Blogging in Arabic....

Not really, but it did take me several minutes to figure out how to get the prompts at the top of the page into English so that I could write today's entry from Abu Dhabi. Yep, UAE. I arrived last night and muddled through a restless night of trying to sleep then proceeded to get up at 7am to go to the gym for a run on the treadmill (affectionately the dreadmill). I really wanted to take to the seaside for a real run, but am not yet sure of how to get to the Corniche and settled for the gym.

Do not get me wrong, the gym is plenty nice. My treadmill faced out over the marina so I had a fantastic ocean view. The view, however, did little to help my run. The combination of lack of sleep, dehydration, cramped legs from a 14 hour flight and the general warmness enveloping the room equalled a less than spectacular venture, but it was movement. All I really wanted, afterall, was to stretch out and readjust my body to the time zone.

Tomorrow I don't think I'll get to run the Corniche either...we have morning meetings so it will likely be the treadmill. That said, I may venture out in the evening or at least Monday morning for that seaside run. Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 3.36 (not quite the 3.75-4 I wanted to get in)
Time: 30:00 (a miserable 8:55 per mile pace)
Location: Fitness Center at the Abu Dhabi Intercontinental overlooking the Marina
Feeling: Ugh...hopefully tomorrow is better

The day the Lord has given...

I'm sending up high praise for today...picture perfect. Sunny, clear, and utterly goal inspiring. That's right, this lady hit 250 miles today!!! In January when I set out to log 1000 miles this year I was determined. And 1000 miles didn't seem like a whole lot when I was staring down 366 days to get it done, but life happens. Life happens a whole lot in my world.

It's not that I'm not motivated, let's be clear, when necessary I ran a nearly 10 mile jog on the treadmill (and I HATE the treadmill) to keep on target. But unexpected obstacles can pop up and get you off track. February was one big obstacle that put me in a hole that looked tough to dig out of. Thanks to my friends and sturdy legs I logged over 100 miles in March...and its not even done yet.

Tonight I board a plane for the Middle East, but being overseas won't stop me from adding more miles onto the ticker. Don't look for me tomorrow, though, I've earned a rest day for my legs after having run the last seven straight :)

So today I thank the Lord for the day he gave me, the will to push through the 25% mark and the energy to keep moving for the next 750 miles. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 3.7
Time: 31:35 (average pace of 8:32 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: Darn awesome!!!

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly...

You may recall about a month ago I posted an entry about why I wear sports sunglasses rather religiously while running...to keep the bugs out of my eyes. Perhaps I should add a mouth guard after ingesting the unexpected extra protein today in the form of a gnat. And here I thought I was already getting the right amount of protein in my diet...I'm also certain this is not what the nutritionists mean when they take about fueling during a run. After that little incident, it took me at least another mile to get the old nursery rhyme "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly" out of my head.

Today, following on yesterday, I also managed to notice a few new things while cruising the streets. My dog will be proud to know that I crossed "Duncan Place" today. It's a crappy little one way road off 13th Street NE between E Street NE and D Street NE. My collie would be so proud to know Washington DC named a street after him :). I also noticed a tiny little park area off North Carolina Avenue, SE - across from Eastern Market - decorated with little concrete turtles. I don't know the significance of the turtles. Maybe I'll check for a placard next time.

All in all it was a run to get in the miles and not particularly comfortable. We had a brief rain today that did little more than stir up the pollen so it interfered greatly with breathing. What I wouldn't give for a great downpour to clear it all out. Oh well, better luck next time. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.22
Time: 36:06 (average pace of 8:33 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: If this pollen keeps up, I'm going to carry my inhaler

Hidden gems...

DC is one of those cities that always seems to surprise me. No matter how many times I've walked or jogged the same street, park, open area, I am continually amazed at what I've always managed to miss. Today was no exception. I did deviate slightly from my usual streets during me run this evening and travelled down a little alley near Lincoln Park. This "alley" was paved in nicely tended brick and halfway down I found the most beautiful little park. Just tucked off to the side, it had a nice grassy area and was spotted with great clumps of organized tulips. It also had a couple trees and a bench for enjoying this little haven off the main drag. Had I not been on a mission, I would have stopped for a chance to listen to the birds and smell the flowers. Perhaps next time.

Though the run was quick, I was still able to take in some of my other favorite parts of spring visible on this otherwise cold evening - the smell of fresh cut grass, the snow fall of cherry blossom petals, the crowds of joggers before sunset. I am glad for the ability and opportunity to get out and enjoy these things...even if I'm dripping sweat at the same time. Hopefully tomorrow's forecasted thunderstorm holds off long enough to get in another quick jaunt through the streets.

On another note, I'm quickly approaching the 25% mark in my goal to hit 1000 miles this year. I'll opine more later on the adrenaline rush that comes with achieving a goal that requires consistency, but tonight I'll just let you know that I am dancing in my shoes waiting for the tracking clock to roll over that 250 mile point. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 5.14
Time: 42:07 (average pace of 8:11 per mile)
Location: Lincoln Park, Capitol Hill, cute little alleys
Feeling: The body is holding up well. Can't wait for the metric marathon in less than a month.

Blowing in the wind...

That's how I felt during this evening's run...like I might blow away at any minute. The wind was blowing at 23 mph, gusting to 27 mph. Yikes! It's a wonder forward motion was possible. I actually felt like I was pushing super hard, which of course winded me early on, and this on top of the fact that I was already running on my usual day off. There were reprieves from the wind, of course, like the streets running east-west since it was a north wind. But by and large, out in the open was rather challenging. Thank goodness I ran into a work colleague at one point (who I actually needed to run into) giving me the opportunity to take a few minutes to chat with about a debate we had during the day. I was also amused watching his dog attempt to pounce, in all friendliness, on every person and dog that passed during the course of our few minute conversation. Makes me happy to know my dogs aren't the only miscreants with no manners in the greater DC area.

Oh, and yum and boo, when I went running past Kenny's BBQ at the corner of 8th and Massachussetts I thought I might keel over from the glorious smells emanating from that restaurant. I love BBQ, especially good BBQ, but I'm not overly picky. Kenny's is good BBQ and I rarely have it. SO, add the smells of Kenny's together with the wind and its amazing I got anywhere today at all. And one last sigh, the warm weather is on its way out tonight. We've got a freeze warning in place after many days in the 60s and 70s...though I think I can survive the few cooler days before heading into the searing heat of the United Arab Emirates by week's end. Here's to hoping I can hit my 25% goal before getting on the airplane Thursday night! Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 3.87
Time: 32:00 (average pace of 8:16 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park
Feeling: A bit wind blown, and overworked, but otherwise good

The peeing boy...

I only wish I was talking about the famous fountain in Brussels, which I have had the pleasure of viewing. No, in this case I'm talking about the young gentleman I ran into while cruising the paths behind Truxton Park. Stunned? Yes. Frozen to the ground? Yes. It's not often, except when running a long trail run and you know to expect it because there are lots of men on the trail, that you randomly run into this sight. Especially so close to the Truxton Rec Center where lots of families can be found walking the trail. At least it brought a bit of light comic relief to an otherwise uninspiring run.

I don't know whether it was the mimosa over brunch or the dreary gray, misty weather, but this girl just could not get it moving today. I was in a different part of town, which I was looking forward to, but as I headed out from Truxton Park, my legs just would not turn over with any regularity. Through Victor Haven and up Bay Ridge and down Forest Drive to Spa Road was much more of the same. I picked it up a bit as I approached the rec center again and decided I'd put in just a little more distance. Well, I can say it truly picked up after the boy with his pants down. I couldn't cruise out of there fast enough once my feet unfroze. I was going even faster about 2 miles later when I encountered the same boy and his friend on a different part of the trail. By the look on his face, I can almost guarantee he pees in public with a bit more caution next time. Welp, hoping the next run has a much different kind of high point than this one. (Though on a positive note, I eclipsed my monthly distance goal already, with one week left in the month) Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 7.21
Time: 1:05:17 (average pace of 9:03 per mile...ugh)
Location: Truxton Park, Victor Haven, Bay Ridge
Feeling: Sluggish, better luck next time

The light show...

Well, I find myself with a few extra miles to do tomorrow than planned. Why you ask? Brie and I headed out for a nice long 9-10 mile run this morning. It was sprinkling, but hey, we're tough women. A little rain can't beat us. But....a little lightning can. We were about a mile and a half out from Brie's house when the first flash lit up the sky. Rain, you mess with, lightning? No way. We immediately turned it around to head back.

Now, danger aside, the lightning was actually cool because it was still a pre-dawn sky...meaning pitch black. That meant every flash was brighter than all get out. But, its not safe to run in the lightning, so, as the ran started to fall with greater strength, we pushed our way back to the warmth and safety of the inside. Let me tell you, the hot shower felt really good to my cold to the bones body. It was a good morning, even if we did end about 6 miles short of the goal.

Stats -
Miles: 3.63
Time: 32:35 (average pace of 8:58 per mile)
Location: Admiral Heights and Rowe Blvd
Feeling: A bit wet, but pretty good

Into the mist....

It's been a really foggy week in Annapolis. I mean SUPER foggy. Every day. When I wake up and look out my back window, I can barely see the edge of my bedroom balcony. Today was more of the same, except I was running in it. I headed out the door around 6:30 this morning to get in a quick run before the real start to the day My musical backdrop was the fog horn sounding with regularlity out on the bay warning errant ships of the shallows. It was a nice solitary run. I could only see about 15 feet in front of me.

All that said, the fog does provide some advantages. It closes you in and provides a bubble to think. It challenges to remember the terrain so you don't trip. And it keeps you cool on a 60 degree morning. Yes, I was soaking wet when I returned home, and I know only a portion of it was sweat. The rest was certainly a little bit of the moisture I soaked up from the air. The run felt really good though. I fact, I didn't really want to stop running, so I tacked on one more mile than I planned when I set out.

I have to say, the rest of the day was absolutely gorgeous. I got a bit of sun on my arms walking through Annapolis, so you won't have to hear about my pasty whiteness for a little. Perhaps tomorrow will be more of the same, though I suspect we are actually in for a random thundershower. Well, good muddy luck to all my friends running Hat then. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.76
Time: 42:08 (average pace of 8:51 per mile...nice and easy)
Location: Broadneck Peninsula
Feeling: restful

Go Speed Racer...

Tonight I was feeling peppy. I had a limited amount of time after work for my run tonight, about enough time to do a 4 miler, before I had to cruise back out to Annapolis to check in my stuff for the spring Wee Sale (if you aren't from the Annapolis area, you should check it out...pretty cool kids consignment sale held twice a year). So I hit the pavement as soon after 6pm as I was able.

I decided to do one of my regular routes (sort of) backward, by heading across the East front of the Capitol before heading up to Lincoln Park. Since I was feeling so peppy, I decided to run my first mile (which is usually my slowest) for speed...well wouldn't you know, good ole Stacie turned in a 7:32 mile! That felt pretty good. While I haven't run many single miles to see just how fast I could do it without over-exerting (I probably could still have carried on a decent conversation), I know I haven't put forth a mile this fast in several years.

On to the rest of the run - I generally choose my route based of where the lights are green and tonight this led me toward Tortilla Coast. Since I had a friend in town, and I knew she was going to be hitting the happy hour at Tortilla Coast, I prowled the outside to see if I could find her through the windows....no luck, so off we go. The remainder of the run was fairly par for the course. Great weather, lots of other joggers to smile and nod at, dog hurdling, trash can weaving and even waving at a few work colleagues strolling in the sunshine. Why would anyone complain about that though? Certainly not me, I love it! Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.07
Time: 33:18 (average pace of 8:10 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill and Lincoln Park
Feeling: Peppy and super fast!

Fog so thick you can cut it...

No, the St. Patrick's Day celebrations didn't keep me in bed this morning. What could have kept me in bed, however, was the mist and fog. But it didn't. How could it when I was facing the prospect of a 90 minute chat with one of my favorite running partners, Brie?!

On the plan was a nice long jog around Greenbury Point to enjoy the water views and quiet of a little travelled section of the navy base. Check. That said, the fog was so darn thick you could barely see more than 50 feet in front of our noses. Don't get me wrong, this didn't diminish the quality of the run, the quality of the company, or the quality of the quiet. In fact, when we got to the Possum Point fishing area, we stopped for a minute to hear nothing but the water lapping against the bulkhead and the birds chirping somewhere nearby but unseen due to the fog. What I wasn't prepared for was how, all of a sudden out of the fog, the radio towers emerged as if they jumped up from the ground. That's how thick the fog was.

We did run into a few other joggers and walkers along the way. It was nice to see them out on a quiet Sunday morning. Some more energetic than others. I was thoroughly impressed by this one gentleman, probably in his late 50's and nearing retirement from his military career. While Brie and I were cruising along the Nature Center loop out on the point this gentleman passed us not once, not twice, but three times....and we weren't going particularly slow. Everytime he passed us he would say "looking strong ladies." I wanted to say "uh, perhaps, but dude you are smoking us." Anyway, I couldn't think of a better way to get in a great jog. Thanks again to Brie, who not only is a great running partner and friend, but helped me log another 25+ mile week! Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 9.61
Time: 1:31:10 (average pace of 9:29 per mile...Brie's watch said 1:27, so we may have been going a bit faster because my Garmin didn't stop a couple times when we had to pause)
Location: Greenbury Point, Naval Support Activity Annapolis
Feeling: Loving life

Luck o' the Irish...

Happy St. Patty's Day to ya! If you're lucky enough to be Irish (which I am) then you are lucky enough. Today however, I think my luck was amazing. No I didn't win the $240 million megamillions lottery - though I tried. And no I didn't stumble upon a pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow - though I looked. Instead, I was blessed with a great husband, wonderful friends and another amazing day by the Bay.

The morning started out with a nice little jaunt down the street with Jay. He grumbled at first, just like he always does when he has to rise before, oh, say 10am on a Saturday. It was a pretty fast 4 miles by my average running day standards, but it was all good. Logged another non-injurious run in the new shoes, enjoyed the heavy fog burning off as the sun rose. Then enjoyed a pancake breakfast team cooked with Jay.

The rest of the day was about spending time and dirnking beer with friends. First was little Emma's acro meet...in which she did an amazing job. Then we headed over to Brie's house for a bit o' blarney telling...and wearing o' the same green (uh, is now a good time to spill the news that I am actually what one would call orange Irish? Go look it up if you don't know what that means). Then we rounded it off with a ninth birthday party for the little leprechun herself - Emma that is. So, really, who can complain about such a fantastic day?! Now I've got to hit the water a bit before bed to counter the beer before tomorrow's long run with Brie :) Happy trails!!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.01
Time: 33:07 (average pace of 8:15 per mile)
Location: Woods Landing to Log Inn Road
Feeling: Fast and sweaty

Hitting 20%...

Tonight after work I had every intention of taking it easy and doing a relatively short 2-3 mile jog. After all, I'm breaking in new shoes (more on this later). However, I just couldn't resist the pull of hitting the 20% mark on my way to logging 1000 miles this year. I said to myself "what's a little bit further when I can pass that milestone today instead of tomorrow?" Well, we'll see what the difference may be.

You may recall a couple weeks ago I was complaining about back pain again. Given my SI joint injury, just a year and a half ago, I was concerned I may have reinjured the joint. That would be disastrous! I'm just now on a really good stretch with no injury and it would really set me back. After several days of running on the new shoes I had, with new inserts, it dawned on me that the pain may have been caused by going too hard too fast in new shoes without properly breaking them in first. I asked my doctor for a referral back to the physical therapist just to be sure, but also switched back to my old shoes for a while. That did the trick. A few days in the old shoes and the pain was completely gone.

So let's fast forward back to today. Today was my first day back in the new New Balance. Granted, I did decide to break in one part at a time, so the new inserts came out and my old inserts went in. At least for a week'ish. Then I may put the new inserts in my old shoes and do the same with those before putting all the new stuff back together. Because the last bout with the shoes caused me such horrible back pain, I figured I would go slow and short. Ha, like I said earlier, I threw that one out the window. So far it doesn't feel too bad, but I guess I'll see if I pay for it tomorrow. When will I learn? Oh well, happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 4.61
Time: 41:05 (average pace of 8:54 per mile...at least I slowed down a bit)
Location: Lincoln Park and Capitol Hill (need to shake this up)
Feeling: Happy to cross the 20% threshold

Sunglasses at night...

I like to run in style. Okay, let's be honest, I like to run for my own comfort. Last summer I was getting bombed in the eyeballs by tons of bugs, so I switched from wearing a visor, to keep the sun out of my eyes, to wearing sport sunglasses. Guess what? No more bugs. And because I don't like dark glasses, mine are red-tinted so I can wear them in all states of sun. Sometimes I forget I've got them on, like tonight, or this evening rather. I headed out of the office about 6:45pm to get in a few miles. It was still pretty light outside (much gracias to daylight savings) and so I was wearing my trusty shades to blocks those pesky bugs. It was about two miles later that I noticed I was having difficulties seeing...oh yeah, dusk was falling rapidly and I still had my bug shields securely in front of my eyes. Well, had to move them out of the way to finish up.

So, sunglasses securely acting as a headband, I launched into the dog convention at Lincoln Park. It was actually a great scene. Because (according to the Citibank thermometer) it was still 82 out, not only was every dog owner in the greater Lincoln Park vicinity out, but lots of families were at the playground and there were even a small handful of picnics going on. If I didn't still have a couple miles to go, I probably would have gate crashed one. My better sense prevailed and I headed back toward Capitol Hill cruising past all the friendly faces. Tonight was one of those nights you just don't waste indoors, and so I was not surprised to pass many of my co-workers who live near work just strolling the sidewalks.

All in all, it was a pretty darn good day (did I mention I also met George Clooney?) Happy trails!






Stats -
Miles: 5.11
Time: 45:07 (average pace of 8:49 per mile)
Location: Lincoln Park and Capitol Hill
Feeling: Totally into the weather and the run

Ghastly glow....

No doubt you saw those two glowing sticks from your flight above DC. No, they weren't glow sticks...they were my winter pale legs peeking out from shorts while I ran through today's 70+ degree weather! Yes, shorts season may be here to stay, which means I need to either get some natural sun or invest in a good self tanner. I mean, I don't want to scare people with these things right? And I'm certainly not going to stuff them in pants, not when I can feel the warm sun beating down on them. Woohoo.

Too bad the quality of the run didn't match the quality of the day. We need a bit of strong rain to clear out some of this pollen. It makes it challenging for someone like me - who suffers seasonal allergies - from getting those deep breaths that make the run seem like a breeze. It was fine though, I just enjoyed getting out at cruising through Capitol Hill and Lincoln Park. The trees are really blooming like mad and the sun just sparkled. The legs felt good (after 16 miles over the weekend, I wasn't sure if I'd get a bit of stiffness, but not a bit). Dare I shoot for another 25+ mile week? Well, I've got the drive, so let's get it done. Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 3.39
Time: 29:46 (average pace of 8:47 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill and Lincoln Park
Feeling: tight lungs good legs

A day of joy and dark corners....

I am so grateful for many things in life Grateful for my family, grateful for my friends, grateful to live in financial security and grateful for my health. I am grateful that God has given us days to rest and days that try our limits. I have both of these to talk about today.

First the run...how is it possible to run for a little more than 9 miles and have it feel like you've been sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee? Run it with Brie. She is a kindred spirit and a phenomenal sounding board. She lives with passion and keeps you going. I don't get to spend enough time with her. We met up at her house at 7:30am (which is quite a feat on spring forward day) and headed out toward Navy-Marine Corps Stadium...which is my mothership during the fall months. Our run took us downtown, where the town was just waking up to another beautiful sun over the Bay and Severn River, and on through the Naval Academy. If you ever come to Annapolis and love to run, make sure you catch a few miles out at the Academy (though be ware the long wood bridge across the boat basin...if you are like me, it will freak you out every time though it is incredibly sturdy). It's breathtaking and calm running along the sea wall. Coming out of the Academy, we had a little left, so we tackled an over and back on the Naval Academy Bridge. If you read any of my blog last summer, you know I loathe the bridge. Luckily we only hit the head wind on the back side of the return. I'll tell you though, the toughest part of this run was the hill right near Brie's house. That thing doesn't look big, but can be a real kicker at the end of 9 miles.

Now for the dark corners...a local family needs our prayers. When I joined Junior League of Annapolis, Inc. I met an amazing family of women. During my first year, the son of one of these women fell ill with an extremely rare form of brain cancer. This little boy has been a real fighter over the years, overcoming extraordinary odds. Today he continues to battle, but may not win this time. If you have room in your heart to lift up a little boy and his family during this time, please ask that peace comes to them during this difficult time.

It is difficult to imagine the strength it takes to face such a difficult and unknown future. It is even more difficult to imagine as a child. I didn't know little Joey beyond his mother, but I have been amazed at his strength and the strength of his family. Joey, whatever the coming days bring you, happy trails.

Stats-
Miles: 9.28
Time: 1:25:00 (average pace of 9:09 per mile)
Location: Admiral Heights, Downtown Annapolis, US Naval Academy
Feeling: Better than I could have imagined

Ahhh, the bay...

I'm blessed to have many great friends, some of whom inspire me to run. This morning I took in a longish run with a group of women training for the Zooma half marathon, led by my great friend Lara. Lara is the woman who conned me into trying my hand at the 50k distance a few years ago. She's also a woman who can keep you entertained over many miles of quiet, boring, busy, or exciting roads. Today she led our group of ladies through the Bay Ridge community of Annapolis. If you know Annapolis, you know this neighborhood probably has the best views of the bay in the area. At any of a great number of houses, one could imagine taking in the morning coffee on the front porch watching the sun rise over the bay. This morning, the day was so clear that the sun was virtually sparkling on the glass surface of the bay. The stretches of bay were so inspiring that you could almost forget the strong wind coming down from the Severn. The beaches were so clean you wanted to sink your toes into the sand. Amazing!

Instead of getting to take in my coffee overlooking the water, or sticking my toes into the sand, I pushed out 7 miles through the rolling hills of Annapolis Cove, Bay Ridge and Anchorage. I changed shoes back into the old ones today to check on whether the shoes were creating the bakc issues - quite likely. It was a great run and I met some great new ladies. They even helped me regulate my speed a bit which I am not very capable of on my own....I'm a bit of a speed demon. I hope that I will be invited to run with this group again and I wish them all luck as they prepare for Zooma this year (I'm not fond of this race, so I'm more likely found at a water stop handing out liquid life). Thanks again to Lara, Gloria and my new friend Natalie (who hung out for the last 4 miles or so). Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 7.2
Time: 1:08:02 (average pace of 9:26 per mile)
Location: PAL Park down through Bay Ridge and back
Feeling: Very strong.

Tis the season....

No, I'm not decking any halls and I got rid of that darn prickly holly bush last summer. Perhaps you've guessed? Oh yeah, it's allergy season. How can I tell? I could not get a deep, ful breath in for several miles. The flowers and trees are beautiful, but the pollen does a number on my respiratory system. Time to start carrying around the back-up inhaler for long runs until we get a few good rain storms.

Alrighty, complaining aside, the weather this week has been beautiful for running. Almost hot. It's conducive to working up a really good, cleansing sweat that makes you feel accomplished. This evening was a pretty easy run, though it started out pretty tough. My first two miles through Stanton Park and up toward Lincoln Park felt like I was pulling a weight sled, the wind was blowing so hard. The last couple as I headed back to Capitol Hill and in front of the ever-inspiring domw (do you get tired of me talking about the dome?) presented more calm air to cut through. All in all, though, a pretty decent adventure. Lots of runners out, dogs strolling and good old car horn honking through DC :)

Oh, and I almost forgot, I believe I figured out what has caused the back pain the past several days. Tonight I noticed a rather decent-sized bruise on my right lower back - about 3 inches long and 2 inches high. I've got my annual physical tomorrow morning, so I'll have the doctor check it just to be sure and I'll ask for a referral to the physical therapist to make sure it didn't affect the SI joint again. I've got too much to do this year to be sidelined by injury! Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.43
Time: 37:54 (average pace of 8:33 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park
Feeling: A little sore and wind blown, but otherwise trudging along

Sights and smells of spring...

What do I love about today? 65 degrees and daffodils (crocuses, flowering trees, etc.) everywhere! The flowers were in abundance (and boy do my allergies feel it), nannies could be seen on every corner with their young wards, and time seemed to be moving slower. Spring has been sprouting for a couple weeks now, but today I truly felt it. There are many things in this world that make me smile, but I truly love the first flowers of spring. So, I was overjoyed to cruise through the neighborhoods of Capitol Hill on a "garden tour" while getting in a couple mile leg stretcher. What a fantastic way to spend the lunch break - exercise, fresh air and a clear mind.

Everything seemed brighter, fresher, and while my run wasn't spectacular (or long...just stretching the legs) it would have been a real shame to miss a day like today. I've also been lagging behind a little bit in reaching my goal for the year, but I'm very glad that we are "scheduled" to have several more days like this in the next week. That should help motivate me to rack up the miles. It makes running that much easier and that much more enjoyable. Next up - cherry blossom season in DC. Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 2.65
Time: 22:38 (average pace of 8:32 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill
Feeling: elated for the spring, but the back is still hurting

Working through it...

Warning - this post lacks my usual wit and somewhat interesting storytelling...My run tonight was about as inspired as Ron Paul's supporters knowing he wouldn't win a single one of the states in Super Tuesday. But it needed to be done. I've taken the past couple of days off because my back is bothering me. Luckily, this pain is not associated with my back injury, so I can only assume I've slept in a bad position the past few nights. But it really hurts...

Anyway, after giving in to the pain the past couple days, I pushed myself out the door after a long day at work to put in a few miles. I figured 2-3 miles would be good considering the level of pain I was in. Honestly, though, running was the first time it has not hurt since Saturday, so I pushed out 4 miles. I was also overdressed, so it was a good sweaty, cleansing run. I don't know about you, but running clears my head to think about the tough questions, and I've got more than one of those that needs answering now. Hopefully hitting the sidewalks today - and surviving - will pave the way for an even stronger, longer run tomorrow. Until then, happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles: 4.04
Time: 33:41 (average pace of 8:20 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill and Lincoln Park (need to change my direction of choice while in DC)
Feeling: Better than standing or sitting, or well, anything really.

Pumped up kicks...

While I hope never to have to outrun a homicidal teens, "better run, better run" is the way to reach my goal of 1000 miles this year. How better to do that than a new pair of shoes to launch into the last 84% of my goal? I'm pretty sure the old Asics (bless their worn down soles) were well past their prime. Thank goodness I got a great gift certificate to Fleet Feet for

Christmas. That gift certifcate helped me get a rockin' new pair of New Balance to take me through to fall...ish. Awesome!

So, I took my rockin' new shoes for a test spin out at Quiet Waters Park...with Jay in tow. While I originally wanted to do a long run today, our early afternoon tasting session at Harford Vineyard & Winery, combined with the new shoes made that a less than desirable situation. With that in mind we set out on a single loop of Quiet Waters, plus the boat ramp loop. We were having a good run until Jay's allergies kicked. I had to leave my tough Marine at mile 2.75...wheezing. I continued on and had a great time winding through the woods, passing all the dogs with their humans in tow and checking out the new shoes. I've also got new inserts, which change the way my foot strikes, that

will take a little time, but I have no complaints. My pumped up kicks are lighter, have a good toe box and so much more fun and colorful than the old Asics. Don't you agree?

One loop around Quiet Waters, plus the boat ramp loop but minus the compost loop comes to 4.65 miles. Not bad for the first day in new shoes. I'll just have to lay down a few more tomorrow. Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 4.65
Time: 40:05 (average pace of 8:37 per mile)
Location: Quiet Waters Park
Feeling: A little tight in the sole, but should get better. Great day!

Oh the joy...

It's been a while since I was stuck on the treadmill. It should have been an even longer time. This morning was really nice out, even the afternoon was nice. Late afternoon? Not so nice. Rain, rain, rain. So stuck on the treadmill, treadmill, treadmill.

Luckily the plan was a quick four miles, so I didn't lose a lot of miles or have to spend so much time on the dreadmill that I was bored. It's also nice that the treadmills have satellite tv on the screens. I was able to take in half an old episode of Law and Order, them caught the top of the hour on CNN, which was all about today's storms. My thoughts go out to the families across the midwest impacted by the tornadoes today. I hope there is a rainbow at the end of this series of storms.

Well, that's about all she wrote today. Plan for tomorrow is a wine tasting up in Harford County, followed by a 5-6 mile jog. You should definitely check in for the write up on that one! Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 4.0
Time: 34:12 (average pace of 8:33 per mile)
Location: Smack dab in the middle of the dreadmills at 24 Hour Fitness
Feeling: Still a little tight and cranky in the left hamstring...hopefully just a few more days of this.

Ouchy...

It's been a few days since my last run...thanks to that cranky hamstring and a heck of a lot going on at work. (super excited I got to use the words "recalcitrant" and "scorn" in the same letter about Iran today) In fact, its been super crazy, so not a really bad time to need a few days off for recovery in the legs. That said, the weather has been so fantastic, I've been dying to tie on the shoes and I wanted to start playing catch up in the miles I missed during February. Today finally gave me my window of opportunity, so I hit the road for an easy paced jog.

After work I took off to stretch my legs out a bit. It was kind of windy in DC tonight, so I almost wimped out and headed for the treadmill. I'm glad I didn't though. The streets were full of other runners, especially Lincoln Park where I had to battle a couple of guys running in my direction and showing no sign of moving out of the way for a lady. Then there were those few bikes that decided to basically run the runners off the sidewalks. It was a regular traffic jam...and wouldn't you know, there was absolultely no traffic on the streets.

Anyway, I finished up my run facing the Capitol Dome glowing against the dark night sky. Love it! Too bad my hamstring hurt the entire run. Ah well, maybe I'll have better luck with that tomorrow. Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 4.12
Time: 35:41 (average pace of 8:39 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill to Lincoln Park
Feeling: Still a bit sore in the hamstring which pushes a discomfort down into the calf to take the pressure off.