Vegas...

I knew going into Marathon training that I would go through my ups and downs. Well, last week was a struggle of epic proportions. There is only one word to explain why this is: Vegas!

I recently took a trip to Las Vegas for a friend’s bachelorette party and my training runs took a backseat. Vegas clearly is a priority over a training run right?? I missed my 3 mile run on Saturday and a 5 mile run on Sunday. I did my best to return to my training as soon as possible. However, my body wasn’t exactly pleased. The first couple of runs were a complete disaster. I tried to take it slow and ease my way back into a solid pace but with each step I couldn’t help but be reminded of every drink I had in Vegas. Bad News Bears!

Last Saturday I ran a small Easter 5k race in Alexandria, VA. It was cold and rainy which never makes these things enjoyable. Despite the effects of Vegas still hovering in my system, I performed ok. I finished in just over 31 minutes. I know I can do much better than that but it’s a work in progress. Sunday was a bit more enjoyable. I completed a solid 10 mile run around the National Mall. It was a beautiful spring day in DC with fantastic weather. I kept a slow pace and completed the run without having to walk any of it.

This weekend I will run 3 miles on Saturday and 11 miles on Sunday. It should be very interesting. Happy Easter!  

100 Miles Down…A Billion More To Go

Last week marked a huge milestone for me: I officially hit the 100 mile mark for the year. This new milestone has given me even more motivation to keep up my training. One of the best parts of running is seeing the miles tally up at the end of each run.

I decided to change things up this past weekend. The Annual Cherry Blossom festival has taken over all of the great running spots in DC so I decided to travel out to the Mount Vernon Trails in VA. It was absolutely beautiful outside at the beginning of my run. The sun was shining for the first time in days and the temperature wasn’t awful for this time of year. It was a perfect day for a run!

I set out for a 9 mile run. I decided to take it slow with the new route and distance. The hills of Mount Vernon were intimidating at times but I kept a solid pace to give me enough energy to keep me going. Despite a small ankle roll at mile 2, I made it without any walking. I was exhausted by the time I finished but it was a great feeling knowing I accomplished my 9 mile run. I still have a long way to go before I am ready for the half marathon in May. My goal from here on out is to just stay focused and stick with the training program. It won't be easy but I'm sure I can do it.

Next up will be the Easter 5k on April 16^th.

First Race Complete!

Last Saturday I ran the MCM Irish Sprint 10k in Quantico, VA. It was a super cold morning that started out more stressful than I could handle. DC was hosting a half and full marathon that same morning with the start and finish lines not too far from my apartment. The streets were not schedule to close until 7am so I planned to leave between 6:15 and 6:30 just to be on the safe side.

I struggled to get out of bed around 5:45am to start my pre-race routine but forced myself to do it. I was out the door by 6:25. What did I find as I pulled my car up to Mass Ave? Oh yes that the DC police department shut down the streets a ½ hour early. I was directed into a traffic jam that forced me to make a complete circle around my apartment. 20 minutes later I drove into a super shady area just to find another way to 395. I finally made to Quantico by 8am. Good thing I planned to leave early enough.

I found my way to Butler Stadium once I arrived at the Marine Corps Base to pick up my race packet and t-shirt. Despite the super cold weather, everyone was in a great mood and super excited to be there. The 45 minutes leading up to the race was brutal. It was absolutely freezing. I tried my best to stretch out and walk around to keep the blood flowing but nothing seemed to work. By 8:45am everyone began lining up at the starting line which made the nerves kick into high gear. I tried to stay towards the back so I wouldn’t be forced into a pace I knew I couldn’t handle. As soon as the gun went off, all of my nerves went away. I worked myself into a slow pace time that I increased gradually throughout the race.

This course was a total bitch! You were either running uphill or down with the exception of the .2 miles at the beginning and end of the race. Just when I made it up a giant hill, I would see another one approaching. At one point I thought I was climbing Everest. I can now see why Matt hated Quantico so much. I kept running throughout the entire race which allowed me to keep a pretty decent pace time. My official clock time was 1:06:38.

I’m very happy with the outcome of my first race in 2011. I do think I can improve on some areas which I plan to do in the next month leading up to the Half Marathon. I am super excited to experience all of the festivities during the Historic Half. I signed up for an Easter 5k on April 16^th just to give myself one more race to prepare for it. It is all approaching so quickly. Let the next countdown begin!!