A lot of good...

Good weather, good attitude, good partners, good distance.

Today I tried out a new exercise partner.  Enter Baby K.  Though he's too small for the jogging stroller as yet, meaning I can't really run with him in tow, we did get in a nice power walk this afternoon.  So, nestled in to his pram, we headed in the direction of the library. 

Sun, warm temps and a quick pace quickly equated sweat.  Add to that the trees and flowers beginning to bloom and you've got a great workout.  Baby K, however, didn't seem as interested in his surroundings.  He zonked out about 15 seconds after being placed into the pram (with a brief exception when we stopped for a red light...he doesn't like to stop moving) and didn't wake up until 4+ miles later. 

I'm looking forward to more of these walks...at least, that is, until he's ready for the jogging stroller.  Then there will be no stopping us.

This evening, I headed over to the gym for some rare solo time.  With dad responsible for all the kids, there was no pressure to get it done as quickly as possible.  I got in a short run before hitting the weight machines.  I got a great laugh as I started my last set on the row machine.  Was it just coincidence that, as I was thinking about my body transformation journey, "Sexy and I Know It" piped through my earbuds?  I think not...especially as the words "I work out" fit perfectly into the rhythm I was pounding out.  Add to that, I know the perfect animal print running pants I could add to the mix (seen at the Nike Women's Half in DC last April...a big PR day for me).

And now as I sit here relaxing and thinking about what I can squeeze in tomorrow before the rain makes it impossible for Baby K to be loaded into the pram, I'm happy with what I accomplished today.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  3.11 (run), 4.12 power walk
Time:   32:00 (average pace of 10:17), I accidentally forgot to stop the watch after my walk, so the time was off
Location:  Broadneck Peninsula and Greater Annapolis Y
Feeling:  awesome

Transitions = blogging delays....

Transitions can be exciting.  They can also be very disruptive to your routines.  This year I've changed jobs, moved offices (twice), traveled a lot and am still working on perfecting my role in a family of three while keeping on target with my personal fitness goals.  Is it any wonder I haven't updated the blog as regularly as last year?!?

Anyway, my March endeavor is to get back on track (and write several of the posts I skipped) and blog as I go, like last year.  I've been having fun in my running shoes the past six weeks and I don't want to miss the opportunity to share.  While I'm not breaking speed barriers (as evidenced by my lack luster showing down in Florida last weekend...finished in the top 5% but I was disappointed with my time), I am building new friendships, exploring new terrain and working hard to make this a great running year.

Today's run was simple.  It was a muscle shake out.  I'm trying to be better at resting after bigger races and so I took two days off after the half marathon last weekend.  My legs were definitely stiff...more along the lines of "feels like hardening cement."  But the day was beautiful and the run was good for my mental sanity.  Plus, I got to see the sun peering around the top of the Capitol Building...that just makes my day. 

I also got to laugh to myself for half a mile.  I know I would do this if it happened to me, but still, its amusing to watch it.  I came up on the left side of this women who was moving a lot slower than me (I'd guess her pace was a good 30 seconds/mile slower) and as I passed her she dug deep to find the energy to ensure she passed me up again.  I was running to shake out to cobwebs, so I didn't chase her down.  But anyway, it was a good smile.

I'm slightly behind in mileage for the month of February, but am certain I can grab the extra few needed to be on solid ground by the end of March.  I had two 30+ mile weeks this month (and one abyssmal week of travel overseas that didn't lend itself to much running).  March will be better in so many ways - more running, more blogging.  Happy trails!

Stats -
Miles:  4.72
Tine:   41:52 (average pace of 8:52 per mile)
Location:  I'm permanently removing this stat for personal reasons, but message me if you want to know specifically where I'm running...you'll be able to get a general idea otherwise, from the landmarks I talk about.
Feeling:  Sluggish, but mentally awesom

I'll update the mileage calculator later tonight, but i've completed 180.21/1245 so far.

Mom + Miles = Sanity

Check out runprettyfar.com for more

Today I came across a new fun running attire company that summed up some of my feelings about running pretty well, and did so stylishly.  As I've said multiple times, running is my sanity.  Now, I can't say that I need the sanity check because of my child...far from it.  Actually running has helped center me for a long time.  That said, I love the shirt that says "Mom + Miles = Sanity."  I will take it to mean that, yes, I am a mom, and yes I have stress, and yes, running helps me keep it all on an even keel.

I thought about the life evening benefits of running a lot during my today's lunch hour miles.  I thought about all the feelings I have when its me, my ipod and endless road or trail.  I feel release.  I feel empowered.  I feel in control.  I feel strong.  I feel relaxed.  I feel happy.  I feel accomplished.  I feel many things, but most importantly I feel AWESOME about myself.

The sun was shining down, cars were bustling up and down the roads, people were walking and talking through the parks and life was going on around me, but it didn't matter.  I was in my happy zone (one of my several happy zones of course) and everything felt pretty good.  I cleared my head and thought about new approaches to work challenges, I thought about fun things to do with the diva this weekend, I thought about my half marathon and the joy of running with friends this weekend. 

And then I stopped.  I enjoyed the sweat (well, mostly...I don't enjoy the sweat that drips into my eyes and stings like a mother...), and I enjoyed the slight ache in my muscles.  Though the run was not particularly challenging it was fulfilling and helping me to hit my mini goal for the week (30 miles...).  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  4.01
Time:   34:44 (average pace of 8:39 per mile)
Location:  Stanton Park, Lincoln Park, Capitol Hill
Feeling:  the lower hamstring is twinging a bit again, but the lungs are feeling lighter

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

Back in the saddle...

Today the angels must have been singing praises upon the earth to bring such amazing weather to Washington, DC. It was a dazzling afternoon with the sun shining, a moderate temperature (for which I'm grateful after the UAE last week) and more flowering trees showing their glory to the masses (I speak specifically of those fantastic lilac trees up near Lincoln Park...I really wish I had a camera with me). As the sky begins to cloud over, I'm happy I got out over my lunch break to loosen my legs on solid pavement for the first time since leaving town. It was also a blessing because running gave me the opportunity to run into my great pal Rich, who is in town on R&R from Afghanistan...his last day before shipping back over. I've traveled a good deal of the world with Rich and was sad to have missed him during his brief time at home.

As I was running, I catalogued in my mind what's upcoming and what goals to set. So, on my 36th birthday (in two weeks) I have a metric marathon. This will be the first metric marathon I've run since the back injury in 2010. I've been running really solid and, with a few sub-2 hour half marathons under my belt, think I may be able to accomplish the metric in 2:30-2:45. It should be a ton of fun with Brie keeping me company and motivated. Then, in June, I've decided to bite the bullet and try my back at the marathon distance again. I'm not going to set a time goal for this one...its on one of my favorite trail courses in the region, which boasts some monster hills, logs to jump and a few other potential obtacles I prefer not to discuss. Again, I'll be doing it with Brie, so life should be good and a finish with no pain in the back will be more than enough to make me happy.

Here's to getting back to my routine and over the jet lag! Happy trails!!!

Stats-
Miles: 4.08
Time: 33:56 (average pace of 8:25 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: decent, heavy and tight in the left shin though

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!

Go into the light....

Today I got to run outside. Woohoo! It's been a week of treadmill runs and longing for the fresh air. As I stared out my office window and the sun beating down on the sidewalk on Constitution Avenue, I prayed for the opportunity to get outside. Well, I got a break in the action, at least long enough to lay down a few miles.

So I laced up and hit the pavement. However, I only seemed to find the shadows as I ran. Where the heck did all the awesome sunshine, which I can see over the tops of the buildings, go? How do I find it to run in it? It took a mile, but I finally found the sunshine and it was awesome! Best wishes and happy trails!

Stats -
Miles: 3.04
Time: 25:27 (average pace 8:22 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill and Stanton Park
Feeling: Fantastic...it's great to stretch the legs outside.