My Run In Pictures

It’s Cherry Blossom season in Washington, D.C. (though the blooms are not yet at peak), and the city is packed with visitors from throughout the world.  I love the beauty of the cherry blossoms in (almost) bloom…and actually LOVE seeing the tourists exploring the city and appreciating our nation’s beautiful capital city.

Today I ran from my house in Arlington, over the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge, around the Mall and through Capitol Hill to Eastern Market.  Along the way, I stopped at the Lincoln Memorial to snap a picture of the crowds.

D.C. is a unique destination because the majority of the attractions (the Monuments, White House, Smithsonian, Capitol, Zoo, etc.) are free to the public.  Sure, it takes a few extra minutes to navigate the hoards, but it’s nice to see people enjoying what our country has to offer.

Today’s run was 8 miles, ending in an impromptu shopping trip at the ever-expanding Eastern Market- tons of great artisans and farmers offering their wares.

Happy Running!

Today was, by far, the prettiest day of the year…and with bright sunshine/temperatures in the 60′s, it was a perfect day for a long run.

Turns out that everyone in D.C. had the same idea!  The trails and parks were packed: tons of runners and cyclists outside enjoying the weather after last week’s “snowquester” (really just a couple of inches of government-closing slush).

I ran from my home in North Arlington, down the Custis Trail, across the Key Bridge through Georgetown, along the Potomac to Hain’s Point.  A perfect 6 mile (mostly flat) run.

The Georgetown Waterfront Park is one of my favorite summer mid-point running stops…and even though the splash fountain is off for the season, I stopped at the park along the way.  Glad I did!  It’s wonderful seeing so many people ( tons of families) outside enjoying this recently upgraded National Park.  If you’re in the area and looking for a relaxing destination, you have to check this place out…and don’t forget to make a post-run stop at the Hershey’s Ice Cream Parlor right across the street.  Happy Running!

I spent the last month running inside on a treadmill at the local YMCA.  Definitely not my favorite way to get my exercise, but I really had no choice. My husband and I have been down for the count: hit hard by severe coughs since early January.  Multiple trips to the doctors haven’t been able to resolve anything…we’re just letting nature take its course.  Unfortunately, the slightest shot of cold air has us coughing/choking for air.

So until today, I’ve been hitting the gym and doing slow 5ks indoors.  Not fun, but each day I’ve been improving.

Despite the 30-degree weather, I finally bit the bullet and attempted an outdoor run.  It was slow going…but I only had to stop once for coughing.  I’ve never felt happier about a 2 mile run!

As you can see below, I use the Nike Running application on my iPhone to track my runs.  It’s a great alternative to a Garmin (especially if you already have an iPhone), and allows you to track pace, distance, time and route.  It’s good to be back and I am excited about gearing up for Nike’s Women’s Half Marathon in D.C.!

2013 is finally here and I’m excited about another year full of wonderful runs and races!  Topping my to-do list is the Nike Women’s Half Marathon, to be held (for the first time ever) in  April, in Washington, D.C.  I’m also looking forward to a great series of Pacer’s Running races, including the Four Courts Four Miler and the Clarendon Day 10k.  Rounding out the race calendar is my favorite trail run: the Northface Endurance Challenge in June.  Still up in the air: another shot at beating my 5 hour time for the Marine Corps Marathon (missed it by 4 minutes last year).   Lots to do!

My family and I spent the day hiking in the beautiful Potomac Overlook Park.  It’s been a cold and overcast day, but I managed to crank out a 2.5 run following our hike.

Best wishes to all my family, friends, running partners, and readers for a fabulous 2013!  Happy Running!

We’re gearing up for Christmas in our house!  This means lots of events, family time…and tons of food.  Exercising during the holidays is always difficult, but we’re becoming experts in time management, fitting in runs whenever possible.

This morning my husband and I took turns:  he ran 6 miles  down to the U.S. Botanic Garden and I met him there with the kids.  We toured the beautiful holiday decorations, before I handed the kids off and ran back home.  I think he got the better end of the deal:  freezing rain on the run back!

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

I spent the last week at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government , taking part in their new Emerging Leaders program.  It was amazing, but fairly intense.  Each day started with a group breakfast, followed by lectures, activities, and lunch/dinner with classmates.  Needless to say, there was not much time left over for exercising.

But being a runner is like owning a portable gym.  I love the flexibility of being able to sneak a workout in, no matter the location or time of day.  I also love that it’s easy to connect with other runners and enjoy good company during a jog.

While in Boston, a classmate and I braved the sidewalks and bike trails of Boston (seriously braved…cyclists don’t announce their coming, as they do in D.C.) for a couple of great runs.

Here’s a shot of us in front of the famous John Harvard statue in Cambridge.  Students rub his foot for good luck on finals (note the shiny toe).

The following day we took advantage of the warm (well, relatively warm) weather to run along the Charles River, past Boston University to MIT and back.   I had to represent my own alma mater out there…

While in Boston, I also found out that our team got into the Nike Women’s Half Marathon, slated for April 28, 2013 in Washington, D.C.!   This is the inaugural year for the Nike race, and I’m so excited that the lottery worked out in our favor.  Let the serious training commence!  Happy Running!

Thanksgiving is here and we’re once again running in the So Others Might Eat (SOME) Turkey Trot!  Here’s a shot of the family at last year’s race:

This year, we decided to form a fundraising team: the Rupert Rascals, to support the work of this amazing organization.  For those of you who are not familiar with SOME, please take a moment to read about the charity here.  This important group does wonderful things in Washington, D.C.: feeding, clothing, educating, and providing medical/dental care to some of our poorest neighbors.

The Rupert Rascals team has been raising money for over a month and I am happy to report that we have nearly $1300!  At last check, this is enough to put us in the TOP TEN fundraising teams!  We are thrilled to be able to support SOME, and the kids love to see the Rupert name on the fundraising marquis.  The competition ends tomorrow, so please  if you have few dollars to spare consider donating to SOME here.  The Rupert Rascals thank you!

Side note:  This is a blog about running, but I have to say:  SOME is one of my favorite local charities, and their annual Turkey Trot is just an example of the great community activities/fundraisers they sponsor.  Here’s a picture of my dad and younger daughter at the SOME Empty Bowls event.  Mark your calendars for 2013!