Week in Review

100 miles
5 doubles
18-mile long run
4 days in MD/VA/DC

Of all the 100-mile weeks I've run over the past few years, I can honestly say this is the one I'm proudest of. Not necessarily for the overall quality or quantity of miles, but for overcoming the challenges posed logistically, mentally and physically by my exhausting work and travel schedule. Many of these runs took place at sunrise or sunset, just before or immediately after yet another busy day on the road. And yet, paradoxically, I felt better on some of these runs than I have in quite some time. Thursday night in particular I had an amazing run along the C&O Canal in Maryland. I'd been traveling and working with my coworker Nora since she picked me up at 6:30am at my hotel. Twelve hours later we were finally finished for the day and headed back toward her house in Maryland. I knew that any run shorter than 90 minutes would put me behind the eight ball for my necessary weekly mileage, but at the time I could barely fathom jogging for 30 minutes. So, I resorted to drastic action. I asked Nora to drop me off at one of the locks along the canal and pick me up 10 miles down the road. I would have no choice but to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I reached our designated meeting place.

Maybe it was the unseasonably autumn-like weather or the change of scenery--I've run on this towpath, which starts in Georgetown, many times but never on this section--but within the first few steps I could tell it was going to be a good run. Countless times in the first 30 minutes I kept cautioning myself to slow down, anticipating the inevitable bonk that would deliver a powerful wallop to my weary body at any minute. But the faster I ran, the better I felt. At 50 minutes I finally allowed myself to release the brake and accelerate to whatever pace my legs dictated. I cruised comfortably through 10 miles in just under 65 minutes, feeling fresher than when I'd started and indescribably rejuvenated. This never, and I mean never, happens to me. More often than not the opposite is true, and I find myself slogging miserably through runs that should feel far easier than the resultant pace indicates. But on this night I honestly felt like I could've run forever, faster and faster, without a care in the world. I'd pay a healthy sum of money to bottle this one up, but maybe its rarity is what makes it so special. (Nah, who am I kidding...I could handle feeling this good every day!)

On Sunday, I capped off the week with a solid solo long run in DC. I'd spent the night with my bestie Jilane after--you guessed it--a long workday on Saturday, and I relished the opportunity to sleep in before heading out the door at the leisurely hour of 9am into an unseasonably cool, gray, drizzly morning in the District. I knew the general route I wanted to traverse, having done variations of it several times before, and the miles passed quickly as I clicked off the familiar DC landmarks. We capped off the morning with our favorite takeout brunch and homemade pop tarts from Ted's Bulletin before Jilane dropped me at the airport. Another crazy, eventful, productive, successful week in the books!

Mmmm Ted's poptarts: chocolate Nutella, blueberry cheesecake, strawberry, cinnamon sugar and PEANUT BUTTER BACON

P.S. If you haven't already, pick up this month's Running Times magazine with my seasonal training buddy and fellow North Shore resident Abbey D'Agostino on the cover! I first met Abbey on Thanksgiving last year when I crushed her spirit she jogged with a friend at the Gabe's Run XC race in Hamilton. We exchanged contact info there and have since taken to meeting for miles anytime she's in town on break. Although this summer that's been a few times per week, in characteristically humble Abbey fashion she didn't so much as mention that she would be the subject of a lengthy feature story (much less the cover model!) in this month's edition until it showed up in my mailbox at work on Tuesday. Naturally, I begged her to autograph it after our Wednesday morning run but she declined. Guess I'll have to find something else to put on e-Bay. But seriously, read about her story and amazing attitude--you'll be inspired!

I'm saving this for when she makes it to the Olympics--Rio 2016!

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Week in Review

90 miles
3 doubles
2 days in DC
3 medium-long runs (15, 14+, 13+)
6x10 mins. core

This week was bookended by several long-ish runs, beginning with a solid 15-miler in DC and culminating with a 1-2 medium-long punch over the weekend. On Saturday, Jordan and I joined our boss, who's training for his first marathon, for one of his early long runs. Despite plenty of hills and wind, he cruised at an 8-minute pace average for over 14 miles (during which I managed to injure myself while vacating a port-a-potty, but that's neither here nor there) and even saved enough energy to make us breakfast and cappuccinos afterward. On Sunday, we joined Emily, Jenn and Justin for another solid effort out at the Battle Road trails. The good news is the snow was almost entirely melted and the trails were quite clear. Unfortunately, we discovered the bad news halfway through the run--one big, open, low-lying section called the Great Meadow was more or less completely flooded. I immediately suggested we turn around, but once Jordan tromped through the first ankle-deep puddle the size of a long jump pit we all reluctantly followed. We finished the run looking like we'd survived one of those extreme obstacle races instead of just an easy 90 minutes, but even I had to admit the adventure was a lot of fun.

Showing Dad the "secret" monument on Teddy's Island

 

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Week in Review

77 miles
3 doubles
6x10 mins. core
4 runs on the YMCA treadmill
2 days in DC

A week that started off bitterly cold and snowy finished all sunshine and smiles in DC. I ran an 8k PR, walked about a million miles and spent some quality time with friends and family. I've got a few more days to play tourist before I reluctantly return to my normal life on Tuesday night. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a rare treat tomorrow: the Monday morning long run! I plan to show Dad and Tim my favorite "secret" running spot, Teddy Roosevelt's Island, and then continue on for a loop that will likely retrace my steps from my last long run here. I can't wait!

MRN + JRB = best friends since 4th grade! Always great to see Julie when I'm in DC.

Nedlos on our tour of the Capitol, which did not get canceled. I cannot say the same about our planned tour of the White House. #sequestersucks

Mother-daughter pic. Coordinating colors = 1/2 coincidence, 1/2 intuition.

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St. Patty's Day 8k Race Recap

4 mile w/u + strides
Target: 8k @27:45 or faster
Actual: 27:42; 2nd place female
Results
4 mile c/d
Total: 13 miles

I've widely stated my view that DC is the best urban running scene in the country, and this race is a great example of that point. For a few hours on a beautiful, crisp, clear Sunday morning, the most important street in the world was closed down just so I (and about 6,000 other people) could enjoy the privilege of toeing the line to a breathtaking view of our United States Capitol building at sunrise. 

In an unprecedented turn of events, I was actually in DC not for work but for--dare I say it--a Nedlo family vacation. My parents, along with dad's running partner Tim and wife Pam, were touring the District for spring break, and it took little convincing to persuade me to join them for a few days. Given my affinity for and familiarity with the area, I was happy to act as the de facto tour guide and share some of my favorite sights/sites. The fact that the St. Patty's Day 8k would be taking place the same weekend was just an added bonus. As it happens, I was in town the same weekend two years ago and not only ran the 8k but also the Four Courts Four Miler the day before. (And, in a completely unrelated coincidence, developed a wicked case of ITBS the day after.) I briefly entertained the idea of pulling the double again this year, but luckily nature intervened in the form of another delightful spring snowstorm and postponed my Friday night flight to Saturday morning. Fortunately I arrived to DC at noon on Saturday and was greeted with perfectly clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 60s--perfect for soaking up the sun and touring around the Mall all afternoon. I capped off the night with a quick trip to Jilane's and a visit to Ted's Bulletin for a few of their homemade pop tarts before returning to my parents' hotel and settling in for the night.

Blueberry cheesecake, peanut butter bacon, Nutella mint...so many tasty options!

Like the previous day, race morning dawned with the promise of clear blue skies and perfectly crisp temperatures. I jogged down to Freedom Plaza, location of the start and finish area, and literally the first person I bumped into was fellow Charlotte expat and former CRC member Brian McMahon. We chatted for a few minutes before setting off on our respective warmup routines, and before I knew it the time had come to toe the line. I was more than a little nervous, having not raced anything this "short" in quite a while and with the bad taste of my Mercedes Half debacle still fresh in my mouth. To make matters worse, my secret hopes of surprising all the locals and charging triumphantly through the tape were dashed when I spotted Claire Hallissey, DC resident and 2:27 British Olympic marathoner, standing a few feet away. Clearly I would be striving for runner-up at best. 

In the beginning, however, the lead seemed somewhat within reach. Either Claire was starting off conservatively or I was going way, way too fast. Both scenarios would inevitably yield the same outcome, but the latter had the potential to hurt a hell of a lot more. As I passed the first mile marker in 5:28, just a few steps behind Claire, the answer was still unclear. This was slightly faster than I'd planned, but not so outrageous as to result in certain implosion. Once we reached the first 180-degree cone turn--of which there would be five throughout the race, barring this from being labeled a truly "fast" course despite its near pancake-flat topography--she no doubt saw that a stranger was relatively close behind and decided to hasten her jogging pace. She powered away decisively and I was never in contention again.

But if it turned out that the former scenario--Claire taking the race out at a relaxed effort--were true, so too might be the possibility that I was in over my head. After a first mile that was arguably a touch too quick, I summarily dispelled all debate by splitting 10:50 for miles two and three. For you mathematicians out there, this breakneck tempo had me careening through 5k somewhere in the neighborhood of 17:01. My 5k road PR is 17:05. On the one hand, this unexpected development could be considered a cause for rejoicing. On the other, more rational and realistic hand, the race was barely halfway over. Not unexpectedly, the fourth mile got pretty ugly. I'm embarrassed to say how close this mile was to six minutes, but shame is a powerful motivator--powerful enough, at least, to force me to somehow pull it together and cover the final .97 miles somewhere in the vicinity of 5:30. The final 10 minutes of this race were some of the more painful in recent memory, but with Claire out of sight and no other women threatening for second I was able to use the men nearby to drag me down Pennsylvania Avenue all the way  the finish line, which I crossed in just over 27:40. I hung around the finishing chute to see my dad and Tim come through in impressive fashion before setting off on a wonderful solo cooldown around the Mall. 

Objectively, despite a suicidal early pace I would consider this a solid effort. I bested my 8k PR by over 30 seconds and ran almost a full two minutes faster than at this race in 2011. (Although, in defense of past me, I was probably a little bit less fresh having raced the four miler on Saturday.) Incidentally, I credit my result almost entirely to the Ted's Bulletin pop tart, seeing as its pre-race consumption had the same positive effect at the Army 10 Miler, and I might just have to pay Jilane to overnight one to me before every race going forward. With the BAA 5k coming up in just over a month and a soft PR that I now have no excuse not to shatter, I may need to call in that favor sooner than later.

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DC Morning Run Sites/Sights

The Capitol, the White House, the Mall, Lincoln, Washington, Arlington National Cemetery, Teddy's Island, the Key Bridge, Georgetown, the C&O Canal towpath, the Capital Crescent Trail, the Kennedy Center, the Arboretum.

Aaaand that's how an easy post-race recovery run turns into 25k.

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Army 10 Miler Race Recap

1 mile w/u
Target: 10 miles @57:00-57:30
Actual: 57:21 (5:44 pace); 6th place female
Results
Splits that I remember (gun): 2 miles @11:11; 3 miles @16:52; 5 miles @28:20; 10k @35;23  
2 mile c/d
Total: 13 miles

Ever since having such an awesome time running this race together last year, Caitlin and I have been planning to return. In 2011 I entered the race feeling relatively unfit and unprepared after taking some time off due to injury the previous month, only to surprise myself in on game day by sneaking in under 59 minutes. (I'd only been hoping to manage 6-minute pace.) This time, coming off a solid summer of base mileage and a few great weeks of marathon training, I expected much more from myself. Jordan set my goal at 57:30, an even 5:45 mile pace, but for some reason I was convinced I could run close to 57-flat if not faster. (I'm not sure why, since I haven't done nearly enough pace-specific work to indicate that my fitness levels corroborated this idea. Good thing he's the coach and not me.)

I flew in to DCA late morning on Saturday, then was immediately picked up by Jilane and whisked off to meet Caitlin, Garrett and Garrett's sister Elyse at perennial brunch favorite Open City. We spent the next few hours waiting eagerly for our food to arrive, catching up, devouring said food, and making a plan for the following morning. After last year's Metro disaster, we decided not to take any chances. Fortunately our invited athlete status also afforded us a parking pass for the Volunteer lot just on the other side of the Pentagon, so the plan was for Garrett and Caitlin to head over early and stake out a spot, then for Jilane to drop me off at their car shortly thereafter.

Way too much energy for 6am on a Sunday morning.

Shockingly, all the logistics went perfectly to plan in the pre-dawn Sunday hours, and before long the three amigos were walking toward the starting area on the opposite side of the Pentagon. Things got a little hectic as we merged with the other 30,000 runners all trying to make it through the baggage screening area--at which point Garrett was not allowed into the starting line zone since he didn't have a race number, which was slightly panic-inducing since we were planning on ditching all our warmups with him before the race--but soon we were through and ready to begin a somewhat hasty warmup. The air was cool and crisp with just a light breeze, and as the sun slowly crested the horizon it became obvious that the conditions were going to be absolutely perfect. I was nervous and a little anxious but also giddy with excitement on the starting line.

In hindsight, maybe I was a little too excited. When the starting cannon (yes, cannon) sounded, my body sprang into action as though I were racing a 5k. Knowing that Caitlin has been struggling with iron issues I didn't expect us to be able to run side by side for the entire race, but I was a little surprised to see her fall behind me almost immediately. "Man," I thought to myself, "she must be starting very conservatively." After seeing the digital display on the first mile marker flash 5:37 as I passed, it became obvious that Caitlin was probably running exactly to her plan. Instead, I was the one who was disobeying orders--having been firmly instructed to go out no faster than 5:45--and I knew that if I kept up this dangerous pace I would pay the price later. I needed to slow down.

Except, in an incredibly bizarre way that I have a difficult time articulating, I really couldn't. It was almost as if my legs were being moved by an invisible, intangible force, propelling them along at an imprudent speed but powerless to stop them. I truly didn't feel at this point that I was running hard, despite the cold reality that my pace was faster than what would be sustainable mere minutes down the road. Instead I allowed myself to be carried along, intermittently tucking in with groups of men and the occasional woman, watching the captivating backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall and the Potomac River flash past me. By five miles, it was becoming work. I was pleased to split a 10k road PR and see that I was still well within my goal 10k split of 35:30, but I also knew the hardest effort--and the most difficult section of the course--was yet to come. At 6.5 I heard Jilane screaming for me from the sidelines, but I was already too tired at that point to expend any energy searching for her face in the crowd.

Less than a mile later, as I knew it would, the incline began. From 7.5 to 9.5 the course rolls over a series of bridges and overpasses that transport the runners back to Virginia, and just like last year all I noticed were the uphills. Two girls passed me during this section--undoubtedly my slowest of the day but mercifully I didn't have the mental energy to calculate splits based on the mile marker clocks--and I fought hard to stay with them. Intuitively I could feel my upper-end goal of 57:30 slipping away, and all I could think about was how disappointed Jordan would be if I managed to throw the entire race away in the first feverish miles. With a mile to go, the girls gradually pulled farther away, and as I pushed and flailed over the the final hill I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. "There's no way they're running 100 miles a week like me," I thought. "Use that strength and get your head back in the game!" As we rounded the final bend with a few hundred meters to go, I could almost imperceptibly feel one of them foundering. I charged hard, passing her definitively with less than ten meters to go. I don't need a finish line photo to tell me it wasn't pretty, but I'm proud I was able to track her down. As I crossed the line just over 57:20 I found myself filled with mixed emotions: excitement that I'd chopped over 90 seconds off last year's time, disappointment in my rookie pacing tactics, and eagerness to come back next year and give the Army 10 Miler another go.

Caitlin came through a few minutes later and we found Garrett shortly thereafter. I could tell they were both disappointed that her race didn't go as she'd hoped, but all hurt feelings were at least temporarily assuaged once we entered the "commissary" area chock full of freebies. If 80 protein bars, 7 jumbo packs of gum and 21 chocolates--this is the real true tally that she later sent me via text--can't turn that frown upside down, I don't know what will. More than anything, I was so happy we had a chance to spend some time together this weekend and be running buddies again just like the old days. I hope we can do it again for Army 10 Miler 2013!

(P.S. f you have a chance, read this post-race article. Women's winner Kerri Gallagher started training under Matt Centrowitz Sr. a few months ago and sliced a whopping 3 1/2 minutes off last year's Army 10 Miler time! The article also mentions that the runner-up (who won last year) is training for the Philly Marathon, meaning my chances at an overall victory just got even slimmer.)

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Army 10 Miler Race Recap

~.75 mile w/u
Target: 10 mile race @sub-60 (6:00 avg.)
Actual: 58:55 (5:53-54 avg.); slowest mile 6:00, fastest mile 5:48, 10k split 36:30
10th female; Results
2.25 mile c/d
Total: 13 miles

After a full day of traveling in a severely overloaded vehicle, Jordan and I arrived to Jilane's place in DC just before dinnertime on Saturday. She and I set off on an easy 10-minute shakeout while Jordan put in a more substantial run before reuniting with Caitlin, Garrett and former Charlottean B-Mac for a pre-race dinner and strategizing session. We left eager to get a good night's sleep and toe the line in the morning.

Full of nervous energy, I awoke immediately at the sound of my alarm and was out the door by 6:20. The plan we'd decided on the night before was for both me and Caitlin (along with Boriana, who came in from Tyson's Corner) to rendezvous at the Pentagon metro stop near the race start/finish. Jilane lives just a block away from a metro so it should've been no problem for me to hop on a train there and ride it all the way to the race. But as I was approaching the Capitol South metro station in the early morning darkness I could tell that something was amiss. A dozen or so other people, each dressed similar to me and sporting an Army 10 Miler race number, were standing on the sidewalk outside the station wearing expressions of annoyance. Turns out that for some inexplicable reason the station was closed. Trying to stay calm, I asked the guy next to me where the closest alternate station was, assuming I'd jog there. Overhearing my question, another guy said that he'd just parked nearby and would be happy to drive us to the next station. Despite having no indication that he was anything other than a deranged serial killer masquerading as a runner who'd staged the station closure as an elaborate ruse to kidnap and murder us all, I happily agreed. (Dad, don't tell Mom.) I piled into his car with the randos while texting Caitlin about where she should start looking for my body in case things went awry. Fortunately he whisked us to the next station without a hitch, and a few minutes later I was safely on a metro train bound for the Pentagon station with smooth sailing--or so I thought.

The first part of the ride passed uneventfully. As our car emerged from the underground to cross the Potomac River, revealing a stunning sunrise splashed across the backdrop of the Mall, the man sitting next to me turned and said approvingly, "It's going to be a beautiful day." I'd barely begun to nod my agreement when he added, "Last year I ran this race in Afghanistan." Wow. Talk about putting the event in perspective. In an instant my earlier transportation difficulties were all but forgotten--until a few minutes later, when our train lurched to a halt amid crackled words from the conductor about door trouble from the car ahead. My anxiety level slowly began to rise with every passing minute as my watch ticked to 7:00, then 7:10, then 7:15. At this point I was already 15 minutes late to meet Caitlin and, with no reception in the tunnel, I figured she'd already gotten tired of waiting and decided to head to the elite tent without me. Once the train finally pulled into the Pentagon station, however, I learned that the "door trouble" mentioned earlier was actually the result of 30,000 participants trying to exit for the race. I was barely able to shove my way out of the door and onto the platform as it was covered with wall-to-wall people. I soon learned that Caitlin and Boriana faced the same obstacle, and by the time we'd fought our way up the escalator it was already close to 7:30. It took us several minutes and a few uses of the iPhone compass app to figure out where our elite tent was located, but once we had our bearings we took off in more or less a dead sprint. This wasn't exactly the warmup I'd envisioned, but it would have to suffice. We arrived at the tent with just enough time to change out of our warmups, stand in line for the bathroom and take a few gulps of water before being directed to the starting line. After the ordeal we'd just endured, it seemed as though the race itself would be a piece of cake.

For the first few miles after the starting cannon sounded, it was just that. Caitlin and I settled into a rhythm next to each other, consciously allowing a group of 4-5 women to go out ahead of us while we adhered to our goal pace. We split our first mile in 5:51, then the same for the second, then the same for the third, all the while telling each other we needed to back off and conserve energy but still clicking off the same splits. I was pleasantly surprised to feel so comfortable running what amounts to an aggressive pace for my current fitness level, but in the back of my mind I feared the early miles might catch up with me later. Through the halfway point, however, I felt terrific. It was amazing to run the race with Caitlin at my side--believe it or not, with as much as we train together we rarely have the opportunity to race this way--and despite our increasing effort levels we managed to offer each other bits of encouragement every few minutes. It also didn't hurt that the day was, in a word, perfect. The 60-degree start temperature, though unseasonably warm, was tempered by low humidity and no wind. To be honest, anything colder would've been to my detriment due to the extremely abbreviated warm-up. The course itself, which begins and ends at the Pentagon and offers a running tour of the National Mall, the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Watergate Hotel and plenty of other attractions, was mostly flat and fast. Several times during the race I found myself just feeling thankful for the opportunity to enjoy such a fantastic race on a beautiful day while feeling healthy and strong.


Caitlin and I running with our male escorts early in the race

Eventually, however, my euphoria gave way to fatigue. I stuck with Caitlin through six miles, then through the 10k, before the quick early pace began to take its toll. At some point during the seventh mile I inexplicably caught back up to her, excitedly proclaiming, "I'm back!", only to watch her pull away decisively a few meters later. From that point on she would remain fixed in my field of vision, at times slightly farther away and at times a bit closer, but all the while decidedly out of reach. The last 5k, which just happens to feature the only hills of the entire course, found me in no-man's land. Remember when I said I needed to work on my mental toughness? Well, be careful what you wish for. Somewhere toward the end of the seventh mile Jordan popped up on the sidelines, entreating me to stay focused and telling me I was in the top 10. In reality I think I was in 11th or 12th at that point, but his comments and a few cheers from Jilane renewed my determination to finish strong. I split 5:51 for mile 8, my fastest thus far of the second half of the race after a few 6:00s in a row, passing two girls in the process. With two miles to go I was able to roughly calculate that I'd need to split two 5:55s in order to break 59 minutes.


The bad news is Caitlin dropped me shortly thereafter. The good news is I then
dropped the girl in pink.

Unfortunately, with the ninth mile featuring a long uphill grade on one of the bridges, my best efforts could not prevent another 6:00 split. At one point I passed a wheelchair racer, who looked at me and said, "Hey, I think you're the first woman!" I have no idea why he thought that since he'd clearly been passed by quite a few other females, so I quickly replied, "I'm not." His response--"Well, you are for me!"--brought a fleeting smile to my face, once again putting the entire race in perspective. With just five minutes of hard running remaining and determined to meet my goal, I forged up the final hill before taking a sharp downhill to the finishing straight. I could see Caitlin crossing the line just ahead as I managed to sprint in just a few ticks under 59 minutes. Not only had I beaten my goal, but I'd finished with my fastest split of the day and achieved what is realistically my best case scenario for where my fitness is right now.


Me, Caitlin and Boriana looking fresh as daisies as we represent CRC post-race

Wogging back to Caitlin's hotel after the race--there was no way in hell we were getting back on the metro--we recapped the run and how much we enjoyed the course. Though I might plan my pre-race preparations a little bit differently, I have every intention of returning next year in better shape and improving upon this year's finish. As for the rest of 2011, well, now all I have to do is get fit enough to run 16 more miles at this pace and then I'll be all set!

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(Comeback) Week in Review

70 miles
2 doubles
0 (!!) days off
4 days in DC
2 hours of dancing at the Holder-Robbins wedding

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back! Yes, I feel embarrassingly slow. Yes, every part of my body hurts. No, I can't even wrap my brain around the idea of attempting a workout, much less a race. But it's a start.

Despite hitting "the wall" on practically every run this week--an unavoidable hallmark of the first few weeks back from injury, I've discovered time and again--I was just thrilled to be back out there. Not to mention, I had the pleasure of taking in some pretty awesome runs: an early morning trail jaunt at Renaissance with my friends Ben and Casey, a plethora of runs around DC that included everything from the Mall to Rock Creek to the C&O towpath and all places in between, and possibly the world's largest Dowd YMCA-CRC run on Saturday morning in honor of Jay's wedding day. (Me: "There's gotta be at least 50 people here. Biggest Dowd run ever?" Matt: "I'm pretty sure this is bigger than some years of the Dowd Half-Marathon.")


Three OT qualifiers and the Thunder Road Marathon champ.
Clearly we're more talented at running than at seducing the camera.

Speaking of awesomeness and of Jay's nuptials, well, let's just say a good time was had by all on Saturday night. A little too much of a good time in some cases, judging by the splitting headache that knifed through Caitlin's and my temples with every footfall as we wearily trudged back up to the church to retrieve her car on Sunday morning. I will say that if I logged my workouts on Athleticore and if I were Billy Shue I would definitely record two hours of "alternate activity" on Saturday night which consisted of one of the most vigorous dance parties I've ever participated in. What we lacked in rhythm and skill we made up for in enthusiasm, and thankfully AJ was the only (token) black guy in attendance to make fun of our inherent lack of coordination. The MVP award of the night must indisputably be awarded jointly to Larry and Kathy Seavers, two of the most amazing runners and people--and, as we found out, dancers--I've ever had the privilege of knowing. I've said it before and I'll say it here now: if I am blessed with half their energy and zest for life at their age, I'll consider myself fortunate.


My heroes, Larry and Kathy Seavers. Nope, that's not water on his shirt.

There's not much more to report on the running front as it pertains to my own fitness (or lack thereof), but I can't close this post without giving a shout-out to the most impressive Charlotte performance of the weekend (heck, maybe the entire year), Alana Hadley's stunning 1:17:14 at Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach. Not only was she the first American, but she also shattered the national 15-and-under age group record. That's right, she's 14. Huge congrats to Alana and to her father/coach, Mark, for this breakthrough performance. If that doesn't serve as a kick in the pants for me to get back in shape, I don't know what will!

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Week in Review

42 miles
4 days off (2 days no exercise)
3 doubles
2 hours elliptical
5 AFDs

As you can see, in light of Tuesday morning's debacle and my admittedly increasing shin pain, I went against everything ingrained in my body (and mind) and made the smart decision to take most of the rest of the week off. Aside from a few mandatory run clubs with Pacers in DC and one self-imposed mandatory fun run with my good friend and District hostess Jilane, I was pretty much a slug for the remainder of the week. I called off a morning run with Jilane on Wednesday after less than a minute of uncomfortable steps, and in the evening we were easily persuaded to scrap a half-hearted cross-training plan in favor of enjoying a relaxed dinner and a bottle of wine. (Antioxidants, anyone?) Friday, Saturday and Sunday I invoked all sorts of self-restraint and didn't allow myself to run a single step, instead slogging through a few elliptical sessions more for sanity's sake than anything else. I even passed on a long run at Davidson and group breakfast at Toast--where the special was peanut butter banana french toast--because I was adamant about being "good" on my final day off. Ugh.

As much as I hate to admit it, there's probably a reason that my mental and physical unraveling coincided in this particularly insidious manner. In order to find the last time when I only ran three days in one week, you'd have to go all the way back to the end of August last year when I hurt my foot at the Greek Fest 5k. On the one hand (foot?), I think it's a tremendous accomplishment that I've been able to train (relatively) happy and (relatively) healthy for almost an entire year. At the same time, perhaps this was my body's not-so-subtle way of demanding me to take a break and recharge the 'ol batteries before the real training begins this autumn. Because let's face it, we runners are stubborn. I definitely wasn't going to take the initiative to do so myself.

Looking ahead, I'll play next week by ear depending on how my leg feels. I plan to head out for a "tester" run tomorrow and, if all goes well, I'll probably ease back into fairly normal mileage and low to moderate intensity. I also hope to seek some treatment from Dr. Greenapple this week and maybe even a massage on Sunday. Taking one week off may prove to be quite beneficial, but if a week turns into a month then we have a problem. I plan on being extra vigilant next week to ensure that doesn't happen.

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Rock Creek Park Fartlek

3 mile w/u
Target (in mins.): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
w/rest jog equal to half of the preceding interval
Actual: Above
1.5 mile c/d
Total: 13+ miles

After two aborted workouts attempts last weekend, I would be lying if I said my self-esteem wasn't suffering just a tad. With one of my summer goal races less than a week away, feeling overwhelmed with fatigue on lethargy on every single run isn't exactly ideal. With that in mind, I wanted Jordan to write me a workout for Tuesday that could be based off of time and feel rather than pace and distance. I also knew that I would most likely be running on the bike path in Rock Creek Park, which, while a great place to put in some miles, is not marked (as far as I know). So Jordan came up with the above, giving me the weenie option of omitting the 6 and the second 5 if I wasn't feeling it.

I spent the majority of Monday afternoon and evening making the 7-hour trek up to DC before finally stopping at my friend Owen's pad for the evening. I stayed up for a bit socializing and going on a late-night roommate grocery shopping trip, which meant I was in bed later than I'd planned and thus slept in until 7:30 this morning. Normally a 8:00+ workout start would be a suicide mission in the oppressive summer heat, but lucky for me--and I wouldn't realize just how lucky until later in the workout--a welcomed cool front blew into DC yesterday. This meant that when I stepped outside it was 65 degrees and what felt like zero percent humidity, more like a crisp autumn day than the dregs of summer. In a word, it was heavenly.

Despite the auspicious conditions, I started off tentatively, wary of the leaden tiredness I expected to descend upon my legs at any moment. When that feeling never came, I began to open up my stride and really challenge the pace. The sun was shining brightly overhead and the trees were buffeted by a cooling breeze, making for the most enjoyable workout weather I can remember in some months. Of course, the amazing scenery of Rock Creek didn't exactly hurt either. I've traveled far and wide and will contend that DC has the best urban running environment of any city in the US. As I passed through the foliage of Rock Creek toward the heart of the District, with the Potomac River and Virginia to my right and the National Mall and all its monuments to my left, I found myself thinking about the times this winter I'd trudged past these sights on frigid solo runs in the snow or wind. Today the trails were flooded with other runners, cyclists and pedestrians, some using the path as a via point and others simply out enjoying the day. As the workout progressed I found myself feeling stronger and stronger, at some moments focusing on my form or pace and at other moments enjoying the beauty of my surroundings. I have no idea how fast I was going, but I do know I finished up quicker than when I began.

Another way I mentally "tricked" myself into doing this workout was resolving not to focus at all on the distance covered. I didn't even add up the segments in my head beforehand or try to approximate how far the entire run would take me. If you'd asked me to guess ahead of time, I would've probably put my estimate somewhere in the 10-mile range. Imagine my surprise, then, to read 1:17 on my watch as I clicked off the final interval. I was over 11 miles in before even beginning the cooldown! Given the spectacular weather I wouldn't have minded meandering around for a bit, but since I have a fun run scheduled at Pacers tonight I knew I needed to take the most direct route back to Owen's. This is the first time in a long time I've actually been sad to see a workout end, a testament to the powerful effect the weather can have on performance (and confidence!). On the mostly uphill cooldown my legs felt bouncy and fresh, my body energized and invigorated as opposed to fatigued and depleted. Whether this translates to Saturday's race remains to be seen, but I am incredibly grateful for this experience out on the trails today.

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Week in Review

83 miles
4 doubles
2 races
4 runs in the District


Yup, that's us with Mufasa in the background. NBD.

Another busy, fun, challenging week draws to a close. Looking back at my goals from last week, I succeeded in increasing my mileage and definitely in upping the intensity. My two days of back to back racing have left me with a bit of a sore left knee/IT band, so I will probably take things pretty easy tomorrow and try to get in to see someone at Dr. Greenapple's office ASAP. Still, it was totally worth it. As my friend, Pacer's manager Robbie Wade, said to me after our race through the National Mall on Sunday morning, it's not often that you have a chance to run down the most important street in the entire world and have it closed down just for you. (And he's not even American, so there was no ethnocentric bias to his comment!)

As is often the case with these trips, one of the best parts was the opportunity to spend some much-needed quality time with friends. D-Night was once again gracious enough to allow us to crash with him for three nights, plus we got to hang out with several of Jordan's friends from college including Tushar (who is brand new to DC and possibly more directionally challenged than I am), Ben Clark (not to be confused with his doppelganger Pat Clark or his other doppelganger Napoleon Dynamite), pong host extraordinaire George McArdle and the famous/infamous Ben Stern. Our weekend culminated with a late Sunday brunch at Open City--a favorite of Jilane's--and a spontaneous yet thoroughly rewarding trip to the National Zoo! We arrived back to Dave's on Sunday night exhausted and content and smelling vaguely like monkeys--in short, a perfect way to end the week.


Tush, Ben S., Jordan and Ben C. taking a stroll through their natural habitat

Looking ahead, next week promises to be even crazier as the Georgia Marathon looms on the horizon. This is our first year as the title sponsor so it will be all hands on deck from early Thursday morning until late Sunday night. I'm also squeezing in a trip to one of my favorite accounts in the entire world, the Trak Shak, for a Karhu-sponsored fun run and St. Patty's Day costume contest on Wednesday night. Winner gets a free pair of green Karhus! Bring your green hat! If you're reading this in the Birmingham or Atlanta area, be sure to stop by and visit me sometime this week. It's going to be non-stop action and excitement and of course I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Double the Treasure, Double the Fun

Saturday, 3/12
Four Courts Four Miler
23:43, 1st female, $100

Sunday, 3/13
St. Patrick's Day 8k
29:31*, 6th female (boo), $100 (yay)
*23:40 through 4 miles

So the title is a play on words...get it...treasure because of the sweet dolla dolla bills and also because treasure is what a leprechaun finds (or leads us too, I can't really remember) at the end of the rainbow on St. Patty's Day! Okay so it might be a bit of a stretch but just know that I am laughing at my own perceived cleverness. Perhaps it's my current state of travel- and work- and running-induced exhaustion that has me spouting bad puns. I'm definitely too tired to finish this blog entry right now but wanted to post up the results so that you don't think I've been slacking all week. Details to come, hopefully tomorrow.

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DC in December, Round 2

For the second Tuesday in a row, I hit the road early with the District as my destination. Craft and Karhu is sponsoring the City Sports DC Run Club for the month of December, which simply means that I am in attendance at each of their Tuesday night runs with wear test products, giveaways and of course lots of enthusiasm. Last Tuesday was the first run of the month and it was a rousing success. It was also painfully, take-your-breath-away cold and windy, and I remember avowing right then and there (as soon as my mouth thawed enough for me to enunciate properly) that there was no possible way it could be colder the following week.

It was.

This Tuesday night run was quite literally numbingly cold, and for the second week in a row I was amazed that over a dozen intrepid souls turned up of their own volition to go for a run. I respect that. Plus, have I mentioned that running down the Mall amongst the historic monuments and memorials still fills me with wonder every time? Not a bad place to take an evening jog if you ask me.

I'd planned the rest of the trip to be nearly identical to the week before: shacking up at my friend Dave's place in Georgetown/Glover Park, running along the canal, visiting some Pacers stores and then heading back home on Thursday. All went according to plan until the first great snowstorm of winter 2010 struck Thursday mid-morning. I was actually driving to Pacers in Logan Circle when the first flurries began to fall, and by the time poor Mini slipped and slid her way to the Arlington location it seemed as though the prospect of driving home was a bit dubious. Poor Dave. Just when he thought he'd successfully gotten rid of me, here I was inviting myself over for another night. (Little does he know that Jordan and I will also be requesting his couch and Snuggie next Tuesday. I didn't have the heart to mention it to him just yet.)

Fortunately by this morning the streets had been sufficiently plowed and the bridges adequately sanded and the idiot drivers calmed enough to allow me to return to the Carolinas. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say it was almost worth staying the extra day to witness this morning's exquisite sunrise. As I drove toward the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the Lincoln Memorial directly in front of me and the Washington Monument just off to the left, my breath was literally taken away by the intense hues of purple and pink that flooded the lightening sky. I tried to snap a photo with my phone while driving, which as you can imagine proved unsuccessful, but fortunately I found this shot online that almost perfectly captures the morning palette. What a way to start the day.

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Monday Morning on the Mall

AM: 5 miles
25 mins. ellip.

Since Jilane had to go to work and Jordan and I had to get ready to head back south, Team MJ set out for a jaunt around the Mall at 7am sharp.The sky was still dark for the early miles, but by the time we doubled back around the reflecting pool we could tell it was going to be a gorgeous day. Pretty much the complete opposite of the rest of the weekend. Also of note, this was my longest post-injury run to date. I only had to beg Jilane to slow down a few times, and I'm pretty sure there was only one instance where I faked the need to stretch so I could take a break, so all in all I'd call this a success.

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Same Old Workout, Different Fitness Center

60 mins. ellip.

I woke up this morning 100% sure I was catching Jordan's cold. I felt awful. That, combined with last night's revelry and merriment and the cold, dready weather left me with zero motivation to run. Plus, I'm still giving the whole "being smart" thing a try, so I figured it couldn't hurt to space out my runs by a day or two. Thus, I finally managed to rouse myself from the black hole that is Jilane and Ben's couch around 11 and hit up the fitness center downstairs. I wouldn't exactly say it was fun, but I got it done.

Oh, and my arms hurt. Like, real bad.

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Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Ashley Piche

AM: 4 miles
PM: Wedding and lots of walking

It's hard to know where to go with this entry. I could talk about the run, which was cold and rainy and dismal yet made perfectly enjoyable by the fact that it was pain free and that I was running with Jilane. Or I could talk about the wedding, which was lovely, despite walking through the aforementioned rain in high heels and formal attire. I could also spend some time on the reception, which predictably featured Jeff stripping his shirt off midway through and dancing like that crazy uncle nobody wants to claim. I could conclude with me walking six blocks barefoot from the metro with Jordan at midnight in the cold rain because my feet hurt so bad after 12+ hours in heels. Instead of elaborating on any of this, however, I think I'll let a few photos do the talking.


At the reception: three classy chicks plus Jordan and Tarpy


Brown XC '05 and '06


Brown XC '05 and '06 plus one of the most stunning brides I've ever seen


Me, Kim and her radioactive drink. So that's where Olympians get
their secret powers...


What's that? Jeff took his shirt off, wrapped his tie around his head
and started dancing like he was on coke? Sounds about right.


Always a privilege to spend the evening with these two gentlemen

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"You Hate It...But You Love It"

AM: 2 mile run; 1 mile walk
15 mins. core
PM: 15-20 mins. running/ellip.
100 pushups in ~7 minutes
12 minutes P90X abs

Because I'm lazy, and because I just got home from a fantastic weekend in the District and am behind on life, and because Jilane did such an excellent job the first time around, and because her blog is password protected, I'm going to save all of us some time and simply copy her entry from Friday pretty much verbatim. As in same words, same pictures, everything. Don't worry; I promise not to do this for the entire weekend. So anyhow, here goes Friday afternoon according to Jilane:

Ran before work. I think it was 4 miles. Maybe it was 8. I'm really not sure right now. (Meagan's editor's note: I did not do this. But I would be a whole lot cooler if I did.)

More importantly, Meagan and Jordan are in town for Peaches and AWall's wedding, so we at Thomas Circle have the honor of housing the NC duo for the weekend.

Meagan and I had Microsoft Outlooked a run, but I wasn't out of work until about 6 p.m., and the 40-degree pouring rain really wasn't making us excited to get out the door.


Team MJ: Judging by the color of Jilane's face, I'd say this was after
she completed 100 pushups

Ben convinced the three of us to hit the fitness center for some weights ... and for the 100 pushup challenge. WHAT!?! Apparently Ben watches too much Flotrack and wanted to implement a showdown he'd seen. The boys went at it, with Ben breaking the elusive 4-minute mark and Jordan being a huge pansy (he's "sick" or something) and quitting around 50.


The manly men in action

Meagan decided to get in on the action next, cranking out her first 25 then steadily progressing from there. I jumped in a bit after and took a conservative approach, convinced there was no way in hell I was going to finish. Meago cruised in somewhere just over 7 minutes, while I was just happy to survive, hitting around 14:05. Then we did some x-training, went back to the apartment and did that stupid Ab Ripper X video. Oh, and Jordan and Ben analyzed MRN's stride on the treadmill for approximately 1:30. Somehow we still call ourselves runners.



PS- I'm blogging this on Monday. My pecs and triceps still burn when I type. (Meagan's editor's note: I second that.)

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Travel Day

AM: 4 miles
PM: 47 mins
6+ miles

Despite all expectations to the contrary (including but certainly not limited to the whole "springing forward" situation with the clocks), Jilane and I were awake and chipper with plenty of time to squeeze in a short run before shipping me off to Oklahoma. We did a fairly standard out-and-back along Connecticut, across the bridge and over to Dupont Circle before flipping the script and bringing it back home.

After a few hours of cross-country travel (which, incidentally, is starting to become a fairly routine part of my average weekend), I was picked up at the OKC airport by Jordan and Scotty D. It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon, sunny and surprisingly wind-free, and all three of us were eager to put in a few miles before dark. We jogged from Jordan's apartment over to the GT (Jilane, I know you're jealous) and met Dwight, a customer from the store who is in town for work for a few weeks. I lost count of how many laps the four of us did around the outer loop, but at any rate it was enough to bring us to almost 40 minutes as we began the run home. Overall the pace was relaxed and it felt good to stretch out my legs after a long day of traveling. Jordan's achilles is feeling almost back to normal, and I'm pretty excited about getting in some good runs with him during my visit this week.

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Food, Fun and Friends...And a Few Miles

AM: 120 mins.
16-16.5 miles
PM: ~3 hours of Mall walking

What can I say, today's run was awesome. It started a bit unconventionally, as Jilane and I picked up Ben and then headed to National airport to drop off the rental car I'd taken on the previous day's drive. Since there's a bike path conveniently located adjacent to the airport, we jettisoned the car and literally started the run from there. Excellent strategery if you ask me. I had 16-18 on tap and Jilane had graciously agreed to tag along for the whole effort. Ben, on the other hand, made it clear from the outset that he would under no circumstances run for two hours, but we were honored to bask in his presence for as long as he would allow.

At any rate, we hopped onto the bike path and proceeded toward the heart of the District. I've run on this path many times before, as it runs very near to the hotel I've stayed at several years in a row while working the MCM expo. After a few miles we crossed the bridge over to Teddy Roosevelt Island, which I've driven by countless times but never actually set foot on. The island has several miles of shaded, soft surface trails and we enjoyed a few meandering loops before crossing the bridge again and continuing along the bike path. From there we crossed the Key Bridge into Georgetown, where we took a quick break at the Georgetown Running Company. Owen was rumored to be working that day and we'd hoped to pay him a visit, but as it turned out he wasn't there yet and therefore missed out on a sweaty and thoroughly disgusting hug from yours truly. His loss.


Teddy R. keepin it real on his island

At this juncture we had almost reached our halfway point and fully expected Ben to peace out and head back home. Instead he surprised us both by offering to tag along for a few more miles. We hopped down onto the towpath and followed it to the Glover Archibald trail system, which was muddy and hilly and rather technical. That's where things got pretty real, at least for me. The pace slowed because of the terrain but the effort ratcheted up significantly, and I was huffing and puffing by the time we crested the last hill and popped out near M Street. At about 90 minutes, Ben finally parted ways with Team MJ, and Jilane and I caught our breath along the downhill stretch on Connecticut before following it to Rock Creek. I'm not gonna lie, the last ~20 minutes were pretty brutal, and there was some talk of walking up the final uphill on Connecticut, but in the spirit of Team MJ we rallied and finished up the run with our pride intact. All in all, I can't think of a better way to hit up almost all the sites in the District while burning a few cals.


Chef Brooke's feast...it almost (but not quite) looked too good to eat

The morning kept getting better when we arrived back to Jilane's and discovered that Brooke had cooked up a brunch-tastic feast in our absence. I'm talking eggs, bacon, pancakes, hash browns, biscuits, coffee, fruit and pretty much anything else you could ever want to eat after a long run. The danger of a food coma immediately following this binge session was very real, but fortunately the group rallied and decided to embark on a Mall sightseeing tour for the benefit of Brooke and Jaclyn, our DC newbies. I don't know if the subsequent three hours on my feet will help or hinder recovery from this morning's effort, but I do know that the weather was beautiful and the company was fantastic and there was nowhere else I'd rather be on a Saturday afternoon.


Four of the loveliest ladies on the Mall. Photo courtesy of our handicapped bodyguard.

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A Beautiful Night in the District

AM: 25 mins. pool
PM: 46 mins.
6+ miles

After 6+ hours in the car with Jeffrey today, we arrived in the District and at Jilane's place of employment, the NFL Players Assocation. Jeff kicked me out at the curb so he could pursue some shenanigans, which meant I got to enjoy a glorious reunion with the better half of Team MJ. After she wrapped up a few things at work, we changed into our running costumes and headed downstairs to meet the rest of our crew: Ben Stern, George McArdle and Chris Rigali, a former Brown teammate of Jeff and Jilane and Jordan. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening and we decided that a spin around the Mall and the Tidal Basin was in order.


The Tidal Basin at sunset

Despite some stops and starts due to crossing busy streets during rush hour traffic, the run was fantastic. I'm a bit sore/tight from yesterday's workout combined with today's car trip, but the easy miles this evening did just the trick. That plus the stunning scenery and free-flowing conversation made for a thoroughly enjoyable jog, and I'm pretty stoked to be spending the rest of this weekend in DC.


One of many scenic views during tonight's run

Things just got better after we returned to the PA, as our friend Rich stopped by with Brooke in tow to pick us up and deliver us back to Jilane's. After a quick round of showers, my two besties and I headed out for an amazing dinner at Sushi Sushi. The three of us were absolutely ravenous and proceeded to down an entire school of fish in a matter of minutes. After dinner we headed back to Jilane's apartment just in time to present her with a special birthday surprise: Jeff flew Jilane's sister Jaclyn in for the weekend! As predicted, Jilane was appropriately shocked and overwhelmed and blubbered like a schoolgirl for at least ten minutes. So far the weekend is off to an amazing start.

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