Look! I Just Got Passed Again! And Again!

I rolled this morning around 5:30am.

"Maybe my calves will feel better!"

They did, a bit. What they didn't do was become magically springy.

I met the DC Capital Striders group at Staunton Park in NE DC. We ran faster than we did the last time I ran with them: the woman who was slower wasn't with us.

And I was running slower. It felt ok but I didn't want to go any faster. And we weren't going that fast.

Again, thanks to some serious chatters (and I mean that in a good way: great chatters are invaluable on a run), the run with the group passed pretty quickly. Plus, it wasn't very far. Last night, I ran 9 miles with the group and then 1.4 by myself.
This morning, I ran only about 4 miles with the group: down Massachusetts to RFK, around RFK and back up East Capitol back to Staunton Park.
But, even by the end, my calves felt leaden.

And I still had more to go. Here's where, maybe, I should have just gone home.

Because I did run another 5 miles, which, added to the 4 and the mile I ran to get to the park, gave me the 10 I wanted.

But the solo part down the Mall, around the Washington Monument, and back around and up the huge hill on Constitution to 1st NE and back up to Massachusetts and home, that was pathetic.

Oh, I ran pretty much the whole time. (I had a cramp on the way back and walked for about 2 minutes.) But I was getting passed by almost everybody.

More particularly, I was getting passed by Joe Regulars with beer guts.

Beer guts.

And my legs/butt were tired enough that my left knee started hurting because of a change in stride.

Fail. Not epic, but Fail.

Should I go on the Georgetown group run tommorrow morning? They say that they are going to average about 8 minutes/mile.

True, I used to be able to run that for 20+ miles. But I can guarantee you I was not able to run that pace today.

So, meet people or be conservative?

Hmmmmmm

The Outdoors!

Bam! Sidestepping the sycophants, I slammed open the double glass doors.
Then, bam! The backpack hit the floor.
Bam! The door hit my butt as I ran back out to meet Potomac Runners.

I was 10 minutes early to the fifteen minutes early circle-up prior to the run.

I was so excited to be outside, instead of weilding my four different-colored pens in hopes of structuring the blob that is my understanding of my classes right now.

Plus, I hoped that my butt would hurt less if I loosened it up.

Smartly, I hung back from the 2nd group. That was the group I ran with the last time. My rear end and calves were not up to that group, however! Discretion and all.

So great! One of the women I ran with, who I had met the last time I had run with them, is a chatter. And interesting chatter. It makes the run go by so much faster! Plus, I learned a lot about how to start tri training, were I ever to brave the pool again.

Around the reflecting pool then over the Mall to go around the Washington Monument via ??? and around to the Mt. Vernon trail (still don't know exactly how we get over to VA) and then around to the Iwo Jima memorial.

By this time, I must have been going more slowly. Plus, some of the others started speeding up. Luckily, the chatter had biked and swam earlier that day, so she didn't want to push it too much.

Around the Lincoln Memorial and then up the side of the reflecting pool and then down (what I think was) Constitution Avenue, then back to the reflecting pond.

Several sprinted at the end. I did not.

My rear end really hurt. So did my calves.

In fact, last night, my calves, right by my knees, near/in the ligaments, were aching enough that I woke up several times.

No high heels today!

Something I Will Never Say Again

"Aerobics is for wusses who don't really want to work out."

I have never said that but I have thought it, guiltily, a time or two.

Well, never again.

In recognition of the Irene-influenced weather this weekend, with some serious peer-pressure from a friend, I tried out two work-out videos this weekend.

Both were by Jillian, that lady from the Biggest Loser.

1. She is really short.

2. The videos don't have really good music. I'd suggest listening to your own. I would have but I am so uncoordinated, I needed to hear the instructions - sometimes over and over again.

3. These are NOT for wusses!
(alternative reading of the situation: I AM a huge wuss and just didn't realize it!)


The first tape consisted of 45 minutes of jumping while twisting and punching above my head. Oh, and ab work. I hate ab work. But the ab work in this one wasn't so bad.

The second tape consisted of 45 minutes of, as far as I could tell, triceps and abs. And abs. All with weights. Oh, I forgot: the butt, too.

I had to take the day off on Monday because my butt hurt so much. My calves weren't feeling so hot, either, but my butt was on fire.

This might be because of my lack of training this last year. But I don't think so. Sure, I haven't been doing long runs or really fast runs but I have been lifting weights and a 'not-long-run' includes 14-milers.

Sigh. My butt still hurts. I don't know if I can face these videos anytime soon.

I Know, I Know......Just Another Ten-Mile Run

More soup today........weather soup, not real soup, alas.

I've been having a craving for real soup.

Which reminds me......why is it that Potbelly doesn't serve a lot of soup? The sign is quite misleading. It does not scream "sandwich" to me. No. It screams "I am stirring up a delicious batch of soup inside my cast iron belly."

Ok. Put that way, that's pretty disturbing. But enough about soup.

I combined some shorter runs to get my requisite ten miles in.

After running down 3rd street NW, I took in the sights of the Capitol as I trundled down the Mall and back around.

Next, a new part! Back down to Independence and across the side of the Capitol building, braving a steep incline, then veering right onto Pennsylvania Avenue.

New resolution: adding more hills into my solo routes. I've noticed that I have been tending towards the flatter and easier runs. Inherently a slacker? Maybe. I have run a mere three times this week, after all.

Down Pennsylvania and then a left onto 8th street SE. A block or two more like what I remembered this neighborhood to have looked like, then back to yuppy yards and benches set out without locks and chains.

Up to Massachusetts Avenue and then right down to RFK. I like this new loop because I can say I did steps.

When Im in my bragging mode, I neglect to mention that usually shuffle-walk up and down them.

Around the stadium and then back up East Capitol. It's slightly uphill the whole way back. So I feel great on the way there and then start moaning and whining to myself on the return.
Hehe.
Reading this, I doubt my former running partners are sighing nostalgically about running with me in moaning and whining mode.

You see, I am really good at that. To the point where a cat in heat, meowling alongside, might be better company.

I haven't started singing glam rock tunes recently, at least. I save that for Party Girl.

Anyway, I turned right onto 4th street NE and ran down to H street, the better to re-examine this trendy spot in the light of day. The Verbsl Rapier and I had gone clubbing here a few weeks ago but night-time and daylight are very different dressing-rooms. Night-time is more like Glamour Shots, while daytime is more like the Kmart dressing room when you are trying on that new two-piece.

Amazingly, it still looked pretty interesting. Like a fit biker chick showing a bit of hard wear.

Another big hump over the 1st street bridge, then bsck down to Massachusetts Avenue NW, where I went around the block to ensure a legit 10 miles.

Now to decide whether to brave the rain and the long run in VA tomorrow........

Soup

That's what the air felt like. An off-warm gazpacho. With all the implied slimyness.

Ugh. "I really shouldn't push it too hard! It's really humid, after all."

What a great excuse!

I got some edumacation and art appreciation as I ran over to Congress, then down Independence by all those museums, and over past the Washington Monument. After a contemplative loop of the Lincoln Memorial, I headed down to the water side over to the Rock Creek Trail connector.

Then back the way I came.

about 10 miles.

Oh, and this is typed on a snazzy new computer. Whee!

Two hard drives in less than two weeks was a bad omen for the last one.

Was it the Cheese?

Or the sugar? After all, I had way too much of both on Sunday and Monday morning.

Or, perhaps, none of the above.

Whatever it was, it turned my early-afternoon run into a phlemy, low-energy one. About all this run was good for was to ensure I got enough vitamin D.

Ok: it wasn't THAT bad. Cramps and such were present but didn't ruin the run. And I did get in some hills.

After touring the Mall, I ran back up to Union Station and did part of the Saturday run up MBT and over on Michigan to Harvard St and Columbia Heights before turning onto 13th and taking that back down to Massachusetts Avenue and home.

About 11 miles. Slowly.

Then some weights.

I need to swear off sticky buns......and Twizzlers........And fried cheese.

Yes, I had all three yesterday.

p.s. -- Just found out that National Sticky Bun Day is February 21st. Wow.

Dropped

I got dropped today.

Biking down to the Iwo Jima Memorial, I knew today was not my day, for a variety of reasons. I didnt realize what a factor the humidity would be, however: on the way there, I started dreaming of my toasty orange pullover. A great eye-candy combination with my psychedelic black, blue, purple and pink skirt.

But I had woken up in time for the run and my muscles weren't too sore from weight-lifting and high-stepping Friday, so I went ahead and started the 14-mile loop.

A new loop for everyone.

"Make sure to run with someone else in case you miss a turn", the coordinator announced.

Well, I tried. Went off and, soon, a group came up right behind me. I ran with them for about 5 miles.

I slowed down/they sped up/some combination of the two and I was hanging on with my finger and toenails.

Seeing them ahead but running by myself. Where's my music when I need it?

Dropped like a derivative portfolio.

This group is big enough (and maybe the runners are serious enough?) that no one really feels the need to wait for you. In a way, that's good: no need to keep waving someone off: "I'm fine. I'll see you at the finish."

But I don't know the area. And if I wanted to run by myself on Saturdays, I wouldn't make the effort to get up before 5:00am to make this run - especially on little sleep.

After the water stop, around 7 1/2 miles in, two other people got dropped, too. I managed to catch up with them and we ran the rest of the way together.

The woman, who I had run a bit with the week before, started struggling a bit on Rock Creek Trail.

I made sure to keep an eye out and to wait a bit for her.

Meanwhile, I hung on for dear life to the end of the run, following another gentleman who knew where the last important turn occured.
Thank goodness I stayed with him: I would never have seen it.

After about mile 10, I knew my legs were feeling bad when I had to switch the song in my head to "Welcome to the Jungle". That's my race song/get your butt moving/keep desperately plodding along song. Interestingly, my lungs weren't too bad. It was definitely my legs. They aren't used to going over a trundle these days.

I never, ever used to get side cramps. What is it about DC that seems to breed them in me like a virus?! I was fending off one for the last 5 miles.

At the end, that Gatorade was well-received. Not a single part of my shirt was dry. It's too bad that wet t-shirt contests aren't usually scheduled for Saturday mornings before 10:00am.

For those of you who know DC, here was the route. It was hilly but quite interesting.


MBT Loop

Start Iwo Jima
Head over Mem Bridge
Run to the south of the Lincoln and Reflecting Pool
Run by the Washington Monument and along the Mall
Run past the Capitol on the Senate side
At the top of Capitol Hill, turn left and run right by the Russell
building onto Delaware Ave toward Union Station
Run down First St NE
Turn Right on M
Right by the NY Ave Metro, run up the ramp onto the MBT
Run north on the MBT until it ends on 8th St NE
Run up 8th St NE
Turn left on Monroe
Turn Left when it turns into Michigan
Stay on Michigan past the Hospital Center
After Hospital Center and reservoir, run on Harvard then on Columbia
Get on to Calvert and head toward the Rock Creek entrance
Run down Rock Creek
Take M and then Key Bridge and then back to Iwo Jima

about 14 1/2 running and a bit over 8 biking.

I need a nap.

A Very Different Experience

This morning, as a turn-around run, I ran out to meet some people from DC Capital Striders.

Stanton Park is cute. So is Lincoln Park. I saw both during this run.

SE has gotten so much nicer in the part between Union Station and RFK!

So, nice scenery, nice people, nice weather. All of that sounds similar to my run last night.

But, the pace was far, far different.

I was ready for a relaxing run, after I exerted myself more than usual last night.

But I actually found it hard to go as slowly as we went. I kept having to slow down and wait to catch up with the two in the back.

So, when we were done, I decided to do another loop. Yes, I am doing another loop willingly, which is unlike me. Everyone knows my hatred of multiple loops.

But my imagination left me and we had run only about 4 together. So I ran back down Massachusetts Ave., around RFK Stadium, and back up East Capital. After a bobble at the end I found my way back to Massachusetts Ave. and ran the last mile home.

At the end, I was definitely dehydrated (I didn't bring my water bottles) and my calves were tired. But I'm glad I did another loop. With the first, I didn't feel like I had exercised really at all.

So, to run with them again? We will see......

Crosswords and Weightlifting

Two things that likely don't go together in peoples' minds. But they are quite similar!

Both, when done properly, cause you to exert yourself.

Both, when done properly, boost your feelings of accomplishment and self-esteem.

And, I had been slacking on both for a while!

My crossword-doing had gone by the wayside during moving and paper-revising: though, really, I've had enough time to do them. No real excuse except the sad fact that, however much time I have, whether a little or a lot, I manage to fill it up with whatever chores I have for that day.

It might be one, it might be ten. Doesn't matter.

"What did you do today?" "Oh, it was rough. I had to paint my toenails! Took all day!"

Yeah.

But doing them all in a row actually helped me see some of the overlapping themes more clearly, which was kind of neat.

I still don't like doing Sunday's on the computer, though. There MUST be a place near me that sells the NYT on Sundays!

Weightlifting, on the other hand, I haven't done in ages, except some moonlighting.

But my new digs have a gym: a beautiful, woefully underused gym. I've determined I can't let that go to waste.

So I used it yesterday. Nothing too crazy: two sets instead of three, and such.

But, as I wince while I type today, I have realized that doing push-ups once or twice a week does not a strong person make!

Ouch.

Well, off to try another group and a different run. I'll be sore all over when I get back, if I'm lucky

Potomac Runners

An evening run, for the first time in a while!

6:15, I met up with the Potomac Runners by 3rd and Pennsylvania, NW.

Immediately, people were friendly and open. I felt great trying out a run with this bunch of strangers.

Around the reflecting pool and through part of the Mall with the fast people, before they ran off into the distance.

I stayed back with the slightly-less-fast people.

We went over to the Mt. Vernon Trail and then to Iwo Jima, around the memorial and over the Memorial Bridge.

Then, around the monuments some - including the Washington Monument, and back around to the end.

9 mile loop with them and 1 1/2 more round-trip from my house.

I wasn't breathing that hard - except for the hills! I don't care what they say, there are HILLS here, at least for this flatlander! - but my legs were tired and I was tired.

"Wow, this is kind of hard", I thought.

But why? Then, I realized. I haven't pushed myself very much at all for a long time. Doing that at all is foreign to me. That's what seemed hard: not the ACTUAL exertion but the fact that I had to exert myself in this way at all.

I couldn't even talk that much!

Now, I likely shouldn't exert myself that much most of the time: I'm not really supposed to. But sometimes should be ok, right?

And it was really fun. I didn't speak much but I smiled a lot. In between spitting and a bit of coughy breathing.

Plus, water fountains! I won't have to bring my water bottles!

So I might try Thursday. They have a shorter run on Thursdays. We will see......
about 10 1/2

Stupid Digestive Process

If it weren't for that, I would have been able to go out at 6:00am today.

Instead, as I woke up late,I had to wait an hour for my food to get settled. I rather envy those people who can go out running without eating first.

7:00am is too late for a hassle-free crossing over to Georgetown, I discovered. Start-stop-start-stop-start-stop-start.

From 4th street and Mass Ave until K and 25th. Sigh.

Finally, I got to the underpass on Water Street and headed out to the Capital Crescent Trail.

With the exception of the stopping and waiting, the run went pretty well-despite my problems sleeping the night before.

Cool weather mitigated the intense humidity.

Yay for the trail! I got to go almost two miles on the wooded part.

Alas, on the way back, my run coincided with that of another.

Normally, this can be nice. I can motivate myself either by passing that person or by trying to speed up after that person passes me.

But this man, who appeared to be commuting somewhere, as he had a small wallet-carrying backpack on, was not so cooperative.

Was he doing intervals? Was he doing that run-walk thing? I do not know.

Jog-run-stop-walk-jog-run-stop-walk

So irritating. I passed him or he passed me every half mile or so.

It totally messed up my groove.

Luckily, he turned off on the Rock Creek trail. So I was able to run back home without that distraction.

Just more of stop-start-stop-start-stop

I've got to try this run earlier.

What a Good Idea

Zip car......Too expensive
Taxi.....Where would I find one at 6:00am?
Metro.....Doesn't run that early
Running.....Maybe if I were in shape

Aha! Take that bike out for a spin!

Emulating Story Finder, I unearthed my creaky bicycle.

Well, not quite like Story Finder: hers is a custom racing bike. I forwent my non-custom old-as-heck racing bike for my custom even older-than-heck original Stump Jumper.

I was commuting, you see.

And, yes, I did say 'original Stump Jumper'. The first mass-produced trail bike.

The bike that's older than most of my fellow incoming classmates.

I had a bit too much fun wrestling with the tires, trying to inflate them in low sloping concrete bike room.

Curses were thrown and arms were sore.

But I got it done and headed off to meet the runners in VA.

Riding a bike, when you are not expected to try to go fast, is FUN! I had forgotten!

Staying out in the middle of the lane, I still couldn't help but look back nervously, waiting for a car to run up too fast on my rear tire.

On the way back, I took the shameful route on the sidewalk part of the way.

I know: I'd have yelled at me, too. sidewalks are for predestrians!

But the massive amounts of traffic moving at speeds in excess of 50 mph scared me enough.

I'll try to be more brave next time. Or, I'll just yell at myself!

"Hey, you! Get back on the road where you belong!"

a loop: mainly in Virginia and at least 16 miles. I KNEW I shouldn't do that.

"Best thing, is to do an out-and-back."

"Anyone else going short?"

How embarrassing. Being one of those 'going short'. But there was at least one. I noted him for the way back. I had brought neither my water bottles nor my music, in anticipation of my bike ride there and back.

Out to Mt. Vernon trail, then around Reagan (or, is it 'National' now? I never remember), then off onto the 4-mile trail that, hilariously, has mile markers for miles 7 and 8 on its four miles.

Over to the W and OD. Through this, I had been running with a very chatty woman who was training for the Baltimore marathon and a very quiet woman who mainly just ran right behind us.

The chatty woman stopped to find a bush and the quiet one opened up a bit. She had run NY, as well. And she suggested some weekday runs I could go to.

As long as I remember the name of the shoe store.......Well, that's what Google search is for, right?

I knew I had already passed the 6-mile turn-around mark and was going further than I had planned.

I justified this by thinking, "Well, it will be better to go further and to get some water for the run back."

Plus, at the water station, I got to talk to this one cute little short man again. I have such a weakness for them!

Ah.

ANd, I got to see what all the fuss was about.

Behold: Weenie Beanie!

What a Good Idea!

To bike to VA yesterday morning.


I accidentally erased my long post about this. So you will be spared. (ACTUALLY, NO YOU WON'T. I found it. It is the first of this name! Two overly-long meanderings for the price of one!!!! aren't you lucky?!)

But, hopefully, you will see the image I say when I ran over the distance I had planned, on the excuse that I should go to the water stop before turning around, to stay hydrated. The real reason: I hate leaving the other runners, especially when I am having a good run and when I'm actually meeting some of them.

Plus, my new running boyfriend was ahead of me.

But I turned around after Weenie Beenie, and headed back with another guy who was 'going short'.

Sigh. 'Going short'. Just like how they announced it to all the other runners at the beginning of the run.

I'm not sure I like being that person.

The guy I was with was really struggling, so we took it slow. I mean, really slow. Including doing some walking. "I've got to drink some water" was the classic save-face excuse he used. Fair enough: we've all been there. It's not like I am training for anything!

Second-favorite sight, after Weenie Beenie: Under a bridge, before we got back to the Four-MIle Trail, the airport and the Mt. Vernon trail, were spiders. Masses of them, weaving webs between metal bars on the fence that separated the running path from the water.

Hard to see except the glints of the webs in the grey half-light. Wow.

At the very end, after getting lost, we were near enough to the memorial that I took off again. He walked.

Exchanged some words with some cute boys and then jumped on my bike to ride home.

Just in time for some rain. Nice.

after getting home, I realized why bikers tend to wear black bike shorts: my orange skirt had a huge black stripe going up the back, thanks to my too-old bike seat on my ancient custom (original!) Stump Jumper.

It happened on the way back. At least, I hope it did!

14-something run, 8-something bike. Ah.

'Splorin'

My first planned exploration!

Mapmyrun is great for this: just like I used to, I planned out my route, wrote it down on a piece of paper and folded it up into my water bottle.

And, like usual in a new place or doing a totally new route, I didn't actually follow all of what I had written down.

i.e. - I got a bit lost. But that is part of the point! Getting safely lost makes you learn the city in a way that you wouldn't otherwise.

Down 4th Avenue, jog over to 3rd, then down to Independence. Left onto 7th and I am in new territory. All the way down to the waterfront.

Sadly, the waterfront isn't very visible on Maine Avenue. So I don't cross over to the water side. Which I should have done, had I wanted to actually follow my original route!

As it was, the road separates. I found myself lost. Hehe. After running around on 12th, I ran over to 14th, then ran on the far side of Independence, as opposed to the side I've been running on, until forced to get back onto the other side because of construction.

That's ok: it's always good to see something familiar, too!

Around the Lincoln Memorial to 23rd, then over to New Hampshire Avenue to Dupont Circle. Then, over to Massachusetts and up to the Navy Observatory.

It is HILLY for this Brooklyn girl up in the NW!!!!!!

Especially on Embassy Row.

I loved Embassy Row. So much to ogle! A nosy person's dream. Almost made me forget the 2-mile hill I was running up.

Almost.

After going around the Observatory, I ran back down Massachusetts, all the way home.

My legs were kinda tired at the end-a danger when 'splorin'. If you don't know the route, you don't know the hills. If you don't know the hills, you don't know how tired you might be.

Which might be a danger for tomorrow, given the long run planned.

But it was great, anyway.

I went slowly, partly because of the time, partly because of the traffic, partly because of the route, and partly because of the unfamiliarity of it.

Lovely. About 10 and 1/2

Great!

I added on some extra distance, and an extra hill, at the beginning of the Mall and I went straight onto Rock Creek Parkway, instead of going over to the CCT.

Otherwise, the run was geographically the same as Tuesday's run.

Boy, though, the mood was different.

74 degrees at the start and much less humidity. And one day off beforehand.

Did these make the difference?

Sure, I got that traveling cramp again. Sure, I had to take my inhaler at the halfway point.

But my mood stayed fantastic!

I wasn't running fast but I was trying to work my arms and get in some short tempo distances up the hills.

Wonderful.

I love it when that happens.

Bad Legs

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Three days off in a row, with two days of biking before that.

And a day of biking on Monday.

So my legs should be fine!

But my whole body was a big lump today.

First, I couldn't get up out of bed. Then, I couldn't get motivated.

Once I finally went out for a run, it was really, really humid. Like, I soaked my shirt and sweat was running down from my armpits to my waist humid. In the first two to three miles.

And I don't usually sweat that much! Just ask around!

Something was off. My lungs were fine and, while I had that annoying cramp in my side again, it only surfaced near the end for about a mile.

And I wasn't going fast:far from it. I found moss on my north side at the turnaround.

I went over to the Lincoln Memorial again, then down on the path the pedestrians had suggested on Saturday-the one that took me by the river.

Over to the river, I checked my IMap on my phone.
"Darn! Still a mile to go!"

I could always turn around.......
But I didn't. Stubborn me had decided that I would to ten miles and stubborn me would do ten miles even if they were awful, lumpy, half-done amateur cupcakes of miles.

Even the frosting was bad on these cupcakes. And I LOVE most frosting!

Interesting info I gathered, though: the trail I was on (Rock Creek Park Trail) would have, had I continued, connected with the trail that goes around Severna Park. And the turn-off I chose for my last quarter-mile or so out ended up taking my to the start of the Capital Crescent Trail in Georgetown!

Good stuff to know for a day when my legs, soul, stomach and the rest were feeling better.

I made it back. But felt nauseous at the end and so, had to try to lie down for a minute, further derailing my day.

Maybe I should just take a whole day off tomorrow? Without even biking? I need to feel better my next run. Else my stubbornness might run out.

Ten arduous miles around the river, tourists and monuments.

The planes going into Reagan make me nervous. They are so low over the water!

A List

Things I saw while working by the pond, and en route, with my dad:


Multitudes of huge water spiders, many with egg sacs attached.

A ginormous vole-like thing almost the size of a rat (but not a rat) that was extremely well-fed and extremely nonplussed that I was raking up its handy foliage cover.

Several frogs

Evidence of beavers. They can really girdle a tree!

A male wild turkey that decided to chase off my dad's car. I thought my dad was going to get pecked!

Two deer feasting on the delectable flowers in the new funeral wreaths placed at the Falls Road cemetery.

Lots and lots of sweat.

Recovery

Saturday's run took a lot out of me. Specifically, my thighs.

Interesting, actually. on the run itself, I was predicting my rear end. I wonder, did my stride change a bit to compensate, putting stress on my quads?

Anyway, I wanted to start the week off right. No lolling in bed for me! Off I went, around the courthouses, around congress, over to the start of the Mall.

Even before I got to Independence, I had passed about six "important heritage sites"!

Down Independence to the Washington monument, then around and in that park, seeing I still had some miles to go, I forced my quads to trundle off to Georgetown before heading back home.


Monuments are majestic. They are awe-inspiring. They are also quite impersonal. And you can't see into the windows of museums. I understand that, for most museums, the curators likely wouldn't want you to see the displays for free but, in the case of the Smithsonians, they ARE free! So why can't they give a sneak peek, as it were, while one is running by?

Verdict: it's more interesting to run by houses and apartments. Seeing their landscaping, window treatments and, if I'm lucky, some of their furniture or interiors is so much more personal and interesting!

Ok, and maybe slightly creepy. But interesting! Helps me figure out my own decor!

7.25 slow, slow miles.

I Found Virginia

Very Hilly!

DC Roadrunners have a Saturday long run. Other groups, including one that starts from Georgetown, have Sunday long runs.

Looking forward to the school year, Sunday will be my one 'sleep in' day.

No need for an early morning run that day!

So off to meet the Roadrunners I went.

"Hmm. No metro on Saturday mornings. Maybe I should just run there."

Off at 6:00am to meet at 7:00am at the Iwo Jima Memorial.

Fitting: I've been reading Flags of Our Fathers.

Except, as usual, I got lost. Thank goodness I built in time for that!

"Excuse me....Where is....?"

Over and over.

Which didn't prevent me from accidentally getting on the highway near the memorial.

A little "oops!" and some serious two-way peering and some quick shuffle-and-jump and there I was, across the highway and near the memorial. Thank goodness there wasn't much traffic!

After accosting some more people, I found the meet-up for the Roadrunners.

Wow. Super organized. Loads of people - and, I found out later, that was only half of the Saturday morning runners, there being a 6:00am group, as well.

Gatorade and water to begin. They even had 'course maps' to distribute!

Wow.

I was quiet, just looking around and seeing who seemed to be there. A lot of very, very fit people.

All the women were super fit. I sucked in a bit to try to pass.

"Sarah?"

Yay! A familiar face! I had totally forgotten that a PPTC member had defected down to DC. He was part of this group!

Awesome.

We started off. I knew I had to keep up, even though I was feeling tired and was toting my water bottles because, while I had a map of the course, the best thing I could do with it would be to show it to someone I met and beg to know where in the heck I was!

So off I went.

Virginia is hilly!!!!!!!

Almost as hilly as Durham.

(I know that the Speedy Blonde will read this and laugh. Ok: it's not as hilly as Colorado. But I'm coming from Brooklyn, for pete's sake!)

I have no real idea where we went. But there were a lot of subdivisions, a lot of paved trails, some forest trails, two different Glebe Roads, the Custis Trail, the W & OD Trail, and the CCT trail that I was on yesterday.

It's amazing how much my energy picked up when I recognized where we were on the CCT trail.

Interesting how that works. It speaks to running or, at least, driving, the route of a race - something I (almost) never do.

We also had a WATER STOP, staffed by spouses of runners, during part of the route!!!!

With Gatorade! And ice!

I took some Gatorade and washed down half a GU with that.

Guess I don't need those water bottles as much as I thought!

In Georgetown, I re-thought trying to run back to my house and finished the run with my former teammate. He had kindly offered to give me a ride back and I'd be stupid not to take him up on it!

Thoughts for getting to VA on the weekends? Besides a taxi? I'm thinking Zip Car?

Because the shortest route today was 12 miles. That meant I ended up running at least 16, if not more.

I was planning on 12, tops.

My doctor will be mad. My legs and knees already are.

oops.

As a thought, I think I like running by peoples' houses better than running by museums. You can't see how people live running by a museum.

But the Lincoln Memorial was pretty impressive. I had forgotten how far away it was from the rest of the monuments.

Eating Lots of Candy

Especially when you are adding in sugar-free candy, is NOT the best idea the day before your first run in a new city.

Or, so I found out!

I really should have known better: haven't I gone down the sugar-free candy route before?!

Flashback to NC, where I couldn't stand up because of the stomach pains......

Ok: don't need to remember any more of those incidents!

The point is, I really did know better. But I ate it all anyway.

Which is what i do, with candy. No more for me! I swear!

.....I stepped out of the house with high expectations but a bit of a late start, having spent too much time investigating routes on the Internet.

Off I went, looking to meet up with the Capital Crescent Trail!

And then there i stopped, at almost every light. Intervals? Not really.

Note to self: trying to run across town at 8:00am is not the best idea.

Having gotten a bit lost in places, and after much head-scratching as to how to get across the highway on K (you have to do the pedestrian equivalent of a shimmy-bop-heel-toe-heel-switch-and-change), I got to Water Street in Georgetown and the beginning of the trail.

Actually, it was good that I had all those stoplights: my stomach cramps had me doubled over at many of those intersections.

Ow. Ow. Ow.

Especially fun in anew city where you don't know the locations of handy bathrooms!

The trail was awesome. I'd love to go more than the mile plus I ran before I turned back.

Maybe when I've got company......

More stomach cramps. I looked so hard-core, bending over at the waist and clutching my stomach, like I had just been doing serious windsprints.

At least I looked good for my public!

The reality was much different.

In fact, there was some walking involved at the end of this run.

I never did get to ten miles.

Sanitation wins out over duration, sometimes.

That is likely for the best.

9.75 (mainly running) miles.

Moving

I managed to run 3 miles Saturday morning, before the first leg of a rather crazy move. It went really quickly, with my mind racing ahead of itself.

I definitely noticed that my legs were really tired, though.

So it's good, I guess, that the next two days I rode a stationary bike for an hour at my parents' house.

That and moving furniture.

But Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off was really too much.

Back in the saddle next week.
Sigh.

I couldn't have moved and unpacked without Suave, though. Thanks for saving my sanity!

If only I could finish unpacking those final boxes!

But that bookshelf is coming soon and soon, so soon, I will be all unpacked! Yay!