Happy Halloween!

Flamingo attacking Rainbow Brite59 mins.8 milesAfter speaking with Jeff yesterday, we thought it would be best to forge ahead with my training and try to capitalize on my current fitness level for the rest of the fall/winter. For that reason, he thought it advisable for me to jump right back on the workout bandwagon with a 6xmile effort today. I was all about it until I woke up to 36 degree temps and the beginnings of a cold. That's right, after...

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Further DC Shenanigans

Monday: day offTuesday: 47 mins.6+ milesWednesday: ~60 mins.8 milesThursday: 40 mins.5 milesThe highlight of my final runs in DC was definitely Wednesday's run with Jordan. We started from Jilane's place and ran through Rock Creek Park and over to the Mall. From there we ran up the entire length of the Mall to the Capitol, crossed over and ran down the other side of the Mall, then banged a right on 12th Street and ran all the way up to the Metro...

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Week in Review

7 days in DC1 incomplete marathon900 hours at the Armory1 bag of wineSo, this isn't so much a "week in review" post as it is a "going forward" post. For the past few months I just assumed I would quit this whole blogging thing when MCM was over. I mean, what's the point? Lately though, I've come to the realization that this blog and those of my friends--however lame it may be to actually keep a blog about running--has been one of the main catalysts for keeping me motivated and inspired throughout this training cycle. So even though I may be taking...

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Marine Corps Marathon

Well, the Clif's notes of today's story is that things just didn't work out for me. Put simply, I had stomach problems. The entire time. Which is disappointing, because to an extent that wasn't something I could control. My legs actually felt pretty good running at or below goal pace, but unfortunately that wasn't enough to overcome my other issues.Anyhow, let's go back to the beginning. Jordan, Jilane, Jeff, Aja and I awoke at the dark and early hour of 5am to loosen up, drink some coffee, take warm showers and otherwise prepare for the race....

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Wrapping it Up

Friday: 45 mins.6 milesSaturday: day offFrom what I can remember (as I'm posting this almost seven days later), I did the Friday run solo in the dark along the Mt. Vernon bike path before the expo. Friday was one of our longest days of work, which meant we had to be in the lobby ready to walk to the metro at 8am and weren't released from duty until almost 8pm. That said, the highlight of the day was definitely Jilane, Owen, Jordan and Aja coming to pick me up afterward for a dinner out with friends. It's great to have the band back together!On...

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I Heart Expos

46 mins.6+ miles~15 mins. core/stretchingI did a solo run on the bike path this morning, turning right at the fork instead of left for a change of scenery. I made it all the way down to the Washington Sailing Marina before turning around and heading home. It was a chilly 36 degrees at go time and a bit breezy, which is less than ideal, but overall the legs felt pretty fresh.For the rest of the morning we had a semi-mandatory group sightseeing outing. It involved a lot of metro-ing and walking around to things I've seen before (Lincoln Memorial,...

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Mt. Vernon Bike Path Fartlek

AM: 60 mins.~8.5 milesPM: MCM expo setupView from the Mt. Vernon bike pathSince we didn't have to be at the expo setup until 11, I was able to wait until the sun came up to embark on my run. I had a light fartlek on tap, 5x3 minutes on, 3 minutes off, and was eager to get the legs turning over. I headed down the street in Crystal City toward the same bike path as yesterday (which is apparently the Mt. Vernon Trail, according to the signs I could...

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DC Urban Challenge

AM: 44 mins.6 milesPM: Urban Challenge2-3? milesSo this morning I woke up even earlier than yesterday to run before our Brooks meetings began. I met Carson (our west coast supervisor) in the lobby at 6am and we headed out for a pitch-black run through the streets of Crystal City. We hopped on the bike path after about five minutes and turned left, running past National Airport and toward the Mall. Since a short run was all we had time for, we just...

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Early Bird Run

AM: 58 mins.~8 miles15 mins. core/stretchingPM: 30 mins4+ milesSo apparently Jilane has a real job that necessitates getting up early to go running. Lame. At any rate, we both fairly leapt out of bed when the alarm went off this morning and bounded out the door, eager to tear up the streets of DC (read: we groggily slapped the alarm a few times before dragging our butts out of bed, bundling up into more clothes than I've worn in a year, and stumbling down the hallway). It was freezing cold outside (and I'm almost being literal here), and Jilane...

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Week in Review

70 miles1 day off2 runs with Team MJ in its entirety7 AFD Well, this has been quite the week, capped off with me spending two entire days in DC with Jilane. Spontaneity is not my strong suit (it has a time and a place; that's what I always say), but I'm confident that changing my flight on a whim to come out here a few days early was the right call. I still haven't started my presentation for work, but that's what the rest of this evening is for.From a running standpoint, this was certainly my most slack-ass week of the training cycle. And I'm...

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Team MJ's Non-Workout Workout

10 min. w/u (1+ miles)Target: 3x2 miles @6:40 pace, no faster w/4:00 restActual: (6:44, 6:20); (6:32, 6:42); (6:33, 6:50)10 min. c/d (1+ miles)Total: 10 milesWhen Jilane and I spoke with Jeff about this workout, he was very adamant about it being easy (and not wanting it to really feel like a workout). In fact, he originally wanted us to run 6:30 pace but then amended this to 6:40, with specific instructions to "not get all excited because you two...

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Together At Last

59 mins.8 milesToday I awoke at an hour my body normally would not appreciate. However, on this occasion I didn't mind in the slightest considering that each passing moment brought me closer to my reunion with Jilane. I arrived in DC around 9am and was picked up shortly thereafter. It's definitely a bit cooler here than it has been in Atlanta, but the trade off is that the fall colors are absolutely gorgeous, so I'll take it.After spending an hour...

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A Real Actual Day Off. No, Seriously.

This day started with the best of intentions. Jim and Meredith both had the day off, so we planned to meet a tad later than usual at the river for a wog followed by breakfast. About halfway there, the rain started falling. And, as I type this almost 12 hours later, it hasn't stopped since. So anyway, I made the call to Jim that went something like, "I'm just throwing this out there. Feel free to throw it right back. But what do you say we skip the whole running part and just go straight to breakfast?" Fortunately they were happy to comply, so fifteen...

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8 Mile (Not the Eminem Version)

AM: 1.5 mile w/uTarget: 8 mile tempo; 4 @6:40 then cut downActual: 25:55 (6:29 pace); 6:30, 6:19, 6:18, 6:141.5 mile c/dTotal: 11 milesPM: 26 mins.3.5 milesToday was pretty much my last hard workout before MCM. Let's all pause for a moment to allow that to sink in and perhaps throw up a celebratory fist pump. Anyhow, I decided to do this out at the river, utilizing the road on Columns for the first five miles and finishing with the three-mile loop...

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Brooks Rep and Run, Round 2

AM: 58 mins.8 miles10 mins. abs and stretchingPM: 29 mins.3.5+ milesThe air was noticeably cooler this morning than any previous day this week, and I had some pep in my step pretty much from the outset. I ran through the Highlands and down the Freedom Trail, past my old apartment building and all the way to where the trail terminates at the MLK Memorial. Flipped a U and headed back toward the Highlands, then turned right on Ponce and hooked up with the bike path there.In the evening I ran with the group at Phidippides in Sandy Springs, as Brooks...

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Double Down in Decatur

AM: 74 mins.10 milesPM: 26-27 mins.~3.5 milesI took it nice and easy on my morning jaunt through Lullwater Park, and surprisingly felt decent. I went the short way to the park (down Briarcliff to N. Decatur to Clifton), which involves more time on the sidewalk, but also allowed me to take two loops through the park instead of one. The fall colors were beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed this jaunt.Beautiful autumn colors in Lullwater ParkIn the evening...

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I Heart Mondays

AM: 90 mins.~12.5-13 milesPM: 30 min. walkSo today I was technically scheduled for 16, but I had a pretty solid hunch that wasn't going to come to fruition. My legs are experiencing some residual soreness from the 6x2, and yesterday's massage left me feeling pretty banged up as well. I headed to the river with hopes of at least getting in a solid 90 minutes, but beyond that I didn't expect much.Since Meredith had a planned day off, it was just Jim and myself today. Pretty much from the outset I could tell we were banging out a decent pace, and...

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Week in Review

80-85 miles? Probably 82? Who knows.5 runs with Jordan1 trip to the beach1 bottle of peach Lindeman'sSo, I'm basically over this whole "running" business. As I told Jilane a few days ago, it's convenient that our tapering coincides perfectly with our general apathy. It was wonderful to have Jordan's company and a change of scenery for most of the week, and I can't wait until this time next week (!!) when I'm finally in DC and reunited with the better half of Team MJ. Overall, I'm confident that my fitness is where it needs to be, so at this point...

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Sunday Morning in the Trails

AM: 90 mins.12 milesPM: Excruciating massageSince yesterday's workout was pretty lengthy, I was able to dial things back a bit on Sunday. I spoke with Jim and Meredith last night about meeting me, and they were 75% in but thought they might want to sleep in for a day. Meredith said she'd call me by 7:15am (15 mins. before our scheduled meeting time) if they were going to bail. When I arrived at the Cochran Shoals parking lot around 7:25 I still hadn't...

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Columns Drive Workout

Target: 2x6 miles @6:30 or faster w/10 min. restActual: 15 min. w/u (2 miles); 6:29, 6:26, 6:26, 6:15, 6:27, 6:29; 10 min. rest (1 mile); 6:29, 6:33, 6:25, 6:32, 6:25, 6:23; 4 min. c/d (.5 miles)Total: 15.5 milesThere are some workouts you look at on paper and know you'll be able to hit out of the park. There are also some you just hope you won't screw up too badly. For me, this workout certainly fell into the latter category. I decided to utilize Columns Drive for five of the six miles, finishing up the final mile of each interval on the dirt...

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Back to Reality

AM: 75 mins.10 milesPM: 31 mins.4 milesSo after running with Jordan for the past seven days, my run this morning was, well, boring. I find my runs so much more enjoyable when I have someone to talk to, which meant that today I was having to force myself to refrain from checking my watch every ten minutes. My legs felt fairly stiff from yesterday's travel and from our hilly run in Balboa Park, so I kept the pace relaxed and even.Of note, this is also the first day of my self-imposed dry spell until after MCM. That's right, no alcohol at all for...

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Bidding Adieu to Balboa Park

90 mins.11-12 milesOn our last morning in San Diego, Jordan and I decided to go on a long-ish run and explore a few more sections of the park. This was by far my favorite run in San Diego, as we spent most of the time wandering around with no idea of where we were or where we were going yet being perfectly content.The Prado fountain at sunriseDuring the course of the run we ran through or past the Prado, the Haunted Trail, the sports complex with...

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The Workout That Was Not Meant to Be

Target: 1 mile @5:40; 3 mile tempo @6:40; 1200 @85 sec. pace, 3 mile tempo@6:40, 800 all out (no rest)Actual: 2 mile w/u, 5:37, 3 mile tempo, 1200, ~3 mile c/d=DISASTERTotal: 10? milesSo, our location basically in downtown San Diego meant that finding a place to do this workout would be a challenge. After the velodrome turned out to be, well, a velodrome, we started exploring other options. Jordan's trusty iPhone found what looked to be a school with a track on the edge of Balboa Park, so we planned to borrow the car and head there in the morning...

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Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means...

AM: 38-39 mins.5 miles15 mins. core/stretchingPM: 42-43 mins.~5.7 miles3.5 hours walking around~5-6 milesJordan and I ventured out for a quick run this morning in Palm Springs before heading to San Diego for the remainder of our trip. We were looking forward to some cooler weather, which unfortunately didn't pan out as we'd planned. Temps were well into the 80s and perhaps even low 90s when we arrived, but nonetheless we wanted to walk around and...

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Pre-Nuptial Jaunt

65-66 mins.~8.5-9 milesWe kept this run pretty short, since there were more pressing matters to attend to on Monday morning. I was feeling a bit stiff and heavy-legged from the marathon simulation, so I was fine with keeping this one brief. It's funny, after only a few days in Palm Springs it feels like I've run on these roads a hundred times. Since they're flat, even and well-paved I can't really complain. Plus the beautiful blue skies and desert...

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Week in Review

85 miles1 raging hangover2 pumpkin spice lattes3 days in the desertSo, this week was actually much more enjoyable than I expected. Not only did I get in a ton of runs with other people (Ozzie (1), Big Peach (1), Jordan (2), Meredith (2)), but I also got to see some new scenery and, of course, start my long-awaited vacation. I also completed what I would probably consider to be my two best workouts of this training cycle with the 3x3 on Wednesday and the marathon simulation on Sunday. The first I conquered solo and the second I couldn't have done...

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Palm Springs Marathon Simulation

Target: 14-15 miles @marathon pace (~6:52)Actual: 1 mile w/u (8:29), 7:02, 6:59, 6:35, 6:40, 6:49, 6:30, 6:26, 6:45, 6:36, 6:45, 6:29, 6:24, 6:25, 3:08 (1/2 mile), ~5 min. c/dTotal: 15.36 miles, 13.86 @6:38 paceJordan's recapJordan and I got out the door early for my marathon simulation run. He already had a ~10.5 mile route mapped out, so we decided to run this loop back to the condo and then finish with a 4 mile loop he constructed earlier in the week. After talking with Jeff, Jordan agreed to only tell me the first few splits and then to make...

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Welcome to the Desert

72 mins.~10 miles~15 mins. core/stretchingSo, I finally found someplace that is actually flatter than Norman. After touching down Friday afternoon in Ahhnold's state, it quickly became apparent that I would have my choosing of long, straight flat roads to train on. Not to mention I'm smack in the middle of the desert. That said, Palm Springs is gorgeous and I'm looking forward to some new running scenery for the next week.Wind turbines near Palm...

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Friday Wog

61 mins.8 milesI woke up relatively early to put this run on the board before heading to the airport. My entire left side was tight and my right ankle was a bit stiff, all resulting from a near tumble I took in the trails yesterday morning. It wasn't a big deal at the time, but I'm definitely dealing with some delayed soreness today. I felt much better by the end of the run, but overall this one wasn't the highlight of the we...

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It's a Beautiful Day

74 mins.10 milesHad a fantastic morning run with Meredith at the river. It was 48 degrees at the start--definitely the coolest morning in, well, forever--and I actually wore long sleeves and capris. This is pretty much my favorite weather, as fall is my favorite season and October is my favorite month, so I'm all around a happy girl right now. Oh, and my legs felt pretty decent after yesterday's high mileage, which was an added bonus.I consciously...

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Starting the Month Off Right

AM: 21 min. w/u (~3 miles)Target: 3x3 mile @6:40 w/4:00 restActual: 19:12 (6:22, 6:24, 6:26); 19:18 (6:24, 6:27, 6:27); 19:02 (6:15, 6:26, 6:20)19 min. c/d (2.5 miles)Total: 15 milesPM: 43 mins.5+ milesAs I just told Jilane, if the weather at MCM is anything like today we should have an awesome run. In contrast to yesterday's hot and humid conditions (sorry, Oz), today was cool, crisp and dry, with a light breeze. Absolutely beautiful. I'm confident...

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