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