My Run In Pictures

Maybe I’m a bit crazy (meds from today’s dental appointment have not yet worn off), but I just signed up for what promises to be a very unique  run in the D.C. area!  

The Washington D.C. Color Run  will be  at National Harbor (yes, I know…it’s in Maryland) on October 21 2012. 

The idea is simple:  show up at the race start line wearing all white gear, and run the race (5k) at an enjoyable pace while volunteers throw non-toxic “paint” all over you.    It’s a perfect easy (but exciting) run, right before my husband and I attempt to crank out the Marine Corps Marathon the following week.

If you grab some friends and sign up as a team, registration is $5 bucks off ($35 total).  That price gets you race entry, a t-shirt, and a promise that you’ll be coated in  “Willy Wonka goodness” at the end of 3.1 miles.   Happy Running!

Despite the weather (cold and rainy), Pacers managed to put on another great race.  This morning’s GW Parkway Classic was a blast…and a perfect way to “get back in the swing of things” after my recent running injury (read about that here).

From plush bus transportation and coffee/space blankets at the start, to copious water/Gatorade stops and a generous hospitality tent at the finish line, it’s obvious that the race organizers have worked out all the kinks over 28 years of running. 

The results are now online, and all things considered, I’m happy with my time -10 min miles- and looking forward to the next race (where I’ll hopefully get back to beating my husband).   Happy Running!

I try to work out every day, but I always find myself wondering if I’m doing enough (especially at work) to stay active.   In the past, I’ve used pedometers to track my footsteps, but have had concerns about accuracy and limitations with tracking true activity.

The good news is that technology is finally catching up.  If you’ve “had it”  with guessing about daily sleep and activity levels there are several options (sort of) available to help.  These include:

• Up by Jawbone (not available until version 2.0 is released; no date set)
• Nike Fuelband (limited quantities released randomly, ugh)
• Fitbit

After several weeks of research (and a conscious decision to not participate in an overly engineered limited-release “frenzy”), I finally decided to go with the Fitbit.   And I LOVE it!

I’ve had my $99 Fitbit for nearly a month, so I think I have a good handle on what works and what needs a bit of tweaking.  Here’s my take:

Good

• Very easy to use!  I was up and running with my Fitbit within minutes
• Adorably small and well designed
• Accurate step counter.  I’ve tested this multiple times…it’s not perfect, but definitely closer than any pedometer I’ve ever owned
• Tracks stairs, too!
• When worn on the wrist at night, tracks sleep (i.e., number of times awake)
• Holds a charge for days
• Web/Android/iPhone application interface that’s easy to navigate and understand

Not So Good

• Discreet.  I know this is supposed to be a positive, but sometimes I forget I’m wearing it…I like the visual reminder to kick up my activity level, so I’ve started wearing my Fitbit on my collar/lapel.
• Lack of prompts.  I wish the Fitbit could be programmed to provide a beep (or similar tone) when activity levels are low.  Sometimes I need a reminder to get up and about…especially at work.
• Goal setting.  Ideally, the app would let you translate steps to weight loss goals.  I think this could be an easy fix, as the app already allows the user to track food and exercise.   It would be nice to know that an extra 5 or 10 thousand steps each day over the course of a week could equal pounds loss. 

The good obviously far outweighs the bad…so if you’re looking for a neat tool to help track activity, I highly recommend Fitbit.  I wear mine religiously and have already noticed major changes in my movement levels during the day.  It’s fun to set goals and make efforts to surpass those goals each day.  Plus, Fitbit looks cute hanging out on a pocket or collar!  Happy Running!

It was bound to happen.  I’ve been running for over 10 years now without an injury (if you don’t count a sesamoid stress fracture), but on Tuesday night my luck “ran” out. 

My husband and I went for (what was supposed to be) a quick run through Clarendon.  Right before the two mile mark I hit a curb wrong (I may or may not have been attempting parkour) and went down.  Hard.  In front of several dozen people.  In my mind, I felt like I did at least one complete flip…though there’s no way I looked that cool falling and Mike swears I wasn’t going fast enough.  Regardless, I came up with:

•  Two badly bruised and skinned knees
• A banged-up elbow
• A large bruise and abrasion on my hip
• A completely skinned and gravel-filled hand

Miraculously, no broken bones or sprained joints…so I still think I came out ahead.  I ended up walking the rest of the way home.

My kids had fun playing doctor and I felt a ton better after getting cleaned up.  I’m super sore and bruised, but my attempt at a power walk/jog this evening went well…so I’m still gearing up for the GW Parkway 10 Miler.

I also want to add a quick bit of praise for our amazing Office of Attending Physician nurses, too.  These incredible folks provide medical care to hundreds of tourists visiting the Capitol Complex each year.  At work today I hobbled into the first aid station for an extra band-aid and the nurses bandaged me up like a pro volleyball player.  Awesome!

My fitbit #fitstats for 3/24/2012: 21,061 steps and 11.9 miles traveled. http://www.fitbit.com/user/232K38

Finally got a sitter for the kids!  Mike and I took advantage of the time away to run on the amazing Arlington County trail system.   We started on the Custis Trail, and continued on to the W&OD Trail and Four Mile Run, right into Shirlington. 

Despite the rain, it was an amazing run.  Just over 6 miles, beginning with rolling hills and finishing with a long, flat sprint into town.  Generally, the trail is packed with bikers, walkers, and other runners….but with the downpour, we had the course to ourselves…except for the two little fawns we saw crossing the trail around mile 4. 

After the run, we met my sister and friends at Bungalow Billiards (we purposefully chose a place we’d never been to before).  It’s a sprawling sports bar/pool hall in the heart of Shirlington.  The food was good and the beer was cold, so I’d definitely consider going back…especially since they host a neighborhood runner’s club every Tuesday night.  I love the idea of doing a weekly 5k with a large group, then grabbing dinner and drinks!  Happy running!

My husband guest blogs about his 1st Half Marathon- The Rock n Roll Half in D.C.!  Congrats, Mike on running a great race and beating your goal time!

First things first. I did it. And … I beat my goal of 2:15 by nearly 6 minutes! Woo hoo! It was warm. It was hilly. But I have to say it was pretty exciting to cross that finish line. Nothing quite like it.

After the debacle in my last longish distance race – read about it here, here, and this post from Kate – the Rock and Roll USA Half Marathon was absolutely incredible.  It was absolutely clear that these folks know what they’re doing.

The course itself was beautiful. We ran though Capitol Hill with families cheering us on from their stoops and sidewalks. We ran past Union Station and had Pennsylvania and Constitution Ave. all to ourselves.

We climbed up Connecticut Ave. to DuPont Circle and through Adams Morgan – where of course people were handing out cups of beer (I passed) – and then past the McMillian Reservoir and right down North Capitol with the Capitol dome gleaming in the background. Then we cranked out the last few miles along H Street.

While the race was crowded, the course was wide enough to not feel uncomfortable. The organizers did a great job shutting down entire streets.

There were so many water and Gatorade stops, at least one every two miles, that I actually passed up a few. And the volunteers were more than prepared. It was terrific.

I always run with my headphones (I hate to hear my feet hitting the pavement) but turned them down a little to listen to the bands placed along the course. My highlight was making a turn on Harvard Street after about mile 9 and hearing a cover band blasting Journey’s “Don’t Stop, Believin” just when a lot people probably were.  Hilarious.

Some people were saying the course was a little too hilly, but for every hill there was a downhill that allowed me, at least, to recover pretty quickly and get back into a rhythm.

The organizers also did a great job of freeing up the finish line area with a long “tunnel” to get to the recovery area. There were no back-ups or crowding at the finish. And the sponsors literally rolled out a smorgasbord of treats – bananas, Greek Yogurt, Snickers energy bars, fruit cups, chocolate milk, and huge tubs of cold water.

After moving through this area, all of the friends and families greeted their runners.

The only negative of the day was the Metro. Despite giving myself about an hour and 30 minutes to arrive,  I arrived 15-20 minutes late because our train had to unboard due to a door malfunction and then wait 4 trains until one was empty enough for us to squeeze in.

But the thousands of people who also arrived late were still able to use the restroom and find their “pace” corrals pretty easily after organizers started about 10 minutes late. 

And leaving the race site was just as chaotic with people jammed right up to the escalator without any Metro staff in sight. It was literally a disaster. We ended up just walking to Eastern Market and having lunch.

I would definitely run another Rock and Roll Race. I had a blast.