Pushing myself to 10 miles today!! A great run with Kate

I still have the cold and I ran 6 miles yesterday.... but what's 10 more? lol I met Kate today for a run in Rock Creek Park. She was great to plan out the run - 5 miles to DC-Maryland Border and back, so that gave us our 10 mile goal for today. I didn't pay attention to the time, since I was more concerned w/ being able to go the distance.... but we kept our same pace and even pushed ourselves when we saw the DC-MD Border sign. We're great support for each other!! :-)

Here's a quick picture of us when we reached the DC-MD Border (one entrance to park):

I was smart and brought a few tissues today... that helped so I could give myself some relief w/ this cold. Kate & I both noticed around the 6 mile mark

that we were thirsty and our mouths were getting dry... so this probably had something to do with hitting the so called Wall so early today. We helped each other by staying positive and motivating each other to the finish.

We went to Potomac Running Store afterwards and bought some PowerBar Gel Blasts and Clif Shot Bloks. A couple other DC Team Challenge teammates had these in previous long runs, so it was great they let us try a couple (Thanks Lynn!) and we knew we liked them. The Blasts and Blocks are perfect to help w/ electrolyte intake during these long endurance runs.

Potomac Running Store is great and our Running Coach for DC Team Challenge is a manager there. They just opened a Cleveland Park store right off the Metro - perfect after a run at Rock Creek Park. :-)

This weekend, I made up for my rest during the week because of the holiday. It was great to test myself and see what I could do after a long rest and having the cold. I'll keep providing updates this week w/ my lunchtime runs w/ Jeremy. And Kate is going to try to meet up with us, since she works in DC, too. Jeremy will have two girls chasing him! lol

I have great news, too!! Kate surpassed the goal of $3,600 and has a new goal of $4000, which she is doing awesome to already being close to that! I'm just shy of the $3,000 mark, so getting close to the $3,600 minimum required to run in Miami. Kate & I hit the 10 mile mark today, so I know I'm right behind her with my fundraising.

All donations - no matter the size helps! Thanks for all my friends & family (Virtual Runners) who have contributed and supported me in this great cause.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and looking fwd to a great New Year! 2009 is going to start off great finishing in Miami!

I have a cold and it's warm outside today??!?!?

It didn't feel like December at all today... felt more like an early Spring or Autumn day.  It was unseasonably warm.  A new friend from an Area Running Meetup Group emailed me about running around Old Town Alexandria.  At first I wasn't sure b/c not running all week with the Christmas holiday and being home in NJ - I know excuses, excuses!  But when I arrived back to DC Metro area last nite, I realized I was getting a cold. :-(

Anyway waking up this morning, I emailed my friend Kate as planned to see about meeting up for a run, but she had said tomorrow was better for her - so that worked for me!  We're meeting at a new place tomorrow that neither of us have run... I'll tell you how it goes!

Well, today I got that email from a friend, and I told him my running plans with a friend changed for today, so I'd be interested in meeting today for a run.  We ran  6 miles!  and it was a fun run starting at Eisenhower Metro Station and along the avenue to a run/bike trail to the Alexandria Library and around a park area.  I surprised myself and kept to my running and not worrying about my time or speed - I couldn't find my watch before I left to meet him anyway, lol.

How do I feel after running w/ a cold?  Great!  Much better than I did when I left to meet him and much better after the first mile or so I ran.... I feel like my head is clearer and I'm breathing better... so having a cold isn't a good excuse to not run anymore.... or at least I'll be more apt to give it a try next time, too.. in hopes to feel better again. :-)

The best place for my longest run so far...

I did it!! Well almost... I've been wondering when I would hit the 10 mile mark, but I came super close today.  DC Team Challenge met up at Burke Lake Park, VA and we ran around the lake twice.  It's not a small lake... between 4.5 and 4.7 miles once around... and has a great run/walk/bike trail.... so we ran somwhere between 9 and 9.5 miles.  For the most part it's gravel & dirt paths, with the occasional paved bit near parking areas.  The trail is very scenic by the lake with some great clearings where you can look over to the other side of the lake.  I noticed some geese and squirrels running around this morning.  The sun was not shining much today (hopefully that means it was in Denmark!), so it was an overcast, grey sky with  chill in the air, but not wind... so it was good weather for a long run.

The Burke Lake Park was an excellent location for my longest run of more than 9 miles... I believe how the goal distance of the day was split in half around the lake, it was very motivating.  Because as soon as you ran around the lake once, you knew you could do it again... or maybe it was I just kept going and then before you know it you're about 1/4 away around the lake, so you might as well keep going.  And just like Jeremy told me during our lunchtime run, if you continue running, you'll get back faster! lol Such great common sense advice... but it really works when you're out there running.  Plus I remember that training quote from a previous post saying every mile you run, adds to your bank (of endurance).... so 13.1 miles really has been getting closer with every run I complete.

I've noticed during the chilly months, as we approached December and with the occasional below 30 or low 40s, my body warmed up after the first mile and after 3 miles I was breathing regularly with the cold air not bothering me so much.  I still have to figure out the best way to handle a runny nose in the cold weather.... I hate to keep sniffling and can't wait to get a tissue when I finish running.... but maybe this won't be a problem to worry about in Miami in the 60/70F weather... I can't wait!! It's amazing how your body adapts to the climate and change in temperature, while at the same time allowing itself to build an endurance to longer runs.  I believe running gives me a new appreciation for my body and more of what I'm capable of doing.... so that's awesome!

Today's run was fun... I met up with Kate and we always motivate and cheer each other on.  We comfortably ran at the same pace and are definitely looking forward to Miami to cross that Finish Line together!!  The first lap around the lake wasn't too bad... I remember seeing the 3.5 mile marker and thinking how fast that went.  When I saw the 3.5 mile marker for a second time, I was really proud of us!! We were doing it!!  Our Team Coaches were awesome and had a table set up with quick water and snacks for us at around the 4+ mile marker... The DC Team Challenge is really a great experience and an awesome bunch of people who are trying to hit the $3,600 minimum goal to run, but we all have the same goal to run across that 13.1 mile Finish Line & Find a Cure!!!

Christmas is this week, but I'm going to try my best to keep up 

with my training and not let myself slack off.  I commented to a friend tonite though, about how I relaxed during the Thanksgiving holiday week and it didn't hurt me the following week.  Actually I believe it may have been a great rest for my body.... the only thing is the disappointment I get from not seeing the miles up during that week - so I guess running really can be a mental game after all. :-)

I'm looking forward to my next long run... I'll keep you posted on my training for the upcoming week and how I'm progressing towards that 10 mile mark!!  13.1 miles isn't that far anymore and neither is Miami!!!! Jan 25th will be here before we know it!!

I don't think I could map out today's run!

Today was fun to run w/ Jeremy @ lunchtime.  When we started I commented that I was bored with running to Lincoln Memorial this week... imagine that! bored of running to Lincoln, and ever since I moved to DC Metro I always wanted to run to and around any of the Memorials.

Jeremy did a great job running anywhere and everywhere!  We started out as usual from our office bldg - a block from the Capitol Bldg & the Mall - and ran on the opposite side of Independence Avenue than we normally run.  Then Jeremy made a left turn at the light and we ran towards the Potomac River by L'Enfant Plaza.  We ran down towards the river in the direction of the Tidal Basin where I remember sneaking through to get to the Cherry Blossoms in the spring time during the festival.  If you visit DC, that's the time to come - April - when the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom.  They're beautiful!!  Plus by April, the millions of people expected for Obama's Inaugural Event in January, will have been long gone!  It's going to be crazy in DC... and I'll be running around them all - ha ha!

There's also a Chesapeake Seafood place that sells fresh fish year round... always lots of tourists there and it's within walking distance of the Tidal Basin.  I have yet to get anything from there... then we headed back to the Washington Monument and across the National Mall towards Chinatown, The National Archives, FBI Hoover Building (a friend of mine who's an agent took me to lunch there, it was awesome!), by the National Building Museum... mentioning these federal buildings reminds me of when I awarded & administered the security guard contracts for these buildings.  Minus the FBI Building of course!!  Oh and that reminds me, we did run by the huge, gigantic Ronald Reagan Building... that was the best security guard contract I had while working @ Federal Protective Services HQ.  We ran by so many important places... then again it's DC... National Air & Space Museum, Old Smithsonian Castle, Dept of Agriculture....

I think I've gone off target with this post and need to concentrate more on how my running went today.  We ran for 50 mins, so that would mean about 4-5 miles.  I'm taking tomorrow off with running and relaxing my legs to get them ready for a long run with Kate on Saturday morning along with DC Team Challenge.  Kate is a lot of fun to run with... so I'm glad she mentioned setting a distance goal for us to run together on Saturday morning.  I'll continue to keep you posted how the running goes.... This is one of the best challenges I have committed to and so glad friends & family are supporting me and the great cause for CCFA - Thank you!!

8am, 30F degrees, & Jingle Bells on all our shoes

It was a great run... It was my first 10K run!!  I'm so excited how I great I felt before, during and after.  There was about 10 of us from the Team Challenge that met to run the Jingle All The Way 10K today.

I was surprised when I learned there were over 4,000 runners in the race and was even more surprised when we all lined up at the Start Line with no problems.  Of  course it was a mob of people all gathered... this was the best way to start - all of us huddled together, blocking the wind and chill from each other.  Everyone was wearing their jingle bells on their shoes... so it was great to hear us all start to run.  

Every kilometer was marked, which proved to be very motivating.  And as you can see from the course map on the left, we ran so far and then circled back to return to the Start Line, which was now the FINISH LINE.  I found this to be great for my first run.  We ran along the Potomac River, which was pretty with the sun shining, but also was chilly by the water.  It was an even, flat course, with a minor hill to cross a small bridge... but nothing like Jeremy & I run during lunchtime like over the 14th St Bridge or behind Thomas Jefferson Memorial.  So I was ready - Thanks, Jeremy! lol

I ran with my friend, Kate, during the race.... funny how I planned to run with Elizabeth, but with so many people there it just didn't work out.  Anyway, the object of the race was to just have fun and enjoy the experience!! Thanks to Sherry for my 1st Race Great Advice... I jogged some before the race, so my body was ready to go and I also made sure I had fun - thanks Nichole!  And it looks like my next visit to DK, might include a race - so that will be exicting... maybe I'll get Kelli & Mads to run, too. :-)

I felt more than prepared for this race - so thanks to Team Challenge Coaches for great training and Jeremy for all my lunchtime runs.  I didn't break any records, unless there's record for happiness! haha Kate & I crossed the finish line at the same exact time and it's a funny time, too.  We completed the 10K in under 70 mins exactly... 69:59!!  Now, I have my first race time recorded to keep improving.  I remember crossing the 5K line at 37 mins, so I would say I had a good consistent, evenly paced first run.  I'm still learning about things I should pay attention to so I can improve my runs, but I can't do anything wrong if I'm having fun!! :-)

I'm really looking forward to Miami... the warmth, the extra distance (so should be double the fun - ha ha!), and the great cause we're supporting - Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.  I'm still trying my best to reach the fundraising goal and with only $1,000 left; I believe we'll achieve it.... don't forget every donation helps!!

Here's something that one of our coaches shared with us that puts the remaining $1,000 left in perspective and what an impact everyone can have with a small donation ...

If 100 people donated $10 that would be 1,000 bucks for a great cause!! $1,000 can send one child with Crohn's or Colitis to Camp Oasis who may otherwise not be able to go!

 Thanks to all my friends and family supporting me with this great & important cause!!

Jingle All The Way... I'm running all the way!

I'm excited... I just registered for the Jingle All The Way 10K!!!  So this will be an excellent preview to Miami Half Marathon is what our Team Manager and Coach are telling us.  I believe it's a great idea, especially since this will be my first official run.  It should help me know what to expect for Miami.

Also, this is great doing a 10K because that's about 6.2 miles.  And everyone knows (if not, check out my training log on the right) that I've ran at least 6 miles already! :-)  So even though a Half Marathon is 13.1 miles, I'm considering myself at the halfway mark for training.  Our Team Manager and Coach assure us that we will be prepared to run in Miami, so long as we follow their suggestions and running plans.  This is really exciting... thanks again for cheering me on!  I'm so happy about finding my new hobby running... or as our Running Coach says "finding your runner's high!"  Jingle All the Way 10K is December 14, so that's almost exactly 1 month away.... what an exciting day today is for me!

Vacation is over and it's back to training this week!

My boyfriend from Denmark visited me this week, so I missed the past couple training sessions and didn't complete any runs this week with Jeremy. I look forward to getting focused on my training this week and running at lunch time!

I believe it was good to switch things up and walked so much this week around DC that I was still exercising. (I know Nichole can appreciate all the siteseeing walking I did.)

I'll keep you posted on how my running goes this week... I'm anxious to find out how my week of rest and walking will play into my running this week.

Week 6 Summary:

• 10/23: Ran 5 miles
• 10/22: REST
• 10/21: Ran 5.5 miles
• 10/20: Ran 5 miles

Total: 15.5 miles

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger... so we'll keeping adding more distance

We've had two great runs so far this week, both at least 5 miles! Week 6 has been awesome for me!

I commented to Jeremy before the start of the last run that I really enjoyed just running anywhere and then figuring out how far we ran. So that's what we did on our second run this week... totaling 5.5 miles (at least). Jeremy mapped out the run and you can check it out here. We ran by the White House in this run... definitely something you can't do everyday... or maybe we can lol :-)

Today, Jeremy hinted already at going for the 6 miles! I'll keep you posted... 6 miles during Week 6 sounds like a great idea lol :-)

Thank you for everyone's donations!! I'm really getting excited as the time gets closer for the run in Miami... I know I'll be prepared and definitely psyched with everyone's support! :-)


Week 5 Summary:

• 10/17: Ran 5 miles
• 10/16: REST
• 10/15: Ran 45 mins/about 4 miles
• 10/14: Ran 5 miles
  

It's all about managing your bank

I ran across this quote (no pun intended lol) and thought it was a good way to think about the running I do during the week with Jeremy.

"Putting miles in your training log is like putting money in the bank. You begin to draw interest on it immediately."
-Hal Higdon

I've taken the past couple days off to rest up for the Team Challenge training meet-up on Saturday morning. These meet-ups happen every Saturday and on last Saturday, when I took a break before the meet-up, I felt really good running the entire time. So far the past week I've run a total of 9 miles, with 5 miles being the longest single distance. I guess hitting a 5 mile milestone this week, means I need to rest a couple more days. It's fun to see how my body adjusts to the running I've been doing. Each time we run a little bit more or add that extra run up Capital Hill, it gets easier. :-)

The last post I mentioned friends and family supporting me with dollar a mile or such, but Jeremy is helping me increase my personal training bank of mileage. Even though sometimes I tell Jeremy I think I've reached my limit, we push a little farther, and add to my bank.... thanks, Jeremy! :-)

More miles than last week and still going....

Yesterday, was a great run for me to the Lincoln Memorial - 4 miles! I told Jeremy I believe that was my best 4 mile run so far. Funny how I almost thought yesterday would be my break, since I worked late the past few days... and Tuesday, 9/30 - the last day of Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 until Midnight!
Tomorrow I'll be running again and Saturday morning is the first Team Challenge Meetup @ the Tidal Basin for a morning run.

So nothing less....

Jeremy commented that now we've run to the Lincoln Memorial twice... that's 4 miles each day so far... 8 miles total lol, and 3 more days left in the week!! He said we can't go less than that now. So looks like I'll be visiting Lincoln everyday.... maybe one day we'll do the "Rocky movie" and run up the steps @ the Memorial.... maybe next week, is what I keep telling him. :-)

Running @ lunchtime is great... still looking fwd to adding my bike riding back into the routine. And even better is the Greater DC Team Challenge meetup this weekend.... rumor is we're running around the Tidal Basin. That will be fun! My niece is visiting...maybe she'll join... she's only five, so maybe in a few years :-)

Week 3 Starts TODAY!

I woke up this morning feeling good after a rest yesterday.  I need to make sure I have rest days every so often especially in the beginning of my training.  I read that you should have one complete full day of rest for your legs.

Today, I ran 2 miles and you can check out the course here.  Old Town Alexandria is a great place to run.  

In the picture above, you can see the main street through Old Town which is King Street.  I ran to King Street and down to the river.  King Street is known for its boutiques and restaurants.  At the end of King Street is the Potomac River... which is where you'll find the Torpedo Factory Art Center and Chart House (seafood) Restaurant.

I'm excited about this upcoming week... running with Jeremy and adding an additional mile to our run with the Lincoln Memorial Run.  I'll let you know how it goes this week... hope for no rain!  I beat the rain today before my 2 mile run and it looks like the sun might be trying to come out now! :-)

Rain, Rain Go away... come after 1pm today!

Quick post about expected storm heading this way... according to weather.com it's not going to rain until after 1pm today. So that works out perfectly, so long as Jeremy & I are running by Noon.

12pm

Cloudy 64°F

64°F

10%

52°F

65%

From NNE 18 mph

1pm

Few Showers 65°F

65°F

30%

52°F

63%

From NNE 18 mph

Keep watch of the running routes on the right... Jeremy proposed a 4 mile run for next week. Well, he prob wants to run it today, but I don't want to increase my mileage too quickly. So I'd like to give that a try next week. I'll keep you posted.

Changing things up & Not Overtraining w/ initial running

Today I decided to try something new in my training plan.  Instead of running with Jeremy, since he was home today, I decided to attend an hour of aerobic class @ lunchtime.  I took advantage of this opportunity to try something different and didn't want to become susceptible to overtraining .  It's not just a regular jump and move aerobic class either... it's actually choreographed for a total of walking 4 miles!!

Click here to go to Leslie Sansone's website... Leslie's workouts really keep you moving from anywhere of 45 mins to 1 hour.  Through the duration of the DVD program, Leslie makes it known how far you've travelled from 1 - 4 miles.  Today I completed 4 miles and felt really good!

So tomorrow I'm expecting to resume running w/ Jeremy... I'll let you know how it goes... cross your fingers for sun & no rain! :-)

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

New Running Shoes + Running Plans

I bought new running shoes... I definitely needed them!  I bought them at Potomac Running Store in Arlington, VA.  The manager, Mike, is our Team Challenge running coach and he did the gait analysis on me... watching for for any abnormal pronation... but good news - my gait is pretty normal. lol

Mike suggested a few shoes... 1st, Asics - too tight in my toes!  2nd, Nike - not too crazy with the pink he brought out; 3rd, Brooks - getting better... but still not the right fit.  The Nike felt best so far... but I don't know why I have something against wearing Nike shoes.  I always wore Adidas when I played soccer and trained... but I was willing to try any of the brands now b/c I wanted the shoe that would help me perform the best! (and help prevent injuries... b/c I'm running 13.1 miles don't 4get!)

So, he brought out a pair of Adidas... too tight w/ my toes again!  I commented to Mike that I felt like the running version of Cinderella.  I believe the pink Nike ones really felt best, but was honest w/ not appreciating the pink.  So he surprised me with a blue pair... but they had too much silver on them.  lol I'm being too picky I thought... he reminded me that I should be more concerned w/ how they felt... so I was starting to realize I would have to give in.... and maybe get the pink ones after all.

Then I remembered a physical therapist recommending New Balance to me b/c they tend to run wide.  I asked Mike and *voila!* he brought a pair out and they fit great! And they weren't pink as you can see:

So the running plans... A friend at work wants to help me run during lunchtime around the Mall.  So I'll be running around the Monument or to the Capitol Bldg - that's cool!  I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

Week 1 Summary:

9/21: Rest

9/20: Ran 30 mins

9/19: Biked 20 miles

9/18: Biked 20 miles

9/17:  Biked 20 miles & Ran 30 mins

Gimme a Break! or Break (for) me...

I wonder how many people remember the tv show ("Gimme a Break!") w/ Nell Carter who played the part of a housekeeper who moves into a police chief's home shortly after his wife and mother to his children die? 

Well, the title of this blog post doesn't have any reference to the show, nor the KitKat chocolate bars - Break me off a piece of that...

I needed a break, and I took one today! :-)

Biking & Running start again tomorrow...