Everyday Running
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Functional Fitness, Everyday Joy
Today I ran into work, my eyes soaking in the fall colors as I breathed the aroma of wet ground from yesterday’s rain and the dying leaves on the pavement. Despite overcast skies, the 60-degree temperatures and quiet air made for delicious running conditions. I recalled my life in the city last year at this time, when the federal government… Continue reading
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Run Commute Days
With the 2014 brevets completed, I turned to running. Continue reading
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Winter Run on a D.C. Snow(man) Day!
After yesterday’s dumping of snow over Washington, D.C. many schools and businesses, including my employer, declared a snow day. Yahoo! I fuel up on espresso, throw on my Gore-Tex Salomons, and hit the road. Snow days allow me to be a tourist in my own city. This “found time” frees me, and I can pad about… Continue reading
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Winter Days and Snowmen in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., generally does not see much winter weather. Most years we are only subjected to enough cold days and snowflakes to give us the sense that we live in a land of four seasons. Continue reading
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A Winter Run Through an Iowa Wind Farm
Over the past few years, the part of Iowa where I grew up has seen some big changes. As Iowa has become one of the largest generators of wind power in the United States, more and more of the state has become home to wind farms. This weekend I could not help but be drawn… Continue reading
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Postcard from Iowa
This weekend finds me back in Iowa, just in time for the first snowfall and winter chill. The snow was nothing too dramatic, enough to cover the ground and send a message to everyone that winter is on its way. Continue reading
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Government Shutdown: Get Off My Lawn!
The government shutdown continues, much to many of our dismay. Also, the Coffeeneuring Challenge is in full swing, much to many of our great delight! Today I did a six-mile shutdown run (all activities will hereby be prefaced with “shutdown” until this ends, I tell you), which took me near the U.S. Capitol, by the… Continue reading
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Due to a Lapse in Appropriations… I Must Run
As the realization sank in last night that no agreement would be reached to fund the federal government past the end of September, I was filled with frustration and dismay. It’s disheartening to work earnestly to neatly wrap up the fiscal year only to be informed a few hours after you’ve arrived home that there… Continue reading
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Running Off the Week: A to Z
“All My Friends,” by LCD Soundsystem sounds through my headphones, and I think about how this song has become one of the favorites on my running playlist. Bright afternoon sun shines this post-work Friday, and makes shadows grow long. Cranking up the volume on my tunes, I take tired steps toward the National Mall and… Continue reading
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Endurance: What the Research Doesn’t Tell You
When mainstream media picks up a thread about the effects of endurance pursuits on health, I usually hear about it. The most recent one I know of was covered in the Wall Street Journal. The article’s focus was “extreme exercisers,” and how they may experience some health benefits from their activities, but likely put their… Continue reading
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Joining the Ranks of the D.C. Runners
When I lived in the Midwest I drove most places, worked out erratically, and weighed 25 pounds more than I do now. I was focused on other things; fitness was not one of them. After moving to Washington, D.C., life changed. My job had more of a regular schedule. Driving a car in the city… Continue reading
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Sweet Excess and the Post-Event Blues
Being a creature of habit, I did not take a day off after running last Sunday’s marathon. I stoicly made my way to the gym for a core class. It would be a perfect post-marathon workout, I thought, as it would not involve the legs too much and I could continue steadily on my path… Continue reading
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Comparing a Marathon to Randonneuring
Every once in a while, someone asks me how a marathon compares to randonneuring. Running versus randonneuring was also a recent topic on the “randon” list, one of the main randonneuring listservs. Having just completed a marathon as well as a flèche and a 300K within a month’s timeframe, I thought I’d share my own… Continue reading
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Shake It Off, Let It Go: Running Free
Today I went running for the first time since I finished the fleche. I wanted to give my knees a couple of days to stop feeling wonky. You’re welcome, knees. My weekday route is a fun three-mile stretch that takes me from the foot of the U.S. Capitol to the World War II Memorial and… Continue reading
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D.C. Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon: Sometimes Halfway is Far Enough
This past weekend D.C. hosted the Rock & Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. This event occurs right around St. Patrick’s Day as well as my birthday, and it has an incredibly festive feel. Runners dress in green, wear costumes, put on kilts, and sport an abnormal amount of plaid for a running event. The day… Continue reading
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Pitter Patter: Cold Winter Days in D.C.
A midday run on the Mall. A bitingly cold commute to work. The city looks different, feels distinct over a light powdering of snow. Tourists head indoors, to museums and gift shops. Runners dwindle, leaving only those undeterred by the chill. Continue reading
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I’m Not Training; I’m Having Fun
Earlier this week I read a brief but informative article in the New York Times called “Training Insights from Star Athletes.” The Times interviewed three elite athletes who discussed various facets of their training, including the importance of making it focused and structured. When Felkerino and I agreed to ride Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) in 2011, I… Continue reading
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A Run in Rock Creek with Ultrarunnergirl
A couple of weeks ago I received an email from my friend Kirstin, aka Ultrarunnergirl, inviting me to go trail running with her in Rock Creek Park. Her timing could not have been better, as I had just been lamenting my “story of sameness” and the need to mix it up with other activities this… Continue reading
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Benefits of Tracking the Miles
I grew up watching my dad, a runner, track his miles. He always took the time to note how far he ran, the day’s temperature, wind direction, and a few other details about his run. It seemed only natural, then, when I started running (and later riding) to keep a mileage log. I recently read… Continue reading
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Time for a Road ID
This past week I bought a Road ID. Initially, I blamed my purchase on all the Road ID ads run during the Tour de France coverage for filling my mind with how much I needed one. Marketing, I tell you! Really, though, I can’t blame the Tour ads for my recent purchase. I decided to… Continue reading
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The Army Ten Miler
One of Washington, D.C.’s premier running events took place today, the Army 10 Miler. Felkerino, Lane, and I were leaving town on our bikes just as the race was getting going, and converged with some of the participants as they crossed the Memorial Bridge. It was a beautiful morning to be outside. Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 