Start time: 3/1/12, 5:50am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 6.42 miles
Average pace: 9:50min/mile
Total Miles For March: 6 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 194 miles
Current Shoes: 227 miles

Shorts again! I sure could get used to this whole “spring weather” thing.

Start time: 2/28/12, 5:50am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 10:38min/mile
Total Miles For February: 104 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 188 miles
Current Shoes: 221 miles

Met Ben this morning for an easy 5-miler. Upper right thigh is still a tiny bit sore from the impact of wiping out on Saturday, but other than that, not bad. Also ordered some more running shoes; there’s a new model out so I was able to get the model I’ve been using for over a third off as they get rid of the merchandise. (So I bought two pairs! I’ll use em.)

Start time: 2/25/12, 7:00am
Location: National Mall, Penn Quarter, Shaw, U Street, Mass Ave, Capitol Hill, RFK Stadium, Nationals Park, Waterfront, Rock Creek Park, Georgetown, Cap Crescent…
Distance: 23 miles
Average pace: 11:16min/mile
Total Miles For February: 99 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 183 miles
Current Shoes: 216 miles

Last long run before the race. John ran the first 13 or so miles with me and Ben, then we dropped him off at the starting point and hacked out the rest, or at least that was the plan. All we had to deal with was a sudden series of heavy flurries of snow, and then 25-30mph headwinds. Oof.

Ben’s last long run had been 18 miles, so while we were doing the last 10-mile stretch (which would’ve been 5-out-and-then-back), he asked if we could turn around a mile earlier, so he’d only be jumping to 21 miles. Sounded more than reasonable to me, so we did just that and my plan was to run the last two on my own. I’d been having some stomach/internal problems at the start of the run in the morning, and they’d returned around mile 17 so I was having serious doubts about finishing the run myself.

Once we got back (21 miles in), though, I walked a quarter mile, my stomach settled down, and I finished up the run. Well, rather, first I tripped and fell at mile 22.5, then I finished the run. One small scrape on an arm, and what feels like a bruise on a thigh, but otherwise everything appears to be in working order despite my wipeout.

Not my most graceful long run—ok, it was agony for a lot—but it’s done.

Hmmm. Perhaps it would be worth getting new shoes before the marathon.

Start time: 2/23/12, 6:00am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 4.24 miles
Average pace: 9:42min/mile
Total Miles For February: 76 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 160 miles
Current Shoes: 193 miles

On Monday morning (preparing to fly home) I found myself coming down with a cold, so I skipped all exercise for Mon-Wed, and did a shortened run on Thursday with John. Aside from a runny nose at times, no real problems. It’s nice when a cold ends up being short-lived.

Start time: 2/14/12, 5:50am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 6.35 miles
Average pace: 10:26min/mile
Total Miles For February: 58 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 142 miles
Current Shoes: 175 miles

Sort of last track of my run at the end when I was by myself and did a bit of moseying before I snapped out of it, but not a bad one. Will probably run while on vacation, but how much and where is still TBD.

Start time: 2/12/12, 7:00am
Location: National Mall, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, Hains Point
Distance: 14.07 miles
Average pace: 10:45min/mile
Total Miles For February: 52 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 136 miles
Current Shoes: 169 miles

Just me, John, and Ben; a subdued but pleasant run.

Start time: 2/9/12, 5:47am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 6.36 miles
Average pace: 10:01min/mile
Total Miles For February: 38 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 122 miles
Current Shoes: 155 miles

John was back (yay!), but otherwise an unremarkable run.

Start time: 2/7/12, 5:50am
Location: National Mall
Distance: 6.14 miles
Average pace: 10:19min/mile
Total Miles For February: 32 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 116 miles
Current Shoes: 149 miles

Ran with Ben this morning and it wasn’t bad, but I was definitely feeling Saturday’s run in the second half. Oof. I cut back on today’s rowing, so that’s something.

Start time: 2/4/12, 7:00am
Location: National Mall, Rock Creek Park, National Zoo, Connecticut Ave, White House, Hains Point, Mt. Vernon Trail
Distance: 20 miles
Average pace: 10:32min/mile
Total Miles For February: 26 miles
Total Miles For 2012: 110 miles
Current Shoes: 143 miles

Oh 20 miles, how I’ve not missed you. Ran two routes strung together; first down to Rock Creek Park, up to the Zoo, and then back (at which point we refilled water bottles), then headed over to Hains Point, the Mt. Vernon Trail, and then back along the Mall via Memorial Bridge. And to keep things confusing, the line-ups were:

Miles 1-10: Me, Jim, Michael, Steve, Ben, Stephanie, Rich
Miles 11-20: Me, Jim, Michael, John

Originally Steve and Ben were supposed to run all 20, but Steve’s coming down with a cold and decided to cut it short, and Ben at the last minute said he wasn’t feeling up to the second half. As Jim, Michael, and John are all much faster than me (coupled with John also feeling rather fresh at the start of the second half) meant that I spent most of miles 16-20 falling behind, occasionally catching up when they slowed down, then falling behind again. Slightly demoralizing but ah well. Some days you can keep up with the others, some days… not so much.