Today we are under an "excess heat" advisory (that means too hot to think, let alone do anything else), so I was prompted to do the unthinkable and rise at 5:30am to get in my run before the heat set in and became too dangerous to run. Who was I kidding? It was hot at that time of day too...83 degrees at 5:30am! Are you kidding me!?!?! Well, it was better than the 90 degrees at 9pm last night, right?
The answer would be no. Add in the humidity and I could barely get my legs to move. It was oppressive, sticky, icky (what other words can I add in here to adequately describe the weather this morning). But, I needed to run regardless. So I headed in the general direction of Sandy Point State Park to try to hit five miles without wilting. Getting my body to put one foot in front of another was a challenge. This was not a pretty run. (And oh by the way, while the dead deer from last week may be gone the smell is not...ugh).
At any rate, I can feel accomplished that I put this one on the books, after all, I got up at 5:30am (I hate doing that for a run), I hit the goal for distance (which didn't look particularly feasible at the outside) and I did not sweat so hard as to flood the road. I see ever so slightly cooler temperatures coming in tomorrow, maybe they won't be as bad. Happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 5.15
Time: 46:04 (average pace of 8:56 per mile)
Location: Bay Head, Sandy Point State Park
Feeling: Not quite like death, but I imagine pretty close
29 June 2012
27 June 2012
Turtles and naps...
Yeah, I don't recommend napping with turtles. That's not what this post is about. So then what's going on? Nope, not as exciting as you think, but check it out anyway.
Over the next few days, the greater DC area is going to be hit by a heat wave. Yep, but Friday the heat index will hit 110 degrees. Guess who won't be able to run during the day? Well, nobody that is sane, that's for sure...including me (sanity check may be in order regardless). Today was the last shot at an afternoon run in the outdoors before the bad temps set in. I didn't really set out with a distance in mind, except that I needed to put in four or more, five would be nice.
The run started out pretty decent. My hamstrings were still tight, but at least my legs didn't seem to be heavy like yesterday. I headed out on one of my normal DC routes, with some different directions along the same roads. It was warm, borderline hot by the time I got up to Lincoln Park. And that's when I saw what I really needed to be doing on a day like this. That's right, I should have been napping in the middle of the park like that guy over there. I took one look at him and had a real moment of jealousy. Instead, I snapped his photo to blast to the world (because when you make someone jealous, its a no holds barred type moment) and kept on going.
Next I headed on down North Carolina Avenue toward Pennsylvania Avenue. I take this particular road over toward Pennsylvania from time to time for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, when the temps are rising like they were today, this road has a lot of nice, shady tree cover that makes it feel a lot cooler than out in the open. Another fun reason to take North Carolina is the fun little turtle park near Eastern Market. This place makes me smile. So I stopped to finally snap a photo today so I could share the park on my blog. You can see the one big turtle that anchors the area, but what isn't particularly visible are all the small little rock turtles that edge the rest of the relaxing and whimsical space. Love it. It also helps to lighten the mood for the rest of the run.
I finished this one without any real victories or pitfalls, just a decent few miles to add to the tally. Now I move on to the days of heat advisories and hopefully the ability to get up at o'dark thirty so that I can run when its only 81 degrees out. Geez. Oh well, happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 4.36
Time: 37:18 (average pace of 8:33 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: Lighter but still need to work out the hamstrings
Over the next few days, the greater DC area is going to be hit by a heat wave. Yep, but Friday the heat index will hit 110 degrees. Guess who won't be able to run during the day? Well, nobody that is sane, that's for sure...including me (sanity check may be in order regardless). Today was the last shot at an afternoon run in the outdoors before the bad temps set in. I didn't really set out with a distance in mind, except that I needed to put in four or more, five would be nice.
The run started out pretty decent. My hamstrings were still tight, but at least my legs didn't seem to be heavy like yesterday. I headed out on one of my normal DC routes, with some different directions along the same roads. It was warm, borderline hot by the time I got up to Lincoln Park. And that's when I saw what I really needed to be doing on a day like this. That's right, I should have been napping in the middle of the park like that guy over there. I took one look at him and had a real moment of jealousy. Instead, I snapped his photo to blast to the world (because when you make someone jealous, its a no holds barred type moment) and kept on going.
Next I headed on down North Carolina Avenue toward Pennsylvania Avenue. I take this particular road over toward Pennsylvania from time to time for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, when the temps are rising like they were today, this road has a lot of nice, shady tree cover that makes it feel a lot cooler than out in the open. Another fun reason to take North Carolina is the fun little turtle park near Eastern Market. This place makes me smile. So I stopped to finally snap a photo today so I could share the park on my blog. You can see the one big turtle that anchors the area, but what isn't particularly visible are all the small little rock turtles that edge the rest of the relaxing and whimsical space. Love it. It also helps to lighten the mood for the rest of the run.I finished this one without any real victories or pitfalls, just a decent few miles to add to the tally. Now I move on to the days of heat advisories and hopefully the ability to get up at o'dark thirty so that I can run when its only 81 degrees out. Geez. Oh well, happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 4.36
Time: 37:18 (average pace of 8:33 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, Stanton Park
Feeling: Lighter but still need to work out the hamstrings
26 June 2012
Socializing and running...
Running can be great for socializing. Just look at my Saturday runs with Brie...hello, exercise and catching up with friends. Awesome. And in some cases, running is the only way you can find time to hang out when you are all busy, busy, busy. Sometimes, though, they don't mesh...at least not in the same way.
Tonight I was hitting the pavement for five in my quest to post 550 miles before the end of the month. Okay, my body felt heavy. I don't know if it was the day off yesterday or if I'm still a bit tired from pushing the speed a bit too much on Sunday, but overall it felt like it was all I could do to push to the end of the run. So, I was certainly excited to run up behind some of my old colleagues from The Ohio State University - their President and federal relations team - walking in front of the capitol building. I stopped to "socialize" and catch up with them a couple minutes (it's also always nice to hear "Stacie was the best MLA Senator DeWine ever had") before continuing on my way. Luckily this was about a mile before I was finished because shortly after that diversion I ran into another colleague and stopped to socialize with her for, oh, about 30 minutes :) about all sorts of stuff - work, running for fundraising, kids, etc. That social stop, however, made finishing the last quarter mile sheer torture. Oh well, life goes on and it is fun to catch a few minutes chatting with good folks.
All in all, my pace was back to more normal speeds, the weather was pleasant and it felt good to put the pavement beneath my feet to think for a bit. I'd also be remiss if I didn't recap my joy at my social encounters along the way. I hope the rest of the week is just as nice and that the body lightens up. Happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 5.28
Time: 44:33 (average pace of 8:26 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Stanton Park, Lincoln Park
Feeling: Heavy, a little tight in the hamstring
Tonight I was hitting the pavement for five in my quest to post 550 miles before the end of the month. Okay, my body felt heavy. I don't know if it was the day off yesterday or if I'm still a bit tired from pushing the speed a bit too much on Sunday, but overall it felt like it was all I could do to push to the end of the run. So, I was certainly excited to run up behind some of my old colleagues from The Ohio State University - their President and federal relations team - walking in front of the capitol building. I stopped to "socialize" and catch up with them a couple minutes (it's also always nice to hear "Stacie was the best MLA Senator DeWine ever had") before continuing on my way. Luckily this was about a mile before I was finished because shortly after that diversion I ran into another colleague and stopped to socialize with her for, oh, about 30 minutes :) about all sorts of stuff - work, running for fundraising, kids, etc. That social stop, however, made finishing the last quarter mile sheer torture. Oh well, life goes on and it is fun to catch a few minutes chatting with good folks.
All in all, my pace was back to more normal speeds, the weather was pleasant and it felt good to put the pavement beneath my feet to think for a bit. I'd also be remiss if I didn't recap my joy at my social encounters along the way. I hope the rest of the week is just as nice and that the body lightens up. Happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 5.28
Time: 44:33 (average pace of 8:26 per mile)
Location: Capitol Hill, Stanton Park, Lincoln Park
Feeling: Heavy, a little tight in the hamstring
24 June 2012
Running for cancer research...
I love running. It is an extension of who I am and what keeps me calm (I can't say stress free...but perhaps less stressed?). Several weeks ago, I made a commitment to use my love for running to help raise funds to fight cancer by entering races to benefit cancer research. This past weekend I was able to enter the Friends of Melana 5K in my hometown.
I was in Garrettsville for a family event, and to see my niece, and learned about the 5K in conjunction with an annual festival downtown. I thought "sure why not" and then learned the cause and knew "absolutely" I was going to be on that start line on race day. Friends of Melana was named in memory of Melana Matson, a nine year old girl from Garrettsville, who in 2009, was diagnosed with brain cancer. She lost her battle just nine months after her diagnosis. Friends of Melana was formed to honor her memory and help to fund the fight against this cancer.
So on a beautiful Sunday morning, I trotted on downtown, surprisingly fast, (its only a mile from my mom's house so I decided to use it as a warm-up and to add up a couple more miles) and signed in for the race. It's been about 14 years since I last lived in town, so I do not really recognize the new faces (or at least those who came out to sweat for cancer research) and just waited on my own for the starting gun (although I did chat a bit with Mrs. Z who was my gifted teacher through school and agreed to hold onto my race shirt for me).
When the race started, it started fast....one of the habits I've tried to break for years. But it felt decent so I just went with it. It was about 1/2 a mile in that I looked down at my pace and just thought "whoa...I'm going to die if I keep this up." It was pretty fast for me. A 1/4 mile later I looked down again and I was going even faster. My first thought was, "I'm not a fast runner, this must be Kaitlyn and Joey carrying me." (You may recall a post a few weeks ago about Kaitlyn and Joey...they have inspired this commitment this year). It was then I decided that if they wanted me to go that fast, I wouldn't let them down. And I don't think I did.
It was a hilly course, that's for sure. The course started on Center Street up to Maple Avenue, down to Water Street, up Liberty, turned onto Pierce, then Brosius Road and back down Center Street to the finish. Driven there lately? Its rolling...and Center Street throws in a whopper uphill right before the finish line. But rolling is good, rolling is fun. I even got to see my old eighth grade English teacher and middle/high school track coach bike riding along the course. It was great encouragement. But mostly, I wanted to keep running for Kaitlyn and Joey. And so I did.
So on this Sunday of small town parades, political booths along the street and Catholic church chicken dinner fundraisers, as a community we also accomplished a little something in honor of the children who did not have a cure available to them in hopes that those who come after will not have to know what childhood cancer can do. Happy trails!!!
Oh, in the end, I turned in a 23:49 time...did not quite beat my standing PR from 19 years ago (23:10), but slipped in as my second best 5K ever. Overall, I finished first among women 30-39 and fourth among all women. I also got the opportunity to share some old stories with Jason Adkins about when he and his mom used to sit a couple rows behind his brother, Nathan, and I when we went on dates in middle school :)
Stats -
Miles: 5.21 (1.11 miles to the race, 5K during the race, and 1 mile trottomh back with my niece before picked up by my mom)
Time: 1st mile 9:07 (average pace of 8:12 per mile), 5K 23:49 (average pace of 7:41 per mile), last mile? I have no idea...I was trotting with a three-year old who was convinced she could run like her aunt...it was slow, but I think she has a future :)
Location: good old G-ville, Ohio
Feeling: So great I can't even find the words
I was in Garrettsville for a family event, and to see my niece, and learned about the 5K in conjunction with an annual festival downtown. I thought "sure why not" and then learned the cause and knew "absolutely" I was going to be on that start line on race day. Friends of Melana was named in memory of Melana Matson, a nine year old girl from Garrettsville, who in 2009, was diagnosed with brain cancer. She lost her battle just nine months after her diagnosis. Friends of Melana was formed to honor her memory and help to fund the fight against this cancer.
So on a beautiful Sunday morning, I trotted on downtown, surprisingly fast, (its only a mile from my mom's house so I decided to use it as a warm-up and to add up a couple more miles) and signed in for the race. It's been about 14 years since I last lived in town, so I do not really recognize the new faces (or at least those who came out to sweat for cancer research) and just waited on my own for the starting gun (although I did chat a bit with Mrs. Z who was my gifted teacher through school and agreed to hold onto my race shirt for me).
When the race started, it started fast....one of the habits I've tried to break for years. But it felt decent so I just went with it. It was about 1/2 a mile in that I looked down at my pace and just thought "whoa...I'm going to die if I keep this up." It was pretty fast for me. A 1/4 mile later I looked down again and I was going even faster. My first thought was, "I'm not a fast runner, this must be Kaitlyn and Joey carrying me." (You may recall a post a few weeks ago about Kaitlyn and Joey...they have inspired this commitment this year). It was then I decided that if they wanted me to go that fast, I wouldn't let them down. And I don't think I did.
It was a hilly course, that's for sure. The course started on Center Street up to Maple Avenue, down to Water Street, up Liberty, turned onto Pierce, then Brosius Road and back down Center Street to the finish. Driven there lately? Its rolling...and Center Street throws in a whopper uphill right before the finish line. But rolling is good, rolling is fun. I even got to see my old eighth grade English teacher and middle/high school track coach bike riding along the course. It was great encouragement. But mostly, I wanted to keep running for Kaitlyn and Joey. And so I did.
So on this Sunday of small town parades, political booths along the street and Catholic church chicken dinner fundraisers, as a community we also accomplished a little something in honor of the children who did not have a cure available to them in hopes that those who come after will not have to know what childhood cancer can do. Happy trails!!!
Oh, in the end, I turned in a 23:49 time...did not quite beat my standing PR from 19 years ago (23:10), but slipped in as my second best 5K ever. Overall, I finished first among women 30-39 and fourth among all women. I also got the opportunity to share some old stories with Jason Adkins about when he and his mom used to sit a couple rows behind his brother, Nathan, and I when we went on dates in middle school :)
Stats -
Miles: 5.21 (1.11 miles to the race, 5K during the race, and 1 mile trottomh back with my niece before picked up by my mom)
Time: 1st mile 9:07 (average pace of 8:12 per mile), 5K 23:49 (average pace of 7:41 per mile), last mile? I have no idea...I was trotting with a three-year old who was convinced she could run like her aunt...it was slow, but I think she has a future :)
Location: good old G-ville, Ohio
Feeling: So great I can't even find the words
22 June 2012
What is that smell....
After yesterday's heat, even well after sunset, I decided a morning run was in order today to try to beat the mercury climb. Holy bejeezus though, it was 81 degrees with 79% humidity at 6:30am. So the morning temps weren't really a huge improvement. Oh well, 81...87...whatever. A hot run is a hot run. (Do people really choose to do yoga in rooms hotter than this? Definitely not my thing.) Off we go.
So I'm heading down College Parkway toward Sandy Point State Park dripping sweat less than a mile in, when I start to get this smell in my nose. Not pleasant but not horribly overpowering either. Then I see it, the poor dead deer on the side of the road. Okay first I want to cry for the poor thing, but really I want to go faster so that I don't have to see it any longer than necessary. It didn't seem to register that since I was on an out and back run that I'd have to pass the creature again. On the way back, oh probably half a mile away, it finally registered....I'm going to have to run by the deer again. Since I knew what the smell was going to be, I think my body was already rebelling. I picked up the pace, averted my eyes and then almost tossed my stomach contents as the smell slammed into me head on. I feel sorry for the deer and hope animal control gives her a burial quick....(a) she deserves it and (b) I'll need to find another running route if they don't.
After that traumatic experience, I made it back to the house just ahead of my neighborhood coffee-drinking dog-walking klatch. Just another day in Annapolis. Happy trails!
Stats:
Miles: 4.01
Time: 33:58 (average pace of 8:28 per mile)
Location: Bay Head, Log Inn Road
Feeling: the legs were finally loose, which is a change from every other run this week
So I'm heading down College Parkway toward Sandy Point State Park dripping sweat less than a mile in, when I start to get this smell in my nose. Not pleasant but not horribly overpowering either. Then I see it, the poor dead deer on the side of the road. Okay first I want to cry for the poor thing, but really I want to go faster so that I don't have to see it any longer than necessary. It didn't seem to register that since I was on an out and back run that I'd have to pass the creature again. On the way back, oh probably half a mile away, it finally registered....I'm going to have to run by the deer again. Since I knew what the smell was going to be, I think my body was already rebelling. I picked up the pace, averted my eyes and then almost tossed my stomach contents as the smell slammed into me head on. I feel sorry for the deer and hope animal control gives her a burial quick....(a) she deserves it and (b) I'll need to find another running route if they don't.
After that traumatic experience, I made it back to the house just ahead of my neighborhood coffee-drinking dog-walking klatch. Just another day in Annapolis. Happy trails!
Stats:
Miles: 4.01
Time: 33:58 (average pace of 8:28 per mile)
Location: Bay Head, Log Inn Road
Feeling: the legs were finally loose, which is a change from every other run this week
21 June 2012
Short and sweet...
Short and sweet is not how I would describe tonight's run. More like short and SWEATY. I waited until well after dark so the temperature would drop a bit and the heat advisory would expire. Okay, let's be honest, I was waiting for after dark because I needed it to coole down and then I decided to wait some more after I ate my second ice cream cone of the day. Let's just say waiting until after dark cannot possibly have helped me in the temperature department. In fact, writing this post just two hours after the run at 11:25pm, it is still more than 87 degrees outside. It was so hot and humid when I ran that my Garmin was fogged up the whole time. Thank goodness this weather is just an anomaly or I may be forced to do one of two things - (a) run on the dreadmill all summer or (b) learn to get up and run at 3am. Yeah, neither of those is happening, my friends.
So as I'm trudging along, cutting the air with a knife, and trying to find some air that wasn't too thick to choke into my lungs I had a couple interesting things happen. First, I had a fox streak across the road in front of me. That is the second fox that has appeared during one of my runs this year. (S)he was very pretty...almost a strawberry blonde. Okay, there's a slim possibility (s)he could also have been a cat, but I'm calling it a fox and sticking to it.
Second, I thought good driving etiquette is to turm off your brights when approaching another car, am I right? Now I know I'm not the equivalent of a car (at least I hope not) but I know that car saw me, then turned his brights on blinding me and never turned them back off. So rude. I'm certain I was seeing stars the next half mile.
So aside from a foggy Garmin, no breathable air, streaked by a fox and blinded by a rude driver, tonight was great. Happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 2.07
Time: 17:36 (average pace of 8:30 per mile)
Location: Bay Head and Revell Downs
Feeling: Like I was trying to breath heavy metals into my lungs....holy humidity and heat
So as I'm trudging along, cutting the air with a knife, and trying to find some air that wasn't too thick to choke into my lungs I had a couple interesting things happen. First, I had a fox streak across the road in front of me. That is the second fox that has appeared during one of my runs this year. (S)he was very pretty...almost a strawberry blonde. Okay, there's a slim possibility (s)he could also have been a cat, but I'm calling it a fox and sticking to it.
Second, I thought good driving etiquette is to turm off your brights when approaching another car, am I right? Now I know I'm not the equivalent of a car (at least I hope not) but I know that car saw me, then turned his brights on blinding me and never turned them back off. So rude. I'm certain I was seeing stars the next half mile.
So aside from a foggy Garmin, no breathable air, streaked by a fox and blinded by a rude driver, tonight was great. Happy trails!!!
Stats -
Miles: 2.07
Time: 17:36 (average pace of 8:30 per mile)
Location: Bay Head and Revell Downs
Feeling: Like I was trying to breath heavy metals into my lungs....holy humidity and heat
19 June 2012
Rhythm is gonna get you...
If you are a runner, you know getting into that rhythm during a workout really matters. If you can't find that pace that keeps you steady, the whole run will feel off kilter. That's how it felt tonight. I just could not find my rhythm. What caused that? Could be anything, or it could just be a mediocre run. Back in the day when I was just getting back into running about 7-8 years ago, I would have just ended a run like this before it could drive me to burn out - got out before it could feel like a chore. These days I am a more mature runner and can handle the not so good days along with the good days.
Here's how it went...first off, I made the good decision not to run in the high sun and heat of the day, opting for an evening run when I got home from work (I've really got to learn how to run in the morning before I head into the city...it could just solve some of my problems). So yay for me on that account. That's about the only good part. Well, that and my running partner. My husband joined me tonight. He needs to build base miles so he can trim his 3 mile time for work. Second, it was still really warm and super humid when we ran. The air was so thick it made breathing difficult, so no rhythm there. Third, my hamstrings were still tight, also breaking up the rhythm.
What were the high points? Or at least the interesting stories? There were a couple. For one, there was the really stiff rustle in the grass as I ran in the trail next to the road. I have no idea what it was (let's hope it wasn't something slithery or I'm bound never to run that route again...very limiting). And then, perhaps one of the most interesting sights I'll see all week, was when I turned around to see my husband jogging alongside a car giving the driver directions to get back onto route 50. Uh, here's my question...why not just stop to give directions instead of continuing to jog breathless and speaking? Let's suffice it to say, it was Jason. Ha. Here's hoping to find my rhythm tomorrow. Happy trails!
***P.S. I just signed up for my first 5K to benefit an organization combatting brain cancer this coming Sunday in my hometown. Let's beat these diseases!
Stats -
Miles: 5.51
Time: 48:14 (average pace of 8:45 per mile)
Location: Broadneck Peninsula, Bay Head, Log Inn
Feeling: Rough, but got it in
Here's how it went...first off, I made the good decision not to run in the high sun and heat of the day, opting for an evening run when I got home from work (I've really got to learn how to run in the morning before I head into the city...it could just solve some of my problems). So yay for me on that account. That's about the only good part. Well, that and my running partner. My husband joined me tonight. He needs to build base miles so he can trim his 3 mile time for work. Second, it was still really warm and super humid when we ran. The air was so thick it made breathing difficult, so no rhythm there. Third, my hamstrings were still tight, also breaking up the rhythm.
What were the high points? Or at least the interesting stories? There were a couple. For one, there was the really stiff rustle in the grass as I ran in the trail next to the road. I have no idea what it was (let's hope it wasn't something slithery or I'm bound never to run that route again...very limiting). And then, perhaps one of the most interesting sights I'll see all week, was when I turned around to see my husband jogging alongside a car giving the driver directions to get back onto route 50. Uh, here's my question...why not just stop to give directions instead of continuing to jog breathless and speaking? Let's suffice it to say, it was Jason. Ha. Here's hoping to find my rhythm tomorrow. Happy trails!
***P.S. I just signed up for my first 5K to benefit an organization combatting brain cancer this coming Sunday in my hometown. Let's beat these diseases!
Stats -
Miles: 5.51
Time: 48:14 (average pace of 8:45 per mile)
Location: Broadneck Peninsula, Bay Head, Log Inn
Feeling: Rough, but got it in
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