Peace and quiet...

This morning I woke up in one of my favorite places - Fort Campell.  I really love this base (sorry Army folks...installation...you'll have to forgive this Marine spouse), I love the people and I love the mission.  Usually when I am staying out here for meetings I get up and head to one of the fitness centers.  Today the temperatures were nice (after that monster round of storms that I managed to drive through last night on the way up here) and the sun was up early, so I hit the trail, or rather the Cole Park golf cart path.

I have to tell you, any runs this week are purely about adding miles to the tally sheet because I am otherwise saving my legs for my marathon on Saturday.  I thought the quiet of the golf cart path the day after a nasty storm was a great place to stretch out and add to that tally.  If you are familiar with the golf course on Fort Campbell, you know that it has a lot of rolling hills that dip away from the road to the treeline.  It was slightly misty near the treeline today (I can only imagine thanks to the storms) and a meditative kind of peaceful.  It was the right environment to get into my own head, hit an easy pace and pound out a few miles up and down the golf cart path from Richardson Lodging to Cole Park Commons and back.  In fact it was so peaceful I only had to share the course with a large herd of deer...and a couple groundskeepers picking up branches felled by the winds (can't have those branches covering prime fairway now can we?...I could insert all sorts of military and the golf course stories here, but I'll refrain.)

Anyway, it was a perfect way to energize the body before a day of meetings with some of the country's finest members of the Army and Army Special Forces.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  3.54
Time:   31:00 (average pace of 8:45 per mile)
Location:  Cole Park Golf Course, Fort Campbell
Feeling:  Nice and relaxed, need to watch the hamstrings going into Saturday

Small steps forward...

Last night I got into Jackson, TN very late.  After the flights from Baltimore and the drive over from Nashville, the last thing I wanted to do was get up super early.  I should have known the snooze button was in my future.  When the alarm went off, I hit that snooze button, oh, at least 3 times.  That means fewer and fewer miles with each push of that button. 

Finally I was able to drag myself out of the comfy bed at the Doubletree Jackson and head on down to the fitness center on the first floor.  At this point I only had between 15-20 minutes to run.  I took off on the dreadmill at a laborious pace and plugged away for a total of 18 big minutes.  You're impressed right?  Ha, it was meager, but even meager counts on the trek to 1000.  Better luck tomorrow at Fort Campbell.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  2.04
Time:   18:00 (average pace of 8:49 per mile)
Location:  the sole treadmill at the Doubletree Hotel, Jackson, TN
Feeling:  Ehhh

Remembering and celebrating...

Today is Memorial Day.  It is a day for remembering those who sacrificed on behalf of each American so that we may experience freedom and liberty.  We remember those who came before and those who currently serve.  We celebrate with cookouts, parades, wreathlayings and concerts.  Today I celebrated with my own Marine, who spent all of last year deployed in the war zone. 

We started the day together adding a few to the running log and enjoying the views that only Annapolitans can find.  I took Jay out to Greenbury Point...a trail I've blogged about before...for his first run along Mill Creek, Carr Creek and the Severn on this particular path.  It was a great morning.  The temps weren't horrible, the paths were deserted and (atypical of us when running together) we chatted throughout the whole run.  I rather enjoyed kicking off the day in this manner.

Post-run Jay and I hit the shower, then headed off for an early lunch and a couple hours at the pool before I had to head off to the airport for a short trip to Tennessee.  It was a day to be grateful for.  Thank you Jay and thanks to all our service members...yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Stats -
Miles:  6.01
Time:   54:49 (average pace of 9:07 per mile)
Location:  Greenbury Point
Feeling:  happy

Hitting the trail...

It's one week until the North Face Endurance Challenge.  One week until I return to the marathon field for the first time since before the back injury.  One week before I spend a day of commaraderie with a great friend conquering another goal.  I couldn't be more excited.  There's just a couple pesky details to take care of first...like getting in a few trail miles before running a trail marathon.

Serenity, thine name is a winding path
through the woods

Trails are very different from roads.  Trails are softer and more forgiving for bum knees.  Trails are more tranquil and relaxing.  Trails offer more interesting obstacles like fallen trees and water crossings.  Trails use slightly different muscles.  Trails also remind me that I am human and gravity likes to fell those who don't show enough respect for tree roots that randomly appear in front of your toes.  Its been a while since I've really hit the trails and we really needed to get in at least one solid trail run before North Face.  So Brie and I trekked out to Rosaryville State Park for some time with the trees, wildlife and every cyclists in Prince George's County (at least there were a lot).

This little dude decided to block the
while path...

If you've ever run or hiked Rosaryville, you know it is both easy and hard in the same 9 mile loop.  Its not very technical, but it throws up some hills when your legs start screaming in the heat and humidity.  We hit the trail before 7am.  Thank goodness, otherwise we never would have got a parking space because it started getting busy shortly after we hit the trail.  The trail itself was nice and dry...it could have been muddy....but also really quiet for the first several miles.  No people, no birds, okay a few squirrels, but otherwise just the sounds of two 30-something chicas chattering away and their shoes pounding the dirt.  It was delightful.  We did have a few sightings of the local wildlife throughout the rest of the run...one deer, one box turtle, one snapping turtle and a gazillion squirrels (and a gazillion males on mountain bikes).  Perhaps we'll see a wider assortment next week. 

I will tell you.  It's great to have a running buddy who already knows 90% of the good and bad that comes along with you and can still tolerate multiple hours in close proximity.  It makes running that much more enjoyable.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  10.75
Time:   2:10:46 (average pace of 12:09 per mile...slower than usual, but we just took our time)
Location:  Rosaryville State Park
Feeling:  sluggish legs after 7, need to hit the nutrition mid-run next time

Adding functions...

When I got my Garmin last year, I chose the one that also came with the heart rate monitor because I knew there were additional training benefits to be gained by heart rate training.  Well its been 7 months and have I used that heart rate monitor once?  Nope.  When I first started using the Garmin (the Forerunner 405cx...awesome!) I promised myself I'd start basic and add the use of a new function each week until I could exploit everything packaged in this computer on my wrist.  Yeah, good intentions.  As I normally do, I fell into a pattern and just enjoyed watching my pace and mileage.

Found this beauty on a wall near 13th
and Pennsylvania Ave SE.  I love it!

Today I changed my pattern and added that heart rate monitor.  I know its going to take a while to get used to it, but wanted to start figuring it out.  So I started out and realized after the first quarter mile that I wasn't getting a reading.  I stopped to figure that one out briefly, and, duh...you have to enable it on the watch settings.  With the heart rate monitor working, I took off again.  I wasn't moving horribly fast.  It was a hot day, very humid and I was dehydrated.  I know my heart rate should be somewhere in the range of 150-163 if I'm working at 85%.  Mostly that's where I was, but the heat and dehydration caused me to spike to 175 a few times.  Overall, today my average heart rate was 154.  I'll get the hang off this and learn how to read it throughout my workout to maximize my cardio.  Until then, happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  5.01
Time:   43:21 (average pace of 8:39 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  drenched, it was so darn hot

Going on a lion hunt...

Let's be honest, outside the national zoo DC does not have lions.  So what could I possibly be talking about?  Have I finally lost my mind (not out of the realm of the possible)?  No, I'm thinking back to my sorority days in college....specifically pledging hell week.  My small, private school was pretty strict about hazing, so you had to be pretty creative (and overly careful) about what you could and could not do with pledges.  I remember my pledging year being blindfolded, stuck in the back of a car and driven around with the promise of being dropped in the middle of no where with only a roll of quarters to make my way back to campus (it was a cover obviously).  My sophomore year, as a big sis, it became my turn.  I teamed up with another big sis and we took our pledges on the "lion hunt" or rather our version of a semi-blindfolded photo scavenger hunt.

Tonight, to make my run a little more interesting I went on my own little "lion hunt" or rather photo scavenger hunt around Capitol Hill.  Because I run through residential areas, I see a lot of gardens.  You probably would not be surprised that there are a lot of beautiful front yard gardens among the rowhouses around the Hill (I can't really tell you about the backyards because teh act of obtaining that information could be considered illegal).  It appears to me that people find relaxation and recreation in their front yards.  What I had not previously thought to consider is that they also find a place to meditate within their front yards.  Yep, Capitol Hill is totally zen.  The number of gardens paying homage to Buddhism is actually astounding.  Below are pictures of just a few of the gardens along my four mile trek trying to find a spot for meditation among the semi-busy streets of DC or perhaps just showing the Buddhist spirit. 

It occurs to me that many people find a way to meditate in different ways - for me its running, for some its yoga and for others it may be reminders of the culture symbolic of the act of meditation.  So Capitol Hill, keep on relaxing.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -

Miles:  4.03

Time:   32:42 (average pace of 8:06 per mile)

Location:  Capitol Hill, Stanton Park, Lincoln Park

Feeling:  No problems with the achilles tonight, nor anything else either

Divine intervention...

After a crazy weekend of strawberry picking, Blue Angel watching and War of 1812 commemorating that gave Adventures in Babysitting a run for its money (by the way, everyone survived), I got back to the pavement and my personal meditation today.  As has been the case with most of my plans lately, I did not end up completing the workout I planned.  This morning I woke up to rain, a long day of forecasted rain.  With that in the crystal ball I planned on hitting power yoga and the treadmill after work.  However, I got  a pleasant post-work surprise...no rain.  How could I not take advantage of that?  After all, it was clear that mother nature was listening to my complaints about the treadmill. Not one to look a gifthorse in the mouth, I laced up my running shoes and headed outdoors.

I decided to shake it up a little bit and hit my go to course in reverse...sort of.  I started out heading across the East front of the Capitol, then up Pennsylvania Avenue.  Instead of cutting up 7th Street and cruising past Eastern Market, I went on down to 13th Street before turning toward Lincoln Park.  I've never been down this section of the road before and was pleasantly surprised by the extensive Watkins Recreation Center (and pleased to see so many kids out being active in the various sports teams practicing on the fields).  It got me thinking about some of the great programs fighting childhood obesity like the White House Let's Move and Junior League's Kids in the Kitchen.  I love those programs.  The run was tough, my left achilles is a bit tight, but necessary.  I finished off the evening in the weight room at the gym.

My divine moment, however, did not come until I arrived home tonight.  You may recall my post last week about honoring the victims and survivors of cancer by running to raise funds.  Well, being the Christian gal that I am, I do believe in intervention and tonight was a fine case.  I guess I'm being called to put my money...or legs...where my mouth is.  Tonight's mail delivered a flyer to join the American Cancer Society DetermiNation running program to help raise funds for cancer research.  I love the back of the flyer that says "Nearly 12 million cancer survivors will celebrate another birthday this year, thanks in part to the lifesaving work of the American Cancer Society and people just like you: people with a spark of determination and the will to conquer this deadly disease.  Every mile you conquer could help someone else celebrate another birthday."  I've signed up to receive information on the Washington, DC area program.  After all, how can you say no to a great cause and divine intervention?  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  5.25
Time:   45:07 (average pace of 8:35 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  Need to figure out the tight achilles but otherwise pretty good

Wowzer, 40%...

Today I'm dancing (or just plain looking silly) while running.  No really, I saw this great picture (over there on the right) on the Zooma facebook page today, which I'm fairly certain sums up how I look when I run (umm, the chica at the bottom, not the top...though I wish).  I'm not ashamed, at least I'm moving.  Anyway, I thought I'd like to see how it felt to not only look like the lower half of the photo, but feel like that's how I look too.  What better time to go for the silly factor than when I'm hitting another running milestone?  Oh yeah, did I mention I surpassed the 400 mile mark today?  I say there is no better time, so go for it, which I did cruising around during today's run.  It was fun, it was freeing, it was worth any crazy looks from passersby.  (Sorry folks, but no, I'm not headed for the loony bin.)

This is what 400 miles looks like!

Not only was I the only unique (read "bizarre") sight out on the road today, there were plenty others.  And why not, really let's get it all out at one time.  So what other craziness/weird happenings did I observe on this big day?  Well, first there was the group of boys I managed to pass not once, twice or even three times but roughly five.  I must have really been winding back and forth over the same streets...or they were stalking me. Either one.  Then there was the guy pushing the lawnmower down the middle of the street.  I'm not really sure what that was about.  After all, both sidewalks were wide open...and last I checked there weren't weeds growing up through the pavement on the streets in this part of Washington.  It gets better.  We topped this one off with the lady riding a bike around Lincoln Park...wait for it...with a small lamp on her head.  Well folks, top that.

In all, I'm proud of the 40% run.  Could it have been faster, stronger, longer?  Sure, but I'm not going to complain.  After all, I enjoyed it and was thoroughly amused.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  5.33
Time:   45:26 (average pace of 8:31 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  I was a little parched, need to hydrate better, but the run was good

Getting it done...

This evening I started my weekend babysitting duties.  Me, my friend's four kids and Duncan.  Through Sunday.  What are the chances one or more of us doesn't make it?  Odds on, I'm the one to expire :)  At any rate, I knew that there would be absolutely no opportunity to run tonight so I was going to have to fit it in during work today.  And again it almost did not happen.

Here's how it went.  I had morning meetings, and then a big open chunk of time in the afternoon for desk work, phone calls, lunch and more phone calls before late afternoon meetings.  Lunch was going to be the perfect time to stretch my legs a little.  And just when I was getting close to that time, it was thrown out the window with a really interesting floor debate that my boss was engaged in.  So down to the floor for me and off until later for the run.  It wasn't clear exactly when I"d get to it, but I knew I needed to for my soul and my mileage chart.

Closer to the end of the day I found a small window in this rather fantastic day in Washington DC.  It was pretty warm out, sunny and was just screaming to be enjoyed.  I set out at a fairly slow pace (yeah, that one would be a result of eating grilled cheese and french fries for lunch instead of my salad and yogurt) but just wanted to be comfortable and not toss my grilled cheese.  When I slow down, I look around me a lot more.  I really like looking at the churches in the neighborhoods around Capitol Hill.  Today I looked up just in time to catch this church steeple.  I really liked the way the steeple peeks through the tree top.  It just gave me enough boost to get back in time for a shower, some more work and off to the kiddos.  I think a marathon may be less tiring :)  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.2
Time:   36:21 (average pace of 8:39 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Stanton Park, Lincoln Park
Feeling:  A little loaded down in the stomach, but my legs were good

Staffer on the run...

This reminds me daily (its on my
office door) that I am responsible
for what I do and don't do.

I'm a super busy person.  I mean like really busy.  I've been asked, how do you get your runs in?  It's all about priorities and taking advantage of opportunities.  It's about understanding that no run is too short to be worth the effort and being surprised at how much energy you really can muster for a run at the end of the day when all you want to do is go to bed and sleep or veg in front of the latest episode of NCIS.  I constantly remind myself of these things, but most importantly I remind myself that I'm the only one that can set priorities for my personal life and there is no excuse for letting myself down.

Today is another one of those days where it would have been easier to chain myself to my desk during the day and shrug off my run at night.  I've got piles of work to attend to and an evening event I'm looking forward to enjoying.  Does that qualify as a good reason to just take the day off?  Nah, where there's a will, there's a way (and I really need to get ahead before this weekend because I am watching my friend's four kids by myself from Thursday night through Sunday). 

Too bad you can't tell that this brief
break wasn't to catch my breath but
to answer the latest email to come in
while I was pounding the pavement.

Well, I took thirty minutes - shorter than most of America takes for a lunch break (I don't really take one) - to get in my mental yoga and keep pushing toward that weekly mileage goal.  I'm glad I did...mother nature was very kind to Washington, DC today.  The sun beating down on my bare arms and legs was as good for morale as the physical movement.  Just to be clear though, those thirty minutes were not a break from work.  Unless its after traditional office hours, I run with the blackberry and answer my emails at every intersection....sortof killing two birds with one stone.  From my blackberry I can still manage a great deal (that's how we work over the weekends and on vacations at any rate) and not miss a beat.  It's also honestly one of the best ways to run into colleagues too...today I happened to run into at least 5 I needed to talk with anyway so I was able to knock out those conversations.  And I get the added benefit of making them feel guilty that they were sitting eating a burrito at La Loma while I was breaking a decent sweat running around the Hill.  Bonus!  Happy trails!!!

Stats -

Miles:  3.52

Time:   29:45 (average pace of 8:27 per mile)

Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park

Feeling:  Happy to get out and feel my muscles, a little tight in the right hamstring at the start

A higher calling...

Lime green for Kaitlyn

Tonight I nearly wrote about the pleasant surprise of being able to run outside when the forecast called for thunder and lightning after work.  Or I could write about how therapeutic runs can be when your mind is weighed down as mine was tonight.  But instead, because let's be honest there was really nothing spectacular about my run and there are more important things I could blog about for 15 minutes, I'm going to focus on a couple of recent angels taken from the earth - called to heaven - too soon.  The unexplainable scourge?  Cancer. 

Gold for Joey

No child, nor family should have to endure the agony of facing a disease that afflicts the innocent.  This holds doubly true for Kaitlyn Dzurney and Joey Sudo, a neighbor and a friend's child whose lives ended as they were beginning.  Kaitlyn was 20 with the world at her fingertips and Joey was but 12 and captured the hearts of Annapolis and beyond.  Within a month this spring, both lost their lives to cancer...too young, too soon.  Aside from being neighbors in the hospital, congregants at the same church and sharing a zip code, these two intrepid warriors share another trait - they never gave up for a second.


What can we do to honor the brief lives of heroes like Kaitlyn and Joey?  Raise awareness, support research institutes and advocate for appropriate levels of research funding.  It's easier than one might imagine and its very local. More in connection with this blog, there are 5k races all across Maryland, and many in our own community, that raise funds to contribute to cancer research.  This year I'm looking out for every way I can use my passion for running to help raise funds to beat cancer.


In the words of the great Steve Prefontaine (another case of a life ended too quickly):

"Most people run a race to see who is fastest,

I run a race to see who has the most guts."

Won't you show the guts to walk or run 5K to beat cancer too?

Stats -

Miles:  5.62

Time:   47:32 (average pace of 8:27 per mile)

Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park

Feeling:  My mind was jumbled but my body was responsive

Must never use the newer insoles...

Today I had no intention to run.  While Saturday was a little shorter than I would have like to go, I hit my target miles for the week.  No reason to run Sunday.  That said, I couldn't stop myself.  Here's how it went...

After church, Jay and I went to lunch at SaladWorks with Ryan and then to Home Depot to get a buttload of mulch for the front gardens (they look ragged and overrun by weeds..definitely time to make them company ready).  When we got home, I devoted the next three hours to sweating away pulling weeds, laying new topsoil and planting a few new additions.  Covered in soil and mulch, I thought I might as well engage in one more sweaty activity before hitting the shower.  That's how I ended up hitting the road.

Since I only planned to do a short run at this point, I decided I would throw in the newer insoles I only wore once before they caused me to have back pain when combined with new shoes that also had not been broken in (this was all back in February or March when I bought the two together at Fleet Feet).  My reasoning?  Well, I've broken in the shoes with the Lycos insoles now, so maybe with broken in shoes, the newer Super Feet insoles would be better this time.  Uh, no.  No such luck.  This run hurt, even for a short run.  I'm going to have to give up trying to wear those insoles.  Too bad, they cost a good bit of money and are custom cut for my shoes.

It felt like pulling teeth to finish the run with uncomfortable insoles, but I did it anyway and hit a little more than four and a quarter miles.  Hopefully it ultimately helps in hitting my goals early...that would make it worth the time and pain.  Better luck tomorrow with the Lycos back in safe and sound.  Happt trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.3
Time:   37:05 (average pace of 8:37 per mile)
Location:  Broadneck Peninsula
Feeling:  Feet and legs not so good, but I know the cause

 

Rockin through Annapolis...

Today was the TriRock triathlon in Annapolis.  Truth told, I was supposed to be volunteering at the Fleet Feet water stop from 4:30am - 11:30am and then hit the roads with Brie in the afternoon.  It didn't work out that way.  For days I waited for information from the race organizers of Fleet Feet to tell me where to go, I even emailed both, but neither responded.  So, why wait until the afternoon to run?  Brie and I hit the roads in the morning planning to cheer for TriRock racers while we cruised the streets on our feet. 

We took off at a reasonable pace (after all, Brie has had some achilles issues and we don't want her to end up with a real injury at the beginning of the summer race season) around Navy stadium warming up.  By Rowe Boulevard and all along Route 450, we were able to cheer on the bike leg of the race (we missed the swim...we did not hit downtown until well into the bike/run leg).  It's always inspiring to watch all walks of life working hard to achieve a goal, small or large.  We even saw a few folks we know as we crossed the Naval Academy bridge and then returned to hit the yard.

Because most of the streets downtown were closed or only partially accesible by traffic, the Naval Academy was SUPER quiet.  Sure, we passed a few other joggers getting in the Saturday miles, but it was otherwise completely dead.  Until we ran into the French tall ships docked along the seawall near the sailing basin unloading their raw sewage (YUCK...it smelled nasty).  What might you ask are French ships doing at the academy?  Well, I don't know, but we think it may be as part of the War of 1812 commemoration happening along the east coast this year.  Once we got back off the yard, we wrestled the cheering crowds as we made our way back out of town to Admiral Heights to end our run.  In all, it was a great way to spend a Saturday - catching up with a bud, grabbing a few miles and cheering on amazing athletes.

The rest of the day was also super cool.  First Jay and I hit Sugar Buns for lunch before the Paca House garden sale (where I spent way too much money on plants for my gardens).  We also caught up with Ryan for burgers on the grill (turkey burgers that is) and an evening showing of the Avengers (great movie, go see it).  I can't ask for a better Saturday.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  9.08
Time:   1:27:08 (average pace of 9:35 per mile)
Location:  all over Annapolis
Feeling:  All the muscles were comfortable

Warrior Dash DC...

Spartan Race and Warrior Dash* races are all the rage in amateur racing these days.  Those adventures that combine strength, endurance, the chance to leap through fire, and enormously silly costumes as participants launch themselves toward the finish line in hopes of glory and beer.  Indeed, the finisher "medal" at the Warrior Dash is a proper viking helmet - horns and all.  There was a time when I thought to enter such a test of my warrior ethos (in truth, I did register for one that I scratched due to last minute overseas travel) but no longer. Since my back injury in 2010, I have made a fragile peace with my sacroiliac joint allowing me to run and do yoga, but I'm not interested in launching into an affair that may set me back again in order to look silly and cross the finish line covered in mud (I can find mud on a great trail run).

Well, it appears my avoidance has caught up to me after all...it's called the urban jungle.  Yes, even residential DC can present the amateur runner with obstacles to test agility, balance and the ability to stay upright on two feet.  Just what were these obstacles I encountered in the shadows of the illustrious capitol building?  River fording - a great crossing of the sidewalk span drenched by the man watering said sidewalk (yeah...I said that right, watering the sidewalk).  The chaotic crossover* - balancing while hopping back and forth to avoid teetering into one of the many holes created by missing sidewalk bricks.  Storming Normandy* - dodging the bikes, baby carriages, other determined joggers and crazy canines dashing across my path.  And last but not least, Hell's Hill* - the final sprint back up 6th Street NE to Stanton Park on that great incline.  Yes, I completed my own Warrior Dash today....now where's my fuzzy warrior helmet and beer?

On a more solemn note, I ended the day with a touch of perspective and inspiration.  As my yoga class was getting set to start, a group of ladies entered together, one of them holding herself upright using the forearm crutches symbolic of her cerebral palsy.  Her ability to fully participate in the class was hampered by her disability, but she was there, on that mat, bringing peace to her body in meditation while the rest of the class bent and twisted to their hearts content.  Let me remember not to let my aches, pains and impediments be a crutch for not "being present" for myself and my well-being.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.24
Time:   34:07 (average pace of 8:02 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  Settled and in complete working order

*These terms are fully credited to Warrior Dash.

It's the little things...

Every day can't be fantastic...that's just a fairy tale.  Though I don't mind telling you I would find glass slippers dazzling additions to my footwear collection.  Nope, that's not reality.  Some days you just wake up and wish you could go right back to bed and stay there.  Today may just be one of those days for me.  Thank goodness I had a decent leg stretcher in the middle of the day...one must rejoice in the small things.

I almost did not get the run in.  I had about a 45 minute window for a lunch break opportunity (and that included changing and shower time).  It almost did not seem worth it to me.  Habit won out, thank goodness, I really needed it.  Just me, my thoughts and the pavement.  It was mind cleansing and body loosening on a day I really needed it.  However, when I set out on the run, I did not yet know I was really going to need the stress relief beyond the normal wear and tear of a busy Washington day (well, and some other stuff) just yet.  It all started right as I finished the run.  That's when the email came in about the article.  The hateful, self-possessed opinion of a Washington magazine blogger.  I went from relaxed and loose to livid and steaming in 10 seconds flat...just imagine if I hadn't just spent the previous 30 minutes meditating with my running shoes.  So it goes.  When I got back to my desk a colleague who knew about the article said I looked like I could use another run.  Yes.  Yes I could. 

It's over now.  What can you do...well carrying on my dream to live in a fairy tale world I just might hope he turns into an ugly creature at the hands of my fairy godmother (he looks a little trollish anyway).  Anyway, I thank my running shoes for providing me a moments peace when I needed it.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  3.7
Time:   30:42 (average pace of 8:17 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling:  Great while running, steamed otherwise

Just missed the rain...

I wondered if I would get a run in today.  After all, the storms that pounded the midwest on Monday were moving in.  The sky was full of dark, ominous clouds.  The coastal flood warnings were already in place.  But the temperature was nice and as long as I was determined not to let another day pass me by.  So I hit the road.  Everything was working well, I was keeping a decent pace, the air was only partially heavy with pollen, and there was just enough sun to necessitate the sunglasses (which came in greater use later in my run as a shield against the minor dust storm at Lincoln Park). 

I only had one problem that apparently a two day rest did nothing to alleviate.  If you are a frequent traveller, you know there are health risks to long flights.  In fact, most airlines now include in flight exercise recommendations in the seat pocket magazines.  For me, the problem comes in my knees.  I've always had knee problems.  This causes me to be one of those people who walks around the plane often on a long flight or face really severe knee pain from a fluid build up.  Last weekend's flights amounted to a total of 28 hours of flight time...lots of need to walk around, which I did.  But no amount of walking around can get out all the lingering fluid.  It necessitates a bit more vigorous exercise.  So, taking Sunday and Monday off did me no favors.  During my run, my knees were so tight I thought they might burst.  A light run on Sunday or Monday would have been a better option and made my real training run much more comfortable.  Lesson learned.

I contemplated the lesson for much of the run, interjecting often with hopes that the rain would hold off just long enough for me to hit four miles (which it did, thank the heavens).  I enjoyed a tailwind (for once!) most of the run and survived the pollen.  It was a pleasant time to run and I found a few new signs of the coming summer with the explosion of roses and clematis in the yards of Capitol Hill.  It's enough to keep you moving.  Oh, and the heavens did in fact open up almost as soon as I walked back in the office building (I got a few drops on my nose on my way in).  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.36
Time:   36:36 (average pace of 8:23 per mile)
Location:  Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park
Feeling:  Tight knees, strong heart

A lesson in climbing...

While I had great intentions to run the beautiful path at the KL City Center this morning, I did not make it.  I woke up with just enough time to get in a treadmill run at the gym and then shower for the day.  I will compliment the hotel staff...the heat in the gym finally wasn't unbearable!  Sweating still occurred, but it was not the uncomfortable kind.  So that was that.

I rather thought my exercise for the day was done after that, but I was mistaken.  Our second stop of the day, after the hot springs where it appeared to be an average Malay bathing delight (no really, full on sudsing and all), we headed over to Batu Caves.  Ever heard of them?  They are amazing.  It's basically a Hindu temple built into a cave, first used as a holy site beginning in 1891.  How do you get to the cave?  You walk up 272 steps, dodging banana peels and mokeys who want to steal your bag.  It was a great walk up and the temple was amazing.

Then, after a couple other stops, we headed to the KL Bird Park.  Another amazing site.  If you ever get to Kuala Lumpur I recommend it.  Lots of walking, lots of bird sightings (did I mention I also fed a monkey?).  And now, I'm off on a sprint to the airport so this intrepid traveller can begin the 28 hours of flying back home.  See you back in the States.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.02
Time:  35:13 (average pace of 8:45 per mile)
Location:  Treadmills at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Feeling:  Finally good...

Slogging through the heat...

I live in the Mid Atlantic, which means I know what summer heat and humidity are like, but today the real feel in Kuala Lumpur was 108 degrees.  With high humidity.  Like 70% humidity...maybe more.  All I know is that every time I walk outside I need a shower.  This shouldn't really impact what I do in the gym, though, right?  After all, Malaysia is a modern society with air conditioning in the hotels.  However, as I mentioned before, my hotel does not seem to believe in using this vital resource in the fitness center.  Now, like most folks, I sweat pretty decent during a workout, so I do not need the sauna-like environment to add to the effect.  Alas, I refused to allow it to deter me and pounded out 5 miles., albeit it a little slow on the average pace because I took the final mile down to a 9:30 - 10:00 minute pace to start edging off the organ boiling.

Sweat, once you've started, seems to follow you all day long.  I may actually have burned off a few extra pounds because I seemed to be glistening to the extreme all day.  Since the fitness center believes in providing the same sauna-like experience as outside, hence causing a full day sweat, I may as well take my running to the great park over at the KLCC (that's Kuala Lumpur City Center for those out of the Malaysian loop).  The running path is 1.4 kilometers long around a green space with an amazing kids park and its only a few blocks away.  In fact, I can almost see it from my hotel room (if it weren't for those pesky high rise buildings that cities are so fond of).  Now, if only I can find my way to it on foot. 

In the meantime, here's a couple views from around Kuala Lumpur.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  5.0
Time:  45:15 (average pace of 9:03 per mile across all 5, 8:56 per mile for the first 4)
Location:  Fitness Center, Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur
Feeling:  Sweaty but the muscles are all firing on the right cylinders

Utterly exhausted and uninspiring...

Tonight I am so exhausted I can barely remember my uninspiring run from this morning.  This is basically how it goes when the work day starts at 8am and ends at 11pm.  I'm fairly certain that around 5:45am I woke up, tripped my way into some workout clothes and found the elevator to take me down to the gym.  I located an unused treadmill...which most are (it's dark until 7ish here in Malaysia so the treadmill is really the only sane option) and took off.  A couple factors I remember that really leave a lot to be desired.  (a) it was really hot.  I mean mind-numbing, dripping sweat all over hot in the gym.  Seriously folks, you build air conditioned walk ways so that you don't have to walk outside, what does it take to get air conditioning in the gym?  (b) jet lag is catching up with my body and its getting tougher to move. Other than that, I really have nothing to say about the workout....but every mile does count in the grand scheme. The jet lag won't last forever, just a few more days and hopefully I can hit my stride again.  (Oh wait, in a few more days I head back to the states which means the jet lag starts all over again)

Unless we get back to the hotel from meetings before 9pm tomorrow, it is highly unlikely I will get in a workout, which means I won't be back with an update until Friday.  Here's to hoping, though, that if I do get in that run that its a bit more exciting.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.0
Time:   35:28 (average pace of 8:52 per mile)
Location:  Fitness Center, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Feeling:  My legs are a little wobbly from the exhaustion setting in

Duck redux, sortof...

This morning I woke up to ominous thunder and lightning, as is fairly normal in Malaysia, so I decided to skip the run on the promendade alongside the Melaka River and hit the treadmill at the gym, only to find that the treadmill (s) - both of them - were not working.  Well, I could either go back to bed for an hour or risk a downpour while running.  I chose the downpour, if it had happened, which it didn't.

Ugly mother, isn't he?

The air was super heavy and the temperatures were already pretty hot, so I decided to shoot for four miles.  Melaka has a great walk running on both sides of the river that started right outside the hotel, making it an obvious choice for the run.  We had taken a river cruise the night before, so I was familiar enough with the sites to know where I was and what I should be seeing along the run.  That is until this gila monster/crocodile looking lizard starts splashing around in the water relatively close to where I was on the walk and very close to a set of stairs out of the water.  He (who actually turned out to be a monitor lizard...had to look him up) looked hungry, but not as hungry as the swarm of his buddies I saw in the water below the elevated wooden pathway just about half a mile later.  Yeah, those things were something else and boy did they change the pace of my run.  What else did I learn about these critters?  They also can be quite fast, and while not really attracted to human flesh, they do like chickens and eggs.


Anyway, aside from the unwelcome intrusion and the super heat which had me dripping sweat, the run was rather pleasant.  Along the walk are some fantastic historic sites like Christ Church and St. Francis Xavier Church, Jonker Street, the murals which tell the history of Melaka, a view into Malaysian poverty and so much more.  It's really a great opportunity to feel the city.  On my way back to the hotel I was halted by the sounds of a morning tai chi practice that I watched a few minutes.  I also cruised past the tall ship museum.  All in all, a great excursion...and the rain held off until after 9am, at which time it POURED.  So goes Malaysia.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.03
Time:   36:34 (average pace of 9:04 per mile)
Location:  Melaka River Walk
Feeling:  Hot, which makes me sluggish, but the rest of the body was super