The battle against time on Monday must have pushed the engine too hard. I think I blew a gasket.
Around mid-morning on Tuesday it was clear that an illness was building. Fatigue was setting in. The throat had a mild tickle. Damn.
By evening, the verdict was delivered. Sick. Sore throat. No energy. The crud. And, overnight we got six inches of heavy wet snow. Add it all up and you have the perfect time for a trip to the East Coast. Up at 5 a.m. for a flight to Washington, D.C.
Despite feeling awful, I got out last night here in Arlington, Virginia for a six-mile run. Ran from the hotel down to the Potomac River, did a loop around Roosevelt Island, then ran a couple miles up the bike path along the river and looped back past the Iwo Jima Memorial. 50 minutes; 6+ miles (no GPS watch).
I hoped the run would ease the grip of the crud, but it didn't help. Glad I got out...the weather here is perfect - mild temps, light breeze, no humidity. Hope to kick this crap quickly.
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Back to It...Running in VA
After a few days off and a flight to D.C., jumped back into things with a 15-mile jaunt on just about every surface available...asphalt, concrete, dirt, rocks, gravel....
Distance: 15 miles
Time: 2:11
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Weather: Cloudy and warm
Ran from the hotel about 3.5 miles down theCurtis Custis Trail, a paved bike path along I-66, to Rosslyn and hopped on the Potomac Heritage Trail for 4+ miles of dirt. The PHT runs along the Potomac River through this part of VA and is the closet part of an evolving 800-mile collection of trails in the Potomac River watershed.
This part of the PHT is a rock and root-strewn stretch of singletrack that runs between the river and the George Washington Memorial Parkway above. The trees are still leafless here, so the views down to the river were unobstructed and beautiful. I scared up about half-dozen great blue herons and saw my first belted kingfisher of the year. Spring is coming quick here. Today's temps were in the 60s, warm enough to run shirtless, particularly with the humidity.
Ran the PHT to Chain Bridge, hung a right and ran across the bridge and descended down to the C&O Towpath, a wide crushed gravel path that parallels an old canal. Picked up the pace a bit along this long, flat stretch and ticked off the four mile trek back to Key Bridge in Georgetown at just below a 7-minute pace.
At this point, the race was on to see if I could finish the run before my back, which has been bugging me for the last five or so days and was the reason I took off Thursday - Sunday, tightened up too much and forced me to lope home. Fortunately, things held up and I was able to run steady the last four miles back over Key Bridge and up the Curtis Trail back to the hotel.
After a quick shower, I immediately headed out the door for some food and walked for another two miles to keep the blood going to hopefully hasten a return to a more normal running schedule.
Post walk and post-refueling, I returned to the hotel and started icing. Not sure what happened to tweak the back so bad. The discomfort has centered around the an area just to the left of the spine with some modest pain radiating into the left glute and around the left side into the region around the top left front of my pelvis. Been a bit anxious that I did something to my hip, but there's no impact-related pain. So, for now, I figure its just some annoying (really annoying) muscle strain.
Eager to see how things feel tomorrow.
Distance: 15 miles
Time: 2:11
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Weather: Cloudy and warm
Ran from the hotel about 3.5 miles down the
This part of the PHT is a rock and root-strewn stretch of singletrack that runs between the river and the George Washington Memorial Parkway above. The trees are still leafless here, so the views down to the river were unobstructed and beautiful. I scared up about half-dozen great blue herons and saw my first belted kingfisher of the year. Spring is coming quick here. Today's temps were in the 60s, warm enough to run shirtless, particularly with the humidity.
Ran the PHT to Chain Bridge, hung a right and ran across the bridge and descended down to the C&O Towpath, a wide crushed gravel path that parallels an old canal. Picked up the pace a bit along this long, flat stretch and ticked off the four mile trek back to Key Bridge in Georgetown at just below a 7-minute pace.
At this point, the race was on to see if I could finish the run before my back, which has been bugging me for the last five or so days and was the reason I took off Thursday - Sunday, tightened up too much and forced me to lope home. Fortunately, things held up and I was able to run steady the last four miles back over Key Bridge and up the Curtis Trail back to the hotel.
After a quick shower, I immediately headed out the door for some food and walked for another two miles to keep the blood going to hopefully hasten a return to a more normal running schedule.
Post walk and post-refueling, I returned to the hotel and started icing. Not sure what happened to tweak the back so bad. The discomfort has centered around the an area just to the left of the spine with some modest pain radiating into the left glute and around the left side into the region around the top left front of my pelvis. Been a bit anxious that I did something to my hip, but there's no impact-related pain. So, for now, I figure its just some annoying (really annoying) muscle strain.
Eager to see how things feel tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Arlington, VA - Steady
A steady, but chilly, run through North Arlington, Virginia on the snowy and icy bike paths, sidewalks and roads, plus a few laps on a local track.
Time: 1:06
Distance: 8.53 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Moderate-effort run from my hotel in the Rosslyn 'hood up the Curtiss Trail bike path to Washington & Lee High School. Was prepared to do a series of mile repeats. Unfortunately, track was covered in a layer of snow and ice. There were a handful of runners making the best of the conditions, so I joined in.
I managed to eek out a mile in 5:51 and an 800m interval in 2:50 before throwing in the towel. It was just too much work with the feet slipping a bit with each foot lift-off and running from lane to lane to try and find the most reasonable amount of traction.
Cruised back to the hotel through the Clarendon and Court House 'hoods, marveling at how much the commercial areas along Wilson Boulevard have been spruced up since I moved away from this town. Everything that was old then is new today. Vibrant restaurant blocks, a Whole Foods Market, tons of new apartment buildings, a fine bike shop, an Apple store... That said, I miss the funky, hole-in-the-wall hipster bars that used to be the draw. Most of them have been squeezed out.
Other stuff:
Got an e-mail confirmation from the Wasatch 100 folks that they had received my entry fee check. Next up...February 5th lottery. I gotta say, this whole lottery thing sucks. I totally get that races have to limit the number of runners...and the number of runners hoping to run many races is growing steadily. It's just frustrating that you have to wait for lottery results to know what you'll be doing next summer. (I know...it is what it is...and there's a lot of reasons why it is what it is.). Plus, for many folks, it means they have to develop contingency plans in the event that their number doesn't come up in lottery X or lottery Y. For exhibit #1, see Tony's latest post. I guess there's some solace to be had in the fact that for some races, even the top elite guys have to wait for lottery results with the rest of us.
I'm scratching the Moab Red Hot 50K off my 2011 race schedule. Work travel intervened and forced a change of plans. Plus, with recent injury issues, I haven't done a run of more than 13 miles since November. That issue, plus a family trip with out-of-town friends next weekend up to Breckenridge, will keep me away from the Ponderous Posterior 50K, as well. Sigh.
Really eager to watch what this guy does in 2011.
Decent article in Running Times on what new(ish) Boulder resident Scott Jurek is up to.
Another Running Times article...this one on Roes.
Time: 1:06
Distance: 8.53 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Moderate-effort run from my hotel in the Rosslyn 'hood up the Curtiss Trail bike path to Washington & Lee High School. Was prepared to do a series of mile repeats. Unfortunately, track was covered in a layer of snow and ice. There were a handful of runners making the best of the conditions, so I joined in.
I managed to eek out a mile in 5:51 and an 800m interval in 2:50 before throwing in the towel. It was just too much work with the feet slipping a bit with each foot lift-off and running from lane to lane to try and find the most reasonable amount of traction.
Cruised back to the hotel through the Clarendon and Court House 'hoods, marveling at how much the commercial areas along Wilson Boulevard have been spruced up since I moved away from this town. Everything that was old then is new today. Vibrant restaurant blocks, a Whole Foods Market, tons of new apartment buildings, a fine bike shop, an Apple store... That said, I miss the funky, hole-in-the-wall hipster bars that used to be the draw. Most of them have been squeezed out.
Other stuff:
Got an e-mail confirmation from the Wasatch 100 folks that they had received my entry fee check. Next up...February 5th lottery. I gotta say, this whole lottery thing sucks. I totally get that races have to limit the number of runners...and the number of runners hoping to run many races is growing steadily. It's just frustrating that you have to wait for lottery results to know what you'll be doing next summer. (I know...it is what it is...and there's a lot of reasons why it is what it is.). Plus, for many folks, it means they have to develop contingency plans in the event that their number doesn't come up in lottery X or lottery Y. For exhibit #1, see Tony's latest post. I guess there's some solace to be had in the fact that for some races, even the top elite guys have to wait for lottery results with the rest of us.
I'm scratching the Moab Red Hot 50K off my 2011 race schedule. Work travel intervened and forced a change of plans. Plus, with recent injury issues, I haven't done a run of more than 13 miles since November. That issue, plus a family trip with out-of-town friends next weekend up to Breckenridge, will keep me away from the Ponderous Posterior 50K, as well. Sigh.
Really eager to watch what this guy does in 2011.
Decent article in Running Times on what new(ish) Boulder resident Scott Jurek is up to.
Another Running Times article...this one on Roes.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
HQ - Hotel - Commuting & Running
The Tuesday tempo run today took me from the Ballston 'hood in Arlington, VA to the Woodley Park neighborhood in D.C. All on bike paths, no less.
Time: 1:09
Distance: 10 miles
Effort: Sorta Hard
Body: Good
Weather: Clear and cool
Second day in D.C. on a biz trip. Decided the best way to ensure I got in a solid run was to bring my shoes-n-shorts to work from the hotel and do the evening commute via foot.
Surprisingly, I was in the mood for a track work-out, which is a rare feeling. So, from the HQ, I warmed up via a half-mile run to the Washington & Lee High School, where they have a fine, new track. I didn't have much time due to impending darkness (left the headlamp in the hotel), so I hopped on the track and did a whopping 1x1 mile in 5:40. Those four loops sated my immediate desire to run in circles, so off I went to pick up the Curtiss Trail, which is a paved bike path that runs along I-66 through this part of Arlington.
Running a steady pace around 6:20, I ran over Key Bridge into Georgetown, hung a right in Francis Scott Key Park and jumped on the towpath along the last bit of the C&O Canal. This path took me to the mouth of Rock Creek Park.
With darkness settling in, I started the very gentle climb up through the park to the Woodley Park area, where my hotel was located. I tried to hold the pace up the last steep climb up from the creek to the bluff above where the hotel is perched, but ran out of gas about 20 meters from the top and jogged the rest of the way up. Average pace for the 7.69 run, including the warm-up and track mile was 6:45. Finished things up with a two-mile+ cool down through the Embassy Row 'hood gawking at the huge houses tucked away in this quiet, wooded corner of the city.
Really enjoyed this run.
Time: 1:09
Distance: 10 miles
Effort: Sorta Hard
Body: Good
Weather: Clear and cool
Second day in D.C. on a biz trip. Decided the best way to ensure I got in a solid run was to bring my shoes-n-shorts to work from the hotel and do the evening commute via foot.
Surprisingly, I was in the mood for a track work-out, which is a rare feeling. So, from the HQ, I warmed up via a half-mile run to the Washington & Lee High School, where they have a fine, new track. I didn't have much time due to impending darkness (left the headlamp in the hotel), so I hopped on the track and did a whopping 1x1 mile in 5:40. Those four loops sated my immediate desire to run in circles, so off I went to pick up the Curtiss Trail, which is a paved bike path that runs along I-66 through this part of Arlington.
Running a steady pace around 6:20, I ran over Key Bridge into Georgetown, hung a right in Francis Scott Key Park and jumped on the towpath along the last bit of the C&O Canal. This path took me to the mouth of Rock Creek Park.
With darkness settling in, I started the very gentle climb up through the park to the Woodley Park area, where my hotel was located. I tried to hold the pace up the last steep climb up from the creek to the bluff above where the hotel is perched, but ran out of gas about 20 meters from the top and jogged the rest of the way up. Average pace for the 7.69 run, including the warm-up and track mile was 6:45. Finished things up with a two-mile+ cool down through the Embassy Row 'hood gawking at the huge houses tucked away in this quiet, wooded corner of the city.
Really enjoyed this run.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Arlington, VA - Easy
Easy run around the hills and dales of Arlington, Virginia from the hotel.
Time: 59 minutes
Distance: 6.16 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Hot & Humid
A post-work jaunt from the hotel down to the Potomac Heritage Trail. Ran up-river to the intersection with the Windy Run Trail. In the fading twilight, I navigated up the root-strewn, forested trail and into a local neighborhood and then over to the paved bike path along I-66. After a bit of exploring to pad the mileage a bit, I wrapped it up with a jog down Wilson Boulevard and over to the hotel. Home in the a.m.
Check out this washed-out road in the Canyonlands National Park area. This is the road down to Mineral Bottom, which is a key Green River access point below Labyrinth Canyon. We drove up this road after paddling 42 miles of the Green River earlier this summer. Must have been a hell of a rainstorm. Don't underestimate desert storms!
More info here.
Time: 59 minutes
Distance: 6.16 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Hot & Humid
A post-work jaunt from the hotel down to the Potomac Heritage Trail. Ran up-river to the intersection with the Windy Run Trail. In the fading twilight, I navigated up the root-strewn, forested trail and into a local neighborhood and then over to the paved bike path along I-66. After a bit of exploring to pad the mileage a bit, I wrapped it up with a jog down Wilson Boulevard and over to the hotel. Home in the a.m.
Check out this washed-out road in the Canyonlands National Park area. This is the road down to Mineral Bottom, which is a key Green River access point below Labyrinth Canyon. We drove up this road after paddling 42 miles of the Green River earlier this summer. Must have been a hell of a rainstorm. Don't underestimate desert storms!
 |
| Mineral Bottom Road after August 19th flash flood. Note the people to the right of the wash-out. |
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Catching Up
Have been slacking in posting of late. Just haven't been too motivated post-Pikes Peakalooza. Following a couple of solid post-Double runs, I have been feeling flat and fatigued. Hoping to kick that feeling soon!
Friday, August 27th - off. Family in town. Feeling sluggish.
Saturday, August 28th - 7.13 miles; 1:08. Ran from the house and explored a few neighborhoods between the house and Dedisse Park looking for social trails. Found a good connector trail from Troutdale that runs behind the Evergreen Cemetery into parts of Dedisse I had not explored. Legs felt flat.
Sunday, August 29th - 8 miles; 1:30; 1,537 feet of elevation gain. Headed over to the Mt. Evans State Wildlife Management Area. Felt terrible. Never got into a groove. Every hill was an effort. Not fun. Not sure what was going on.
Monday, August 30th - 5.35 miles; 50 minutes. Ran from home and did 98 percent of the Meadow View Loop in Elk Meadow Open Space. Cut it a bit short by stopping at the kids' school and walking them home. A very nice way to end a run. Felt crappy again on the run. No pep. Fatigued.
Tuesday, August 31st - 11.46 miles; 1:34. Ran from hotel in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, VA over Key Bridge and up the "Exorcist stairs" near Georgetown University.
 |
| Stairs near Georgetown University featured in the movie The Exorcist. Photo by Reznicek11. |
From there, I did a big loop by running up Wisconsin Avenue a couple miles past the National Cathedral, hung a right and eventually made my way to Connecticut Avenue and found the Soapstone Valley Trail which led me into the depths of Rock Creek Park. From here in the upper reaches of the park, I hopped ran on a series of bike paths and singletrack to the spot where the park ends at the mouth of the C&O Canal. I then hung a right and followed the old canal's towpath back to just below Key Bridge. After a quick sprint across the bridge, I was back at the hotel drenched and very, very ready for some food and drink.
Legs felt a bit better today, but still dragging a bit. The high heat and humidity sure didn't help.
Wednesday, September 1 - 10 miles; 1:19 - Another post-work running tour of the Washington, D.C. sites. From the hotel, I ran by the Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, the Lincoln, Vietnam War, Korean War, WWII and Washington Monuments, the Smithsonian Museums, around the U.S. Capitol and back. Another hot, humid night. Tons of people out playing organized ultimate, kickball and softball on the Mall.
Legs were comfortably fatigued tonight. Didn't feel mysteriously wasted, as I did late last week and through the weekend. Still not 100 percent, though.
Hoping to put together a solid rest of the week, with a 10 miler and, perhaps, a 30-miler this weekend. The Steamboat 50 is looming and I haven't run more than 27 miles at a stretch since Lake City in June. That said, the 27 mile Pawnee-Buchanan Pass Loop was solid, as was the Pikes Peak double weekend. Still, I'm feeling the need to get in one more solid long run before the final race o' the season.
If anyone is up for something long, perhaps in the Mt. Evans Wilderness, drop me a line.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Catching Up and Misc.
Monday - Elk Meadow Open Space
Time: 50 minutes
Distance: 4.5 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Poor
Weather: Sunny & Warm
Recovery run, but hoping for more. Legs were leaden. Time was fleeting. Not fun.
Tuesday - Arlington, Virginia - Bike path, Potomac Heritage Trail, Donaldson Run, Roads
Time: 1:22
Distance: 10.27 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Weather: Cloudy & Humid
Started around 7:30 p.m. intending for a pretty hard effort. Ran the first 5K in 21 minutes on the bike path parallel to I-66. Made my way down to Roosevelt Island and continued the tempo pace on the gravel and boardwalk path that encircles the island. After leaving the island, jumped on the Potomac Heritage Trail and ran this singletrack along the Potomac River up to where Donaldson Run tumbles over a series of akimbo slabs of rock, creating one of the coolest waterfalls I've seen.
Ran up Donaldson until the trail petered out and dumped me out on some residential streets. Thanks to a decent sense of direction, I found my way back to my hotel's neighborhood and stopped at Washington & Lee High School to finish up with a little track work. Ran a few mid-tempo 400s and did 800 meters of barefoot running on the artificial turf field inside the track.
Wednesday - Arlington, VA - Bike Paths, Roads
Time: 1:17
Distance: 9.11 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Sunny, hot and humid
Another post-work run in the heat and humidity of the East. Didn't feel great on this run. Quads were sore at the onset (prior to yesterday, it's been a while since I ran tempo on pavement) as were the calves, no doubt from the barefoot running.
Ran on the I-66 bike again, this time headed west to the Four-Mile Run bike path. Ran this for several miles before hitting the city streets and winding my way back to Washington & Lee High School again. Did a few 400s, including one barefoot. A running club was there today doing speedwork.
Other Stuff
I registered several weeks ago for the September 18 Run Rabbit Run 50 in Steamboat. Looking forward to running that race. Jaime is in. Patrick G. has a run-down on the competition, including a heads-up that Geoff Roes is running.
Speaking of Run Rabbit Run...interesting dialog on iRunFar.com about the race, which is closed, being added to the Montrail Ultra Cup roster.
Good Vermont 100 race reports from AJW and Colorado's Andy Henshaw.
Enjoyed following Matt Hart's efforts to set a new FKT on the Colorado Trail. He came up short, but put in a hell of an effort.
Time: 50 minutes
Distance: 4.5 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Poor
Weather: Sunny & Warm
Recovery run, but hoping for more. Legs were leaden. Time was fleeting. Not fun.
Tuesday - Arlington, Virginia - Bike path, Potomac Heritage Trail, Donaldson Run, Roads
Time: 1:22
Distance: 10.27 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Weather: Cloudy & Humid
Started around 7:30 p.m. intending for a pretty hard effort. Ran the first 5K in 21 minutes on the bike path parallel to I-66. Made my way down to Roosevelt Island and continued the tempo pace on the gravel and boardwalk path that encircles the island. After leaving the island, jumped on the Potomac Heritage Trail and ran this singletrack along the Potomac River up to where Donaldson Run tumbles over a series of akimbo slabs of rock, creating one of the coolest waterfalls I've seen.
Ran up Donaldson until the trail petered out and dumped me out on some residential streets. Thanks to a decent sense of direction, I found my way back to my hotel's neighborhood and stopped at Washington & Lee High School to finish up with a little track work. Ran a few mid-tempo 400s and did 800 meters of barefoot running on the artificial turf field inside the track.
Wednesday - Arlington, VA - Bike Paths, Roads
Time: 1:17
Distance: 9.11 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Sunny, hot and humid
Another post-work run in the heat and humidity of the East. Didn't feel great on this run. Quads were sore at the onset (prior to yesterday, it's been a while since I ran tempo on pavement) as were the calves, no doubt from the barefoot running.
Ran on the I-66 bike again, this time headed west to the Four-Mile Run bike path. Ran this for several miles before hitting the city streets and winding my way back to Washington & Lee High School again. Did a few 400s, including one barefoot. A running club was there today doing speedwork.
Other Stuff
I registered several weeks ago for the September 18 Run Rabbit Run 50 in Steamboat. Looking forward to running that race. Jaime is in. Patrick G. has a run-down on the competition, including a heads-up that Geoff Roes is running.
Speaking of Run Rabbit Run...interesting dialog on iRunFar.com about the race, which is closed, being added to the Montrail Ultra Cup roster.
Good Vermont 100 race reports from AJW and Colorado's Andy Henshaw.
Enjoyed following Matt Hart's efforts to set a new FKT on the Colorado Trail. He came up short, but put in a hell of an effort.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Potomac Heritage Trail - C&O Towpath Loop - Washington, D.C.
Time: 1:43
Distance: 11.11 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Weather: Warm and Sunny
Another trip to Washington, D.C., another sea level run.
Ran from hotel in the Rosslyn 'hood of Arlington down to a section of the Potomac Heritage Trail, a 830-mile collection of trails that start at the mouth of the Potomac at the Chesapeake Bay and run all the way to the Ohio River Basin. The section I ran is all singletrack and starts at Theodore Roosevelt Island and snakes through the rocky beginning of the Potomac Gorge, ending 4.1 miles later at Chain Bridge.
The trail is all tree-shaded and loaded with roots and rocks. A couple of creeks (or "runs" as they are called in Virginia) spill over the rocky bluffs into the gorge just above the trail making for really cool waterfalls. There are two trails that head up into the adjacent neighborhoods on the palisades above. I followed one, Donaldson Run, up to the Potomac Overlook Regional Park. After a bit of exploring in the park and refilling my water bottle, I returned to the river-side trail and continued on to Chain Bridge.
I took Chain Bridge over the river and dropped down to the C&O Canal towpath, which runs 184.5 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. A good portion of the JFK50 is on the upper reaches of the towpath. Once on the towpath, I upped the pace for the 3.25 miles from Chain Bridge to Key Bridge, which connects Rosslyn with Georgetown in D.C., averaging around 6:20.
Finished the run up with a jog across Key Bridge and a quick and short loop around Rosslyn to hit the 11-mile mark.
Very nice run, with a solid tempo finish. Humidity wasn't too bad, but still was dripping pretty much the whole time. About 80 percent of the run was on dirt or crushed gravel (on the towpath). Not a bad ratio considering I'm in the middle of one of the country's largest metro areas.
Distance: 11.11 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Weather: Warm and Sunny
Another trip to Washington, D.C., another sea level run.
Ran from hotel in the Rosslyn 'hood of Arlington down to a section of the Potomac Heritage Trail, a 830-mile collection of trails that start at the mouth of the Potomac at the Chesapeake Bay and run all the way to the Ohio River Basin. The section I ran is all singletrack and starts at Theodore Roosevelt Island and snakes through the rocky beginning of the Potomac Gorge, ending 4.1 miles later at Chain Bridge.
The trail is all tree-shaded and loaded with roots and rocks. A couple of creeks (or "runs" as they are called in Virginia) spill over the rocky bluffs into the gorge just above the trail making for really cool waterfalls. There are two trails that head up into the adjacent neighborhoods on the palisades above. I followed one, Donaldson Run, up to the Potomac Overlook Regional Park. After a bit of exploring in the park and refilling my water bottle, I returned to the river-side trail and continued on to Chain Bridge.
I took Chain Bridge over the river and dropped down to the C&O Canal towpath, which runs 184.5 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. A good portion of the JFK50 is on the upper reaches of the towpath. Once on the towpath, I upped the pace for the 3.25 miles from Chain Bridge to Key Bridge, which connects Rosslyn with Georgetown in D.C., averaging around 6:20.
Finished the run up with a jog across Key Bridge and a quick and short loop around Rosslyn to hit the 11-mile mark.
Very nice run, with a solid tempo finish. Humidity wasn't too bad, but still was dripping pretty much the whole time. About 80 percent of the run was on dirt or crushed gravel (on the towpath). Not a bad ratio considering I'm in the middle of one of the country's largest metro areas.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Arlington, VA - Short & Easy Run
Time: :20
Distance: 2 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Hot & Humid
Intentionally very short jog from hotel to local high school track. One mile on track at an easy 6:50 pace, then back to the hotel. Got out just to stretch the legs after a long day in a meeting. The day was hot and humid as hell, but an evening rain brought a bit of relief. Felt good to sweat a little, but cut it way short to be mindful of tapering this week.
Great video by Kraig K. of a run up Boulder's Green Mountain (hat tip to GZ).
Spent a little time catching up on Andrew Skurka's Alaska-Yukon Expedition. Great stuff, and a true story of personal perseverance.
Distance: 2 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Hot & Humid
Intentionally very short jog from hotel to local high school track. One mile on track at an easy 6:50 pace, then back to the hotel. Got out just to stretch the legs after a long day in a meeting. The day was hot and humid as hell, but an evening rain brought a bit of relief. Felt good to sweat a little, but cut it way short to be mindful of tapering this week.
Great video by Kraig K. of a run up Boulder's Green Mountain (hat tip to GZ).
Spent a little time catching up on Andrew Skurka's Alaska-Yukon Expedition. Great stuff, and a true story of personal perseverance.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
In Search of Dirt - Arlington, VA
Time: 1:08
Distance: 8.46 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Hot & Humid
JP and the kids returned home to Colorado today. I'm still in the D.C. area for another two days for work meetings. Hit the streets for a run around 4 p.m. Spent three or four minutes before starting the run waiting for the Garmin 405 to locate satellites. Finally gave up and set off running. It was a good mile before the watch finally synched up with the satellites and was ready to go. That's the second time on this trip I've had that problem. Need to spend some time on the Garmin site figuring that out.
Anyway, easy run along the paved bike paths here in North Arlington. Explored as many dirt tracks heading up hills along Four Mile Run as I could find. None of them went anywhere, though. Still, even for brief moments, it felt great to be back running on the forgiving surface of dirt trails.
Twas a darn hot and humid day. Very grateful for all the water fountains placed in the small parks along the bike paths. Really wanted to dunk my head in Four Mile Run, but the frequent whiffs of sewage and the knowledge that the creek runs through a large urban area kept me out of the water. Made me think about the fact that many folks think nothing of dipping a bottle in the creek that spills down Bear Canyon in Boulder. I have yet to be that cavalier with water sources, but think nothing of dunking my head in that creek or any other creek in the Boulder area. Another reason to appreciate what we have in Colorado.
Eager to get home and back to altitude. I don't imagine the 10 days at sea level will have a dramatic impact on my performance at the San Juan Solstice 50 next weekend, but it sure didn't help much. Still, it's been a great trip and a heavy dose of U.S. history for jP and CP.
Brandon posted a great preview of SJS50.
Distance: 8.46 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Hot & Humid
JP and the kids returned home to Colorado today. I'm still in the D.C. area for another two days for work meetings. Hit the streets for a run around 4 p.m. Spent three or four minutes before starting the run waiting for the Garmin 405 to locate satellites. Finally gave up and set off running. It was a good mile before the watch finally synched up with the satellites and was ready to go. That's the second time on this trip I've had that problem. Need to spend some time on the Garmin site figuring that out.
Anyway, easy run along the paved bike paths here in North Arlington. Explored as many dirt tracks heading up hills along Four Mile Run as I could find. None of them went anywhere, though. Still, even for brief moments, it felt great to be back running on the forgiving surface of dirt trails.
Twas a darn hot and humid day. Very grateful for all the water fountains placed in the small parks along the bike paths. Really wanted to dunk my head in Four Mile Run, but the frequent whiffs of sewage and the knowledge that the creek runs through a large urban area kept me out of the water. Made me think about the fact that many folks think nothing of dipping a bottle in the creek that spills down Bear Canyon in Boulder. I have yet to be that cavalier with water sources, but think nothing of dunking my head in that creek or any other creek in the Boulder area. Another reason to appreciate what we have in Colorado.
Eager to get home and back to altitude. I don't imagine the 10 days at sea level will have a dramatic impact on my performance at the San Juan Solstice 50 next weekend, but it sure didn't help much. Still, it's been a great trip and a heavy dose of U.S. history for jP and CP.
Brandon posted a great preview of SJS50.
Friday, June 11, 2010
National Mall - Washington, D.C. - Easy
Time: 46 minutes
Distance: 6.4 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Warm & Humid
Relatively early morning run from our hotel in the Penn Quarter 'hood down to the National Mall. Did a loop up and around the Capitol, then back down past the Washington, WWII and Lincoln Memorials and completed the loop and returned to the hotel.
Felt good to be out early before the temps rise and the humidity really gets going.
Distance: 6.4 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Warm & Humid
Relatively early morning run from our hotel in the Penn Quarter 'hood down to the National Mall. Did a loop up and around the Capitol, then back down past the Washington, WWII and Lincoln Memorials and completed the loop and returned to the hotel.
Felt good to be out early before the temps rise and the humidity really gets going.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Washington, D.C. - Short Tempo
Time: 16 minutes
Distance: 2.23 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Warm & Clear
Had to drop off a borrowed car at a friend's house, then get back to our hotel in time to get to the White House with JP and the kids for a west wing tour. The quickest way to get from Capitol Hill to the hotel near Chinatown was via foot. We were delayed in getting to D.C. from Philly today (East Coast traffic sucks!), so we had no time to waste.
After dropping off the car, I jumped straight into it and ran past blocks of row houses, across the Capitol grounds, down the National Mall to 7th Street and then over to the hotel. Felt great and easily could have gone for many more miles at the low-6s pace I ran the two miles. Too many stoplights and busy streets, though, to keep the pace as consistent as one might like.
Distance: 2.23 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Warm & Clear
Had to drop off a borrowed car at a friend's house, then get back to our hotel in time to get to the White House with JP and the kids for a west wing tour. The quickest way to get from Capitol Hill to the hotel near Chinatown was via foot. We were delayed in getting to D.C. from Philly today (East Coast traffic sucks!), so we had no time to waste.
After dropping off the car, I jumped straight into it and ran past blocks of row houses, across the Capitol grounds, down the National Mall to 7th Street and then over to the hotel. Felt great and easily could have gone for many more miles at the low-6s pace I ran the two miles. Too many stoplights and busy streets, though, to keep the pace as consistent as one might like.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Northwest D.C. Loop - Recovery
Time: 41:00
Distance: 5.12 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Damp and cold
Easy run from hotel up Massachusetts Avenue past all the embassies, then a right on Wisconsin Avenue (with a pause to take in the view of the National Cathedral) then a downhill jaunt through a nice neighborhood to Connecticut Avenue, then dashed by the Uptown Theater and the National Zoo, then over the Duke Ellington Bridge to Adams Morgan and a final jog back to Connecticut Avenue to complete the loop back to the start.
Due to a long work day, did this run at about 9 p.m. Everything was quiet in the 'hoods.
Distance: 5.12 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Fair
Weather: Damp and cold
Easy run from hotel up Massachusetts Avenue past all the embassies, then a right on Wisconsin Avenue (with a pause to take in the view of the National Cathedral) then a downhill jaunt through a nice neighborhood to Connecticut Avenue, then dashed by the Uptown Theater and the National Zoo, then over the Duke Ellington Bridge to Adams Morgan and a final jog back to Connecticut Avenue to complete the loop back to the start.
Due to a long work day, did this run at about 9 p.m. Everything was quiet in the 'hoods.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Treadmill - Speedwork
Time: 1:15
Distance: 10 miles
Effort: Hard
Body: Very good
Weather: Indoors
Arrived this evening in Washington, D.C. to cold and rainy weather. No desire to get wet and cold, so the treadmill it was.
Did a two-mile w/u, then 1x5K at 6:00 pace at one percent incline, then 2x1 mile at 6:00 pace at two percent incline.and closed it out with a two-mile c/d.
The treadmill at this hotel wouldn't go any faster than a 6:00 pace. I don't think I've experienced that problem before, but I haven't run on all that many 'mills. Is it common for treadmills to top out at 10 mph?
Distance: 10 miles
Effort: Hard
Body: Very good
Weather: Indoors
Arrived this evening in Washington, D.C. to cold and rainy weather. No desire to get wet and cold, so the treadmill it was.
Did a two-mile w/u, then 1x5K at 6:00 pace at one percent incline, then 2x1 mile at 6:00 pace at two percent incline.and closed it out with a two-mile c/d.
The treadmill at this hotel wouldn't go any faster than a 6:00 pace. I don't think I've experienced that problem before, but I haven't run on all that many 'mills. Is it common for treadmills to top out at 10 mph?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Washington, D.C. - Tempo Run
Time: 1:05
Distance: 9.17 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Weather: Chilly and cloudy
Ran from hotel in North Arlington, VA to Matt A.'s place on Capitol Hill. Route was down Curtis Trail (lots of ice and slush), which is a paved bike path that run along I-66, to paved path along Potomac River, over Memorial Bridge, down the mall past the Lincoln, WWII and Washington Monument, by the Capitol and straight down East Capitol Street. Made a quick stop at a small neighborhood bodega for a sixer of Magic Hat IPA and ran the last mile with beer in hand. Dedication.
Run was went by quickly, but never felt quite on...just OK. Average pace was 7:05. Average HR: 141.
Hoping to make it home tomorrow a.m. before the big snow storm hits. This town simply cannot handle snow. Government officials are advising people to stock up and be prepared to be self-sustaining for five days. Five days for a foot of snow! In 2003, when we got five feet of snow in Evergreen, we weren't stuck in the house for five days. These folks need some pluck!
Distance: 9.17 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Fair
Weather: Chilly and cloudy
Ran from hotel in North Arlington, VA to Matt A.'s place on Capitol Hill. Route was down Curtis Trail (lots of ice and slush), which is a paved bike path that run along I-66, to paved path along Potomac River, over Memorial Bridge, down the mall past the Lincoln, WWII and Washington Monument, by the Capitol and straight down East Capitol Street. Made a quick stop at a small neighborhood bodega for a sixer of Magic Hat IPA and ran the last mile with beer in hand. Dedication.
Run was went by quickly, but never felt quite on...just OK. Average pace was 7:05. Average HR: 141.
Hoping to make it home tomorrow a.m. before the big snow storm hits. This town simply cannot handle snow. Government officials are advising people to stock up and be prepared to be self-sustaining for five days. Five days for a foot of snow! In 2003, when we got five feet of snow in Evergreen, we weren't stuck in the house for five days. These folks need some pluck!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Washington D.C. - Tour de Tourist
Time: 1:30
Distance: 12.02 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Great run this evening. After a long day at the work HQ, I bagged a group dinner in favor of a little mileage. Ran at an easy, warm-up pace from hotel, located in the Foggy Bottom 'hood, down to the Lincoln Memorial. My plan today was to do a long tempo-pace run with a few hill repeats.
Picked up the pace on the east side of Abe and ran across Memorial Bridge to the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery (I still get a kick out of the notion that the cemetery was placed on Robert E. Lee's front lawn). I turned around here and ran back across the bridge, past Abe, over to the Jefferson Memorial (paused long enough to visit Tom and read his words on the memorial's walls), then by the Washington Monument and down the National Mall to the Capitol.
Spent a little time on the Hill doing hill repeats. Did five of 'em on the 2/10 mile hill at about a 6:20 pace with easy jogs in between. A couple of the security guards appeared to think I was nuts. I then ran back down the Mall and over to the Treasury Building and past the White House. Cooled down for about a mile as I ran through the Farragut and Dupont Circle 'hoods.
I wore the heart rate monitor and averaged 146 over the whole run. Pretty happy with that...at least I think I am. Average pace, including the warm-up, cool down and hill repeats, was 7:32. The tempo parts appear to have been averaging around 6:50. Garmin says 2,827 feet of elevation gain. Not possible. It also says I started at -741 feet. Weird.
Great run at sea level.
Distance: 12.02 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Great run this evening. After a long day at the work HQ, I bagged a group dinner in favor of a little mileage. Ran at an easy, warm-up pace from hotel, located in the Foggy Bottom 'hood, down to the Lincoln Memorial. My plan today was to do a long tempo-pace run with a few hill repeats.
Picked up the pace on the east side of Abe and ran across Memorial Bridge to the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery (I still get a kick out of the notion that the cemetery was placed on Robert E. Lee's front lawn). I turned around here and ran back across the bridge, past Abe, over to the Jefferson Memorial (paused long enough to visit Tom and read his words on the memorial's walls), then by the Washington Monument and down the National Mall to the Capitol.
Spent a little time on the Hill doing hill repeats. Did five of 'em on the 2/10 mile hill at about a 6:20 pace with easy jogs in between. A couple of the security guards appeared to think I was nuts. I then ran back down the Mall and over to the Treasury Building and past the White House. Cooled down for about a mile as I ran through the Farragut and Dupont Circle 'hoods.
I wore the heart rate monitor and averaged 146 over the whole run. Pretty happy with that...at least I think I am. Average pace, including the warm-up, cool down and hill repeats, was 7:32. The tempo parts appear to have been averaging around 6:50. Garmin says 2,827 feet of elevation gain. Not possible. It also says I started at -741 feet. Weird.
Great run at sea level.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Treadmill
Time: 48 or so
Distance: 6 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Hit the treadmill at my hotel in Washington, D.C. late this evening for an easy run. Did six miles. One mile warm-up at 8:00 pace and five miles at 6:58 pace. Used the heart rate monitor for a change. Average heart rate for the last five miles was 148. Max was 157.
I hope to get outside tomorrow night, perhaps a run on the National Mall here in D.C. Bummer that I'm missing the beautiful weather back in Colorado. It's still cold here.
Distance: 6 miles
Effort: Moderate
Body: Good
Hit the treadmill at my hotel in Washington, D.C. late this evening for an easy run. Did six miles. One mile warm-up at 8:00 pace and five miles at 6:58 pace. Used the heart rate monitor for a change. Average heart rate for the last five miles was 148. Max was 157.
I hope to get outside tomorrow night, perhaps a run on the National Mall here in D.C. Bummer that I'm missing the beautiful weather back in Colorado. It's still cold here.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, December 10 - C&O Canal - Crescent Trail
Time: 1:33
Distance: 12 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Cool
After a busy day at the HQ in Arlington, VA, I dashed back to my hotel, threw on the running clothes and hit the streets. As I ran across Key Bridge over the Potomac River toward Georgetown, a cold wind was howling. Once across the bridge, I dropped down to the towpath along the old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and headed toward Maryland.
As I left Georgetown behind, the wind died down, the traffic noise faded and I settled into an easy 7:50 pace groove. I followed the towpath to just past Fletcher's Boathouse where the Capital Crescent Trail, a paved rails-to-trails path that runs all the way to Silver Spring. I followed the Crescent Trail for about 2.5 miles to the run's six-mile mark. I turned around here and retraced my steps back to the hotel.
I was really surprised at the number of bike commuters using the Crescent Trail. There also were a surprising number of headlight-wearing runners on last two miles or so of the portion I ran. I reckon I passed 10-12 runners headed the opposite way. I was passed at one point, as the trail climbed from the canal to the bluffs above. I was so tempted to go with the guy, What made this especially hard was that I was passed on a climb. My mental conversation went like this: "I run in the mountains! I shouldn't be passed on a hill at sea level, right?" I managed to resist the temptation (and perhaps embarrassment) of overtaking him and stick with my plan to keep the heart rate low, since I've decided to do some focused work on building my aerobic base.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
December 9, 2009 - Washington, D.C.
Time: 1:41
Distance: 12.6 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Cool
Got off the plane today in Washington, D.C. thrilled to see the sun and to not be immediately chilled to the bone. With temps in the 40s, I knew right away a long run was in the offing.
After work, I ran from my hotel in the Rosslyn 'hood of Arlington, VA, which is right across the Potomac River from Georgetown, bound for Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The first couple of miles were along the west side of the river. There must have been some big rains around here because the river was lapping at the top of its banks. I quickly made my way over Memorial Bridge, by the Lincoln Memorial and then onto the sidewalk that parallels Lincoln's reflecting pool. I continued down the mall, past the WWII memorial and the Washington Monument.
After I crossed 14th Street, I was running straight at the Capitol building. The light atop the dome was illuminated, signalling that Congress was in session. I made my way past the many museums of the Smithsonian. As I approached Capitol Hill (it really is a small hill), I paused to have a look at the brightly lit congressional Christmas tree. Beautiful. Now on the Hill, I ran down East Capitol Street about a mile and a half and did a quick loop around Lincoln Park.
After a brief stop at a friend's house, I wound through some side streets and ran by a row house on Maryland Avenue, NE that I lived in for eight years in the 1990s. Was surprised to see that the little Baptist church that used to be next door had been torn down and replaced by a couple of new row houses. After passing Stanton Park, I made my way to Pennsylvania Avenue and ran that to the ellipse in front of the White House. I paused here to join the phalanx of tourists and gaze at the White House Christmas tree. (Not nearly as nice looking as the congressional tree).
Next I made my way back to the Potomac River and ran the bike path past the Kennedy Center and into lower Georgetown. Once in Georgetown, I ran along a stretch of the C&O Canal towpath before hoping on Key Bridge to cross the river and return to Rosslyn and my hotel.
It was really nice to run again in shorts. Took it easy on this run. My goal tonight was to run easy, keep the heart rate low and get in some miles. Mission accomplished.
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