Running With Pepper

Ran with the boss at lunch and hit the same 5 mile course filled with gentle hills along the Custis Trail. The boss ran 4 miles and I ran the total 5 in 41 minutes but I actually caught up to him with about a mile to go. First 2 miles were at a slow plodding pace of about 10min/mile and when the boss turned around I busted it up to about a 6:30 pace for 9 or so minutes (I didn't have a piece of chocolate cake in my gut like I did yesterday!), slowed down for about 3 minutes, then hit back at about a 7:00 pace until I caught up with the boss. The final .6 miles or so were at about the 10 minute/mile pace. Overall, this run was a good test as to how my ITB would handle some tougher pace running. After my run was done, I used my newfound stretching techniques to work on my ITB. It was really throbbing, but after I stretched it and did some strengthening exercises, it felt much better. I now plan to do those exercises at least 2 times a day to get ahead of this. Decent run and it seems like my fitness is improving and I'm able to hold the faster pace longer.

(Brooks Infinitis 208.5 miles)

Well...I was going to run some intervals on the track at the high school across the street from my house tonight but they are apparently renovating the football field and other facilities there. I decided to do a nice warm-up by running two miles in 14 minutes then got down to the business of running up stairs. I ended up tackling 1,000 stairs in 19 minutes, then headed out for a nice 1.5ish mile cooldown run. Although I didn't get to run my intervals tonight, the stairs were great and my pulse was really ratched up a notch. Overall, I finished my running in 43:28 for about 5ish miles. On the ITB note, the new stretching/strengthening I'm doing is really helping and it's starting to feel better after only 2 days. I'm probably overly optimistic, but I think I may have this totally fixed in about 1 week. I did however notice that when I was wandering around my complex tonight, it started to hurt again. The only reason I can think of that it was hurting was because I was wearing my old/beat-up flip-flops. When I took Pepper for a walk tonight, I wore running shoes and it was totally fine. I believe that I may have found the root of my evil pain. :) 

Went for a run down to the C&O Canal Trail and met up with fellow blogger Lucia for a nice run down to the boathouse and back. The weather today was really hot (91 degrees), so we took it nice and easy and had a great pace throughout the entire run. The pace was just right, especially with the hot weather. Overall, it was a great run (especially since I left work to do it). The total run distance/time for me was 7 miles in 59:21. Till next time bloggers...have a Happy 4th of July and please remember why we celebrate this holiday. We are all privileged to live in this great nation. It's not all about fireworks...yet they are nice too! :)

(Brooks Infinitis 215.5 miles)

Ok, so I really need to figure out how to get past these right leg problems. I have absolutely no problems with my left leg, but my right one continues to have small nagging injuries. I felt that my IT band was doing much better until Sunday when I helped my brother move all sorts of boxes/furniture/etc. into storage. As the day progressed, I sometimes had a hard time getting up and down the stairs. I don't know if it was my IT completely as my leg was really weak on the front where it meets the hip. Who know....so I took more time off to let it all heal. I decided to run today to test my legs, and keep some sembelance of fitness. I ran 5 miles in 38:10, which tells me that my fitness didn't leave me. My right hip on the front was pretty tight at the beginning of the run, but it seemed to work its way loose as the run progressed. Overall, I'm just completely annoyed that I continue to have these leg problems with only one leg. I've now started some leg strengthening exercises at the gym to try and mitigate these problems. On another note....I'm blogging from my brand new computer and it's sweet, although I'm annoyed that a job interview I had scheduled for today was postponed until sometime next week. After running tonight, and eating dinner, I went to the gym for an intenst 1.5 hours where I pretty much destroyed my entire body. The worst part of it was when I hit the abs after the end of my intense workout. Wow....I'm tired and should sleep well tonight. Ugh....at least I have running!

(Brooks Infinitis 220.5 miles)

Ran from the house out to the W&OD trail, down and back for a mile and back to the house. The run totaled 5.2 miles total in 41:57. I'm still having minor leg problems but my IT Band and hip seem to be doing much better. I did have a few issues with my right knee where I seemed to lose power below my knee. I'll continue to monitor/strengthen with my exercises in the gym, as well as stretch to mitigate any future problems. Other than that, I'm now going to completely ignore any further pain I have and start running my butt off again. I'm really looking forward to heading out to Denver for work at the end of the month to test running in altitude.

On another note, I had my interview for a job out in Denver and it went really well. Hopefully I'll hear something in the next month to see if I get the job. It's a great opportunity for the future, so I'm hoping for the best. It would be nice to get out of the heat/humidity of the DC area for some high-altitude running.

(Brooks Infinitis 225.7 miles)

Ran from the office down to Glebe road around the metro station, down to Wilson Boulevard and back up to the office. Total run was 4.3 miles in 32 minutes. Temperature was 91 degrees at 32% humidity....yes, a hot scorching day in my book. No water during the run, but overall not all that bad unless I was stopped by traffic. Afterwards, I did 20 minutes of core workout and some nice stretching so I'm not all that sore tomorrow. My knee issue seems to have gone away but my hip is a little odd when I stop running. I'll just monitor, keep stretching and quit complaining. Well...back to work I go.

(Brooks Infinitis 230 miles)

Hiked 5 miles in Great Falls with my old college roomate from Penn State. It was a scorcher (95+) and humidity was really high as well. Overall, not too strenuous and a nice hike out in the woods. Saw several white tailed deer that were literally not less than 25 feet from us and they just didn't care. Nice hike to end the week on an even nicer day off.

Ran in the afternoon at work and hit up the Custis Trail. It was hot (93+) and the humidity was downright nasty. Overall, finished 5.5 miles in 42:06 so it was a nice run. Stopped at the Ballston Mall about midway through the run to sneak some water from the Panera Bread....it was absolutely frigid...just the way I needed it. Felt good during the run and am glad that this should be the last day of nasty heat. Hit the gym up after work and then took Pepper on a nice brisk 1.5 mile walk to end the night. This was followed by 2 cookies that he wanted me to share with him, but they had cholocate. Alas...no cookies for Pep.

(Brooks Infinitis 235.5 miles)

Ran on the treadmill at the gym for 3.25 miles in 34 minutes at a 3% grade. I probably should have run outside, but I just didn't feel like it. Also did my chest/shoulders workout, although it was less than spirited today. Afterwards, took Pepper on a nice trot for 1.75 miles to give me a nice 5 for the day. It's still warm out, so we took it really easy because I didn't want to overheat the pup. Time for a cookie...or two! :)

(Brooks Infinitis 240 miles)

Ran from work to the East Falls Churh Metro after work today carrying a 15-20 pound backpack with work materials, clothes, etc. Total run after work in the 88 degree heat was for 5 miles in 40 minutes. I had to continually stop for water because the backpack was really weighing me down and I couldn't breath out of my back. It made it feel much warmer than it probably was. Now I know why I stopped running with my camelback.

Tonight, took Pepper for a nice 3 mile trot around the neighborhood across route 7. We did plenty of stopping for sniffs....more than I can probably count, but the boy is snoozing in the lay-z-boy so I did my job. My legs were pretty tired from yesterdays strengthening exercises at the gym, but I feel pretty good that I got in 8 miles today. My right leg seem to be doing much better since I started isolation workouts at the gym. That's all for now...off to Annapolis tomorrow for some doggie beach fun and a housewarming party at my bosses house. Doggies are invited too! :) Still no word on Denver but I'm forever optimistic.

(Brooks Infinitis 248 miles)