DC to Boston one mile at a time

4 miles worth of threshold running on the track after an easy 2 mi warmup

Track workout included:

(2 x 800m @ 3:30 followed by 1 x 1600m @ 7:00) twice

Easy 2 mi cooldown jog back home

All in all, fantastic workout! Can't wait to do an 8 mi run tonight!

After a frustrating week of runs last week, tonight's run has put me back into the right mindset for good training! I set out to do a comfy pace 8 miler, but it felt entirely too good to keep it slow....I cranked up the pace to 7:55(ish) and finished a hilly 8'er in 1:03:35. I'm stoked tonight with the standing 10 miler running date with my partner and the upcoming 20 mi long run this weekend! Woohoo!

course{Conn/Nebraska/Mass Loop}

Thanks for the comments yesterday guys! Glad to be here and look forward to the final months countdown!

Tonight's run may have been the single best run I've had in the last 6 months. I ran a hilly course that I have come to adore, and for some reason felt like racing it tonight. All was smooth for the first 10K of it even if the first 4 miles are a steady uphill climb. From mile 4 to 6 it's pretty flat, with moments of nice downhill running, but then at the 10K mark, it's the most difficult uphill I've encountered on any run. By this point, my legs were starting to feel like jello, as I'd been holding 7:20 miles until that point. The climb was brutal, the hill lasts for almost a half mile, and drags along...it felt like I was one of the slowskys, even though I kept pushing myself to try and keep the pace up. When I was finally over the top, my quads were burning, I was heaving for breaths...and yet had never felt more alive. I had conquered the beast. That is, until the next one reared it's head 2 minutes later. The thought of the glorious 1.5mile downhill after that hill pushed me through it, but at that point I felt like I had slowed to a mere jog once again. My legs were shaky and enough salt had accumulated on my limbs to fill an industrial sized salt shaker! The last 2 miles proved to be a-okay, I finished the 10 in 1:17.20 (avg. 7:45/mi). Will I ever race this loop again? Probably not. But did this give me confidence to move forward and conquer a 1:45 half marathon? You BETCHA!


You really never know what your body can accomplish until you try to do it!

 Now, if only my legs will cooperate after work today to get in a slooooow 6 mi recovery :)
 

Total Runner's High and Sheer Exhaustion!

Today was my longest run ever and it felt great!  I set out with a planned course that included part of the Capitol Crescent Trail and then wound back down WIsconsin Ave to Nebraska to Massachusetts, and took me back home via the mall, but ended up running entirely on the CapCrescent Trail.  The shade was too nice to sacrifice, the water fountains were necessary (I still haven't broken down for a fuel belt), and the temperature must have been a solid 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else inside the grid.  Constantly seeing bikers and other runners and adorable older couples strolling hand in hand kept me entertained and motivated all along the way.  With a little help from podrunner and the upbeat techno tracks, the first 18 miles went smoothly, and I held a 9:00-9:10 pace without even thinking about it.  The last 2 miles proved a little more difficult, as by that time my muscles were truly aching(ohh those quads!), I had to run back through downtown to get back home, and the temperature had undoubtedly gone up 15 degrees since I'd set out 3 hours ago.  I made it back home in 3:07.10 for 20.5 miles and was exhaustedly ecstatic...and craving an omlette and bloody mary.

I cannot wait to do a 22 and a 24 in the next month and then do the marathon...today's run proved that I think I can handle it!

I was a bit hesitant to even embark on a run today, on account of being so sore from yesterday's run. Alas, it seemed like a storm was looming, and I'm never one to pass up a chance to run in the rain, so I set out to do an easy recovery jog on the mall.  I kept it slow and just focused on how lucky I am to get the opportunity to be able to live downtown and run by the monuments any day I desire.  The Washington monument in the distance always gives me energy to keep on running.  Today truly was one of those energizing run days, one that reminds you how lucky you are to be a runner, and live in a gorgeous city.  I finished a fantastic 6 miler, came home, stretched, and am absolutely psyched for a semi-long 12 miler tomorrow with Ian.  The Harrisburg Half is 13 days away!!