Start time: 1/5/10, 7:00am
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:43min/mile
Total Miles For January: 11 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 11 miles

What's that about best laid plans and all that? I was supposed to run on Saturday with my group, but a towed car put an end to that. And while I should have run afterwards, it derailed me enough that it just didn't happen. Monday likewise ended up being a no-go. With the race this weekend, though, I needed to do something. Finally, I picked up a 3-miler at the gym this morning. It's just wretchedly cold out still, and I am supremely unmotivated right now. I just need a break. Except, of course, I also picked up some heavy duty holiday poundage that needs to go away. Argh. I've definitely been feeling it on these last few runs. Time to eat a little more frugally post-Disney.

Hopefully I'll get a swim in tomorrow; it's now been a month since I've made it over there. Yeesh!

(8:52, 8:34, 8:44)

Start time: 10/27/09, 6:15pm
Location: TJ Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:40min/mile
Total Miles For October: 85 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 702 miles

With bad weather and other things going on, I didn't get to do either a swim or a run yesterday, so I ended up doing both of them today. It was a great time at the pool (still improving over time which is a nice feeling), and I knocked another 30 seconds off of my time for the 1600yd routine I do. Then, after work, it was just a short jog on the indoor track. Sunday is race day and I'm taking it easy; just enough to keep moving, but not too much.

(8:58, 8:40, 8:23)

Start time: 9/26/09, 9:00am
Location: Wilson Boulevard
Distance: 3.1 miles
Average pace: 7:57min/mile
Total Miles For September: 43 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 612 miles

I swear, every time I go for a 5K, something happens beforehand. Sometimes it's benign, like simply running a marathon eleven days earlier and getting injured in the process. Other times it's a combination of getting bronchitis and a trip to the ER for gallbladder problems. So when I ended up with a calf strain two weeks earlier, well, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. But I felt good enough to give it a shot, even though I knew that I still wouldn't do what I would have been capable of sans injury.

It was a nice, quick race. I started with Butch and Chris, but after about half a mile I remembered that it's only a 5K and I was moving way too slow for a race that I wanted a PR in. (The GPS said around the 1/2 mile mark that my time was 4:30. A nice "going for a run with friends" pace, but not a racing-just-three-miles pace in the slightest. A 5K is just such a small distance that a too-slow first mile will never really get made up.) I picked it up at that point, and it paid off; a 24:27 finishing time, which finally replaced my old 25:40 from two years ago (the post-marathon-injury race). I like to think that had I not had a few weeks off I could've gotten even faster, but that just gives me a new goal for next time.

I still don't think I've mastered running a 5K, but that's something I'd like to work on next year once I've (at least temporarily) bid marathons adieu.

Start time: 9/1/09, 7:30am
Location: Neighborhood
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:09min/mile
Total Miles For September: 3 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 572 miles

Originally the plan was to run five miles, but my stomach was still feeling a little unsettled, so I ran a 3-mile loop with an option to add in another two. Said option didn't happen, needless to say. Although I am now starting to finally start feeling back to normal, after several days of anything but. A co-worker recently commented to me that I might have to just accept that my insides probably aren't going to ever really work quite the same again, and I think she's right unfortunately.

On the bright side, gorgeous cool September morning.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3150447

Start time: 7/23/09, 7:15am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:19min/mile
Total Miles For July: 52 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 431 miles

I was going to run a short 3-mile loop this morning; I'd been having some more stomach issues this morning and I didn't want to head out too long/far just in case. It went well enough, except I made a wrong turn at some point (it was a new loop) and added on about an extra quarter mile. No big deal, obviously, but it was kind of funny when I was thinking, "And now I'll end up on 5th Street... so wait, why is that Wilson Boulevard instead?" Oopsie.

Start time: 7/14/09, 8:00pm
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:05min/mile
Total Miles For July: 27 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 406 miles

Hmmm. Guess that 3-mile time from last week wasn't that far off. (Why can't I do this in a 5K?) The last two days at work have been uber-stressful, so it was nice to go out for a quick 3-miler this evening (I'd wanted to run this morning but poor sleep the night before prevented it) and shake off some of the stress.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3005448

Start time: 7/9/09, 8:00am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:12min/mile
Total Miles For July: 22 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 401 miles

Just a small run; I was feeling sick on Wednesday and skipped spinning, so I needed some exercise but needed to take it easy at the same time. I think the GPS may have glitched in terms of keeping time, though. Hmmm. Oh well.

Start time: 5/28/09, 7:30am
Location: Clarendon/Courthouse
Distance: 3.1 miles
Average pace: 8:41min/mile
Total Miles For May: 47 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 308 miles

I wanted a short run this morning—my tendon still needs some healing so I really shouldn't be pushing it too much—so I dug up my old "faux 5K" route, which is two 1.55 mile loops around the neighborhood. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy it; sure, I have to run up Washington Boulevard (which is a slow incline that doesn't seem like much until you run it a second time) but the closest thing to crossing a major road is going across Pershing where it ends at Arlington Boulevard, which is not bad at all. Only a tiny bit of discomfort afterwards, which is a good sign on the tendon, too. Yesterday was spinning, tomorrow will hopefully be swimming, so it's also a mini-triathlon three day event, ha ha ha.

More importantly, though, it was ultra-humid this morning. I weighed myself before and after the run and even with drinking water while running, I sweated out 1.5 pounds of water in just under 27 minutes. Yuck. Not my idea of a good time, that's for certain. Fortunately there's a storm system coming through that I believe is supposed to help knock out some of the humidity. Let's hope so, I'm not ready for it to already be summer.

Start time: 4/28/09, 8:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 3.2 miles
Average pace: 8:56min/mile
Total Miles For April: 71 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 261 miles

I was going to run in the morning today but when I woke up, my muscles were slow to warm up; so, instead, I postponed until the evening once the temperature began to drop back down again. (It was in the 90s today, but by waiting until 8pm it was only 78 degrees.) Just a quick 3-miler, nothing terribly special. Well, aside from the horrendous pollen. It's supposed to rain tonight, hopefully that'll help matters a bit.

(The running of "3.2" miles instead of just 3 is a little joke that is hard to explain... it's for Laura's benefit more than anything else. Although it really was 3.2 miles, I should add.)

8:50, 9:22, 8:47, 1:38

Start time: 3/5/09,7:00am
Location: TJ Community Center
Distance: 3.5 miles
Average pace: 8:17min/mile
Total Miles For March: 6 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 123 miles

Between smashing my leg into the side of my bed late Tuesday night (why Greg, what a lovely bruise you have) and then my toe into the side of the bed this morning, I am feeling a little battered. The toe is thankfully barely hurting (phew) but the bruise on my calf is still really tender and sore. Geez. I made today's run a tiny bit shorter as a result; I'm supposed to have a long run this weekend so I don't want to push it too hard. Let my poor bruise finish healing, right? It wasn't too bad while running, but I was certainly aware of its presence the entire time I ran. Fun fun fun.

8:29, 8:13, 8:12, 4:05

Start time: 2/10/09, 5:00pm
Location: Mount Vernon Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:48min/mile
Total Miles For February: 29 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 74 miles

Just a quick three-miler; I thought it was going to be in the 60s and sunny when I went running, but it was actually the mid-50s and cloudy. Oops. Also, the Potomac smelled so much like a swamp on my run I thought I was going to gag. I was happy to pick up the pace a tiny bit on the second and third miles, though; I felt like I could keep going but it was more important for me to play it safe after Sunday's cramping issues.

(9:03, 8:41, 8:40)

Start time: 11/27/08, 8:00am
Location: Clarendon neighborhood
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Finishing time: 26:45
Average pace: 8:38min/mile
Total Miles For November: 13.5 miles

After everything that's gone on this month—getting bronchitis, scratching my marathon, ending up in the ER with cholecystitis—I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to run this race! With a supreme lack of running this month, coupled with uneasy lungs and abs, I knew I wouldn't beat my PR from last year of 25:40. It's frustrating because in August and September I was in shape to have beaten it with little problem today. But that just wasn't an option, and going into it knowing that wasn't so bad.

That said, it would've been a little hard as it was thanks to a really slow start. Waaaay too many walkers and strollers that were really far up towards the front of the corral at the beginning, meaning they were blocking people who were trying to run. I have no problem with them being there—I used to be ultra slow after all—but it's important to also pick a starting place that is appropriate. I think I walked the first 30-40 seconds before I could even start running, yeesh. But still, not too bad. I definitely am not up to a full amount of energy just yet, and annoyingly I had to walk a tiny bit of that hill in the last mile again this year. Yeesh.

At the end of the day, my watch says I was 1:06 off of last year's finish time. Since I'd told myself it might be as much as 1:30 slower, I'm a-ok with that. It is a little sad to look on the big list of races and note that right above it is a 10K race where my pace was 10 seconds per mile faster. I think that really says it all in terms of where I physically am right now. As I told Alma (who flew by me and looked like a badass), at this point I'm just concentrating on making it to the end of the year and starting over in many ways. It's a shame because I'd have liked to get stuff rolling now and in December, but that's just not looking possible at the moment. Still, we'll see.

(8:40, 8:21, 8:55, 0:49)

Start Time: 11/24/08, 6:30pm
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:30min/mile
Total Miles For November: 10.5 miles

Ok, I just had to hit double-digits this month or I'd have been too mortified.

More importantly, I've been feeling good today, and the doctor said exercise was ok so long as I didn't feel anything hurting. So after half an hour rowing, I went and knocked out three miles on the indoor track. Nothing huge, but after this weekend it felt good to actually... well... run. Even if just for a tiny bit. (8:52, 8:27, 8:11)

Start Time: 11/14/08, 6:20pm
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:42min/mile
Total Miles For November: 3 miles

Well, since my last run (October 30th)... when I turned my ankle on that run, it was indeed sore for Friday and Saturday, sore enough that I regretfully postponed my last long run scheduled for that day. It was feeling ok on Sunday, so I thought on Tuesday I'd get up early and hit the long run then. Except starting on Monday, I was flat on my back with what turned out to be a nasty cold and bacterial infection in my chest. Can you see where this is going? I've only just recently had a clean set of lungs again (although I am still on the antibiotics for another half a week or so), and the Philadelphia Marathon was looking... problematic at best.

I hit the gym today, using the rowing machine for 25 minutes and then knocking out three miles on the indoor track (just in case there were problems). I felt ok while running, but as soon as I stopped my lungs felt like they had liquid in them. So, that's that. No marathon for Greg. *sigh* I pretty much knew that was going to happen, but I had to prove it to myself. So that's that. In eight years I suppose I really should be thankful this has only happened once! (8:56, 8:34, 8:36)

Start Time: 9/28/08, 11:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 9:04min/mile
Total Miles For September: 61 miles

Wow, that was horrible. I was supposed to run a 10-miler, but the humidity? Out of control. As in, having problems breathing and feeling like it was actually pulling me back. Much worse than anything through the summer itself, which was rather unexpected. Aborted the run and went home; my only consolation (hours later) was hearing how many other people had the same problem with outdoor exercise on Sunday. Still, a little distressing.


Start Time: 9/30/08, 7:30am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 6 miles
Average Pace: 8:52min/mile
Total Miles For September: 67 miles

A slightly later start than I wanted this morning, but it all actually worked out very well. Just randomly ran all over the place; down Clarendon Boulevard and 10th Street to Glebe, then over to 50 before winding through residential neighborhoods, followed up by two more miles on 50. Nice weather, didn't feel like I was pushing, and it was ultimately just what I needed to feel like things were starting to return to normal.

Start Time: 8/26/08, 7:40pm
Location: Clarendon Neighborhood
Distance: 3.1 miles
Average Pace: 8:28min/mile
Total Miles For August: 73 miles

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2209207

The plan was to run an easy three miles around the neighborhood, in the form of a loop that's just a little bit over 1 1/2 miles. It's gorgeous outside tonight, and I just felt myself gliding easily down the road. Well, it wasn't until I finished (the GPS agreed with the mapped route, saying two loops was 3.1 miles) that I discovered that I was going a wee bit faster than I expected. My total time was 26:20... my record for a 5K is 25:40. That's all of 40 seconds different.

Good lord. Well, that was a nice surprise. A very nice surprise. It was my own little Twilight 5K, complete with beautiful red/purplish skies for the last mile. Great, great stuff. Didn't feel tired or worn out, either.

9:00, 8:23, 8:13, 0:43 (.1 miles)

Start Time: 8/13/08, 6:45am
Location: Wilson Boulevard
Distance: 3 miles
Total Miles For August: 35 miles

Today's schedule (since I have no spinning class this week) said to run 8 hill repeats, plus a mile warm up and a mile cool down. So, feeling brave, I headed off to the massive hill on Wilson Boulevard near the retirement center. Oooooof. I've ran up that hill once before (towards the end of what I think was a 10- or 12-miler, it's all a little hazy now) and it kicked my butt so bad I had to walk a portion of it. And it's only an eighth of a mile long! Well, let me just say that I'm glad I had a good run yesterday, because this? Not a good run. After four repeats I called it quits; I thought about running a fifth repeat and actually felt sick to my stomach. Bleah.

Next week my goal will be to up the repeats to six, I think.

Start Time: 7/22/08, 6:30am
Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Center
Distance: 3 miles
Total Miles For July: 62.5 miles

Aborted early due to breathing problems. Am now on an inhaled steroid for my lungs. Yay.

Start Time: 6/28/08, 7:00am
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:00min/mile
Total Miles For June: 57 miles

Start Time: 6/29/08, 7:00am
Location: Washington, DC
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 9:00min/mile
Total Miles For June: 60 miles

Ugh! Saturday was a dreadful day to be running; already in the high 80s by 7am, and even worse it was so humid it was like breathing water. We had our 3-mile time trial, and it went really badly for me, there no way around it. I completely bonked on the last mile, and I felt so congested and hard to breathe that I actually have a doctor's appointment about it on July 7th. Hmph.

On Sunday I was going to run a few miles on the treadmill at Charlie's place, because it was still really darn hot out. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the air conditioning unit to work properly (argh) and it was so stiflingly hot I gave up after three miles. Ah well!

Start Time: 4/22/08, 6:15pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Average Pace: 8:31min/mile
Total Miles For April: 9.5 miles

I'm now on the "pick one of the following workouts" regimen so Tuesday's run was "2-4 miles progressive run, each mile faster than the previous." I headed out to the W&OD Trail and made a big mistake—I started on a downhill. So I finished the first mile and that's when I realized why this was a bad thing. First, I took that mile too fast because of the downhill. And second, it meant the return would be all uphill. Whoops. I decided that as a result I'd just run 3 miles instead of 4, and knowing that mile three was the last one gave me a nice kick even though it was still slogging back uphill. Oof! Next time, I start on the uphill. (8:47, 8:37, 8:10)