Training Log Archive: cporter

I've dubbed this run the "Monument Run" because I feel like I am basically a running tourist. Today's run was from the Archives along the mall, past the Washington Monument (with a glimpse of the White House from the top of the hill), WWII Monument, along the Reflecting Pool and then up to the Lincoln Memorial and back.

I hope that as I build up my base, I can add more monuments - around the Tidal Basin, and past the Jefferson Memorial, hitting up the Vietnam Memorial, MLK Jr. Memorial and so on...

3 reps of a .2 mile hill with a 26.5m climb, preceded and followed by a ~1 mile warm-up/cool-down

First hills workout in a long time - maybe a little early since I don't think I have the greatest base yet, but I've found myself able to run easily for 3-4 miles, except for the hills, so I thought I'd do a little workout, to help move that part of my getting back into shape along a little quicker. The first two I went to with a will, but by the last 25 m of the second hill (I should add that this hill gradually gets steeper) I felt like my legs were falling off. The third, I just ran, just to get up while keeping good form, with a little push as the stop sign at the top of the hill cane into view.

I was probably a pathetic sight to the passing dog walkers, and runners (who were all conveniently cruising down the hill, just to crush my sense of dignity a little more, as I struggled to drag myself up it), but I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself. It is as psychologically challenging as it was physically exhausting to attempt my first hill workout in probably close to 2 years, and simultaneously realize that my old mantra of trying to meet or beat my time on the previous rep, wasn't really realistic given my current physical state. So for now, I'm content with telling myself, to suck it up, and get up the hill no matter what my pace, with the hope that some day soon, I won't feel like I'm try to scramble up a 30 ft brick wall with every little hill I climb on my runs!

Canoe-O at Frances Slocum State Park - it was kind of a cross between a score-o and a trail-o. We had to go out and find as many controls as we could on the lake (originally there were 41, but I think the final count was 39 after a few controls went missing) and once you found one, you had to draw your own circle on the map for the location. Ryan and I weren't terribly competitive about it, we just wanted to have fun, and at that we succeeded!

Score-O/Night-O - I took Ryan out on the white/yellow, and we just walked it since canoeing, hiking (and the sunburn we managed to get) pretty much wiped us out.