This morning I was scheduled to run 9 miles. I had an issue that kept me up much later than I'd hoped. For a lot of people, staying up after midnight is not a big deal at all. However, as the clock made it's way into the new day, I thought over and over about how I'd be waking up and trying to get out the door by 6:30am. I bought myself a slight bit of time by setting the alarm for 6:30. With my new technology that must accompany me (the Nano iPod + Nike gear) it took me a few extra minutes to get going, but I was out by 6:45.
Again, using my old school 8 minute mile approach I figured nine miles should take roughly 72 minutes. That would put me back at the house by 8am, giving me enough time to go through my morning routine before going to meet Jason for our Tuesday morning breakfast.
I was glad that the air was humid, making the low 60's temperature feel warmer than it actually was. My hands tend to be the most susceptible to cold, and this time of year is when the gardening gloves start to make their appearances on these early morning runs. Today was warm enough that I was able to go out in just shorts and a t-shirt.
I ran a familiar route that I can typically expand upon to make it a bit longer. I run down Sherman Avenue, which turns into 9th street (just past U Street). Around the convention center I make a left and cut over to 7th Street. This allows me to run through Chinatown and past the big screen TV outside of the Verizon Wireless Center (formerly MCI Center) before hitting Pennsylvania Avenue. I go left on Pennsylvania and cover the 7 blocks to the Capital. That's more or less the half way point of the short version of this run. I typically head back along one of the gravely paths on the mall, head north on 14th Street and once I reach Columbia Heights I make my way back to the house. To extend it, I typically add something when I'm down by the Capital and then either make my way back to the 14th Street approach, or end it in a different way altogether.
Today I added a jaunt behind the Jefferson Memorial and then continued on along the Potomac River towards Georgetown. I felt as if I was moving at a relatively decent pace. The iPod/Nike software allows for you to hit a button on the device at any given time and a woman's voice will tell you exactly how far you've gone (to the 100th of a mile - i.e. 2.65 miles), the time that's eclipsed since you began your workout and your current pace. My body felt as if I was running much faster than the 7:30+ paces it kept quoting me.
I figured the route I was taking to return home would actually be a bit longer than 9 miles, but by the time the count started going down (the voice would state "3 miles to go" instead of "you've just completed your 6th mile") I was really feeling a bit exhuasted. However, I've consisently been able to push myself to complete the runs at a good pace, regardless of whether or not my body agrees with that.
I continued along Rock Cree Parkway (the road that takes you from behind the Jefferson Memorial, along the Potomac) until I came to the P Street bridge. I exited the park then and covered the last couple of miles on surface streets. When I'd completed 9 miles I knew I still had a ways to go, and attempted to slow my pace to something more suitable for my worn legs. It was pretty much all uphill from the park to my house, so the slowed pace was nice. I ended up logging 10.51 miles in 1 hour 21 minutes and 53 seconds. My average pace was 7:47/mile. My legs are a tad fried, and I have a soccer game that I have to play on them tonight.
Again, using my old school 8 minute mile approach I figured nine miles should take roughly 72 minutes. That would put me back at the house by 8am, giving me enough time to go through my morning routine before going to meet Jason for our Tuesday morning breakfast.
I was glad that the air was humid, making the low 60's temperature feel warmer than it actually was. My hands tend to be the most susceptible to cold, and this time of year is when the gardening gloves start to make their appearances on these early morning runs. Today was warm enough that I was able to go out in just shorts and a t-shirt.
I ran a familiar route that I can typically expand upon to make it a bit longer. I run down Sherman Avenue, which turns into 9th street (just past U Street). Around the convention center I make a left and cut over to 7th Street. This allows me to run through Chinatown and past the big screen TV outside of the Verizon Wireless Center (formerly MCI Center) before hitting Pennsylvania Avenue. I go left on Pennsylvania and cover the 7 blocks to the Capital. That's more or less the half way point of the short version of this run. I typically head back along one of the gravely paths on the mall, head north on 14th Street and once I reach Columbia Heights I make my way back to the house. To extend it, I typically add something when I'm down by the Capital and then either make my way back to the 14th Street approach, or end it in a different way altogether.
Today I added a jaunt behind the Jefferson Memorial and then continued on along the Potomac River towards Georgetown. I felt as if I was moving at a relatively decent pace. The iPod/Nike software allows for you to hit a button on the device at any given time and a woman's voice will tell you exactly how far you've gone (to the 100th of a mile - i.e. 2.65 miles), the time that's eclipsed since you began your workout and your current pace. My body felt as if I was running much faster than the 7:30+ paces it kept quoting me.
I figured the route I was taking to return home would actually be a bit longer than 9 miles, but by the time the count started going down (the voice would state "3 miles to go" instead of "you've just completed your 6th mile") I was really feeling a bit exhuasted. However, I've consisently been able to push myself to complete the runs at a good pace, regardless of whether or not my body agrees with that.
I continued along Rock Cree Parkway (the road that takes you from behind the Jefferson Memorial, along the Potomac) until I came to the P Street bridge. I exited the park then and covered the last couple of miles on surface streets. When I'd completed 9 miles I knew I still had a ways to go, and attempted to slow my pace to something more suitable for my worn legs. It was pretty much all uphill from the park to my house, so the slowed pace was nice. I ended up logging 10.51 miles in 1 hour 21 minutes and 53 seconds. My average pace was 7:47/mile. My legs are a tad fried, and I have a soccer game that I have to play on them tonight.
posted by Mike Mowery at 2:58 PM
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