Cross-Country Skiing

It's nice to start back on my routine. As I started my run this morning, I was a little disappointed in myself for not having run for an entire week and I began thinking back over the last week and bemoaning the missed opportunities. However, I had to quickly tell myself that this line of thinking was just unfair; after all, I kept busy in other ways. I can't get stuck in the mindset that running is the only form of activity that counts.

While visiting my parents' in Vermont last summer, my Mom off-handedly mentioned that she would like to try cross-country skiing. I was immediately taken with the idea but it being May there was no snow (even in Vermont) so I had to squirrel away the idea for the coming winter. I arranged for my Mom, Dad, Mike and myself to take a beginner's cross-country ski lesson at the Stowe Mountain Resort the day after Christmas as a present for my Mom.

I've used Hal Higdon's training plans for all my running and he has several articles about cross-country skiing on his website, touting it as an excellent form of cross-training and a great substitute for running in the winter because it is non-impact and similar to running in terms of burning calories. I've been intrigued about this sport for quite some time and was excited to finally give it a try.

The day after Christmas, the four of us headed to Stowe, VT and the base of Mt. Mansfield. We purposely got to the Cross-Country Ski Lodge a bit early so that we could take our time getting our equipment, trying it on and putzing around in the practice yard next to the lodge. As we fumbled around with the skis attached to our feet, slipping on the snow that had been packed down and made slicker than fresh snow by the previous night's rain, we laughed at each other's mishaps and as predicted Mom was the first to fall.

Soon the instructors and another group had joined us out on the practice loop and our lesson had begun. It was easy enough to gain forward motion on the skis but the technique took some time. We practiced skiing without moving, without our poles and finally just dragging out poles along in order to get the correct opposite arm-opposite leg skiing motion. It's funny how putting poles in my hand made that motion so difficult to grasp at first; however, eventually we were all gliding along (if not smoothly and efficiently, we were at least moving forward).

Just as I was getting comfortable with the skis and the poles, the instructor threw in the hills! We had to snow-plow (or "pizza" if you follow South Park) on the way down to fight gravity and slow ourselves down and the herringbone on the way back up in order to get back to the top of the tiny hill. As we got the hang of it, we progressed to a longer hill and finally "graduated" to a steep hill.

I enjoyed the downhill work because you just had to get your legs in the snow-plow position and then hold them there until you got to the end, letting gravity do all the real work but was frustrated by the uphill because my skis were continually hitting each other in the back and getting tangled up. Oddly, this was the exact opposite from Mom, Dad and Mike. Each one struggled to stay upright, let alone, hold the snow-plow position with their skis on the downhill but patiently working their way through the uphill sections.

At the end of the lesson we asked our instructor to suggest an easy beginner trail that we might try since we still had the rental equipment for several more hours. We set off, at the instructor's suggestion, for the Peavey Trail. Evidently my idea of beginner is dramatically different than these people's idea of beginner because we spend more time struggling up the uphills and falling down the downhills (Note: I didn't fall on the downhills, everyone else did…I just couldn't maintain my balance on the flat bits!) than gliding along through the forest enjoying the scenery as I had imagined. This doesn't even take in to account the monstrous hill we had to climb along the power lines just to reach the beginning of the trail!

We made it approximately half to three-quarters of the way on the Peavey Trail as we planned before determining that it was best to turn back. The way back meant more falling for Mike as his legs got tired, some walking the ups and downs while skiing the few flats for Mom and Dad and me tearing it up…but still managing to fall while standing perfectly still waiting for everyone to catch up. We finally made it back to the lodge and ended our cross-country skiing adventure.

Ever since we finished the adventure, even as we complained about the parts we weren't good at all, the parts that caused some pain, I couldn't wait to try it again another day. I've been looking up placed in Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia that I could go and get another fix of cross-country skiing.

Merry Christmas Mom!

Today's Daily Dozen:

4.91 run (26 min. run/1 min. walk x 2 intervals)

Circuit Training @ lunch hour

Here are some other pictures from our Vermont trip:

Me, Mike and the Snow:

Snow Angel by Becki:

Deceptively Active

Today I head back to Virginia on the train, nearly bringing the Christmas season to a close. I've spent the last four days in Vermont at my parents' house for the Christmas holiday. Although I brought my running gear, I'll be honest and admit that I didn't have much hope of actually getting outside to run.

Tuesday and today, Saturday, I will be more slug than active healthy person since they are travel days and I spend more than 12 hours on the train. However, Wednesday through Friday I was deceptively active and even if I didn't run a step it couldn't have been much worse.

Tuesday night and Wednesday I went outside to play in the snow and watched everyone else shovel snow (I did jump in once and shovel some snow). The rest of the day Wednesday I spent introducing the WiiFit to my Mom who was curious about the type of "workout" you could actually get from a video game.

Thursday, Christmas Day, I went for 2.5 mile walk around the snow-covered town of Northfield with my family and took up a great deal of the rest of the day, playing Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). The box states, "It's a great CARDIO workout" and I'm not sure about the "great" part but it definitely beats sitting on my butt watching TV. Plus, it is fun and you don't even realize that your heartrate is increasing and that you're being active and healthy.

The best part of my Christmas vacation came on Friday. As a Christmas present to my Mom, I bought her and the rest of us, a beginner's Cross Country Skiing Lesson in Stowe, VT. I plan on writing more about that later but I will say it was a great way to spend the day and even ended in some (pleasantly) sore muscles.

All in all, the WiiFit was only OK, DDR was a definitely hit and the CCS was an amazing "real" workout and the most fun. I know I more than made up for any of this activity with the cookies and chocolate and Macaroni and Cheese and the Turkey Noodle Soup (Mmmmmm!) that was consumed during my Christmas vacation in VT but I feel good about the decided lack of laziness. I am just going to chalk this week up as a week of Cross Training!

Happy Christmas All!

Treadmill: (Re) Aquainted

A good night's sleep was not on the agenda for me last night. I tossed and turned most of the night and made the decision to skip my run in the morning and get an extra hour of sleep. Surprisingly, I didn't feel terrible this morning while I was getting ready for work so I threw some running clothes in my bag, thinking, if I felt like it I could make up the run during my lunch hour. I felt great about the decision (yes, I will break my inclination toward laziness) even if it didn't pan out.

However, running at lunch would mean running on the treadmill and it's been several months since I've run on the treadmill. When I'm running outside, it doesn't feel like exercise; it feels like a morning cup of tea - comfortable and familiar and an essential way to start my day off on the right foot. On the treadmill, it's different.

When I am running outside I hardly worry about my pace, time, distance or calories burned until I'm done and then I let myself think about those things. Outside, on the bike trails, I am more concerned with the sights and sounds around me, the temperature, the weather, and the way my body is responding as it warms up and I try to find my stride. On the trails, just the idea of being out in nature is enough to occupy my mind and sustain my body to get me through any run. Again, on the treadmill, it's different.

On the treadmill, I can't do anything but focus on time, pace, distance and even calories burned, no matter how many articles I've read about how these things, with the exception of time, can be wildly over- and under-stated on treadmill displays. Listening to music, reading and/or watching TV isn't enough to get me in the zone on a treadmill and I look forward to escaping in to my runs so it has been tough to embrace the treadmill. What's funny is that I started my running life almost solely on the treadmill. With the exception of my weekend long runs, training for my first marathon was done exclusively on a treadmill and then one day, a month after the marathon I got the idea to run home from work. Once I tried running home from work once a week, I started craving outdoor running more and more, always looking for other ways to incorporate it in to my routine.

Eventually, a year or so had gone by and one morning as I headed down to the gym for my morning treadmill run, I turned and went out the door instead. I was nervous on the darkened streets that day but as the sun came up over the office buildings, those nerves turned into excitement. I was giddy the rest of that day and from then on, I scorned the treadmill. I didn't want anything to do with it because it had never made me feel like those first early morning runs outside.

That leads me to today. Since I didn't have room for cold weather gear in my work bag this morning, I either skip my run or run on the treadmill. In the end, the run is always going to win out so I decided to stay focused on the act of running instead of the means by which I would be taking that run. I won't lie and say it was my favorite run. My body isn't used to treadmill running anymore but it was still another successful run. One more run that I had run yesterday.

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.45 mile run (18 mins. run/1 min. walk x 2 intervals) @ lunch hour

Hike: Prince William State Park - Attempt 1

Some times this just don't work out the way they're supposed to work.

We woke up this morning to an overcast day that slowly got sunnier. I did about 45 minutes of WiiFit as I waited for Mike to wake up; mostly the strength training exercises and then 10 minutes of boxing. We planned on hiking today and it was just a matter of choosing where to hike. I was really looking forward to getting outside because the sun was finally shining after so many days of overcast and rain.

We decided to check out the trails at the Prince William State Park, intending to take several different trails to make a loop around the park. Excited about the hike, I got my backpack ready, studied the trail map and ate a good breakfast.

Prince William State Park is about 30 minutes south of DC, down 95 South and as we got closer to the park, the clouds got blacker and thicker. Before too long, small rain droplets began collecting on the windshield and as we pulled off on the exit for the park the drops got bigger. We were a little concerned about the rain but pressed on because we didn't want to be frightened off the hike because of a little rain. However, by the time we got to the visitor center parking lot and got out of the car we noticed that although the rain wasn't heavy it was steady and even worse, it appeared to be hailing!!

As much as I wanted to hike today, I wasn't interested in getting hit with tiny ice pellets so we waved the white flag and promised that we would come back another day. The part that stings is that as we drove back home, the further north we got, the more the sun came out. By the time we pulled in to the garage, it was a bright sunny day. It would have been perfect for a day of hiking. Too bad!!

Denying My Laziness

Most of the time I am a morning runner. If running isn't the first thing I do when I wake up, there is only a 50/50 chance I'll have the motivation to run mid-day or even less likely, in the evening.

Running just wasn't going to happen this morning so I vegged out in front of the TV and then we walked to breakfast and the mall so I could get a haircut. I knew I should run but I also know how easy it is for me to find an excuse not get out and hit the roads. I've been trying to break my occasional lazy streak and what better day than today to put my efforts to the test.

After some procrastination, I figured the first step would be to get dressed for running and once I was dressed I would just have to get out for a run. The trick worked; within 10 minutes of getting ready for running, I was running. Three and four tenths of a mile later, another successful run was in the books and I am proud of myself for not wasting the day.

I feel like indulging my lazy desires for the rest of the day but at least I won't feel so bad about it now.

Tomorrow will be a welcomed rest day!

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.39 miles run (16 min. run/1 min. walk x 2 intervals)
(Maybe) Wii Fit later

Confessions of a Runner

I admit it. I may have over done it...a bit... this morning. I've been feeling good about my running lately and rather than follow the just over 4-mile loop I should have taken for a planned 42-minute run (13 min. run/1 min. walk x 3 intervals), I chose to take a five-mile loop.

I thought to myself, "I'm feeling good. Just go for it. What's the worst that can happen?" Don't answer that...I know that answer and I should know better but good running feels so good. It’s like a drug; I'm constantly looking for ways to extend the high or new ways to reach the high. I rationalized the longer loop thinking that if I wasn't feeling it, I could just walk the last mile and at least it would guarantee more exercise. If I am honest, even as formed the rationalization in my head I knew there was no way I would be walking that last mile, I had zero intention of ever walking that last mile.

As I walked to warm-up/wake up in the chilly morning, I was thankful that the rain had paused and that the temperature wasn't colder (mid-30s). The wind wasn't blowing so once I got started it was a surprisingly comfortable run temperature-wise. I took off running and got into the groove, working out the little aches and pains that pop up but go away just as quickly, assessing my body as it woke up and I found my stride, and I completely ignored the turn I should have taken to make a four-mile loop, stubbornly, sticking to the idea that I needed to go for five. Five miles was my usual easy run before I was injured.

I felt great, my running felt effortless and the intervals were now long enough that I could forget the clock and get lost in my run, which is what I did and almost ran right through the first walking break. By the end of the third interval, I will also admit that my legs were feeling a little tired, in a good way, in the way legs are supposed to feel after a great run. If I had ended the run there, as prescribed by my schedule, it would have been a successful run; nothing to be ashamed of in the distance or pace. I should have felt satisfied...

Then I had to face the reality that I was still a mile from home and I probably shouldn't have been. After a final walk break, my legs were feeling better so I took off running but gave myself permission to walk if I needed to. Long story, short, I made it back to the apartment running the entire rest of the way and I felt good.

In fact, I still feel good about the run a few hours later. My legs are feeling strong and powerful and I'm enthusiastic about the upcoming months and training. I feel like I'm back! Finally! Of course, I could do an extra mile, no big deal. What's five miles when I was going to run just over 4 anyway?

However, this is exactly the line of thinking that got me an overuse injury. I've got to learn from those training mistakes and not make them again. Testing out my abilities and stretching my limits is fine as long as it doesn't become my training norm. Now that I had my ill-disciplined fun this morning, I've got to be extra vigilant that I don't let myself get too carried away with how things are progressing. Friday, I promise, will be the scheduled 3 miles, nice and easy...that's it.

Race Anticipation

There is a certain amount of anticipation and excitement that precedes and follows a race registration. I have found this to be especially true for races in the DC Metro area because they are so high profile. Last year, the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler filled up its online registration numbers in 4 hours! Ten thousand runners signed up within four hours of the online registration opening. Incredible!

At 7:50 this morning, I logged on to the race's website and completed my registration for the 2009 race and I'm looking forward to running it with a friend, Katie. I run alone 99% of the time and it is usually early morning so I feel like I have the trails and roads to myself. I could go anywhere and discover anything while I'm out on my daily adventures. I love the solitude and treasure being alone with my thoughts.

However, I tend to get lonely during races. Being in a crowd of thousands of runners without someone to run with makes me lonely but being on a nearly deserted bike trail is soothing. I look forward to running races with someone else but I have so few people in my life who run so those races are always something I look forward to with a sense of eagerness.

One of my favorite races was a 5K I did last December in Dover, DE with my in-laws. My MIL had run a 44 minute 5K the previous summer and was looking to break her time so my FIL and I paced her through it. It was so much to run the race with them and I was so excited for her when she crossed the finish line in 38 minutes!! It was my first 5K and that 38 minute PR stood for several months. I am prouder of those 38 minutes than I am of my current "actual" PR of 26 minutes.

Katie is aiming for a 90 minute 10 miler in April and I hope to be able to pace her to her goal. (Fingers crossed that my pace really has increased and that I won't actually be holding her back!)

Today's Daily Dozen:
Circuit Training in the gym

• Warm up walking briskly for 3 minutes.
• Walk easy at a slight incline for 12 minutes
• Perform one set of lunges - 15 on each leg
• 15-20 push ups (full or modified on your knees)
• Walk at a comfortably hard effort level & high incline for 3 minutes
• Perform one set of Overhead Press & Squat - 15 repetitions
• Perform one set of 20 Lateral Step-Up with Kick on each leg
• Walk at a comfortably hard effort level & high incline for 3 minute
• Perform One Arm Row (or Lat Pull/Row Machine) 8-12 reps
• Perform one set of Running Planks* - 15 on each side
• Run 15 minutes at a comfortably hard effort level

2.5 mile walk on the treadmill @ lunch hour

Surprising Paces

Saturday morning's run and this morning's run felt sluggish. Halfway through the run on Saturday, I realized I had forgotten to eat my usual pre-run banana and chalked the sluggish legs up to not having the proper fuel. This morning I was really hoping for something better but I still felt like I was running at a snail's pace.

Before I was forced into a two-month hiatus, I was running my easy, comfortable runs at a 10:30 average. This was an improvement on the 12:00 miles I was running when I first
started out and I was really feeling good about it. Along with a loss of leg endurance and strength and lung power, I was concerned about how my easy, comfortable pace would be
affected. I had mentally prepared myself to be back in the 11:00 to 12:00 range.

The last two runs have had me feeling sluggish and slow but both times when I got home and checked my paces, the running portions have been in the 10:00 to 9:30 range! This morning I
did 11 min. run/1 min. walk x 3 intervals and the 3 running intervals were 10:05, 9:47 and 9:22 respectively, despite the fact that I had convinced myself that I would seeing much slower paces. This increase in pace has been the only pleasant surprise resulting from the injury but it is one I'll take, for sure.

I'm curious to see if this speed holds up as the distances increase from 3 miles to 5 miles as the weeks progress. I think, the increased pace could be the result of taking two months off and allowing not only my injury to heal but also the rest of my body, the walking breaks that I have inserted in to the runs to slowly build back up, or both. I am trying to control my enthusiasm but as I was walking to work this morning I started thinking about aiming for 9:00 miles in my
marathon training this winter/spring.

That would mean a sub-4 hour marathon if I could really do it. I don't know; I'm hesitant to get excited but seeing my pace in the single digits is something I usually only saw in shorter races. If the past runs have been hard and I've still maintained a faster pace, just imagine how it'll feel cruising along at a 10:00 to 9:30 pace when I'm feeling relaxed.

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.55 mile run (11 min. run/1 min walk x 3 intervals)
1 hour walk @ lunchhour

Roller Coaster Run

I didn't sleep well at all last night. I must have woken up every other hour – check the clock or look at my watch, roll over, try to get back to sleep, get up, go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, "ugh, I'm so dehydrated," lay back down, fall asleep, repeat in two hours. I have one of these nights every so often and it is never a good sign for the following morning's run.

I was up at 5 and this time couldn't get to sleep so I stared at the ceiling for a half hour before giving up, turning my alarm off and getting out of bed. The lack of quality sleep usually means my run will be, at best, OK (if I'm lucky) and this morning's run proved to be a roller coaster ride.

I was still feeling dehydrated as I got dressed so I chugged some water and ate my banana. I glanced at the thermometer display and it read 55 degrees. I switched to a lighter hat and abandoned my top layer before stepping out the door into the very slight drizzle.

Running in the rain it usually a great deal of fun, so I quickly decided to put the horrible night of sleep behind me and embrace the beautiful running weather (yes, in running, dark, rainy and in the 50s is damn near perfect). As I got into my rhythm, I was feeling great and I decided to take the slightly longer "short run" route that incorporates more hills, up and down.

Everything was going well, I even powered up the one giant hill and got to the top barely out of breath and just kept on going as if the incline had never happened. Shortly after conquering that hill and feeling better than ever before at the top, my Garmin beeped and it was time for a rest interval (today's run was at a 6 min. run/1 min. walk x 5 intervals). I walk for a minute. I run…

…and everything starts to go downhill quickly. That last six minutes of running was awful. My legs felt like lead, my breathing started to get heavier, and my right hamstring started tightening up. I had to start talking myself in to running – just to the next light pole, now to the street, just keep going until that car passes, now you've only got 3 minutes left, you can do 3 minutes, 3 minutes is easy, come on, a quarter of a mile, not a problem, just keep going, its almost over, I want to stop, just keep going… What was going on?

Obviously, it was the lack of sleep mixed with the dehydration (and charging up that hill certainly didn't help matters) that caused me to crash but it is always a hard pill to swallow when it hits so suddenly after such a high note. I end up finishing the run and when I got home, started stretching, got some more water and food in me, I felt fine.

I'm paying attention to my water consumption today and I'll be keeping an eye on my hamstring to make sure it isn't anything serious; however, I still enjoyed the run this morning…I'm just going to block out the last six minutes!

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.34 mile run (6 mins. run/1 min walk x 5)
Core Workout @ lunch hour

Run on a Cold, Winter Morning

I was practically gliding over the streets this morning. My stride felt effortless, breathing was steady and strong, and feet were light and quick. About halfway through this morning's run, I realized that I should be more thankful for rest days because when I actually rest when I'm scheduled to rest, my run the following day is usually a good one. (Obvious, yes…Does that mean I always remember it, no).

As I ran through the dark streets of my neighborhood, I was thankful to be able to run once again. I missed being outside before the sun came up, silently slipping through neighborhoods, exploring under the cover darkness. There is a whole different world going on before the sun illuminates the world. I share the trails and streets not only with a (very) few runners, cyclists and dog walkers but also with the people who deliver the newspapers papers, the street cleaners and the men making bread deliveries to the restaurants.

I feel almost conspiratorial because I'm one of a few people who are experiencing this time of day in this way. The day is still asleep and so are most of the people. Those who are awake are mostly on their way to work. How many of them are exhilarated with what they are doing at that exact moment?

I'm running with a secret and as much I love to run, I'm not so sure I want to share these mornings with too many other runners. Everyone else can stick to the treadmills and gyms on their lunch hour or evening runs. I want to keep the morning run for my own. More people try to join this clandestine running movement during the spring and summer when the weather is warmer and the sun comes up earlier but as fall turns to winter they rarely stick around.

They're missing the cold, raw winter mornings when running fast isn't just a desire but a necessity for generating warmth. Do they know how satisfying it is to run, not because of perfect conditions, but in spite of them?

Today's Daily Dozen:

Run - 3.05 miles (5 min. run/1 min. walk x 7 intervals)

1 hour walk @ lunch hour

Sunday Rest Day

Today was a rest day and with the wind blowing as hard as it was, thank goodness for that!

I despise running in the wind especially in the winter when it always seems to kick up after I've worked up a good sweat, freezing me to the bone. The only long run I've ever quit on was supposed to be an 18 miler last February. I hit the bike trail along the Potomac River just as the cold wind picked up and with 11 miles of sweat clinging to me, I got a feel for what real cold can do to me. After 3 miles of toughing it out, the thought of finishing the run was too much and just as I started shivering I had to stop and jump on the metro. For shame...

The memory of that run is the reason I was glad to have a rest day today.

However, I did do both yoga and strength training with the Wii Fit and spent much of the day cleaning and straightening up the apartment. Before dinner, we took a walk around the neighborhood as the pot roast cooked in the slow cooker. All in all, a relatively active day for a rest day.

Hike: Raven Rocks Trail

I stumbled on to a great website this past week - HikingUpward - and found a hike called Raven Rocks that looked like fun. We debated whether the elevation changes (3 steep ascents and descents along the way) would be too strenuous. I'm so glad we decided to face the challenge because this hike was worth it.

We drive a bit over an hour west of DC to get to the trail head in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As we started along the trail, which is really just a section of the Appalachian Trail, and followed the white blazes, I realized that this was actually the first time I've hiked on the AT! I've been sporadically and slightly obsessed with the AT since I read a book by a thru-hiker last year. I don't know if I would ever have the courage to put my life on hold and attempt a thru-hike but I think about doing it and I enjoy reading about people who have done it.

Anyway, I was excited to be on the AT as we made our way along the trail. It was a cold, cloudy day but I quickly warmed up as we hit the first of three ascents. At the top was a nice little overlook that gave us an excuse to stop and catch our breath. The trail was a fun hike because their were plenty of big rocks to navigate, rolling terrain and switchbacks. It was an active hike, which I enjoy.

After catching our breath, we continued on the trail, shortly hitting the steepest ascent. I enjoy hills in hiking and in running. The inclines and declines use different muscles than flat terrain and even when the leg muscles are burning and the lunges are working in overdrive, it feels good to get the blood pumping and I love that feeling of accomplishment once I've reached the top. Not one to shy away from an incline, this trail would test that enjoyment several times but I have a motto - "Steady Forward Motion." Just keep moving until you reach the top otherwise you'll still have more uphill to tackle once you've rested.

Breathless and bounding from rock to rock, we made it to Raven Rocks, a 2.7 mile hike, in approximately one hour ten minutes. Looking out over the Shenandoah Valley toward the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, even on an overcast day, made for an impressive sight. Despite the view, we didn't linger for very long at the top because a cold wind was blowing. We quickly headed back down the AT the way we came.
Near the top, the trail dips into West Virginia and had a sign to mark the border. After leaving Raven Rocks to head back, we noticed the other side of the sign -- Welcome to Virginia...Tennessee Border 535 miles!!!!









One of the things I enjoy about hiking, especially with Mike, are the topics of conversation and the return trip would not disappoint. We tried to figure out why some of the trees were charred (lightening, maybe?), whether trees make a sound when they fall in the woods and we aren't around to hear them and whether or not that proved I was a schizophrenic (I hope not).

With this conversation, our return trip seemed to fly and we made it back to the car in just over an hour. The trail to Raven Rocks and back was a strenuous but fun trail and it gets 5 stars in my book. It'll be fun to go back during the spring and summer to see how different it is with the streams running and the sun shining through the leaves.



Today's Daily Dozen:
Run - 3.96 miles, 4 min. run/1 min. walk x 7 intervals
5.5 miles hike - strenuous

Perfect Strangers

Now that I am starting my runs an hour later in the morning, I no longer catch the trash truck emptying park trash cans and I sort of miss it. I remember the first morning I ran by the park, it was pitch-black and from the other side of the block, I see huge truck headlights drive through the parking lot and right into the park, right up on the grass. The headlights stopped for a short time, 30 seconds at most, I heard some men talking briefly, and then the truck took off...towards the sidewalk I was running on. The truck bumped back on to the street and it took off in the other direction.

Needless to say, I was confused and a might concerned. That morning's run went by quick as all sorts of visions, conspiracy theories and strange explanations went through my mind When I saw them again the next morning, the conspiracy theories grew until I caught a better look at the truck and realized it was a county sanitation truck. I felt a little goofy but I got a good laugh out of it and every time I happened to time my morning run right and caught them in the park, I couldn't help but smile.

I used to see the same runners every morning, particularly an older gentleman in a white singlet and white hat. We would nod good morning as we passed one another - him finishing his
run, me just starting mine. There were the two women out walking, chatting away as they huffed and puffed up and down the hills. I miss the cyclist who would shade his bike lamp with his hand when we he saw me coming, making the rest of the cyclists seem rude for not making the same consideration.

As I began my run this morning, 3 min. run/1 min. walk x 9 intervals, I thought about this cast of regulars that had become a part of my routine. I'm curious, are they still going about their routines now that it is getting colder? Are they making progress - getting faster, going longer, losing weight? Have they noticed my absense from the trails in the past two months? Do they wonder what happened to me?

As I passed runners, dog-walkers and cyclists this morning, I speculated about which ones would become a regular part of my new running routine. Which of these strangers will I come to
depend on seeing each morning?

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.37 mile run
Core Workout @ lunch hour

Once (Again) A Runner

I was a bit apprehensive as I pulled on my running tights and vest this morning. Is it possible for someone to forget how to run?

As I headed out the door into the cold, dark morning, I was struck by the fact that the last time I headed out for a run before work, I was in shorts and a T-shirt and now, two months later, I'm in tights, a short sleeve short, a long sleeve shrit, a puffy vest, beanie and gloves. The last time I headed out for an early morning run I did 9 miles with ease and here I was, nervous about 30 minutes!

I told myself to put aside those negative thoughts and set my Garmin to an Interval workout - 2 minutes of running, 1 minute of rest, 10 times. I walked the familiar route to my usual starting point for a 3-miler and the routine of it comforted me. Of course I would be able to do this run, I've done it a million times before.

And then, I ran. Two minutes on, 1 minute off. I ran. I walked. I repeated. The running felt harder than I remember it; my breathing was heavier and my legs didn't feel as light but my foot, or any other body part, never protested.

As I got in to the rhythm of running and walking, it struck me that 2 months ago I was working at a previous job and woke up to run an hour earlier than I did this morning. This morning the traffic was louder, there were more people out and about, and it didn't seem as still and calm at 6 o'clock than I remember it at 5 o'clock in the morning.

Then, the run was over. 10 run/walk intervals went by quickly and I felt relief as I cooled-down on the walk home. My apprehension and nerves seemed a little silly but I am happy to be a runner again.

Today's Daily Dozen:
2.75 miles - run/walk
Strength Training workout @ lunch hour

Finally!

Early tomorrow morning, before the sun comes up, I will officially be off the injured list. It has been 4 weeks since I've had any pain in my right foot, 8 total weeks since I've run "for real" (I don't count the disastrous results of the Jonas Cattel Race), and tomorrow, I have a short 30 minute run, 2/1 run/walk.

Although I am excited to get back to running, I am also a bit nervous. I feel like I am starting over all over again. The week before the stress fracture in my foot, I had run 20 miles to prep for a marathon and now 2 months later I'm reduced to a 30 minute run where 10 of it will be a walk. By all accounts, the first run coming back from injury rarely goes well. How am I going to react if it goes badly? What if my foot doesn't hold up? What if I no longer have what it takes to be a runner?

I've been looking forward to tomorrow morning for weeks. I've imagined what tomorrow's run will feel like, how it'll make me feel, and I know I shouldn't have such high expectations but I just can't help it. It feels like the night before a big race!

I'm going to sleep tonight an injured runner with my fingers crossed that tomorrow morning's run will meet my expectations and put to rest my doubts and anxieties over my running.

Run For Your Life: Movie Review

Run For Your Life is a documentary about Fred Lebow and the beginnings of the New York City Marathon.

The movie focuses on Lebow's role as director of the NYCM and how his energies, ideas and tireless passion for running made the city's marathon in to the premiere running event that it is today. Regardless of his faults, it is hard to argue that the NYCM could have evolved into the mega-'thon that is today without him.

Watching the movie made me want to run New York. I've done two marathons - one medium-sized and one mega-'thon - and I enjoyed the medium-sized race far more. Having to arrive at the race hours ahead of time, wait 16 minutes after the gun just to cross the finish line, and fight people at water stations were not worth the "experience" of running the Marine Corp Marathon.

Despite an aversion to the large marathons, I began having visions of running through the five boroughs of New York City. Hitting the "Wall of Sound" as you run onto First Avenue at the 16th mile is supposed to be an amazing experience. Maybe I will run that one...just the one time.

The most inspiring part of the movie was the footage of Lebow running NYC at age 60, only 3 years after being diagnosed with brain cancer. It was the only time he ran "his" marathon. Lebow shows just what an amazing man and a wonderful character in the history of running and marathoning.

Beyond all the wrangling and hype of creating a major annual marathon, Lebow was passionate about getting other people passionate about running. And he succeeded! Watching Run For Your Life made me even more exciting about restarting my running on Monday.

Today's Daily Dozen:
1 hour Hill Intervals on the Treadmill
1+ hours Wii Fit - lots of the strength exercises

Happy Thanksgiving

One of the things I look forward to when I visit my in-laws is going for an early morning walk or run with my MIL, FIL and the dogs. Waking up before the sun we head out for a 2.5 mile round trip walk (and occassional run) along the road and through the fields. It is nice to catch up with them before the rest of the world wakes up.

This morning it was brisk but the wind chill was non-existent. It was a perfect morning for a walk.

The rest of the day I had too much turkey, too much stuffing, too much mashed potatoes, too many slices of dessert but it was worth it and knowing I had at least kicked it off with a good start regardless of the predictable backslide of the rest of the day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's Daily Dozen:
2.5 mile walk
1 hour Wii Fit
Today's Wii Fit Age - 34! (I'm getting better AND younger
Plan for tomorrow: I don't know, I'm hoping to finally shake this head cold but it'll undoubtably involve some video games.

A New Toy

I woke up this morning with a stuffy nose, sinus pressure, a (very) slight fever and a very sore throat. Yesterday's plan for a hard hill interval workout went right out the window. Unfortunately, I couldn't get back to sleep after my alarm went off so I missed out on an extra hour of sleep.

I started to feel better as the day wore on but when I arrived home from work, Mike had a surprise waiting for me - Wii Fit! :-)

First things first, I did the Wii Fit test to find out my Wii Age for the day. Standing on the Balance Board, the game tested my Center of Balance (good - 51/49%), weighted me (126 and a little bit), and tested my balance (keeping the dot in the blue box - not as easy). ...And my Wii Age for today...40! Freakin' FORTY!! How rude?! Ha!

Not letting that deter me, I tried out a bunch of the yoga and strength moves. I wasn't really looking for a workout but was curious about what the game had to offer. The moves were fun and definitely working my body and muscles but I can see how easy it would be to cheat the game. However, the Balance and Aerobic games were the most fun.

I really enjoyed the Hula Hoop games (I am awesome at it!) and the ski jump game. I'm bad at the agility/balance game like the soccer header game and the roll-y-ball game. Really BAD! Ha!

Still, it's a fun game and it'll be one more thing to do instead of just sit in front of the TV in the evening after work.

Today's Daily Dozen:
1 hour of Wii Fit

A good day for a walk

Outside? Inside? Outside? Inside?

I get an hour for lunch at work and I hate to waste it by surfing the internet the entire time (which is what I did at my last job with my 30 minute break). Lately, I've been eating lunch at my desk around noon and not actually taking my break until 2. I've been trying to take advantage of the gym in the office building; however, today wasn't a scheduled strength training day. When I pack my work bag this morning, I threw in some gym clothes, just in case.

All morning I was having an inner debate - should I stay inside and go to the gym or take a walk outside? On the one hand, the gym would probably provide a better workout but I was only going to do light cardio and I could just as easily do that outside, right? When it came down to it, I decided to brave the cold and wind and took a walk. As I headed down 7th Street toward the National Mall, I decided to head toward the Smithsonian American History Museum (SAHM). It has recently reopened after a 2 year internal renovation and, although I didn't have to time to check out the changes inside, I was curious to see what had changed on the outside.

I walked down to Independence Ave. and turned right, walking past the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, shaking my head and remembering the triceratops that used to sit outside the museum but was removed for safety reasons, looking across the Mall toward the the merry-go-round and the red Smithsonian Castle, and gazing off in the distance toward the Washington Monument as Marine One flew in for a landing, or at least, one of the helicopters that could have potentially been Marine One. I walked along with the large schoolg groups and the families who were braving the cold to see the Nation's Capital.

I finally got to the American History Museum, and as I circled the building, there weren't too many differences to make note of from the outside. I hope to make it inside one of these weekends soon to see all changes. It is my favorite museum in DC and I'm glad it is available again.

Unlike my path to the SAHM was direct - down 7th, right on Independence - I took a meandering path back to the office. I let the lights and walk/don't walk signs lead me back and along the way, I realized just how much history is within such a small space. I passed by the FBI, Department of Commerce, and EPA buildings, the Ronald Reagan Center for International Development, the National Theatre, Ford's Theater and the house Lincoln died in, the Spy Museum, and several other museums.

Although I never broke a sweat and it was colder and windier than I would have preferred, it was a lunch hour well spent even though it wasn't in the gym.

Today's daily dozen:
30 mins. recumbent bike
10 mins. stretching
10 mins. elliptical
1 hour walk
It was a good XT day but tomorrow, I work: Hill Intervals to the Max - 12% incline at a 4.0 pace with 2-3 minutes walk in between.

When I Grow Up, I Want to be an Old Woman

I found an article on a local Honolulu TV station's website about a 90-year old woman who is training to racewalk the Honolulu Marathon in December.

Marathoner, 90, Trains For Record

Gladys 'Glady-ator' Burrill To Racewalk Her 5th Marathon

HONOLULU -- Thousands of runners are training for the Honolulu Marathon, which is in three weeks.

KITV's Dick Allgire met a 90-year-old great-grandmother who is training to set a world record.

Gladys Burrill is in training for her fifth Honolulu Marathon.

In 2003 Burrill saw the fireworks at the start of the marathon from her lanai, and thought: "How exciting! I should do that."

So she trained in racewalking and now she's going for a record.

"Well, I plan to break the world record for women between 90 and 94 years of age," she said.

She hopes to finish the marathon in eight hours and 30 minutes.

Gladys is nicknamed the Glady-ator."

Oh, it is exhilarating, even though back about a mile you get kind of weary, when the finish line gets in sight it's so exciting," she said.

Burrill has been a pilot, she's climbed Mount Hood and has 22 great-grandchildren. Her advice?"

It's important to be athletic -- exercise and doing something, walking is the best.

Your attitude -- think positive and sometimes it might be hard to think positive, but you just do it."

That's not a bad athletic slogan. She'll do it beginning at 5 a.m. Dec 14 when runners line up on Ala Moana Boulevard for the Honolulu Marathon.

How truly awesome is this woman?

Whenever I spot an gray-haired lady running I always feel encouraged and oddly envious. Part of me is running now, in order to be that old lady who is still running and racing when I'm 90. I only hope to be active for the next 63 years and maybe one day I'll challenge the record I hope she sets next month.

Last year, during my first trail race - a Half Marathon put on by the VHTRC - I went out too fast, not knowing the hills that awaited me during the second half of the race. As I trudged up the endlessly steep hills, I tucked in behind a gray-haired woman who I very lovingly began to refer to as "Old Gray." I would guess that she was in her late 60s and slow and steady she ran up those hills.

At first, I ran after her because I couldn't let someone with gray hair beat me. However, as she pulled me along (yes, I give her most of the credit) I gained more respect for her and her strength. Rather than run after her because of my pride, my motivation for keeping up with her changed to inspiration. She was a strong woman and it felt like I would somehow disappoint her if I let her slip away. I chased after her for close to 5 miles.

About 2 miles from the finish line she pulled off to the side to encourage someone she knew who was still running the "out" part of the out-and-back section of the course. Without a word or any acknowledgement, I slipped by her and went on to a strong finish and a time much faster than I should have run.

I owe that race to "Old Gray" and I'm inspired by what she represents as an active woman regardless of her age (or hair color). I've seen her at other races once or twice and I saw her at the same trail race this year. She continues to run and when I see her I silently whisper, "Thank you."

So here's to "Old Gray" and the Glady-ator: They aren't striving for a life lived in motion, they are living their lives in motion. I'm going to try to catch them, if I can.

Hike: Catoctin Mountain Trails

In the past, I've always wimped out and hung up my hiking shoes when winter arrived and let the trails hibernate until spring (and warmer/nicer weather). I've been missing out for some years now! A trail is a whole new experience when it is blanketed in snow!

Yesterday, we decided to head up to Thurmont, MD to check out the trails on Catoctin Mountain. Mike went to school nearby at Mount St. Mary's University and he wanted to go back to the area to check out the hiking. We had decided to hike the 8.5 loop that hits all of the highlights within in the national park.

As we got closer and closer to Thurmont we noticed there was snow on the ground and cars. We were supposed to get some snow flurries on Friday and I believe it did flurry for a little while in the afternoon but down in DC it didn't amount to anything. Evidently, this was not the case further north!

We parked at the Catoctin Mountain Visitors Center and grabbed a map from inside. The Visitors Center was a surprisingly nice building, with some exhibits, restrooms, maps and a wonderful fireplace complete with roaring fire. After talking to the park ranger, we decided to hike the loop counter-clockwise and hit the more strenuous uphills first. I started the GPS and we headed off for the trails just after noon.

The first section of the loop is on Cunningham Falls Nature Trail (1.2 miles). We were quickly emersed in the forest, crunching snow and dead leaves under our feet, following the footprints of earlier hikers. Without blazes or other trail postings, these footprints were the our only guide along the trail. One of the things that struck me as we first started our hike was how different the mountain trails were compared to the trails along the Potomac River we hiked last weekend. The Billy Goat Trails were marked by the bright yellows and greens of leaves still clinging to the trees, and autumn. As we hiked Catoctin Mountain very few leaves were still hanging on to the branches and the few that were, were brown and appeared frail and brittle, as if they were using all their strength to avoid falling to the bright white snow below. The differences were visually striking.

The Cunningham Falls Nature Trail took us over MD 77 into Cunningham Falls Park (.4 miles) and lead us to Maryland's largest cascading waterfall. Honestly, the falls seemed a little underwhelming - really, that is the state's largest cascading waterfall, OK. Perhaps it is more impressive at another time aIt was a nice little waterfall and was obviously the main attraction in this area. We saw several hiking groups and families headed to the waterfall.

Afterwards, we backtracked to the state park and headed up Hog Rock Nature Trail toward Hog Rock Vista (1 mile). This section of the trail was much steeper than the previous trail but it fun. I love hiking hills and this section of the trail proved to be a surprising challenge. It was a deceptively long ascent and got mylegs, lungs and heart pumping. The crunch of the snow as we huffed and puffed our way to the level trail at the top was a wonderfully physical experience. And the views at the top, were worth the effort.

After stopping for a few minutes to survey rtThurmont off in the distance (and to catch our breath), we continued on Hog Rock Nature Trail toward Blue Ridge Summit Nature Trail crossing the Hog Rock Parking area (.7 miles). This section of the trail was more rolling than the previous two trails with short ups and downs. We quickly made it to Blue Ridge Summit Vista and has similar views on the other side of the mountain; however, we didn't linger at this spot.

Being unprepared for the amount of snow on the trails, our shoes were starting to get a little wet and we made the decision to cut our hike short and head back toward the Visitors Center, just over a mile and a half away. The trail was flatter for approximately a half mile and Mike took off on a run. Naturely, I had to give chase. This was my first time, however brief it happened to be, running on snow-covered trails and it was marvelous. The thrilling crunch of the snow underfoot combined with the heightened awareness of the terrain (rocks and leaves and roots), as I leapt over rocks and avoided slippery patches was a good deal of fun. I couldn't help but smile as I ran down the trail. It didn't last long but it was a highlight of the hike for me.

As we got closer to the end of the trail, the downhill section began and it was more or less downhill for the rest of the hike. Although my shoes were wet and my toes were just starting to feel the cold, I was a little sad to see the hike come to an end. We ended up hiking just under 6 miles (5 of actual trail and about another mile of backtracking and meandering) in roughly 2.5 hours. I can't wait to go back to the mountain and see what the other trails have in store for us.

We finished off our Saturday adventure with a quick swing through the Mount St. Mary's campus and then headed north toward Gettysburg for some lunch. I mentioned to Mike, "I love that you love to hike" and I do because these experiences are so much more rewarding when they are shared. I am looking forward to our next hike. Today? Maybe. Next weekend? Definitely!

Yoga

It's no secret - I'm not a fan of rest days and Friday is my "complete" rest day. However, I despise the feeling of guilt I get for being a slug the entire day. I understand that my body needs a break but I don't believe that has been total inactivity.

With that in mind, I had the idea to designate Fridays as Yoga days. There are two specific benefits to doing a Yoga DVD before work on Friday. First, I am able to quell that (irrational, I know!) sense of guilt, as previously suggested Additionally, yoga is all about stretching the muscles, which is something I don't always do as well as I should after a run, workout or activity.

I decided on a new Yoga DVD - Crunch, Joy of Yoga - and I wasn't very satisfied with it. The instruction wasn't as clear and I was usually in a position that I couldn't see the TV so I was constantly breaking the poses to look up/over/around. However, I do like two of their other Yoga workouts - Fat Burning Yoga and Candlelight Yoga.

Regardless, the stretching and focus on breathing was a very satisfying way to still get active while still being mindfull of rest and recovery. The lunges, especiallly, feel good after days of hill intervals on the treadmill and strength training.

I can't say I'll ever be a yoga-devotee but once a week it'll be good to focus on something other than mileage, calories burned and/or counting reps and sets.

Strength Training = Strength, Who Knew

The act of running doesn't necessarily make me feel strong - I feel free, I feel happy and I feel like I am making a difference in my health - but a sense of strength doesn't enter in to it until I have finished a run and I have time to reflect on the distance I've covered. The same goes for hiking and biking; I don't feel strong until I've accomplished something. I've come to realize that I exercise mostly for the feeling I get afterwards.

Strength Training, however, is the exception. I actually feel a sense of strength while lifing weights or doing body-weight exercises (push-ups, chin-ups, squats, lunges, etc.). When I eke out those last couple reps, I feel empowered. Even though my muscles are taxed, in those moments of strength training I feel like I could accomplish any feat.

I could run a 24 hour race. I could compete in an Ironman and give the world's strongest Strong Man a run for his money. I can get that fit, toned body I want. I can eat healthy - all the time, make all the right decisions. I can come back from injury a stronger runner. I can lead the long, active life I envision. It all seems possible as I lift those weights for one more bicep curl or push myself for one more lunge.

Billy Goat Lite

Having slept in on Saturday for an oddly long time (10 hours, wow!) and then spending the entire day traveling to and from a wedding (Congrats to the Bride and Groom), I wasn't able to get in any sort of exercise and was resolved to making up for it on Sunday.

The day was forecast as a cold, mostly cloudy and windy day but there were promises of occassional breakthroughs of sunshine. Since my foot cannot handle the Billy Goat Trail we normally hike, I decided to check out the other two trails that make up the Billy Goat Trail system off the C&O Canal Towpath in Virginia. We loaded up the camel-baks and headed off around 10 in the morning.

The Billy Goat Trail A, the trail we normally hike, is 1.7 miles of rock scrambling with a few flat packed-dirt sections thrown in to give you a break. For this area, it is a very strenuous trail and is a great deal of fun. However, it is only one of three, there are also Billy Goat Trail B and Billy Goat Trail C, trails that make up the Billy Goat Trail "system." The B and C trails are described as the opposite of A - mostly dirt-packed trails with occasional rocks and one or two spots to scramble - and I wanted to see what they were all about.

As we headed off down the towpath towards B, the wind was whipping and I pulled my jacket out of my backpack; it was going to be colder than I thought. We turned onto B and were immediately surrounded by the woods between the Potomac River and the Towpath. The path was completely covered in the bright leaves that had recently fallen from the trees and the crunchy dead ones that had fallen a while ago. There is something nastalgic about stomping and kicking my way down a forest path littered with leaves and with the smell of nature (like dirt, only good).

A strong wind would frequently kick up reminding me that winter was no longer just approaching; it was about to kick down fall's door but it felt good to be out there as fall, and those final bright yellow leaves, hung on for just a little longer. I was between the seasons, when nature just keeps us guessing.

Both trails take you down to the Potomac River and then follow along the river for over a mile before turning back toward the towpath. Along the scrambling was held to a minimum, the occasional spots were fun. However, the reasons for experiencing these two trails are for the views of the Potomac.

The rock islands dotting the river and the spots of rough water along this stretch of the river always surprise me because I normally see the Potomac as it seems to meander past DC; it almost lingers. Billy Goat Trails B and C provide the views of the river's other personality and don't distract me with strenuous hiking. These two trails provide an opportunity to enjoy being out there for the sake of being out there - enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and feel of being out in nature hiking.

The sun poked out from behind the clouds a few times, just enough to provide some warmth, and once we were moving the cold didn't seem as biting or intimidating. The few scrambles provided some heartrate-raising opportunities and ensured we wouldn't be bored. We met a handful of people along the trails we weren't discouraged by the weather or the temperature.

As we finished Billy Goat C, we took the towpath back to the car almost 2 miles. All in all we walked/hiked 5.9 miles in 2 hours 10 minutes. By the time we got back to the car, I was starving and I couldn't help but feel like I had earned lunch. It may not have been the most strenuous or the longest hike I've undertaken but it was incredibly satisfying.

Rest - the Necessary Evil

I despise rest days! That's all I can think as I sit here, with my achy body and lack of energy. I don't feel like this on the days I get in a workout in the morning. I just feel blah! I know, I know. A rest day is supposed to be a good thing but that doesn't mean it feels good to me. I sit here and I ache and I imagine my muscles deteriorating, slowing melting away.

Rationally, I know this isn't happening and I've read plenty of articles about the microscoptic muscle tears that need to be rested in order to rebuild stronger than before, but that doesn't mean my imagination doesn't run wild when I'm not physically running wild.

Recovery days are meant to rejuvinating. This is the time when my body takes a need break to allow me to continue pushing it for another level but then, how come I feel like such a sloth? I slept in this morning, I ate a healthy breakfast chock full of protein, I'm drinking water, I'm grazing to maintain a steady stream of healthy nutrition - how come I feel like crap?

Is it psychosomatic? All I can think about is the walk I am going to take over my lunch break and how much better I'll feel afterwards. Is this what muscles feel like while they're healing and repairing? Saturday morning runs, lately early morning gym workouts, are often the best run/workout of the week.

I prefer to think of it as withdraw. Running, exercise, activity, my body in motion is a drug and I always want more, more, more. This one day a week I force myself to "Just Say No" to that high and my body reacts and craves it.

With this injury I haven't felt right for a while and maybe this explains why. I'm suffering from a sort of withdraw from running habit, I've found different activities that promise the same results but they've just been disappointing and I still crave running. Even when I am running, once a week I go through a self-imposed ban. Maybe that's actually what keeps me coming back for me. Maybe that's why I wake up early on Saturday to get my fix when the rest of the people my age are sleeping off their Friday night. Maybe that's why I all I think about is that first run post-injury.

But for now and once a week, I'll heed the advice of the experts and cut myself off -- rest is good, repeat, rest is good...and Saturday morning is even better.

An Injured Runner

I am currently recovering from an injury that has prevented me from running. I *believe* I have a stress fracture in one of the outside bones on my right foot due to overtraining for a marathon and this injury has stopped me from running (with the exception of one foolish incident) for over a month.

The reason I say "believe" is because I have not had this confirmed by a doctor, mostly because rest has relieved the pain and it is my understanding that there really isn't much a doctor can do for a stress fracture other than prescribe rest.

I felt a sharp pain in my right foot while running the Army Ten Miler (ATM) in early October, still finished the race but ended up hobbling and limping for the next three days. I wasn't sure what had happened but I knew that resting it was the only thing that was alleviating the pain - drugs and ice had no effect. At first, I told myself that I would be up and running in no time, after all, I had another ten mile race and a marathon planned. As the days went by, it became evident that I would have to nix the marathon plans but I still foolishly attempted the ten mile race (family bragging rights were at stake so I had to give it shot). I only made it 4 miles through that race before the pain became sharp and I dropped out (my only DNF so far - bummer). I keep telling myself that I planned it smart but the DNF still stings.

However, three weeks from the race and I've had zero pain, ache or discomfort in my foot for three straight days now. I am very much encouraged by this improvement but I have publicly vowed that I will not be running for the entire month of November. Yet, my outlook on running has certainly improved and I'm starting to come up with a running plan/schedule for building my running back up so I can run the National Half Marathon in March.

If I can just hold myself to the self-imposed running ban, I know I'll be back to running and happy to be doing something I love. In the mean time, the treadmill incline button and the free weights have become the best friends I am using the make my formal best friend, running, jealous. Think its working?

Lunchtime Workout

I started working at a new job recently and one of the aspects of the job that I like is that the building has a gym. While the gym isn't "Health Club" sized or filled with the latest and greatest equipment it has everything I need to workout and then some.

I've decided to take advantage of the work gym three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - and use the time to focus on strength training. All too often I have the intention to get in a lower, upper and/or core workout after a run or cross-training (anything other than running) but I end up either rushing through it, cutting it short or simply running out of time and skipping it altogether. My lunchtime workout will be focused on getting a stronger body so that when I do get back in to running, I'll be one mean, lean running machine!

Today was my first time using my lunch hour to get in a workout. I warmed up with an easy walk on the treadmill for 5 miles, about .27 miles and then grabbed an exercise ball for a good core workout. I found this core workout in a Runner's World article about two moms, and old friends, who were chronicling their efforts to train for the San Fransisco Women's Marathon. It is a series of 8 exercises - 6 incorporate the ball:

Squats (ball against the wall)
Push ups (feet balancing on ball - tougher than it sounds)
Lunges (back leg on ball, a great balance challenge - alternate legs)
Plank (no ball)
Tricep Dips (no ball)
Crunch (on ball)
Back Extension (on ball)
Twisting Crunch (on ball)

I do 2 sets of 15 reps with about 30 secs of rest in between (I am up to a 30 sec. hold on the plank). My goal is to work up to 3 sets of 15 but, until now, I've never had the time to dedicate to really focusing on strength training. The trick to this core workout is to actively engage the core with each exercise and really concentrate on the core. If I do that, I get a good workout and I can usually feel it the next day.

Since I had about 10 minutes left until I had to get cleaned up and head back to work, I hopped on the Stair Climber (a machine no longer available in my apartment gym) and ended the lunchtime work out with a nice little sweat.

Back on the Bike

The weather forecast for today was Sunny with a high of 55 degrees, in other words it was a perfect, crisp autumn day.

Taking full advantage of the day, I hopped on my bike (and hopping on my bike entailed spending 10 minutes pumping air into both tires since I haven't ridden my bike since last spring) and headed out. I picked up the Martha Custis Bike Trail just off N. Quincy Street and headed west until I hit the junction with the Mount Vernon Trail and stopped off at Roosevelt Island.

I parked my bike and took off on the trails, which were blanketed in yellow leaves; the visual effect was stunning. As I walked the 1.5 mile perimeter, I savored the experience of being outdoors and finally being able to do something active after a month of non-running. I'll admit I had to fight the urge to take off ,to hear the crunch of the leaves under foot and to feel the cool air in my lungs.

I will also admit that I took my time on the trail, going so far as to even stop to say "hi" to Giant Teddy, because the bike trail heading back home has some monster uphills. My legs started out this morning a little sore from the lower body strength training yesterday and my muscles were really feeling it on the ride home!

All in all, I ended up doing 8.8 miles round trip - 1.5 walking and 6.3 biking. It felt good to get out the bike again and I loved the walk around Roosevelt Island. Even if I didn't do anything else for the rest of the day, the day wasn't wasted.

Early Morning, Empty Gym

It's early on a Saturday morning. I always wake up early on Saturdays, which means I almost always have the gym to myself on the weekends.

Since I'm healing from what I suspect is a stress fracture in my right foot caused by overtraining for a fall marathon, I've been hitting the gym in my apartment building lately to use the treadmill (walking only BUT lots of inclines), the free weights and occasionally the recumbent bike. Being injured and not being able to do what I love to do -- running -- has forced me to reintroduce myself to opportunities of a gym.

This morning with the gym to myself I hopped on the treadmill, turned up the music on my Shuffle, opened the latest edition of Runner's World, and sang along as I upped the incline for an hour long powerwalk (occasionally increasing the incline and speed to get my heart rate up and the sweat going). These early morning Saturday treadmill sessions in the gym have provided me with the opportunity to perfect the fine art of treadmill dancing, something I could never do when I am out running. I look at it as a way to work the arms as well as legs.

Towards the end of the hour another Saturday morning early-riser showed up to the gym and that put an end to the dancing and singing. Somewhat sheepishly, I finished off my powerwalk, cooled down, and hit the weights for full body strength training workout, I call Broccolis (well, really, BROCCLS but its close enough -- Bench press, Row, Overhead pull, Curl, Crunch, Lunge, Squat. I guess I need find another "O" and an "I" exercise). Preferring free weights to the machines, I hammered out the upper body work but struggled with the lunges and squats. Taking off a month from running and weights severly impacted my fitness.

Happy, energized and a bit smelly I returned home...just in time to see Mike off for some Billy Goat Trail Rock Scrambling. I am bummed I can't join him but I think my foot might be able to handle it next weekend! However, I'm thrilled to have once again had a whole gym to myself for a little while early on a Saturday morning. It's a great way to greet the day!