Category Archives: 05mi

Split Shift

0, 04mi, 05mi, 09mi, tempo

Start time: 8/16/07, 7:30am & 6:30pm
Location: Clarendon/CourtHouse/Rosslyn & W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles & 4 miles
Average pace: 8:50min/mile & 8:38min/mile

Now, I’ve been told for years that splitting up a long run into two portions throughout the day will give you the same benefits as running it all at once, and that various studies have confirmed such ideas. But, I’ll be honest, I’ve always been a little wary of that. As my scheduled Thursday runs get longer, though, splitting them up into morning and evening seems like a better and better plan. So, today I chopped my 9-miler into two segments.

The morning part started out well, but around halfway through with a huge uphill trudge and enough humidity to make me feel like a smear on the pavement, I was definitely slowing down; by mile 4, I couldn’t take it anymore and I ended up taking a minute walk break to help recharge somewhat. Oof. Not a pleasant run.

The evening part was hotter, yet I ended up actually doing a lot better. It was only the third mile that really brought my average down; I was pretty pleased with my splits overall (8:40, 8:34, 8:54, 8:24) and I felt like I could’ve kept going for another mile or two at that pace. Well, if it wasn’t for the fact that I was so sweat-soaked I was afraid I was going to pour out of my clothing. As I told a friend later, only three times before have I ever been so miserable while running that I took my shirt off, but if tonight’s run had been any longer it would’ve been the fourth. Oof!

Highs and Lows

0, 04mi, 05mi, lactate threshold run, tempo

Start time: 7/17/07, 6:15pm
Location: McLean High School
Distance: ~4.25 miles
Average pace: 9:40min/mile & 7:00min/mile

It was sickeningly hot on Tuesday, yet somehow Laura and I had a really good set of LTRs. We kicked some serious butt, and I was delighted with how on-the-dot we were. This was a good prelude, then, to…

Start time: 7/19/07, 7:30am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:39min/mile

…my crappy tempo run, which doesn’t look bad until you realize it was supposed to actually be a 7-miler. I just felt run down and a tiny bit sick as it progressed, until I finally just decided that enough was enough. I’d been smart enough to weigh myself right before leaving. Upon returning? 2.5 pounds of water sweated out. Ouch. Too hot, and bad hydration equals a crappy run. I must try and keep that in mind. (How long have I been doing this?)

Tempolicious

0, 05mi, tempo

Start time: 6/14/07, 7:30pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:28min/mile

I was a tiny bit worried about this tempo run–would I be able to hit my 8:30s ok? It had been a while, after all. Thankfully… no problems whatsoever. Yay! I’m starting to get the hang of this crazy running thing.

Scavenger Hunt

0, 05mi, custis, pacers arlington

Start time: 5/3/07, 7:00pm
Location: Clarendon and the Custis Trail
Distance: 5.4 miles
Average pace: 8:57min/mile

This was both fun and deadly; a scavenger hunt as part of a running route. It started out like the normal Tuesday Clarendon run from Pacers, but we went the opposite direction on the Custis Trail and ran a little over an extra mile as a result. The course? Also full of hills. Yay, hills.

But hey, I won a $100 gift certificate so I’m not complaining!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=921565

Tidal

0, 05mi

Start time: 3/20/07, 7:00pm
Location: National Mall and Tidal Basin
Distance: 5.4 miles
Average pace: 8:42min/mile

I met Del down by the Foggy Bottom station and we went for a run together; first down to the Mall and down Constitution Avenue, then we crossed over first to Independence Avenue and around the Tidal Basin before heading by the World War II Memorial and then back up Constitution and to H Street where we called it a night. Good pace, good company.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=788452

“Don’t you forget about me.”

0, 05mi, pacers alexandria

Start time: 2/27/07, 7:00pm
Location: Old Town Alexandria
Distance: 5.42 miles
Average pace: 9:19min/mile

Went running with the Pacers Alexandria group tonight and it was a good run; the first two miles have a bit of uphill—especially mile 2—but it was a good start (9:32, 9:51). And from there? Very good progress indeed. (9:10, 9:13, 8:58, and an 8:53average for the final portion.) So, a good sign.

One of the women I was running with asked what my last marathon was and I’d mentioned it was Florence. “Oh,” she said, “a friend of mine just did that for his first marathon.” Turns out said friend was John. *sigh* It’s a small, small world indeed, isn’t it?

Vroom

0, 05mi, pacers alexandria

Start time: 1/4/07, 7:00pm
Location: Old Town Alexandria
Distance: 5.1 miles
Average pace: 9:13min/mile

The regulars were all back on Thursday—and then some. The managers at Pacers said that this was the largest turn-out in the run’s history, and I’d believe it; there were at least 30 people there, probably more. With a lot of new people and a confusing course, it meant that we got a slow start with a bunch of people at our pace tagging along. Without about a mile and a half to go I started picking up speed which felt good, averaging for the last bit around an 8:20 without breathing hard or feeling like I was racing. Hopefully next week we’ll be able to start earlier at a faster clip; I like the people I run with but at the same time I also need to look out for my own running needs. I’d like to be able to go a little faster on these runs.

One final Pacers run for 2006

0, 05mi, pacers alexandria

Start time: 12/28/06, 7:00pm
Location: Old Town Alexandria
Distance: 5.5 miles
Average pace: 8:48min/mile

Well, the plan was to get one last run in with Chris, Darryl, Sonia, and company down at Pacers tonight. The reality? None of them showed up! It was a tiny turn-out, less than ten people, the smallest I’ve ever seen in Alexandria. I ran with Guy, who I’m pretty sure is a faster runner than I am for this sort of thing. The way out down Eisenhower Avenue we did good, a 23:32 time for the 2.75 mile course. On the way back I had a nasty stitch in my side that simply wouldn’t go away (ugh) and we slowed down a tiny bit with a 24:53 time. Still, an 8:48min/mile average, which isn’t too bad. Considering how much bad-for-Greg food that was eaten over the last week, I’ll take it!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=606386

Desperately Seeking Negative Split

0, 05mi, 10mi

Start time: 12/23/06, 8:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles & 5 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 4:1/3:1 & 7:1
Average pace: 11:13min/mile & 9:20min/mile

Human Pyramid!I headed out this morning for another round with my 2005 group; the plan was I’d run five miles out with Carla, Chanty, and Randy, before taking the second five miles back by myself at a faster pace. The way out was a nice warm-up, although Carla hadn’t been able to run for a couple of weeks and was definitely feeling it. She and Chanty decided to slow down for the last mile before we split off (a little early, in fact), which was fine by me. Randy offered to run back with me, so we started getting rolling but a little slowly; a 9:53, and then (yikes) a 10:38. The nice thing is that we automatically picked it up at that point without having to say anything, pushing up to a 9:22 and then deciding to take the next mile even faster: a 7:43. The last mile was a 9:04 (Randy was feeling the burn) which was still a good way to end the run.

And then, having gone crazy, Randy and our friend Katie (who had run with Julie) decided that since it was “red and black” day the three of us should pose for a picture. And that picture involved a human pyramid of sorts.

No, I don’t get it either. And yet this is why I must run with them! You never know why you’re going to otherwise miss out on a pyramid making session.

Oh yes, and lest I forget… no knee strap, no pain. I’ll keep one in my water belt for a couple of months just to be certain, but I think (knock on wood) that my knee strap days are finally over.

Yet another Pacers Alexandria Route

0, 05mi, pacers alexandria

Start time: 12/21/06, 7:00pm
Location: Old Town Alexandria
Distance: 5.16 miles
Average pace: 9:03min/mile

I am starting to lose track of how many Old Town Alexandria routes I have, now. This one was pretty scenic, though; a lot of running down on Union Street, which is the last cross street in Old Town before the water, and where things like the Torpedo Factory are located. Lots of holiday lights up too; wish I’d had a camera. It was nice to run with Darryl and Sonia again; Darryl really pushes me a bit and I’m always feeling great by the end of the run and at a really good clip, too. Not out of breath or anything, but I feel like I had a good workout that gets me pretty jazzed up.

(No knee strap, no problems. Yay! No GPS either. Oops! It doesn’t help me much sitting on my desk. I think I mapped the route out correctly, and the distance matches up with what I was told: “Five and change.”)

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=597970