My Run In Pictures

My kids and I were up bright and early for this morning’s 1-mile Acumen Race for a Cause “Fun Run” in North Arlington.  Hundreds ran with us and even more participated in the longer 8k through Clarendon.

Acumen Race for a Cause is a perfect marriage of fitness and fundraising.  It involves a unique concept:  each runner gets to designate a local charity in the company’s non-profit portfolio.  Proceeds from the race are split amongst all participating groups, proportionate with the selections of participating runners.

My family and I ran for Arlington’s Reading Connection:  an amazing non-profit organization that promotes literacy through free book distribution, read-alouds, and backpack drives for at-risk children.  I volunteer with the Reading Connection several times a month…it’s a great organization that makes a real difference in the lives of local kids.  We’re all thrilled with the Acumen partnership and I can’t wait to hear about the final fundraising tally!

On a side note,  race support and the Potomac River Running swag bag were wonderful!  Tons of post-race food + a bag full of  hair ties, Emergen-C, granola, and a neat technical t-shirt.  Great job!

I logged my longest run of the season yesterday: 20 miles in just under 4 hours.   Juggling long runs with weekend activities for 3 kids has always been a challenge, and Sunday’s run was no exception.   My oldest was playing soccer several towns over, so I mapped out a course and set off from Arlington to Centerville.

I should have done a better job checking elevation and trail coverage.  Lee Highway in Virginia (actually part of the MCM course) can be incredibly hilly, and as I got into Fairfax I found that only some of the sections were sidewalked.   My iphone ran out of power (I was using it to track my run using Nikeplus while streaming Pandora and checking directions on the map), so by the time I pushed my way through the thick underbrush surrounding the soccer field, I must have looked like a frantic Sasquatch.

I also seriously misjudged the weather.  Although temperatures stayed around 70 degrees, the sun was bright and I ended up with a massive sunburn on one side of my face and neck (even with a healthy dose of sunscreen).

Next week is a “short” run of 14 miles before I do another 20+ miler.   Happy Running!

It’s been over a month since I last posted…where has the time gone?  If this weren’t a blog about running, I’d bore you with stories about getting my twins ready for kindergarten, finishing (finally) our kitchen remodel, working long hours prepping for the Presidential Conventions, etc.  The good news is, in spite of a very hectic schedule, training for the Marine Corps Marathon has continued and I’ve gotten some really fantastic runs logged.

First things first:  I finally got a chance to “jog” the Potomac Heritage Trail alongside the Potomac River, from the Theodore Roosevelt Island to Chain Bridge.   It’s a gorgeous trail “maintained” (I use this word loosely) by the National Park Service, but ENTIRELY unsuitable for running.  Although very scenic, the trail was rockier than we expected and not well marked (my running partner and I ended up losing our way about a mile from the Chain Bridge trail head, and had to push our way through thick underbrush).  My planned long training run turned out to be more like a strenuous hike, but it was definitely worthwhile.  If you go, be sure to take a partner and a cell phone.   The trail is not easily accessible, so even a tumble or turned ankle could be disastrous.

Potomac Heritage Trail

My husband and I also took time out of our marathon training schedule to participate in the Arlington County Police, Fire, and Sheriff’s 9-11 Memorial 5k.   We’ve volunteered and/or run this important local race each year since 2003, so it has a lot of special meaning for us both.  This year, as in years past, Pacers and the race organizers did not disappoint.  Despite the late start due to soggy/stormy conditions, we had a super run.  If you’re looking for results, click here.  Be sure to notice that I finished a full 30 seconds before my husband (who has been consistently outrunning me in our long jogs…I’ve finally redeemed myself!).

Arlington 9-11 Memorial 5k

That’s all for now!  I’ll post again after this weekend’s MCM training run: 20 MILES!  Happy Running!

I don’t remember it being this hot the last time I trained for a marathon.  Of course, back in 2010 I was getting up at 6AM to crank out long runs with the Pacer’s Distance Training Program.  By the time I set off to do 11 miles this morning, temperatures were already in the 90’s.  Lovely.

When you’re not doing long runs with a team (and all the support that goes along with one), long runs have to be strategically planned around the availability of water.  And when you’re not running in the cooler early mornings, long runs should follow the shadiest terrain possible.

Today I ran from Clarendon to the Teddy Roosevelt Island for a quick jog along the trail.  Despite the shade on the island,  I was ready for some relief at mile 5.  Thankfully, a couple of well-placed drinking fountains allowed for cool-downs.  Apologies to the tourists who witnessed my impromptu cold-water baths.

Nearly out of water, I ran across the TR bridge and along the Potomac river into Georgetown.  I stopped at a cafe for a large water and ran through the new water park at the Georgetown waterfront.

Still short on miles, I continued on the Capital Crescent trail up to the boathouse.  Gorgeous day on the trail with tons of wildlife, including this tree full of cormorants around mile 8.

Hot 11 mile run, but with the shade, water, and splash park it was manageable.  Hope to get up a little earlier for next week’s 14 miler.  Happy Running!

July just started, but I already feel like it’s been a crazy month for running.  Last weekend, the derecho hit the Washington, D.C. area.  In addition to knocking out power and downing trees in local neighborhoods, the storm wreaked havoc on  my favorite running trails.  Here are a few shots of the Custis Trail, the day after the storm hit.

Unfortunately, the storm gave way to super-oppressive heat….especially tough on those thousands of residents without power and a/c.   It’s been in the 100’s around here, making any sort of outdoor activity pretty dicey.  The key has been to hydrate…and to bring enough water to share!

 We managed to escape the heat briefly with a quick trip to Abingdon, located in the beautiful Virginia Highlands.  To kick off our Marine Corps Marathon training, my husband and I did just over 10 miles on the amazingly scenic Virginia Creeper trail.

The “Creeper” is a 34-mile trail located on an old rail bed in southern Virginia.  The name is a holdover from the railroad days, when the old locomotives appeared to be “creeping” up the steep Virginia hills.   Though challenging at times (especially in the heat), the trail is impeccably maintained, and perfect for cyclists, walkers, and runners alike.

We finished our run at noon, then headed to another local favorite- Park Mills BBQ- for a big recovery meal.   Read the reviews on Yelp….this place is so neat, and a “must-go” if you’re in town or driving through on I-81.   Happy running!

We celebrated Father’s Day this week by participating in the Pacer’s Dash for Dad, benefitting ZERO-The Project to End Prostate Cancer.  Dash for Dad is one of  those family-friendly races with something for everyone: a 4-mile run, 1-mile walk, and 100-yard kid’s race. 

Frankly, I love the recent  focus on kids’ physical activity and the efforts that local running race organizers (especially Pacers)  have undertaken to ensure children are introduced to running at an early age.    My kids have done several dashes and 1-mile fun runs…and where practical, I try to let them “run me in” to the finish line at some of the lower stress races.  They love to run and enjoy the competitive spirit. 

Sunday’s dash was no different:  after Mike finished his four miles (results are here), the kids lined up for their race. 

At the sound of the horn, my oldest bolted toward the finish.

The twins took a slightly different approach, bounding/prancing along with the crowd.

We all had fun, and each child got a medal and a t-shirt for participating.  The real workout came later…running interference while my kids attempted repeated and sustained attacks on the Powerade/granola bar table.  Happy Running!

I think I’ve run in just about every type of technical wear known to man, but would never have imagined wearing a wool blend to run in this brutal heat and humidity (it’s been in the 90’s in the D.C. area).

This all changed when I stopped by the Clarendon Eastern Mountain Sports (better known as EMS) over lunch yesterday.    After browsing the racks for a couple of minutes, one of the helpful sales reps convinced me to try the wool-poly blend tanks in the super-sale section.   Originally designed as hiking/travel tees, these shirts are built for performance.  Despite my initial doubts and  the odd sizing (I found the medium to be a bit roomy and long), I ended up grabbing two in size small. 

I did a quick 5k that evening (the first mile with the dog…it was too hot for her to run any further), and had a great experience with the tank.  Not only did the fabric not get sticky and clingy, it was very breathable…even as I drenched myself in sweat.

Here’s a post-workout shot (sorry for the self-taken closeup, my kids…who normally help take these types of photos…were all at the pool).

If you’re interested, these tanks are available (both at EMS stores and online here) at a significantly reduced price of  just under 18 bucks…that’s a 40% discount!  Stock up while you can!  

Happy Running!

With Friday’s crazy rains I had doubts about Saturday’s Northface Endurance Challenge races.  Our team (me, hubby + friends) a.k.a., “The Comeback Kids,” participated in the marathon relay along with an impressive 66 other foursomes.   Despite  (or maybe because of?) the mud and water-logged trails, we had a great time.

The late start (11:00AM) allowed for an easy morning and gave me an opportunity to pack for downtime (we ended up bringing a ridiculous amount of gear…camp chairs, sunscreen, bug spray, a cooler full of drinks, enough food for 10 people, etc.).  Needless to say, we were comfortably ensconced at the NorthFace Finish Festival area, enjoying the spectacular weather and scenery at the beautiful Algonkian Regional Park.  

This was our second year participating the Northface race series, and like last year, the course was a mixture of field, paved road, gravel, and trail.   As expected, conditions were very muddy and each of our four runners had tense moments (including a lost shoe) with very slippery trails.   I found the “dense riverside forest” Sugarland portion of the race (between miles 2-4) to be most challenging.  While trying to maintain balance in the mud, I saw the runner directly ahead of me nearly get mowed down by a herd of deer (and that’s when I took the headphones off).  A few moments later I almost ran right into a group on horseback.  Fun stuff.

I was the first runner of the group, so after I managed the hand off (a bit awkward because I couldn’t quite catch the instructions at the beginning of the race), I got to relax.  Here’s a shot of our second runner (my husband) handing off the “baton” (tri belt) to the next runner.

At the end of the day, we came in 40th place.   Not bad, considering the competition…but since my time was the slowest (10 minute miles), I feel like I have some work to do.  First step: buying a decent pair of trail running shoes.  Sadly, my Saucony Kinvaras didn’t cut it. 

Here is the link to the results.   Photos will be available mid-week here.

While I LOVED the race and the amazing support, trail markings, post-race fest, shirt screening, recovery tent, etc…..I have one small complaint: packet pick-up.   I waited for nearly 30 minutes to pick up our material from staff using old-school paper copies on clipboards…and I arrived before the “lunch rush” on Thursday.   Others I spoke to indicated their wait times were over an hour.   It’s not the biggest deal, but the downside (from a corporate standpoint, at least) was that I didn’t have time to shop around after pick-up.    As popular as this phenomenal race series is getting, I’d say it’s time to invest in some type of web-based check-in platform. 

Again, great job to the Northface crew for the race!  We’re definitely planning on a longer distance next year.  Happy running!