Charity-o-Rama!

Are you running to raise money for a known charity? Do you know someone who is?

The Complete Running Network provides a way for you to get the word out about your fundraising activities.

Here’s how it works:

Just go the charity-o-rama page and submit the relevant details.

When I have enough entries, I put together a post for completerunning.com, mentioning everyone who wrote in, complete with links to appropriate fundraising pages or blog entries.

(The only catch is you MUST have a unique Web page to which I can link.)

Complete Running reaches thousands of runners each day from across the globe. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to expand your base of contributors?


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In other news, it looked like everyone had a great run or run/walk on Saturday. Only two more Saturday runs and you will be graduating from the DCRR 10k program!! So listen to Peter, and make sure you make the best use of your time these last two weeks.

T-shirts will be available at our last Saturday run (5/12), so make sure you come if only for the t-shirt! (I have it on very good authority that the t-shirts are very cool this year.)

Without further ado, here is a look back at your Saturday run:

(Gary and friend, bringing it on home.)

(Arnetta and friend working it.)

(Bob and Hallie dropping the hammer, or putting down the hammer, or whatever it is you do with a hammer.)

(Cara and Kristin, flyin' on home.)

(Mary Alice teaches a biker to mess with her!)

(Runners loitering.)

(One of us was dog tired.)

(Ashley demonstrates proper racing form.)

(Warning! System error! Abort! Abort!)

Approaching Week 10 4/28/07.

2007 DCRRC 10K Training Program, APPROACHING WEEK 10
Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot (see previous posts for a link to directions).
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)
12. 5/12–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)
13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

NEXT WEEK (Week 10): Next Saturday, 4/28/07 at 9 am, we’ll meet at the East Falls Church Metro Station. There is plenty of parking there. From DC or Alexandria, go Westbound on I-66 and exit at Sycamore Street, which is one exit past Ballston (Glebe Road). There are two parking lots, a Kiss and Ride to the south of the station and a commuter parking lot to the north of the station. We’ll meet at 9 am in the Kiss & Ride lot near the steps leading up to the W’OD Trail. That’s about MP 5.5. (Left: Erin running along the W'OD Trail a week ago. Right: Erin finishing the GW Parkway 10-Miler yesterday.)

LAST WEEK:
In WEEK 9, club President Ed Grant came and talked with the assemblage at Bluemont. About twenty five runners showed up, some with guest runners. Kristin and Bob took the Intermediates out in the hilly Custis Trail towards DC. Bob brought his daughter in a runner’s stroller. Kerri and Sara led the way for a fast 10K run in about 58 minutes, running all the way to where the switchback trail leads down to Lee Highway for a short way near Spout Run.
Gary and Arnetta took the Run/Walkers out on the W’OD Trail for about an hour. Afterwards, everyone present got a free t-shirt from past programs.
I heard from some runners weren’t able to come but ran on their own six or seven miles. It looks like everyone’s training is coming together. I had interesting conversations with runners, one of whom had run a marathon in Romania! The mileposts were marked off in kilometers, naturally, no traffic was stopped, and the water they gave out was sparkling water! Try to drink that on the run without it coming through your nose!

The George Washington Parkway Classic 10-Mile Race was held on Sunday, running down the GW Parkway from Mount Vernon to Old Town. It was a beautiful day for running ten miles. (Rhea and Jeanne at the race.) The following program members ran in it:
Coach Peter 1:16:05 316th
Coach Rhea 1:23:38 675th (PR by 7:26)
Erin 1:34:47 1598th
Coach Kristin 1:41:12 1951st.
Great Job!

(Coach Rhea smashes her PR by almost eight minutes.) Don’t forget there will be a Ten-Mile Training Program offered by the club starting in July. The goal race will be the Army Ten-Miler on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at the Pentagon. It’s a fun race, albeit jinxed, race, fast flat and full (almost). Over 17,000 runners have already signed up for it, there are less than 9,000 slots are still available. Sign up now if you’re going to run it! http://www.armytenmiler.com/

Notable Upcoming Run: The Arlington YMCA’s Mother’s Day 10K on Sunday, May 13, 2007 was last year’s program’s goal race and is a worthy race to run. It is challenging and it runs over the very same hills we did last Saturday. It has a fee hike on May 1st, so if you’d like to run it, sign up early.

There are many fine running products out there. One device for running when there are small children in the household is a running stoller like what Bob had for his child on Saturday. It is a device that I neither use nor endorse, but many runners, and even racers, use them. Google running strollers to see many types described, but one site listing various models for sale http://www.joggingstroller.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=about%20joggingstroller.com&sNav=0

RUN ON YOUR OWN:
You better! This week you should run three or four times on your own, 30 to 50 minutes each time, with some of the runs at a ten or eleven minute per mile pace or better. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. Our goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. We’re three quarters of the way there now so it’s time to concentrate on your training! (Coach Kristin finishing the GW Parkway Classic strongly.) If you want to run the race in the spring at the conclusion of the program, you must sign up at the CHC website for the race and pay the entry fee on your own. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT:
In the meantime, go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better. If anyone is interested in going to a track workout and wants me to be there to give them guidance contact me by email in that instance. Plamberton@ftc.gov or plamberton@yahoo.com.

Hill Workout on Sunday: Also please come to the club Hill Workout, also posted on the club’s website. I will be hosting the Hill Workout this Sunday, April 29th at 9 am in Falls Church and I expect to see some of you there getting ready for the hill at the CHC. We’ll go out for coffee afterwards and chat.
MORE INFORMATION:
(Beam me up, Scottie!)
Visit the program’s Forum link on the club's website for more information. There’s lots of interesting and pertinent information there. Feel free to comment on this blog or the forum link.

TRAINING HELP:
Email your coach, or me.

See you Saturday!

Boston Marathon Elite Women

(Photo, courtesy Jeanne)

A close-up look at some elite women running the 111th Boston Marathon, at mile 7:
#7: Russian Lyubov Denisova—finishing in 7th place for women overall, in 2:38:00
#50: Californian Mary A. Akor—finishing in 11th place for women overall in 2:41:01
#61 Californian Christine H. Lundy—finishing in 12th place for women overall, in 2:41:14.


Brr, it was cold!

Approaching Week 9 (4/21) at Bluemont

2007 DCRRC 10K Training Program, APPROACHING WEEK 9

Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:

9. 4/21–Bluemont Park, Arlington (see last week's post for a link for directions) http://www.dcroadrunners.org/2007/bonair5k.asp
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=100
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.) http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/info.html#Map
12. 5/12–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)
13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

(Meeting at Roosevelt Island in March.)

NEXT WEEK (Week 9):
Next Saturday, 4/21/07 at 9 am, we’ll meet again at Bluemont Park in Arlington on Wilson Boulevard between Ballston and Seven-Corners. Metro on the Orange Line to either Ballston and run west on Wilson or East Falls Church and pick up the W’OD trail and run east on it about a mile and a half to Bluemont. We’re going to meet in the south parking lot, by where the comfort station and Ranger (Picnic) Shelter is. (There are two parking lots, one on each side of Wilson; you can’t see one from the other.) We’ll meet where Milepost 3.5 on the W’OD is.

(Enduring snowy conditions in March on the Mount Vernon Trail.)

LAST WEEK (week 8):
In WEEK 8, about a score of athletes showed up at Bluemont in perfect conditions. The Intermediate group ran east with Kristin and Peter on the W'OD Trail almost to Shirlington and back, six miles in a little over 57 minutes (9:40 pace). The run/walkers went west on the W'OD Trail with Gary and Arnetta for about an hour.

(Pleasant running in March along the Potomac.)

Notable Upcoming Run: The 111th running of the Boston Marathon is later this morning, Monday, April 16th. The weather conditions promise to be brutal with cold (47 degrees) rain (nor'easter) and wind (gusts to 30 MPH). Good luck to all the runners in this 111th running!
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/

There are many fine running products out there. Socks are very impotant. In the summer a blend that has no cotton in it is very important. Here is a brand (Gizmo) that I use because they're functional stylish and cool. I especially like the black socks.

RUN ON YOUR OWN:
This week you should run three or four times on your own, 30 to 45 minutes each time. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. Coach Kristin says next week we're going to go 10K and tackle the hilly Custis Trail a half mile west of where we're meeting at Bluemont. Our goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. We’re almost three quarters of the way there now so it’s time to step up your training! If you want to run the race in the spring at the conclusion of the program, you must sign up at the CHC website for the race and pay the entry fee on your own. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT:
In the meantime, go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better. If anyone is interested in going to a track workout and wants me to be there to give them guidance contact me by email in that instance. Plamberton@ftc.gov or plamberton@yahoo.com.

Also please strongly consider the next club Hill Workout, also posted on the club’s website. I will be hosting the Hill Workout on Sunday, April 29th at 9 am in Falls Church and I hope to see some of you there getting ready for the hill at the CHC. We’ll go out for coffee afterwards and chat.

MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the program’s Forum running thread at the club's website under 10K Program. There’s lots of interesting and pertinent information there. Feel free to comment there or on this blog also.

TRAINING HELP:
Feel free to contact your coach!

See you Saturday!

Approaching Week 8 (4/14) at Bluemont

2007 DCRRC 10K Training Program, APPROACHING WEEK 8

Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:
8. 4/14–Bluemont Park, Arlington (See last week's post for the link for directions.)
9. 4/21–Bluemont Park, Arlington
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)
12. 5/12–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)
13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

NEXT WEEK (Week 8, 4/14): We’ll meet at 9 am at Bluemont Park in Arlington on Wilson Boulevard between Ballston and Seven-Corners. The closest Metro stop is on the Orange Line, either Ballston (run west on Wilson Blvd.) or East Falls Church (run east on the W’OD trail about a mile and a half to Bluemont). We'll meet in the south parking lot, by where the comfort station is. That's where Milepost 3.5 is on the W’OD Trail.

(Coach Kristin and runner on the Capital Crescent Trail in Week 7.)

LAST WEEK:
In WEEK 7, about a dozen athletes showed up at Fletcher’s Boathouse in cold, snowy conditions and ran north on the Capital Crescent Trail for 2.5 miles and then returned. Coach Kristin led the way, 5 miles in about 50 minutes. Jeanne brought bagels. Meanwhile, the intermediate group met at Belle Haven with Coaches Gary and Arnetta to run the PVTC Easter Classic 5K there. There were some pretty fast times in the results!

(A and Jake in Week 7.)

What's Next:
Next up for the advanced group–six miles at Bluemont on Saturday.

What's Happening:
Local legend Michael Wardian of Arlington won the shop til you drop Ocean City Factory Outlets Marathon on Saturday, 4/7/07 in Ocean City. He posted a 2:41:20 two weeks after he repeated as winner of the National Marathon in DC while lowering the course record to 2:26:36. Three weeks ago he placed third in the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach in a personal best time of 2:21:37. This time earned him entry to the National Qualifying Trials in the marathon later this year. Wardian has run six marathons this year, and won three of them.

Notable Upcoming Run: The 111th running of the Boston Marathon is Monday, April 16th. Jeanne is going to Boston to view it. This marathon is one of the five World Majors (also, NYC, Chicago, London and Berlin) and has over half a million in prize money. Payout could swell to over a million in incentive and performance bonuses. A strong international field is expected to dominate the men’s race, but in the women’s race, America’s Deena Kastor, winner of Chicago in 2005 (2:21:25) and the last London Marathon, the Olympic bronze medalist and the fourth fastest marathoner of all time, has the fastest time in the field (2:19:36). However, two women entered in the race beat her at the NYC Marathon last November. The last American woman to win Boston was Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach in 1985, the year before prize money for women was introduced.

Hydration System:
There are many fine running products out there. One device for hydration that I see many runners carry during runs or races is the Camelbak, a bladder backpack or waistpack system that gives the wearer water on demand through a hose system to the mouth. You can tell when you're approaching a runner using this system because you can hear them sloshing as they run. There are models for bikers, hikers, etc., even the military. If you Google camelback hydration many sites will come up describing many types of water-carrying systems, and here is one site listing various models for sale.

Make Sure You're Running On Your Own:
This week you should run three or four times on your own before Saturday, 30 to 45 minutes each time. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is further than we went last week. The goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. It’s time to step up your training! If you want to run the race in the spring at the conclusion of the program, you must sign up at the CHC website for the race and pay the entry fee on your own. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT & HILL WORKOUT:
One way to boost your training is to go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better!

Also please come to the club Hill Workout on Sunday, 4/29 at 9 am, hosted by moi in Falls Church. Check it out on the club’s website. We’ll go out for coffee afterwards and chat.

MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the club's wbsite Forum TKG running link for more information each week on the program. Don't forget that the Army Ten-Miler registration has just opened. The club undoubtedly will be offering a TMG (Ten Mile Group) training program starting in mid-summer.

TRAINING HELP:
You should not run without an ID. There are several types to choose from. Search the web and come up with the one that suits you best. Here is a link to a Runner’s ID that I use. (I wrote the statement on the site headed up, "Without It, I’m Nobody.") There are several other good runner’s identification tags on the market as well, besides the one I use.
http://www.runnersid.com/recentorders.html

See you Saturday!

A Look Back at Week Six (4/7)

It was a brisk and beautiful morning, with a light dusting of April snow. Here's a few photo finishes (before my batteries died; click to enlarge):

(Mary Alice bringing it on home!))


(Looking good!)

(Run like someone is chasing you.)

(Run like you stole something!))

(Running so fast, they're but a blur in the distance.)

(Trust me, they were colder than you were.)

(Oops, how did that get in here? Number One Daughter is going to be Very Grouchy.)

Approaching Week 7 (4/7 Fletcher's Boathouse), week 6 in review

(Week 6: Fletchers Boathouse! Last year's Director Coach Kristin leads the runners on a fifty minute run along the scenic C&O Canal Towpath last Sunday in ideal running weather. Photo credit Jeanne.)

2007 DCRRC 10K Training Program, APPROACHING WEEK 7

Remaining 2007 SCHEDULE–9 am Every Saturday:

7. 4/7–Fletcher’s Boathouse http://www.fletchersboathouse.com/directions.htm
8. 4/14–Bluemont Park, Arlington
9. 4/21–Bluemont Park, Arlington
10. 4/28–East Falls Church Metro Parking Lot http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=100
11. 5/5–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.) http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/info.html#Map
12. 5/12–Stanton Square in DC (near Union Station at Mass & Maryland Aves., C & 4th St.)

13. CHC 10K RACE is Sunday 5/20/07 at 8:30 am at Stanton Square.

NEXT WEEK (Week 7):
On Saturday, 4/7/07 at 9 am, we’ll meet at Fletcher’s Boathouse next to the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal. For Metro access, take the Orange or Blue Lines to Rosslyn and run over the Key Bridge, turn right and gain the C&O Towpath by going towards the river, and then run westbound a little over a mile and a half on the Towpath to Fletchers Boathouse.
Coaches Gary, Arnetta and Kristin dispense running advice at Fletcher's Boathouse.)

Gary and Arnetta's run/walker group is doing a 5K race in Belle Haven Park (VA) this Saturday (4/7) at 8:30 am instead of meeting with the regular TKG group. The registration for this Easter Classic 5K/10K race opens at 7:30 am. Belle Haven is just south of Alexandria off the GW Parkway.

LAST WEEK:
In WEEK 6, about 20 athletes showed up at Fletcher’s Boathouse in perfect weather for a run westward on the hard dirt C&O Canal Towpath. Gary and Arnetta took out the beginner’s group for almost an hour.


(Coach Gary and a runner went out for an hour on a run along the soft surface of the C&O Canal Towpath last Saturday. It was a great day for running. (Photo credit Jeanne.)

Kristin and Peter took out the more advanced runners to Milepost 6 and back, about five miles in about 51 minutes, a negative split, 26 minutes out and 25 minutes back.
(Peter and Amanda hit the trail. Photo credit Jeanne.)

Everybody’s form looks so much more natural since the first week. Tremendous progress is being made!


The 35th Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race was Sunday April 1st at 8 am in DC and Virginia, starting in West Potomac Park, a world-class race. No fooling. Congratulations to everyone who ran it or went to support it. This year an Ethiopian man, Tadesse Tola, won the race by a mere 3 seconds in 46:01 (4:37), breaking the stranglehold that Kenyan runners have put on the race in recent years. He missed a cash bonus for breaking 46 minutes by two seconds. An Ethiopian woman, Teyba Erkesso, won the woman’s race by over a minute in 51:44 (5:11) She broke 52 minutes and got her bonus. A week after running the National Marathon, Mayor Fenty ran the race as well, finishing in 1:08:47 (6:53). Now that’s fast! Two graduates from last summer’s 10-Mile Training Program, who sometimes run with us, ran and improved their time from the Army Ten Miler in the fall by several minutes each. Sasha ran a 1:20:58 and Mindi ran a 1:21:28. Way to go! (The Cherry Blossoms are at their peak right now! If you live or work near the Mall, use the conditioning you all have been working so hard to acquire or maintain and jog down to the Tidal Basin to view them. Here's what they looked like on Sunday, April 2nd.)

RUN ON YOUR OWN: (A runner enjoying the solitude of the trail. Photo credit Jeanne.)



This week you should run three or four times on your own, 30 to 40 minutes each time. On Saturday, each coach will take you out on a route they choose that is a little further than we went last week. Our goal race is the Capitol Hill Classic 10K (CHC) on 5/20/07 which has a serious hill in the last mile. We’re more than halfway there now so it’s time to step up your training! If you want to run the race in the spring at the conclusion of the program, you must sign up at the CHC website for the race and pay the entry fee on your own. http://www.capitolhillclassic.com/

CLUB TRACK WORKOUT:
In the meantime, go to the club’s website and look at the Wednesday evening track workout schedule at 7:15 pm every Wednesday at the Washington & Lee High School Track in Arlington. Speed workouts will make you better.

Also consider a club Hill Workout, also posted on the club’s website. I will be hosting the Hill Workout on Sunday, April 29th at 9 am and I hope to see some of you there getting ready for the hill at the CHC.

MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the program’s Forum link on the club's website. There is much interesting and pertinent information there each week.
Feel free to comment on this blog, also.

REGISTRATION FOR THE ARMY TEN MILE RACE (ATM), held on Sunday October 7, 2007 starting at the Pentagon, is now open. Undoubtedly, the club will offer a 10-Mile Training Group (TMG) Program starting in mid-summer, with the ATM as its goal race, just as it has done in the past. Last year a dozen or more TMG participants ran the ATM and did well. A 10-mile race is a natural progression from a 10K race, so consider this training program offering when it is presented. Keep checking back on the dcrrc site. In the meantime, be aware that the ATM FILLS UP. Registration closed early last year. This year the race promoters are registering 26,000 participants for the race, and in only a few days, almost a third of those spots have been taken already (over 8100). If you think you will run this race, you should consider signing up for it soon.

TRAINING HELP:
Here is a link to John Bingham’s site, aka The Penguin or Penguin running. He’s said to be a back-of-the-pack guru, but he does have a lot of training tips on his site, which is popular, and it’s laced with wit.

See you Saturday. Dress in layers, and no cotton!

35th Cherry Blossom International 10 Mile Race in DC

35th Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race.

Here in DC, the Cherry Blossoms are already at a delicate beauty today and tomorrow! Take a run around the Tidal Basin with your new found athletic ability and view them.

On Sunday, April 1, 2007, DC hosted the internationally renowned Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race. It was exciting to see! Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia set a world record by finishing in 51:44, more than a minute ahead of her nearest competitor. Since the elite women started 10 minutes early, her time technically came in a Women Only race and it was a world record time for that category. She won $6,000 plus $750 for finishing in under 52 minutes.

I was on the Memorial Bridge at MP 3 when I saw her go by. She was by herself and the rest of the elite women pursuing her were already 30 yards back. Over the bridge in Virginia, they ran around a traffic circle and came back to the District via the same bridge. This time time the small pack pursuing her was 50 yards back. The spectators lined up alongside the roadway were cheering her on to go! And she did, into the record books. Read all about her race, and the men's race, here.

Think racing isn't exciting? After I watched the leading elite men sprint past me on the bridge, a swift moving cluster of eight to ten whippet-thin dusky men followed by a lengthening strand of also-rans, I next set up at MP nine and a quarter. Shortly after forty minutes, four elite men came flying by, bunched together in a loose ball. I wondered who would break out and win? Would the people three minutes down the road be treated to a finish worthy of the 2005 NYCM? It was an Ethiopian sweep! Nineteen year-old Tadesse Tola of Ethiopia broke the Kenyans' recent stranglehold on this race and won by a mere three seconds in 46:01. He also won $6,000 but missed a bonus of $750 by two seconds.

(The elite men running by at shortly after MP 9 at the 2007 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race. I believe the winner was the third fellow, slightly behind the two front-runners. In the yellow, I think, is 2d place finisher John Yuda of Tanzania. On the right is third place finisher, and three-time winner, John Korir of Kenya. The group is passing a woman elite runner who was given a 10-minute head start.)

It was exciting! Congratulations to everyone who ran in it. A week after running in the National Marathon, Mayor Fenty ran in it.
Last year's program grads Sasha and Mindi ran in it. I hope you consider running it, or volunteering at it, or spectating along its course next year. (Above: A program alumni, in red top with black tights, is all smiles as she comes off the Memorial Bridge and goes by the Lincoln Memorial in the 2007 Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Race.)