running
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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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D.C. Iced Over
A week of freezing weather fostered some icy ambience in the city. We’ve all been out taking cell phone pictures of the Potomac River’s icy overlay on our bike commutes. 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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Goals versus Plans
In one of my 2013 roundup posts I noted that I had not written down any goals in 2013. However, I did make a variety of plans and spent a great deal of time making sure they came to fruition. I see my plans distinctly from my goals. For me, plans are generally more concrete… Continue reading
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2013 in Review: Goals, Mileage, Rides, and Runs
At the beginning of this year I committed to having a different kind of year than I had in 2012. At the end of last year I had started to feel burned out, as though I had been doing the same thing over and over and not enjoying it. Felkerino and I agreed to back… 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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The Furlough, Fall Events, and a Marathon Taper
Taking the topic away from coffeeneuring for a moment, I wanted to post some thoughts about three separate, yet interrelated, topics: lions; tigers; and bears. Or really: how I spent my furlough days, the impact of the furlough on the fall event plans, and my marathon taper. It also gives me an opportunity to post… 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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International Peace Marathon: 26.2 Miles on the C&O Towpath
The alarm sounds at 5:40 a.m. Ugh. I turn over, fumble with my clock, and seriously consider ditching the International Peace Marathon for an extra hour or two of sleep. Having spent the night before carefully preparing a pre-run meal and assembling all my essentials for the day, I reluctantly think sleeping in is not… Continue reading
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Fall Events and an August Wrap-Up
August passed in a herky jerky fashion. I had trouble getting into a rhythm with my riding and I ventured infrequently to the weight room. As a result my cycling miles were down and I probably have reduced my pushups capability for the moment. Who knows what miserable state my core is in (kidding… I’m… Continue reading
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2013 In Progress: Kept the Spreadsheet and Changed My Story
Now that we’ve reached one month beyond the halfway point of 2013, I wanted to take a snapshot of July as well as the year so far. 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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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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Back on My Two Feet: The Potomac River Run Marathon
After doing the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon in mid-March, which I had originally planned to run as a full, I was eager to see if there might be another opportunity for me to try 26.2 miles in one go. Lucky for me, the Potomac River Run Marathon was scheduled for May 5, a weekend of no… Continue reading
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Progress in the Gym and at the Dinner Table
Part 1: The Gym, the Rides, and the Runs Another month has flown by since I made a more earnest commitment to the gym. It’s been three months now. In April, I visited the gym three times per week (identical to March), and primarily focused on the following types of activities: core strengthening, including planks,… 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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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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2012 in Review: Variety is the Spice of Life
Another December passes, the sun sets on 2012, and I find myself reflecting about the activities of the past year. While Felkerino and I focused on preparing for and completing Paris-Brest-Paris in 2011, our 2012 cycling proved more varied. We commuted, completed a Super Randonneur series with the D.C. Randonneurs, trained to ride the Colorado… Continue reading
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Running Away from Sandy: 2012 Marine Corps Marathon
Yesterday I lined up with more than 23,500 people to participate in my last big event for 2012: the Marine Corps Marathon. Continue reading
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The Appeal of the Run Commute
Because I have a fall running event coming up, I’ve inserted a couple of run commutes into my weekly commute diet. While cycling is my primary mode of commuting, mixing it up with run commuting has proven quite pleasant. Not surprisingly, my running route to and from the office varies from my bike routine. First,… 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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Run Like You Stole a Pot of Gold: the D.C. Rock and Roll Marathon
This past Saturday I left the bike in the Dining Room Bike Shop, laced up my Montrails, and headed out to participate in the D.C. Rock and Roll Marathon. I like this 26.2-mile course because it stays within the District boundaries and traverses all of its four quadrants. In addition, it is a rolling course… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 