.   This will be my first run in shorts in several weeks and I am excited!!  I'll keep you posted.