Monthly Archives: February 2006

Whoops!

Well, I’ve never run an 8K race before…

Dear St. Patrick’s Day 10K Registrant:

We want to take this opportunity to let you know about a couple of changes to the St. Patrick’s Day race in Washington, DC.

After almost a year of effort and the development of numerous courses, we were unable to get a 10K course approved by the District of Columbia government for the 2006 race. Fortunately, a new certified 8K course was developed this year for another race from Freedom Plaza, and we have received approval to use that course instead.

Continue reading Whoops!

Two updates, 9 days apart

Start time: 02/18/06, 2:00pm
Location: Hotel Treadmill
Distance: 3.5 miles
Average pace: 9:31min/mile

Start time: 02/27/06, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:35min/mile

I totally forgot to post the one update from my vacation. In short, the area around the hotel stunk when it came to safely running so I stuck with a treadmill. I also should’ve stuck with not eating fast food an hour beforehand, which sat in my stomach like a ball of lead. My originally-planned 5-miler got cut a bit short, but better something than nothing.

Finally got back out and running today. Julie was sans allergy medicine (oops) and I could hear her huffing and puffing next to me. The week and a half off probably didn’t help either. I was originally going to knock out two extra miles afterwards, but my hamstrings were feeling tight, so another run cut short. Better safe than sorry, right?

This closes the month out with 45 miles; three less than January, but still more than February 2005. Not too bad.

Making sure we don’t break our necks.

Start time: 02/15/06, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:57min/mile

Snow, snow, and more snow was still on the trail. Julie and I took it easy, trying to keep from wiping out on the snow-covered trail. Not a bad time, all things considered.

Hopefully the next I’m running will be out in LA, but considering where our hotel is, that run might be on a treadmill! Ugh.

Double Update

Start time: 02/09/06, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:40min/mile

Technically a few seconds slower per mile than Tuesday, but much more consistant; Julie peaked fast on Tuesday and the times slid (as happens when you haven’t run for three weeks) but Thursday was really on pace and good. Yay!

Start time: 02/11/06, 8:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 12 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 5:1
Average pace: 10:45min/mile

I ran with a bunch of my pace group from last training season (the first time in a while) and the results were… interesting. Some of them were running a 20-miler so several of us joined them partway into their run. Their pace was all over the place and I just tried to tag along as best I could. An… interesting morning.

Together again!

Start time: 02/07/06, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 4 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:36min/mile

The last time I ran with Julie was back on the 17th, so it was good to get back out with her three weeks later. A bit of chit-chat, a bit of both of us just thinking in silence… but good, good company. It’s nice to be back.

Finally, double-digits again.

Start time: 02/05/06, 9:30am
Location: Rock Creek Park
Distance: 10.5 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 10:30min/mile???

I went running with Tod and Doug this morning; it was a cold, sort of blustery sort of day at times, but I couldn’t beat the company or the scenery of Rock Creek Park. The only real downside was that early on we ended up going through a flooded section of a running trail, which resulted in mud and water going into my shoes. Ugh. Even better, I’m pretty sure it was what caused the blister on the bottom of my foot that made the last miles a bit… less than pleasurable in places. Due to one or two stops we didn’t get an accurate time for our actual running, so the pace is a guess. We may very well have had a better pace going on, but better over than under for my records.

Ugh

Start time: 02/02/06, 6:00pm
Location: Custis Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Run:Walk ratio: 6:1
Average pace: 9:52min/mile

Bleah. The Custis Trail is hard enough on a good day… and this was anything but one. I’d planned on running 4 or 5 miles, and after a mile and a half I was turning around. Between a stitch in my side almost instantly, my foot starting to hurt, feeling exhausted, and making a wrong turn briefly, enough was enough. Sometimes it’s important to know when to just call it quits. Ah well, next time will be better.