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)