And done!

Got through to the finish - approximately 6:40. None of which would have been possible without the shepherding of Bethany and Erin. Nicely done by all.

Heading for the stretch run

I'm guessing that our blog is winding down, or pretty much done. Just a few miscellaneous notes, and I'll stop yakking:

• Completed the MS-150 last weekend, which should help with MCM. My longest training run last year was 10 miles, and I'm virtually certain that doing the MS-150 was the only thing that got me to 17 miles at MCM. They say that cycling and running don't really cross-apply much, but I tend to think that's for elite athletes. For me, running seemed to make this year's MS-150 much easier, and I think it will work the other way, too.

• Aiming for 9-10 miles tomorrow.

• 22 miles with Bethany next weekend, ja?

• Then it's taper time, with the emphasis being on intervals and gradually bumping up my average speed.

Well, that just about sums it up. See y'all in DC!

Zwanzig!

With the disclaimer that this was not a high-quality 20. About 5 1/2 hours - could have been better, but I hit The Wall (with a resounding "thunk") at around 17 miles, and probably took about 40-45 minutes to slog in the last two miles. Still, I'll take it.

Body Glide would have been a good idea for this one, as it turns out. I put on a couple of bandaids, but the suckers came off somewhere around the 13 mile mark, with predictable results for my poor shirt.

Funfzehn!

Ran 15 yesterday. It went pretty well, expect for the fact that Kansas City is one massive hill! I was on Grand for the 13th and 14th mile - and from 22nd St. to 9th St. it's one big hill. On the plus side, DC is not a massive hill, so it should feel easy in comparison.

I'm hoping to get in a 20 miler and a 22 miler (with Dad) before the marathon. This is much better than I've done either of the last two marathons, so I'm feeling decent about it.

I am struggling to keep up with my morning runs. I'm really good at coming up with reasons not to get out of bed!

Oh, and God Bless Body Glide.

Ow! I feel good!

I think it's a sign that my running form is coming back when I can run 2 1/2 miles fairly easily, including the second half (which is almost all uphill) without stopping. Yay.

Acht

This was my planned 8 miles before next weekend's 20 (or whatever). Went fine - felt reasonably good throughout. I'm liking my water-bottle belt.

Back on the Wagon

Just did a 3 miler. These last couple of weeks have been INSANE, so I haven't been running. :( But I'm back!

I think I'm going to do a warm up long run this week, since I've gotten a bit out of running shape. Probably 10-12 miles. Then I'm hoping to get that dratted 16 miler in the next weekend.

Dad's on top of things, so Erin and I need to get on that! :D

Can anyone tell me why 16 is so dratted hard? Why? Why?

But a necessary run if one aspires to breaking the tape (or staggering across the finish line) in a marathon. And I, good folk, more or less successfully completed my 16-mile run today. A little under 4 hours, which is not particularly scintillating, but I'll take it. I'm pondering whether to settle for 18 in two weeks (ironically, I just typed "eeks" instead of "weeks" - subconscious turmoil?) or to go for the Big Enchilada of 20, using the tried-and-true hell route of two laps around Longview. Decisions, decisions.

Just pluggin' along, doin' my job

Six miles this evening - felt good throughout, as contrasted with my dubious flirtation with 13 last weekend. Fifteen (maybe 16? dare I think it?) next Sunday - oy!

10!

Zehn meilen dieser Tag! Ja, ja!

Running Tourism

Just got back from Sofia and Belgrade. Managed to run while I was in both places. After each of my 3 over night trains, I would drop off my stuff at the hostel and then go run 3 miles. It worked much better than coffee! And I really believe you don't truly know a city until you've run in it. It was actually easier to run in Sofia/Belgrade than Bucharest, because the sidewalks were in better condition and people didn't park their cars on them.

I'm feeling pretty solid in regards to my running schedule. 15 miles this weekend with Erin, then running with Dad/Erin(?). I think I'll be set for this marathon. I also signed up the the KC Marathon's 5K. I'm hoping to do it in 30 minutes or less. It's been interesting trying to increase speed at that level; it's added a new dimension to training. Always good to keep things interesting!

Weekend planning

I think that I'll be up for 10 miles this Sunday and 12-13 miles the following weekend (before/after Fourth of July II). I will run with any or all Owenses who happen to be in town. Ja? Ja?

This is a quest! A quest!

Just FYI, I'm still running. The back pain issue has derailed my carefully planned (seriously) schedule, but I ran two miles tonight reasonably pain-free. Did the Cider Mill ride last Sunday, but only 25 miles - Erin, as you will remember, the worst hills are in the last five miles, and my back was unhappy after 10, so honor was served. 10-12 miles next weekend.

Don't count me out yet. I'll be ready.

A Little Running Humor For My Homies

I particularly like the martial aspects of this particular strip, as it might apply to running MCM. Ooh rah, indeed! (BTW, the strip is called "F Minus," one of my favorites).

Halfway there!

Did my 13 mile run this morning. I really, really did not feel like waking up. I actually dreamed that I skipped my run, but then I woke up and went and did it. Ugh.

The actual run was decent. The last 2 miles or so were pretty rough. I've been experience some minor lower back pain, which became pretty distracting at about 11 miles. That was my last long run in Bucharest. Next weekend, I'll be traveling, so won't be able to do one. In two weeks, Erin and I will do 15 miles together. Having a running buddy will be a nice change!

Goals

On a happier note, I recently achieved a short-term goal one mine: a 30 minute 5k. I know that's not fast, but it's less than 10 minutes per mile for an extended period of time, so I was proud. That's also under the cut-off for a lot of qualifying times for races.

Speaking of which, I just registered for the Navy 5-miler in late September. It does official times, and I'd like to run a qualifying time. The times are valid for like 5 years, so if I want to do a restricted marathon in the future (like the National Marathon), I'll need to run some faster races.

Just some thoughts!

I am now uncomfortable with my own neighborhood. I don't want to bike home after work today, past that intersection that I'm so familiar with but is probably still surrounded in police tape. I don't want to run through that area during my long weekend runs. I don't want to spend the next year commuting through that neighborhood on an expensive bike (that I love), with a blackberry and white skin.

Maybe I am overreacting. But as someone who spends a lot of time with the sidewalks and roads of her community, this sucks. I have friends and an Andrew who are in a neighborhood that has had 6 homicides this year, and in a city that had 5 homicides last weekend. And that's the price you pay of living in a city, especially Baltimore, but I guess it never really hit me until now.

This has nothing to with running. Or, in a way, everything to do with running.

Update and Request

Long time, no update!

Basically, I've been pretty good about my weekday runs and not good about my long run. On the weekdays I range anywhere from 2-4 miles a day, though sometimes that has to be done on an elliptical if all of my work gym treadmills are taken up. I've missed the last TWO long runs (I know! I know!). Due to the accidentally longer 10-mile-turned-11-mile run two weeks ago, I'm only one mile behind. But still, it hasn't been good for my psychologically to miss those runs. This weekend WILL be different.

On another note, I just bought my RoadID and I think you all should too. I used to think it was just some way to get more money out of runners, but if we are all doing long runs alone (sometimes in cities or on rural stretches of highway) it's not a bad idea. It's $20 and very cheap shipping. www.roadid.com. If you don't buy it, it will likely be what you get from me from the next gift giving holiday, just a heads up. :)

The Newbie Chronicles

This link is to a series of articles on Runner's World called The Newbie Chronicles. I hightly recommend it, mainly because it's hilarious. I did like one of its more serious quotes, for those moments when you're running by yourself:

"No one is an island. No one runs in a vacuum. There is always someone watching you leave the house, dig it out, come back, and do it all over again. You are being watched by a roommate, a brother, a spouse. The driver of every passing car. You are being watched by future generations. My grandmother ran in college! someone might say of you one day. My great uncle took it up in his 30s and ran marathons into his 60s! We are inexorably entwined within each other's influence. You may run by yourself, but no matter how early you start, no matter how remote your location, you never run alone."

Success!

This attempt at the 12 miler was much better. More sidewalks, less crazy drivers, less stray dogs. And the run itself wasn't too bad either. Glad I got it done! Next weekend, won't be doing a long run, because I'll be in Constanta.

Best Laid Plans of ... Runners

Attempted my 12 miler this morning. It was my first time running in Baneasa. From my investigations on Google Maps, it looked like my path had sidewalks along it. So I set out early this morning. But about 1.5 miles into it, I discovered that the "sidewalks" was seeing on Google Maps, were in fact cement drainage ditches. And the roads were essentially highways, without lanes and full of crazy Romanian drivers. Oh and buckets of stray dogs along the drainage ditches. So I decided that my life was worth way more than a 12 mile run, turned around and ran home.

I'm going to try again tomorrow. But this time around, I'll be taking the bus in town to run in an area I'm familiar with, an area that has sidewalks and less crazy dogs and drivers.

Moving right along

2.5 miles this evening - still aiming for 10 this Sunday. I believe that we have all experienced this at one point or another, but excessive heat (or cold) uniquely affects the quality of any given run. I waited until about 9:00 this evening to run, and the temperature was still in the upper 80s. Still, not a bad run, and running in the heat will pay off once we hit October. I hope.

11 is such an awkward number...

Ran my 11 mile run this morning. Actually wasn't as bad as the 10 miler was, for some reason. I did make the mistake of going to sleep again right after showering, didn't eat anything, so when I woke up, I still felt pretty crappy. Note to self : Some post-run carbs and protein will make all the difference in recovery!

Tomorrow, after dropping Stephen off at the airport, I'll be moving out to the suburbs for the remainder of my stay here. On the negative side - I'll have to make up entirely new routes in an unfamiliar area, which inevitably leads to getting lost, and since it's the suburbs of Bucharest (aka not Lee's Summit), there are much fewer sidewalks. On the plus side - I'll get a chance in routine and the family whom I'm catsitting for has a gym membership, which I can use. This means weight machines, a steam room, and a hot tub. Score!

I'm feeling pretty good about this marathon's training so far. No serious injuries and I'm getting in more weekly miles than I did last year. Also, I'm averaging a 12 minute mile, instead of like 14. :) I hope things are progressing well in Bmore and KC!

10, er, 11 Miles

Completed my run on Sunday morning. I ran from Hopkins down Charles Street, past Penn Station, to Inner Harbor and Federal Hill, and back. It was a late starting run (6:30-9:00) so I was afraid it would get hot before the end of the run, but the weather held out until I got home. I got lost in Inner Harbor and ran way past my turn. I backtracked, but it added a mile to my run. The last two miles were a bit rough, not helped by a mile-long uphill, so I was glad to discover that part of the reason was the extra mile! I'll actually probably run the modified route next week for my 11-miler.

I was pretty achy/tired the rest of the day, which was a change from last week. I'm hoping it's because my body is still getting used the longer runs-- my joints were not feeling good!

This week I hope to get in several training runs, as they are really helping my weekend runs.

10 miler

Ran 10 miles this morning. Wasn't too bad, until the last mile or so. But I persevered!

In other news, Delilah chewed up the water bottles that go in my water belt. Not really sure how I'm going to run long distances now... Guess I'll run 2 mile loops or something, so that I can pick up water. This is why you have cats, not dogs.

Killer Lunges - variation on a theme

I have long felt that moving from one residence to another serves as one of the great workouts in which one can engage. It's a combination of free weights and aerobic exercise that is hard to force yourself to match in, e.g., a trip to the YMCA. I am rediscovering that phenomenon this week, as we move various items out of the house into a 20 cubic yard dumpster (about 15 pickup-loads worth). Unfortunately, it leaves me fairly drained at the end of the day. I haven't gotten in a good bike ride for some time, and last night I could only muster the strength for a one mile jog/walk. Still, we're getting rid of lots of flotsam and jetsam that are otherwise problematic to dispose of in the weekly trash. (One interesting part of this is that we haven't really had to make any difficult emotional decisions about what to get rid of, and we're still going to end up filling the dumpster easily by the end of the week.)

So, I'm getting in some blue-collar lunges, getting sore, but probably getting some useful conditioning out of this, assuming that I don't break a leg with a runaway sofa.

Killer Lunges

Man, I can run 4 or 5 miles and not feel sore at all. Even the longer runs I feel pretty soreness-free at the end. But I do 25 lunges, and I'm so sore the next day I can barely walk.

Not cool, lunges. Not cool.

Plans

Dad, a 22 mile run on October 9th sounds like a good plan to me! And Erin, would you be interested in doing a long run while we're in Cincinnati for Adrienne's wedding? We'll be doing 15 together about 3 weeks before that, so maybe a 16 or 17 miler?

Didn't get to do any running in Istanbul, but I'm back on the wagon now! Ran 3 miles this morning and am planning on 5 tomorrow morning. I've decided I need to get my weekly total mileage up. Right now, I'm averaging about 20 to 25 miles weekly, and I'd like to get closer to 30. Planning on doing a 10 miler this weekend, since I missed my long run last weekend. Stephen's coming to visit next week, so I'm planning on dragging him along on my morning runs. He hasn't exercised since MCM '09!

Also, I need another pair of running socks. I love my current pair, but I only have the one pair. They really do help reduce blisters and rubbing. Once I get back to KC, I'll be heading to Gary Gribble's with my gift certificate for a new pair!

DC Runnin'

Oh hai running friends.

I spent the weekend in DC and, to my great surprise, actually did my long run. I got off my google maps path while running, so I just ran through my old haunts/routes until I felt I had run 9 miles. Upon checking it later online, it was about 9.5 miles. Saw a lot of great DC sites, including Iwa Jima, Teddy Island, and even my old house. I started in Rosslyn, so I was right next to Potomac and there were a lot of yuppies with puppies.

The run itself went fine, my legs were less tired than the week before (gave myself Friday off this time!), though I was getting sore by the end of the run and was glad for it to be ending. I didn't nap afterwards because I was doing things around DC, which I was not happy about but it was probably a good habit not to immediatly pass out for three hours following a run. I played some pickup soccer later in the day and felt pretty good, though Sunday was a very sore day!

In other news, DC is a nice place to spend the 4th but nothing replaces an Owens 4th filled with fireworks/basketball/roof!

Momentum and analgesics

Just got back from 6 miles. 4th of July basketball and/or ping pong later today. The Meloxicam bottle is gonna be busy tomorrow, oh yeah.

Note: the run actually went better than I assumed it would. "Ran" most of the way, with a mile or so near the end being the only particularly bleak stretch. Averaged about 12 minute miles. Not great, but a start.

Aaaand ...

Okay, the answer to your hypothetical question is that I looked over some of the sample marathon training programs, and I noticed that none of them - none of them - would have me running 20 and 22 mile routes in the four weeks preceding the marathon. Now, Galway's extended training program suggests a 26 mile training run, but this would occur several weeks before the marathon, and has a number of short runs leading into the marathon week. This suggests to me that my original program might be a wee bit ambitious, possibly leading to significant injury before the marathon and/or significant injury during the marathon and/or having little energy left for the marathon. Any of these outcomes would be bad.

This is not to say that I live my life according to someone else's program - speaking of sagacity, or my lack thereof - but given that I have not actually completed a marathon since 2003, I'm beginning to get the cosmic message that maybe I'm not my own best running coach, or at least that maybe I should pay a little more attention to some of the training advice out there.

Anyhoo, Bethany (and Erin, if you plan to be in KC at the appropriate time), I suggest that we calendar a 22 mile run for Sunday, October 10th, or thereabouts. What say, training buddies?

I hope this doesn't qualify as "backsliding," but . . .

I'm thinking that instead of: (a) MS-150 on the weekend of 9/26, (b) 20 miles the next weekend, (c) 22 miles two weeks later, and (d) MCM two weeks later, a more realistic (and probably better) program will be: (a) MS-150 on the weekend of 9/26, (b) 10 miles the next weekend, (c) 22 miles the next weekend, and (d) MCM two weeks later.

So, I'm sure you're asking yourself, "But, Dad, what prompted this rather shocking turn of events?" Ah, yes, the wisdom of that question far surpasses your relative youth. I salute you for it, and encourage you to continue on this grand path to knowledge and sagacity. Salute!

Programming notes

I had to pick up some items at the Mid-Continent Library on 7 Highway, so - in true commuter spirit - I rode my bike out to get them. About 10 mile round trip, no big deal, but I feel reasonably good about it.

This evening, short run. Tomorrow, bicycle over to Delta Woods to do some intervals on their track. Ride on Saturday. 6 mile run/walk on Sunday, plus whatever 4th of July sports we get in.

I've got weekend runs planned up to MCM, with a 20 mile run four weeks in advance and a 22 mile run two weeks in advance. Cider Mill century ride is coming up on August 1 (I'll probably do the 50 or 70 mile route, not 100, but hope springs eternal). MS-150 the weekend of September 26th. If I get this stuff in as planned, barring injury (ha!), should be ready for MCM.

Jim Fixx

Dad, if I remember correctly, this is the guy you've told me about who was responsible for the running movement in the 70s and then keeled over from a heart attack while running. Interesting paragraph from a runnersworld.com article:

"A family-ordered autopsy showed that Jim Fixx had significant blockage in all three coronary arteries. The Vermont state chief medical examiner briefed the family and said that his heart muscle, strengthened by running, had probably extended his life by eight to 10 years."

And a quote of his that I like:

"I don't know if running adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years." -Jim Fixx

Running blogs are good!

When I went out to run this evening, I was already tired from cleaning the basement (you should see it - parts of the floor are actually visible). I thought maybe I would get in a mile or so, at most. Once I got started, I didn't feel too bad, and - here's the point - I thought that maybe I could make a decent entry in this blog tonight. So, I kept going and (according to MapMyRun) got in about 3.5 miles. Not great, but it's the most I've done in a while, and I felt pretty comfortable for most of the run. Good blog! Good!

Plan for Sunday: 6 miles (run/walk).

On fear-free running routes

I ran 8 miles on Saturday morning, though after checking the run on Google Maps it turns out that it was 8.5 miles. So much for trusting routes on running sites! I chose this route because it was targeted towards people who didn't want to get shot on their morning runs, so I ended up running through some seriously swanky Baltimore neighborhoods, as well as through the campuses of three different colleges.

It was a good run in the sense that I finished it and it was not ungodly hot due to my 6am starting time. But my muscles tired out really quickly, which I think was a combination of quickly ramping up my activity level over the last two weeks (biking, daily workouts, etc.) and not eating a good dinner or breakfast. And getting 5 hours of sleep. I'll be so used to running in bad circumstances that once I actually eat/sleep enough I'll be in a good place! Or so I hope.

Next week is 9 miles, which might happen in DC if I'm there for the weekend.

8 Miler

Ran my 8 mile run this morning. It went well; much better than my failed 7 mile attempt! I think it's because I got a good carb-filled meal in the day before the run. I'm going to try for 9 miles next week, but I'm not sure if it's going to happen. Friday night is the huge 4th of July party I have to help do, and then I fly out to Istanbul at 10 AM on Saturday. I may try to get a shorter run in that morning, not sure if I'll be up for 9 at that point. In Istanbul, I'm going to try to get in some shorter morning runs. I like Erin's idea of running as a tourist activity.

Good Moment

I had a good moment today. This morning, I did not run, because I was sleepy and in a cozy bed. When I got home from work, I tried to talk myself out of running. It's too hot. I'm too tired. I'm hungry. My feet hurt. And then I just put on my workout clothes and running shoes and just went. 2.25 miles later, I feel much better than if I had just stayed home.

For the Love of a Running Buddy

This weekend I ran 6 miles. I was in Philly on a weekend trip with friends, so on Saturday morning I made it out of bed (or the blowup mattress on the floor) and went! I dragged Veronica along with me and we ran all around downtown Philly. It was really a great way to see a city, and we ended up seeing more before 8am than we did the entire rest of the weekend. Running as a form of tourism is very appealing. The run itself went well, I wasn't even sore the next day and needed no post-run nap.

Having a running partner made me realize how much that can add to a training routine. It really helps in terms of making it out onto the road, keeping up the pace and making long distances a little more intellectually stimulating. Ah well! Running alone builds character, or so I hope.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Tried to run 7 miles this morning. It was just one of those terrible runs. I only made it 5 miles before having to stop. From the very beginning, my legs just felt terrible, like I was running through water or something. It was really strange. I tried to push through it, but it just got worse. I can't figure out what it is. I was well-hydrated and it wasn't that hot. I think it's maybe because I didn't eat much yesterday. I don't know. Either way, I'm just writing it off to one of those bad runs. I'll be back at it next weekend.

Wikipedia gets it right

So I'm a little bored at work, so I decided to read the Wikipedia article on marathons. A couple of humorous portions:

"Most participants do not run a marathon to win. More important for most runners is their personal finish time and their placement within their specific gender and age group, though some runners just want to finish." (AKA Bethany Owens, ha!)



It's Phidippides dying at the end of the "first marathon." A good reminder that we train so this doesn't happen to us!

Oh hai.

Soooooo it's been a while since I updated. Pole. But I did enjoy catching up on all the posts!

The move and ungodly commute have really put a crimp in my style, but I'm getting back on the bandwagon again. I'm running 6 miles this weekend (in Philly) and I managed to guilt Veronica into being my running buddy! I've begun running over my lunch breaks in the gym in my office building, I ran 5k yesterday over lunch. The treadmills even have little fans on them so I'm (a little) less sweaty afterwards!

I had quite the adventure while running 4 miles last weekend. I chose a pretty simple route, just a down and back down Charles Street, a main drag in Baltimore that goes from Hopkins to Penn Station. About halfway through, I came to the uncomfortable realization I was in a very sketchy area of town, with no one around except for groups of idle men hanging out on stoops. No women to be seen, which is always uncomfortable. Also, I was clearly the only young white woman that has ventured there in a while, and I was carrying my Blackberry for music with no pockets to hide it. I quickly turned around and got out of there, but it was surprising because though I'm used to city living, DC is much more segregated in terms of safe/dangerous neighborhoods, so I never had this problem.

E!

You can call me Mickey

Or you can just call me Dad. But, you will have to call me "Dad 1.5," as in "1.5 miles at DisneyWorld"! That's right, Erin (and I'm callin' you out, Erin), I ran 1.5 miles in the harshest running environment known to humankind. These people are real runners - they laugh at me (on the inside at least), and would spit on me if they could slow down enough to get a good aim. Yeah, yeah, I know - "But Dad, I run where people are shooting guns at me!" Blah blah blah.

Try running a mile in my shoes ... at Disney World!

Oh yeah! That's right - a mile! At Disney World! Woot woot!

Doin' okay. But just okay.

I'm doing alright on keeping up with my weekly runs. Usually end up running around 5 miles total during the weekdays. I missed last week's 6 miler b/c I was on a trip. This weekend = 7 miles. On the down side, I'm still pretty slow and pretty inconsistent. Need to work on that!

Two miles!

Oh, yeah, two big miles. I've got the momentum now. Tomorrow, 4 miles. Sunday, 8 miles. Monday, 16 miles. Tuesday? I don't think that 32 is out of the question, oh no! Wahoooooo!

Well, I'm a bit of a slacker, but not a complete one

I ran a mile today. I concede that this was not yesterday, which I promised. I am bad, and am hanging my head in shame.

I'm no slacker! I'm not!

I've been getting in some short bicycle rides, and will run at least a mile tomorrow. This I do solemnly promise.

5 miles

I'm back on the wagon! I ran 5 miles this afternoon. :) It was a little toasty, but not too bad.

You guys should run too!

Bucharest!

I had my first run in Bucharest today. It wasn't very long, but it felt good to get out there. There's a beautiful park that I live right next to that is a great place to run. The Romanians kept staring at me though. I don't think they're used to seeing people out running for fun.

4 miles!

Ran 4 miles mit dem Baer diese Morgen! Ja ja! I tried to pull out at the 3 mile mark, but Bethany was ready to go the distance, so - in a fit of guilt, ungoaded by Bethany - I kept going. I'm already pretty sore. I don't want to think about tomorrow.

Victory!

Okay, so maybe that's too strong of a word. But at 7:00 this morning, my plan to run 2 miles seemed like a really bad one. So I began listing excuses in head of why I didn't need to run. My ear hurt. I was sore and needed the rest, right? I had a long day ahead of me, and could use the sleep. I was about to roll over and fall back asleep, when the idea of making running a lifestyle, a habit, rather than a chore popped into my head. I got up, threw on my clothes and ran. I was right; my ear DID hurt, I WAS sore, and I DO have a long day ahead. But I still ran my two miles and it was good. This probably seems really trivial (it's only a 2 mile run, E) but I hope it represents an important shift in thinking.

In related news, I am SORE. I can run 4 miles and have absolutely no soreness, but I did 30 reps of lunges with 10 pound weights in the gym on Monday, and I have been insanely sore ever since. I guess it shows the necessity of cross-training. Dad, part of reason I ran today despite soreness was the many years of you waxing poetic about the virtues of working off the lactic acid. :)

My Sunday Afternoon Stroll ... er ... Run

Ran 4 miles this afternoon. It was a really beautiful Sunday afternoon and a nice run. I ran down Southwest Trafficway to 43rd and the up Main until 31st. I really hate running on Main St., because there are a lot of people and not a lot of sidewalk, but it always ends up being a part of my runs for some reason.

My goal for the next several weeks is to make running a habit, something I've never really quite achieved.

Click here for an article.

That article is a pretty helpful resource. So far, I've done the first two steps. I think I probably won't get bored, since I'll be in Romania in a few weeks, and that should keep running fairly interesting. My downfalls are mainly weather and sleep oriented. If the weather is even a little bad, I use it as an excuse not to run. And a lot of mornings, I manage to persuade myself that I need sleep more than I need to run. Things to work on!

Dad and I are running 5 miles this Sunday. Yay!

Mall + Runners - Tourists = Amazing Run

I just got done running my 4-miler. It was a good run! Today's high is supposed to be 92 degrees, so I got an early start. I was still absolutely soaked by the end of it. I took a four mile loop down 23rd street to Lincoln, over to circle the Washington Monument and then headed back (and yes, the hill on 23rd past the State Department almost killed me). The best part was discovering that at 7am on a Sunday morning, there are more runners than tourists on the Mall; what an excellent DC discovery!

Also, I don't know how B and I trained for the marathon in DC without a water belt. That thing is a life saver and will probably prevent severe dehydration in the future!

I'm trying not to get in the habit of passing out for a 2 hour nap immediately after every run... It's probably a necessary thing later down the road as the mileage increases and the runs get earlier, but right now I'm trying to stay awake and active after runs. Off to brunch!

I ran 3 miles yesterday and have no soreness! I take what I can get in terms of encouraging signs.

Trolley Run!

Ran in the Trolley Run this morning, which was 4 miles. It was a great course, started in Waldo, ran through Brookside, and ended on the Plaza. Beautiful day to run, because the rain let up minutes before the start. Nice and cool! I ran the whole thing, only walking once at the 2 mile mark for water. Still having some blister issues. Can't tell if I need new shoes or if it's just that my feet aren't used to running yet. I think I'll give it another week and see how they're doing.

Scary thing happened at the end. A guy was getting water and then fell over and started seizing. Some doctors came and helped him and he looked like he was going to be okay, but still. It was scary. Let this be a reminder to all of us that running is serious business and we all need to take care of ourselves!

I like the posts, even the "mundane" ones! It keeps me motivated, and it can get kind of lonely here in DC when it comes to running... I'm the only one I know who even runs on the treadmill, much less runs 10Ks or marathons.

I, um, failed at getting out bed this morning. I hope to run after work, but I have a ten page paper due at midnight that needs to get done too. In the interest of full-disclosure, I ate IHOPs stuffed french toast combo last night at midnight, so I'm no better.

Goal for this weekend:
- Run a 5k.
- Start stretching every night, even (and especially) on non-running nights. Side benefit of reducing my aching.
- Start drinking enough water!

Ran three miles this morning. Skipped yesterday due to foot blisters. It was REALLY hard to get myself out of bed knowing that I was going to have to run. But it happened, which is good. My left hip is bothering me a little less.

What I really need to go is get my food intake in line! My dinner last night was about a dozen cookies, which really doesn't help in the running world.

Sorry I'm updating with the mundane. But I feel like it keeps me accountable.

Love!

3 miles!

I ran 3 miles this morning. I have a nice 3 miles loop around my apartment. It actually wasn't too terrible, considering how terribly out of shape I am. My left hip is giving me some trouble, hopefully that will go away.

I'm running 4 miles on Sunday in the Trolley Run. Should be fun!

Article- Quotes Galloway!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/19/marathon.medical/index.html?hpt=C2

Clearly I'm having a productive day so far...

But I'm running three miles tonight! Goal is four miles for Sunday. One of the things I have problems with in DC is having a space nearby my house to run- Georgetown is not runnable during rush hour, and neither is Farragut or Dupont. I'm hoping Baltimore will have some better running routes!

Hellooooo

Hi Dad and Erin!

So this blog was created to be an online support group as we train for MCM 2010!

It can serve many functions, including:

Posting mileage achieved
Goals
Pictures
Marathon articles
Tips and Advice
Concerns
Motivation

Update as much or as little as you'd like!

Love!

B