John called yesterday at 7 a.m. and asked, "Do you want to do it?" I looked out the window, seeing grey threatening skies and low light but no rain and said, "Let's do it."
Thirty minutes later, our seven mile run from Bluemont Park to Shirlington and back on the W&OD Trail was underway. Hurricane Irene was offshore somewhere to the south, approaching, but although the air was incredibly moisture-laden and the skies were ominous, the weather was as yet clear. This would be the longest run for me since the Army 10-Miler two years ago at which I got hurt, a cumulative over-use type debilitating tendon injury to my left ankle.
John is getting ready for this year's Army in early October. I have no plans for any race in mind, I am just desirous of stretching out my runs, lengthening my endurance and dropping some more weight, It feels great to be out on the trail working the miles early on a Saturday morning with a friend, nodding to other runners as they pass, with the whole weekend stretching luxuriously before you by the time you finish before 9 a.m.
We did 9:45s on the way down to Shirlington and 10-somethings running uphill on the way back, finishing in 71 minutes. At the end we threw in a long, hard, exhilarating sprint trying to overtake a running Mom in the distance who was pushing a laden stroller. Our run under leaden skies had been perfect.
Showing posts with label W'OD Trail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label W'OD Trail. Show all posts
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Week 8 Sept. 1 is at Bluemont again
Week Eight Saturday September 1, 2007 at 7:30 am is at Bluemont Park in Arlington again. See the last post on this blog for detailed directions, or go to the dcrrc's Forum posting for information.
Matt's group will likely do ten miles on the W&OD Trail or the nearby Custis Trail (more hilly). I will lead Linda's group on a nine mile trek on the trails around there. Jeannie's group will do nine miles on the W&OD Trail as well, most likely westbound from MP 3.5 by the Bluemont Parking lot to Milepost 8 in Falls Church, a mile past the bicycle bridge over Route 7 (Broad Street to us who live in Falls Church, King Street to those who live in Alexandria, and Leesburg Pike to those who merely drive through and read highway signs). L
ast week's post on this blog has several links with information about the trail.
In the meantime... Run. Jeanne reports that some of you have only been running on Saturday. Naughty naughty! I was at the track workout yesterday evening. Where was everyone else? (Above. Week Six at the Memorial Bridge.)
Last week: Matt's group ran 9-10 miles on the W&OD Trail, and Kristin's group and Jeannie's group, led by Christal, ran 9 miles out and back on the W&OD Trail to half a mile past the bridge in Falls Church. It was a very hot & humid day, along the order of 105 degrees after we finished. Global warming, anyone? Fact or myth?
Next week (weeks nine and ten) we'll move to Gravelley Point in VA for two weeks before going to our last location, Haines Point (for weeks eleven and twelve).
Odds & Ends: There is a nice runner's clothing website, OMM (One More Mile) that offers a 20% discount to all dcrrc members. This is the company that this program is using to produce the unique tech shirt we'll give out to each finisher of the TMG Program. (No, you don't have to run Army to get it. But you do have to show up at practices when we hand them out.) If you visit the OMM on-line store and decide to purchase something, simply enter the code DCRR0807 for the 20% discount to be applied. (Above. Alan Webb, right, gave it his all at the World Championships in Osaka this week while finishing 8th in the 1500. The gold medal was won by American Bernard Lagat.)
Matt's group will likely do ten miles on the W&OD Trail or the nearby Custis Trail (more hilly). I will lead Linda's group on a nine mile trek on the trails around there. Jeannie's group will do nine miles on the W&OD Trail as well, most likely westbound from MP 3.5 by the Bluemont Parking lot to Milepost 8 in Falls Church, a mile past the bicycle bridge over Route 7 (Broad Street to us who live in Falls Church, King Street to those who live in Alexandria, and Leesburg Pike to those who merely drive through and read highway signs). L
ast week's post on this blog has several links with information about the trail.In the meantime... Run. Jeanne reports that some of you have only been running on Saturday. Naughty naughty! I was at the track workout yesterday evening. Where was everyone else? (Above. Week Six at the Memorial Bridge.)
Last week: Matt's group ran 9-10 miles on the W&OD Trail, and Kristin's group and Jeannie's group, led by Christal, ran 9 miles out and back on the W&OD Trail to half a mile past the bridge in Falls Church. It was a very hot & humid day, along the order of 105 degrees after we finished. Global warming, anyone? Fact or myth?
Next week (weeks nine and ten) we'll move to Gravelley Point in VA for two weeks before going to our last location, Haines Point (for weeks eleven and twelve).
Odds & Ends: There is a nice runner's clothing website, OMM (One More Mile) that offers a 20% discount to all dcrrc members. This is the company that this program is using to produce the unique tech shirt we'll give out to each finisher of the TMG Program. (No, you don't have to run Army to get it. But you do have to show up at practices when we hand them out.) If you visit the OMM on-line store and decide to purchase something, simply enter the code DCRR0807 for the 20% discount to be applied. (Above. Alan Webb, right, gave it his all at the World Championships in Osaka this week while finishing 8th in the 1500. The gold medal was won by American Bernard Lagat.)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Week 7 Aug. 25 the TMG will meet at Bluemont
Week 7 is at Bluemont Park off Wilson Boulevard in Arlington: Saturday Aug. 25 at 7:30 a.m the Ten-Mile Group (TMG) Program will meet at Bluemont Park in Arlington off Wilson Boulevard between Ballston and Seven-Corners.
Directions: Take I-66 to Ballston, South on Glebe Rd. Turn West onto Wilson Blvd., go about 1.5 miles and make a left onto N. Manchester Street and turn immediately left into the Bluemont Park parking area. There are tennis courts and a Ranger picnic shelter there with a comfort station. If that lot is full, go back to Wilson Boulevard and take a right (EB) for half a block and then turn left (north) onto N. Lexington St. and park next to the tennis courts in the Bon Air Park parking lot and walk across Wilson Boulevard to meet the TMG in the Bluemont Park parking lot. Observe parking restrictions, as the Arlington Police have been known to tow during our Bon Air races. Be careful to observe all parking restrictions around the park - do not get your vehicle towed or ticketed. For mapping purposes, search 5900 Wilson Boulevard Arlington Va 22205http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl
We'll meet at Bluemont Park for weeks 7 & 8 before moving to Gravelly Point in Virginia. A prior post both here and on the dcrrc webpage Forum (TMG chat room) has the full twelve week schedule.
Plan of Action for Week 7: You all should be running three or four times a week by now, no exceptions, three to five miles at a time. Go to club track workouts on Wednesday night as one of those runs.
Next Saturday (8/25) your coach will tell you what to do, but for Linda's group and Jeannie's group it will be four miles WB on the W&OD from Bluemont (MP 3.5) to MP 7.5 and back again. Eight miles total. Simple! An out-and-back. There is a water fountain just past (west of) Lee Highway between mile markers 5.5 and 6.
MP 7.5, the turnaround point, is one half mile past the bicycle bridge over Route 7 (see if you can spot the MP 7 marker on the bridge) just before you get to your next street intersection cutting across the trail, which is Shreve Road. If you cross Shreve Road, you've gone too far and you're on your own. If you wind up in Vienna, well, you've really gone a long way and should consider taking Metro back to East Falls Church (MP 5).
Matt's Group will do what Matt's Group does.
Last Week: Week 6, Aug. 18, was a mild morning and we took advantage of it by running a lot of miles at Fletcher's. Matt's Group went nine miles towards Bethesda on the Capital Crescent; Linda took her group 8 miles through Georgetown on the C&O, down Rock Creek Park, over the Memorial Bridge to Virginia, back over the Key Bridge and back to Fletcher's. Jeannie went 7 miles on the C&O between the Key Bridge and the Chain Bridge. Everyone ran really well. Homeland Security was called about the suspicious nature of our water cooler.
Run happy!
Directions: Take I-66 to Ballston, South on Glebe Rd. Turn West onto Wilson Blvd., go about 1.5 miles and make a left onto N. Manchester Street and turn immediately left into the Bluemont Park parking area. There are tennis courts and a Ranger picnic shelter there with a comfort station. If that lot is full, go back to Wilson Boulevard and take a right (EB) for half a block and then turn left (north) onto N. Lexington St. and park next to the tennis courts in the Bon Air Park parking lot and walk across Wilson Boulevard to meet the TMG in the Bluemont Park parking lot. Observe parking restrictions, as the Arlington Police have been known to tow during our Bon Air races. Be careful to observe all parking restrictions around the park - do not get your vehicle towed or ticketed. For mapping purposes, search 5900 Wilson Boulevard Arlington Va 22205http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl
We'll meet at Bluemont Park for weeks 7 & 8 before moving to Gravelly Point in Virginia. A prior post both here and on the dcrrc webpage Forum (TMG chat room) has the full twelve week schedule.
Plan of Action for Week 7: You all should be running three or four times a week by now, no exceptions, three to five miles at a time. Go to club track workouts on Wednesday night as one of those runs.
Next Saturday (8/25) your coach will tell you what to do, but for Linda's group and Jeannie's group it will be four miles WB on the W&OD from Bluemont (MP 3.5) to MP 7.5 and back again. Eight miles total. Simple! An out-and-back. There is a water fountain just past (west of) Lee Highway between mile markers 5.5 and 6.
MP 7.5, the turnaround point, is one half mile past the bicycle bridge over Route 7 (see if you can spot the MP 7 marker on the bridge) just before you get to your next street intersection cutting across the trail, which is Shreve Road. If you cross Shreve Road, you've gone too far and you're on your own. If you wind up in Vienna, well, you've really gone a long way and should consider taking Metro back to East Falls Church (MP 5).
Matt's Group will do what Matt's Group does.
Last Week: Week 6, Aug. 18, was a mild morning and we took advantage of it by running a lot of miles at Fletcher's. Matt's Group went nine miles towards Bethesda on the Capital Crescent; Linda took her group 8 miles through Georgetown on the C&O, down Rock Creek Park, over the Memorial Bridge to Virginia, back over the Key Bridge and back to Fletcher's. Jeannie went 7 miles on the C&O between the Key Bridge and the Chain Bridge. Everyone ran really well. Homeland Security was called about the suspicious nature of our water cooler.
Run happy!
Monday, April 16, 2007
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.
.jpg)
(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.
.jpg)
(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!
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.
.jpg)
(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.
.jpg)
(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!
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