Happy Hour Success & Running Update

I'll start with letting everyone know how the Happy Hour went for Chris & I on this past Thurs, Nov 20.  It was a big success for us!!  I believe we both needed that to help w/ our fundraising.  Both of our fundraising seemed to plateaued from all the support we were receiving from our friends & family.... so I was trying to look at the Happy Hour as a way for Chris & I to celebrate all of our hard work so far - running and organizing an event together.

It started out slow... Happy Hour began @ 5pm, but as many know lots of ppl are just leaving work at 5pm.  After the first two ppl arrived (Thanks, Jill for being Numero Uno!), it picked up as time went on.  Crystal City Sports Pub provided great drink specials and Half-off Appetizers... plus we had great door prizes from Victoria Secret, Gotta Run, Starbucks, and some cool labeled wines.

So how did we do?  We raised about $900 total!!!  Thanks to everyone that came out and supported Chris & I with running ING Half Marathon for Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).

So now the running updates....

This past wkend I didn't feel that great, so I didn't want to push myself with the running, but at the same time I was starting to disappoint myself if I didn't get out there and run soon!  Jeremy was off this week... so I didn't have his motivation, but I got out and ran 3 miles on Friday!!  It was so cold & windy!!  But I didn't run alone... and no I didn't replace Jeremy for skipping out all week (Hope his moving to his new home went well btw), but it's pretty nice how I met a friend on Friday.

I had just started my run around the National Mall to the Washington Monument... and I hear, "Rachel, Rachel."  It was my friend, Lisa..... she was like an angel to be there I told her.  We ran together and toughed out the cold winter weather.  We're going to keep in touch and maybe meet up again, since we both don't work too far from the National Mall.

Now for today's DC Team Challenge run meetup.... I woke around 6am and enjoyed my stuffed egg sandwich for breakfast.  I made sure I had on as much blue & orange + my Team Challenge tshirt for the Team Challenge Spirit contest for this meetup.  I'll mention it now though... next time, I'm not running in a heavy sweatshirt.  I don't believe I'm finding excuses for feeling sluggish today, but it really did feel heavy... and I might be tempted to leave my gloves home next time, too.  But all the running I'm doing each time, helps me get ready for Miami!!

We ran about 7 miles today.... which I felt pretty good about.  I know I can run 6 miles comfortably, so it looks like I'm breaking through to 7 now!!!  And Elizabeth & Lynn were great to run with today... I really liked how we looked out for each other this run.  Also, Lynn let us try something new half way through our run... she shared Starburst chew gummies... not sure of exact name, but they gave us a boost/burst of energy!! Thanks, Lynn!

Thanks again for everyone's support and donations.... I've started to count up and organize how many entries everyone has for the $50 Amazon Gift Card.  I don't know yet if there'll be an extension from Dec 1, bc with the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching I'm not sure how many ppl will be interested in reading my running blog lol  So I might extend it a couple weeks, but I'll post the official decision on  or before Dec 1.  I want to have the drawing soon enough before the holidays, so the winner can utilize it for holiday shopping.  Oh, and I believe I'm going to do it as an e-certificate, so you'll get it really quick! :-)

Yesterday 3 and Today 4... Become my Virtual Running Partner!

Yesterday I got a surprise invite to run with a friend from the Team Challenge, Chris, who is an avid runner and she's running in the ING Half Marathon for CCFA, too. I thought it was funny and actually very impressive when she told me that this is first Half Marathon.... but she's ran a Marathon before!! So when she asked me to run last nite, I was really excited and even more excited that we have arranged a Happy Hour @ Crystal City Sports Pub on November 20.

So yesterday we ran a 3 mile loop through Arlington and on the Mt. Vernon Trail. The trail is where I ride my bike to work... this was the first time I ran on the trail and might give it another try this wkend. It really is a great place to run & bike or walk!

Today, I met Jeremy to run @ lunchtime and he and I agreed on running just to and around the Washington Monument.... but when we got to the backside of the Monument, Jeremy kept running along the path but toward the Lincoln Memorial. I asked where he was going... he said we're running to Lincoln. So today was a surprise 4 mile run. I felt much better than I thought I would having just ran last nite... but glad Jeremy was there to encourage me to run a little more today.

Thanks again for everyone's support and contributions to CCFA for me so I can run. I'm almost at the 50% mark, so getting more and more excited! I have to meet this $3,600 minimum goal to be able to run... so you're literally helping me cross the finish line when you donate!!

I'll do all the running... just become my virtual running partner by contributing to my run :-)
(Click Here to be my Virtual Running Partner!!)

Our Lunch Hour Run & Hurrying Slowly

Yesterday, both Jeremy and I were tired, but still wanting to run. I don't know if it's an addiction, but we both always comment to each other how great we feel after a run @ lunch. We just didn't feel motivated to run all over DC. lol So we completed one of our original runs - around the Washington Monument totaling about 3 miles.

I found a quote from Runner's World that made me laugh and also realize there's so many ways to look at running a long distance... but as Jeremy reminds me during every run, "it's just mental."

"My basic philosophy can be summed up by an expression we use in Norwegian: hurry slowly. Get there, but be patient."

-- GRETE WAITZ, Run Your First Marathon

Total of 12 miles for Week 2

We did "the Mall around the Washington Monument" run again today.... Jeremy tried to get me to go for the Lincoln Memorial, but I told him maybe next week.  Running to Lincoln Memorial would add another mile onto the run, total of 4!

I felt good running, but think I didn't drink quite as much water this time before I ran.  I think it's because it's been really busy at work this week.  It's the last week of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008... so maybe that has something to do with it :-)

I can't wait for October to get here... new FY09 arrives and work slows down and most importantly - Mac is visiting!!  So I'll be all ready to take him on a run around the Monument at least.

I don't know my plans for running this weekend... but I'll keep you posted. 

Week 2 Summary:

9/26: Ran 3 miles

9/25: Ran 3 miles

9/24: Aerobics

9/23: Ran 3 miles

9/22: Biked 20 miles & Ran 3 miles

It didn't rain until after we ran - yeaaa!

We ran 3 miles today... along the Mall and around the Washington Monument.  I told Jeremy this was the best I felt all week and I didn't slow down as much.  I felt awesome today!  I'm definitely motivated to keep going... and gradually increasing my mileage.

I'm worried about the forecasted weather for tomorrow, with rain all day. I'll bring my running stuff just in case there's a break.

Around the Monument and back to the office... 3 miles

Today was great... we ran along the Mall and around the Washington Monument.  My friend thinks it's about 3 miles.  There weren't too many tourists out today... but it was beautiful so lots of people decided to be outside for lunchtime.

I told him maybe tomorrow we could run to Lincoln Memorial... but we'll see.  I want to make sure I pace myself.  And I want to bike tomorrow to work... so maybe we could try that next week!

You can check out the run we did here.  It was a 3 mile run that we did!!!   I'll try to post more runs we do using run.com  ... but sometimes my friend likes to just mix the run up and go anywhere.... so I guess for those days, I'll just inform you of how long we ran.  This is a lot of fun!

3 mile run @ Capitol Hill today!

Today I biked to & from work...  but also ran at lunchtime for the first time!  My friend met me in the front of the office bldg at 12pm.  He agreed to run up to the Capitol Hill Bike Store, so I could get a much needed cap/nut for my front bike wheel.  (Capitol Hill gave me the cap/nut for free btw... which made the run worth it lol)

 So, instead of running to the Monument or Jefferson Memorial as previously planned... we ran up Capitol Hill.

I keep saying ran up Capitol Hill b/c it's really a good incline!  Running up Independence Ave and on Penn Ave, we passed tons of delis, cafes, and restaurants.  It was such a beautiful day, many people were enjoying their lunches outside.  And I really felt the hill, but kept 

going knowing it would flatten eventually... eventually I kept telling myself. lol 

Then we had to make a right on Penn Ave and then to 8th Street.  It was a total of 1.5 miles to the store according to my GPS... perfect! I thought and then my friend encouraged me to run back to the office... but we ran on the other side of the Capitol Bldg and it was all d

own hill!!  So 3 miles today and it felt much better than I would have expected. 

He's great to run with and even better is that he wants to meet everyday to run @ lunchtime.  So I believe I should change my biking routine a bit, while I introduce the running.  I thought this week I could try out biking every other day - Mon, Wed, and Fri, while running everyday.  I'm really going to miss biking to work tomorrow... but excited to see how the running goes!

Oh and my new running shoes felt great! :-)  The picture of the Capitol Bldg is from last year when I was walking around DC... now I'm running in DC lol