National Half Marathon

So I decided to run the National Half Marathon, let's just say that may have not been the right decision to make. Between miles 7 and 8 I felt like my legs were going to collapse and I was in pain for the rest of the race. I finished in 1:56, 5 minutes faster than my previous half marathon time, but I was hoping for about 1:54. In any case, I finished and I finished having to walk for about 3 minutes.

I am now laying on the couch with bags of ice on my knees and many Advils in my body. I just hope I am able to get through the 10-miler on Sunday and get a good time.

There will be no running until next week, and there will be much consumption of wine tonight :)

Registered

I am now in the lottery for...


The chances of getting chosen are slim, so I will have to think of an alternative marathon in the Fall...Baltimore? Philly? Marine Corps will probably be another long shot.

New Kicks

On Sunday I hit the running store and got the updated version of my running kicks (NB 767s) and insoles. I was excited to run in them, so after work on Monday I headed down to the National Mall. Well, let's just say that I felt somewhat physically challenged running in them. My feet felt really heavy and the tongue cut my foot! I miss my old worn in boys.

Frustrated, I took a break from the new shoes on Tuesday and went swimming instead. I decided to give them another chance on Wednesday (ran 4 miles) and Thursday (ran 5 miles) and they're coming around. I'm a bit baffled though, I didn't think I'd have to "break them in."

Running Along...

The Cherry Blossom 10-Miler is still a few weeks to go, but I've been debating whether I should run the National Half Marathon on March 29 -- the week before the Cherry Blossom run. I went for a 10 mile run today and told myself if I felt good at the end of it, then I'd try the half. I'm feeling pretty good, but I did have to walk for about 2 minutes of the run and finished in about 91 minutes. Not too bad, I guess, considering I ran at a comfortable pace and not in race mode. But here's the debacle I'm facing -- I can run the half marathon, do a decent job (i.e., hopefully finish under 2 hours) but risk feeling pain and then not getting as a good a time I'm hoping for at the Cherry Blossom run, OR I can skip the half, keep training for the 10-miler, run it and reach my goal time (if not beat it).

Well, I can register for the half up until the day before, so I'm going to continue to run and see how I feel. Stay tuned...

Feeling the Pain and No Love

Last week it seemed as if Spring was finally here so I went running after work a couple days down at the National Mall. It felt great to be on some pavement, except when I took a nasty fall on Constitution Avenue. At the time, I was fine -- embarrassed mostly, but it killed me that not one person asked if I was okay. I thought there was some sort of runners brotherhood, I mean, everyone is quick to give a "nod" or other acknowledgement as your run by each other, but fall and it's as if you're invisible.

Anyway, I wasn't feeling any love and now I am just feeling pain and I'm annoyed because I was doing really well with the training -- it's like I'm going in the wrong direction now. Plus, stubborn me hates to rest so I've been continuing to run and running through pain. Ugh.

I also think I need new sneakers and insoles. I've run well over 600 miles in these.

Am I complaining a lot today or what?