I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there are often times when I am running that I think about all of the things I could talk about when I go to write about the run. Then, by the time I've managed to make it back home, exhausted (at this point in my "training" - in quotes because I am not currently training for anything specific), I have no desire to rush upstairs and get on the computer to say anything.
I must say, with winter upon us, I have had absolutely no desire to wake in the morning and go for a run. The problem is, I am really bad about making time for the run later in the day. Usually, if I want physical activity at lunch I will head to the gym, and in the evening I have been getting home pretty late, ready to eat, and surely not in the mood to begin running.
That said, i did manage to sneak in a lunch time run on Friday. I was feeling tired in the office and barely wanted to motivate myself to go to the gym. The gym, recently, has consisted of little more than running through 2/3 of my normal routine (I really only have two routines - one for chest/bi/tri and another for back and shoulders, both of which incorporate push ups, ab work and a bit of stretching). After rushing through a half assed work out the other day I decided that I could sacrifice even more time out of the office and hopped on the tread mill for half an hour. That run felt good. Most runs do. The release is what I crave.
I knew I wanted to run yesterday. I didn't push it hard on the treadmill on Friday. My body was still recovering a bit from the "classic-ladder" workout we did at the track on Wednesday night. I really enjoyed the workout, and felt that I was already getting back to my pre-Africa trip pace (I ended up heading up the "second group" which meant that I was running my splits at about 1m30s per 400m lap, but I needed a bit more recovery time). I will continue to use those workouts throughout the winter.
The weather yesterday was quite beautiful. I believe it was in the high-40s when I decided to actually step out the door. I was half torn on exactly when I was going to run. I didn't get up early to run, instead doing some reading, cleaning and heading to the grocery store. By the time 1pm rolled around it felt as if it would be as good a time as any. I started out quickly, running down hill from my house in Petworth/Columbia Heights towards the Capital (Pennsylvania Avenue). It was interesting to run that route during the day, especially on the weekend. By the time I made it down to the Convention Center (9th and Mass) I took a bit different route than I normally would on a morning with deserted streets.
Instead of cutting East on Massachussets and then running down 7th street through Chinatown, I went pass Mass. Ave and because of the traffic light situation ended up going East on H Street. The light at 7th worked so that it was easier to go straight through it, as opposed to turning right/south and heading by the Verizon Center as I normally would. That street would have been insanely packed, anyways. Instead I ended up going south on 6th street, on the back side of the Verizon Center and then made my way down towards Pennsylvania. I believe I ended up going East on C Street, and once I made it down to 3rd Street I encountered a huge crowd of people out for the Peace Rally (a rally to once again try to show Mr. Bush that most of the people who live in this country do not think his Iraq plan is a good, just one).
I would have normally cut in front of the Capital, but that route was cordoned off. Instead I ran up Independence (or was it Constitution?) and went behind the Capital. This added a bit of a hill and probably an additional half mile to my run. By now I was beginning to feel a bit tired and realized I had to make it all the way to 14th street and then back up the house. Luckily, dodging the people and traffic along Constitution (or was it Independence) as I ran along the back side of the Air and Space Museum kept my mind occupied and off of the run. My stomach, which had been upset by a meal the night before, was starting to cause me some serious problems and my mind wanted to lead me home quicker than my body.
That's the nice thing about running marathons. I've said it once and will continue to say it - that mental preparation is invaluable in running. This was a run that I started out relatively quickly, feeling good, but not pacing myself for a full 8 miles. If I had been out for four, it would have been great. So, my mind had to really pick it up and carry me through the rest of the run. I had to block out the stomach ache and the pacing issue. Thankfully, by the time I fronted the Washington Monument and turned North on 14th Street I knew every step that I would make between that and home. For the past three to four years I've been on that road at least 50 times (I had been trying to figure out an approximation of how many times I'd actually been up the street and had to say that it was surely less than 100 but could be more than 50).
i finished out the run and all in all I did 8.11 miles in about an hour and 4 minutes (7:58 pace). I felt good about it and the warm weather surely made it easier to get out there. Today I have work to do and a bit of studying to do, so I'm unsure exactly when I'll make it out of the house. The weather is a bit rainy, and having gone up to Baltimore for the Earth Crisis reunion show means that I haven't truly gotten a great night's sleep. However, I know full well that if i get out there at some point today, I will feel better in the end.
Lastly, I'm beginning to flirt with the idea of running the Vancouver Marathon in May. Robert lives out there and I believe that he is going to run it. I may have business there the day before, anyways, so it might work perfectly. And, it'd give me a reason to really start training, something I might really enjoy!
I must say, with winter upon us, I have had absolutely no desire to wake in the morning and go for a run. The problem is, I am really bad about making time for the run later in the day. Usually, if I want physical activity at lunch I will head to the gym, and in the evening I have been getting home pretty late, ready to eat, and surely not in the mood to begin running.
That said, i did manage to sneak in a lunch time run on Friday. I was feeling tired in the office and barely wanted to motivate myself to go to the gym. The gym, recently, has consisted of little more than running through 2/3 of my normal routine (I really only have two routines - one for chest/bi/tri and another for back and shoulders, both of which incorporate push ups, ab work and a bit of stretching). After rushing through a half assed work out the other day I decided that I could sacrifice even more time out of the office and hopped on the tread mill for half an hour. That run felt good. Most runs do. The release is what I crave.
I knew I wanted to run yesterday. I didn't push it hard on the treadmill on Friday. My body was still recovering a bit from the "classic-ladder" workout we did at the track on Wednesday night. I really enjoyed the workout, and felt that I was already getting back to my pre-Africa trip pace (I ended up heading up the "second group" which meant that I was running my splits at about 1m30s per 400m lap, but I needed a bit more recovery time). I will continue to use those workouts throughout the winter.
The weather yesterday was quite beautiful. I believe it was in the high-40s when I decided to actually step out the door. I was half torn on exactly when I was going to run. I didn't get up early to run, instead doing some reading, cleaning and heading to the grocery store. By the time 1pm rolled around it felt as if it would be as good a time as any. I started out quickly, running down hill from my house in Petworth/Columbia Heights towards the Capital (Pennsylvania Avenue). It was interesting to run that route during the day, especially on the weekend. By the time I made it down to the Convention Center (9th and Mass) I took a bit different route than I normally would on a morning with deserted streets.
Instead of cutting East on Massachussets and then running down 7th street through Chinatown, I went pass Mass. Ave and because of the traffic light situation ended up going East on H Street. The light at 7th worked so that it was easier to go straight through it, as opposed to turning right/south and heading by the Verizon Center as I normally would. That street would have been insanely packed, anyways. Instead I ended up going south on 6th street, on the back side of the Verizon Center and then made my way down towards Pennsylvania. I believe I ended up going East on C Street, and once I made it down to 3rd Street I encountered a huge crowd of people out for the Peace Rally (a rally to once again try to show Mr. Bush that most of the people who live in this country do not think his Iraq plan is a good, just one).
I would have normally cut in front of the Capital, but that route was cordoned off. Instead I ran up Independence (or was it Constitution?) and went behind the Capital. This added a bit of a hill and probably an additional half mile to my run. By now I was beginning to feel a bit tired and realized I had to make it all the way to 14th street and then back up the house. Luckily, dodging the people and traffic along Constitution (or was it Independence) as I ran along the back side of the Air and Space Museum kept my mind occupied and off of the run. My stomach, which had been upset by a meal the night before, was starting to cause me some serious problems and my mind wanted to lead me home quicker than my body.
That's the nice thing about running marathons. I've said it once and will continue to say it - that mental preparation is invaluable in running. This was a run that I started out relatively quickly, feeling good, but not pacing myself for a full 8 miles. If I had been out for four, it would have been great. So, my mind had to really pick it up and carry me through the rest of the run. I had to block out the stomach ache and the pacing issue. Thankfully, by the time I fronted the Washington Monument and turned North on 14th Street I knew every step that I would make between that and home. For the past three to four years I've been on that road at least 50 times (I had been trying to figure out an approximation of how many times I'd actually been up the street and had to say that it was surely less than 100 but could be more than 50).
i finished out the run and all in all I did 8.11 miles in about an hour and 4 minutes (7:58 pace). I felt good about it and the warm weather surely made it easier to get out there. Today I have work to do and a bit of studying to do, so I'm unsure exactly when I'll make it out of the house. The weather is a bit rainy, and having gone up to Baltimore for the Earth Crisis reunion show means that I haven't truly gotten a great night's sleep. However, I know full well that if i get out there at some point today, I will feel better in the end.
Lastly, I'm beginning to flirt with the idea of running the Vancouver Marathon in May. Robert lives out there and I believe that he is going to run it. I may have business there the day before, anyways, so it might work perfectly. And, it'd give me a reason to really start training, something I might really enjoy!
posted by Mike Mowery at 9:54 AM
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