Start time: 7/30/09, 7:15am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 8:12min/mile
Total Miles For July: 80 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 459 miles

80 miles! I can’t remember the last time I’ve done that much in a month, which is kind of sad.

I was originally going to title this post something like, “Too much exercise.” Monday I ran in the morning and swam in the evening. Tuesday was running. Wednesday was rowing machine followed by spinning class. And then more running this morning. So when I was out there I was feeling sluggish and slow and I was envisioning a 39 minute finish time for my 4-miler. Well, as it turned out, 32:46. So I guess I wasn’t moving that sluggishly after all, oops. All in all, very pleased. Nice jump in speed for me. Let’s see if I can maintain this into next week or not.

Also, mental note to myself: time to get new shoes soon. At just about the 300-mile mark. (Already.)

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3024271

Start time: 7/27/09, 7:15am
Location: Local neighborhood
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 8:42min/mile
Total Miles For July: 72 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 451 miles

Charlie surprised me last night with a request to go running this morning. I’ve got swimming in the morning, but a quick four-miler sounded nice. So, off on the 4-mile loop we went. It was a nice easy-going run, and it hadn’t gotten too cloudy/humid just yet.

Start time: 7/25/09, 6:45am
Location: Rock Creek Park
Distance: 16 miles
Average pace: 10:25min/mile
Total Miles For July: 68 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 447 miles

It is one hot and humid day here in DC. To try and beat the heat we got up eaaaaaarly, although it was just a small group; me, Michael, Jim, Steve, and (for a few miles) Steve’s partner Mickey. We ran through a lot of Rock Creek on the Maryland side of the border, which was thankfully shady, but still really humid. My poor GPS went utterly berserk, though, not liking all that tree cover one bit. (Seriously nuts.) I’m thinking I might just break down and get the new Forerunner that has the foot pod instead of a GPS and just be done with it. Anyway, a little slower than normal because of the heat, but at the same time I felt much stronger than last week the whole way through. So, not bad.

(And then afterwards Mickey made us breakfast burritos! Delicious!)

Start time: 7/23/09, 7:15am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:19min/mile
Total Miles For July: 52 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 431 miles

I was going to run a short 3-mile loop this morning; I’d been having some more stomach issues this morning and I didn’t want to head out too long/far just in case. It went well enough, except I made a wrong turn at some point (it was a new loop) and added on about an extra quarter mile. No big deal, obviously, but it was kind of funny when I was thinking, “And now I’ll end up on 5th Street… so wait, why is that Wilson Boulevard instead?” Oopsie.

Start time: 7/21/09, 7:10am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 8:30min/mile
Total Miles For July: 49 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 428 miles

In my continuing quest to find the perfect 4-mile loop, I changed mine up again this morning; I took out most of 10th Street and all of Wilson Boulevard, cutting over early on to Pershing. It’s less active so there’s less to look at, but it’s also more shaded and quiet and has less cars. Plus, this way I can keep in the 2nd Street South portion, so it’s mostly a win. (Well, aside from some more “issues” on the run. Getting old, getting old.)

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3024271

Start time: 7/18/09, 6:30am
Location: All over DC
Distance: 14 miles
Average pace: 10:06min/mile
Total Miles For July: 45 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 424 miles

Phew! Been a while since I had a 6:30am start… and did quite so many hills. The run started out well; we went from the SW Waterfront to Hains Point, then over the 14th St Bridge into Virginia where we ran up the Mt. Vernon Trail along the Potomac all the way to where it ends at the Key Bridge. That wasn’t so bad, but then once we went over Key Bridge we started heading up 34th Street… and up… and up… and up… yeeeeaaah. Hills and I don’t get along so much these days, especially since they are where I injure myself. But I survived, thankfully, and after we went around the Naval Observatory and down Mass Ave it wasn’t so bad. From there it was pretty simple (P St to Connecticut to Lafayette Square to the Mall) and aside from missing a light at the very end and suddenly ending up half a block behind everyone else (oops), pretty enjoyable.

More importantly it sure does feel good to have burnt off about 1600 calories. I swear, at times this is why I still run. My waistline demands it!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3015563

Start time: 7/16/09, 7:30am
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 4 miles
Average pace: 8:44min/mile
Total Miles For July: 31 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 410 miles

The humidity is back, bleah. With today, unfortunately, was also some stomach distress during the last mile. At first it required a walk break, then it required hurrying up a bit. Oh well. Also, I altered the route a tiny bit and that was a mistake; I now remember why I don’t run along Route 50 in-between Glebe and Washington Boulevard. Lots of tiny little hills and sucking down car exhaust. No thanks.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3009671

Start time: 7/14/09, 8:00pm
Location: North Arlington
Distance: 3 miles
Average pace: 8:05min/mile
Total Miles For July: 27 miles
Total Miles For 2009: 406 miles

Hmmm. Guess that 3-mile time from last week wasn’t that far off. (Why can’t I do this in a 5K?) The last two days at work have been uber-stressful, so it was nice to go out for a quick 3-miler this evening (I’d wanted to run this morning but poor sleep the night before prevented it) and shake off some of the stress.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3005448