Sandy Runs

So, before I started this blog, I posted a few race reports as Facebook Notes. I just rediscovered them today and I'll share them on weeks when I don't have a lot to say about new races. The text that follows is verbatim from January 13, 2012, and I dug up some photos to illustrate it (the Facebook Note didn't originally have photos). Well, here it is finally: my recap of the 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Thursday:  Up bright and early to catch my 6:00 AM flight (Delta canceled my preferred direct flight, and now I'd need to connect in Atlanta).  Arrived in Orlando, quickly checked into the All Star Sports Resort, then met Elizabeth (in from SoCal) at the race expo to pick up all the goodies.  Then we spent the afternoon at Animal Kingdom hitting all the good rides like Expedition Everest (a Yeti themed indoor rollercoaster - awesome), the safari, a 4D show featuring characters from A Bug's Life, and other fun things.  Later, we had an aw...

Yesterday I was supposed to run the relay at the George Washington's Birthday Marathon . But the race was postponed on Thursday in light of Sunday's forecast of extreme cold temperatures and wind chill. The rescheduled date is Saturday 2/21, which has made some people angry, as the published back-up date was 2/22. But that's another story and another blog post...if the race isn't cancelled for good. It will be cold with possible snow this weekend, but not quite as cold as last weekend, and with less wind. Because GW was canceled, Jody (who was planning to run the full marathon) asked me if I'd like to do a training run with her. We decided on Saturday afternoon, as it would be significantly warmer and more pleasant than running on Sunday. We met in Vienna to do 10 miles on the W&OD Trail. Here I am at the caboose in Vienna, our starting location for the run We headed west on the trail toward Reston, staring at the Caboose just a short way before Mile 12...

I feel like I’m repeatedly posting about my inability to stick to my training plan. But until I make consistent training a real habit, I’m going to have this struggle. I’ve been back on the plan now for just over a week. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a start. This time period included a 5K race, a 13 mile long run, shorter runs, and cross-training. I had no problem sticking with my running workouts, but not such good success in doing my cross-training workouts. At the end of my 13 mile training run; I live close to the W&OD trail in Virginia, so it's a popular location for my runs When I get off track with the training plan, it usually happens on a weekday. Part of my problem, I believe, is that I’m not a morning person and I don’t like to get up early enough to train before work. That means I need to fit in the runs or other workouts after work. This can be challenging for various reasons: I may work late and then it’s difficult to find time to wo...

This past weekend I didn’t have a race, but I did volunteer at one. This was my second time volunteering for the Pacers Love the Run You’re With 5K ( last year I ran it ). It’s a simple out & back course. The water station was located almost at the halfway turnaround, and was staffed by my running club Shirlington Running Club .   SRC volunteers at Love the Run You're With water station   Two years ago when I volunteered at this race, it was so cold that I actually wore heated foot warmers in my shoes and my down coat. The water in the cups iced over. I’d love to have ice water at a hot weather race, but I don’t think it really hit the spot for the runners when the temps were in the 20s Fahrenheit. This year it was much warmer, though still cold enough for warm clothes and fleece gloves. We had a good crew for the water station. We arrived around 8:00 AM (the race would start at 9:00 AM) to set up tables, trash cans and fill the cups with water. Jennifer was ...

On Super Bowl Sunday, I once again ran the First Down 5K and Pacers Combine held in West Potomac Park (see last year’s race report ). This was the second year for the race, which was paired with an optional Combine in which you do 20 each of push-ups, sit-ups, jump squats and walking lunges. For doing both the 5K and the Combine, you earn a foam football imprinted with the race logo. This year the football was tiny, just a toy. Last year it was not regulation size, but still large enough that you could toss it back and forth. Pre-race pic at 30F degrees - brrr!   This was a cold race, colder than last year. I was dressed appropriately with a long sleeve winter-weight tech shirt, a microfleece pullover, winter weight tights, a skirt, gloves and a knit hat. Some people got into the football theme of the race and dressed up. Barry the joggler was back again, juggling footballs. At the start; I think there were fewer people than last year, maybe due to the cold   ...