Start time: 4/15/10, 5:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:32min/mile
Total Miles For April: 32 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 213 miles

It’s funny how sometimes it’s the little things that bug you. I was going to run before work on Thursday but I didn’t sleep well, so at the last second I decided I’d run immediately after work, before some evening engagements. This meant running out on the W&OD where it exits Vienna and heads towards Reston. And while the temperatures were only in the mid-70s, the sun was out and shining bright, and there is absolutely no shade at all on that stretch of the trail. After a slightly too-fast start, I ended up paying for it big time in the second half; I felt overheated and exhausted, and towards the end of the mile 4 (and start of mile 5) I ended up walking for about 90 seconds, so that I could rally for the rest of the last mile.

On the one bright side, it is nice to finally get confirmation that there is a gradual drop on the way out (about 150 feet) and then climb on the way back; I’d always suspected as much but was never 100% sure. The new Garmin 405CX is working wonderfully. The difference between it and my old 301 is huge.

There’s a good chance I’ll run this same stretch again on Sunday, on a day which should be a lot cooler; it’ll be interesting to see how that goes, if so.

(7:44, 8:05, 8:14, 9:32, 9:05)

Start time: 4/8/10, 6:30am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 9:00min/mile
Total Miles For April: 19 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 200 miles

Got up early today to knock out my run before work, and I was still yawning when I headed out the door. Not a bad run, but I was definitely feeling tiiiiiiiiired in the fourth and fifth miles. Go to bed even earlier next time, I guess. On the bright side, the Garmin clocked exactly 5 miles for the loop that I’d mapped out, and the old one was never even remotely that accurate, so yay!

(8:45, 8:35, 8:58, 9:26, 9:16)

Start time: 4/1/10, 6:30pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:35min/mile
Total Miles For April: 5 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 186 miles

That was a nice run. Spring has definitely sprung, and after work I did a run up the W&OD Trail from marker 3.5 to 6 and then back. I ran into Pam Riker while doing my pre-run stretch, which was definitely the high point of the evening, though! But yeah, definitely a keeper.

(8:30, 8:58, 8:26, 8:38, 8:21)

Start time: 3/16/10, 8:00am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:34min/mile
Total Miles For March: 43 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 162 miles

I ended up not running over the weekend due to weather, and I paid for it this morning. Or at least I’m assuming that was part of it; the other part was still being slightly off kilter due to the time shift over the weekend. I actually set my alarm for a little before 6am, thinking I’d be out there by 7am. I hadn’t counted on it now being dark at 7am, which made it verrrrry difficult to get out of bed.

Anyway, not a bad pace at all, but I felt nothing short of wiped out.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3548545

Start time: 3/8/10, 6:00pm
Location: W&OD Trail
Distance: 5 miles
Average pace: 8:51min/mile
Total Miles For March: 27 miles
Total Miles For 2010: 146 miles

Wow, it was a beautiful day in the DC area today—almost 60 degrees! After work I went for a quick run on the W&OD Trail, which was mostly nice… well, except for the nasty, algae smell coming from Four Mile Run. Bleah. That water smells rather horrendous today. None the less, it was nice to just get out and knock out a few miles.

(8:38, 8:56, 9:09, 9:05, 8:25)