Running resumed when I got back to Florida on Friday. I did a challenging 4-mile descending progression run Friday morning; six hot and humid miles yesterday after sleeping in and letting the temps rise.
Today I woke early and started on my 15 mile scheduled run at 6:20 a.m. I knocked off 3.5 miles before reaching downtown to run with the Sunday pack. Most of them were friskier than me because they were going shorter distances I succumbed to running a mile then walking a minute throughout.
Chris joined me on the latter half of the run when the shorties dropped off. We averaged 11 minute miles for the morning which suited me, just because I was able to get it done. As the training ramps up, I expect "today's" long run to get easier and the 20-plussers to be more of a pain.
7.13.2008
Quality time with Jeanne
Jeanne and NOD and I sat in the drizzle waiting for the fireworks while sitting in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial over in Arlington Cemetery.
We were across the river from the big crowds but we could see it fine. The best part was the Metro wait was short - a relative term - afterwards.
On Tuesday night I took Jeanne to her first Washington Nationals game. They played the Arizona Diamondbacks. We saw some unusual plays including two balks followed by an argument and ejection. Neither team scored an earned run but the D-backs won 2-0.
It's a nice ballpark down by the Navy Pier in Washington. The street life outside is minimal and TV ratings are absolutely horrible. What is strange is that the Nats draw well at the gate and lots of folks where the gear: caps, shirts, etc.
Jeanne knows quite a bit about baseball for somebody who has been to very few games in her illustrious sporting life. She liked the seats and atmosphere so much that she stayed way past her bedtime.Walter Street 4th Party
Welcome to the 9th Annual Walter Street Independence Day Street Party. The parade of athletes concluded with the lighting of the tiki torch. Then it was on to the events.
Jeanne, NOD and NOD's BF take in some of the spirited competition.
The limbo was popular. Even Jeanne tried one round through. Alas, she was smart enough to rule herself out early on.
The doggy events bordered on cruel and unusual. These poor pups were told to keep their heads out of the buckets (filled with cool drinking water) and then, after a time the whistle blew, and they were urged to bob for tennis balls. Most balls pulled out determined the winner. Most dogs just had a drink following the lead of the adults.
7.06.2008
On the streets of Washington
It's been a whirlwind 48 hours in the nation's capitol. Friday I woke Jeanne up while waiting for my luggage (at 2 in the afternoon!) Two hours later she met me at my hotel and we were quickly on the Metro heading to Capitol Hill for the 9th annual Independence Day street party over on Walter Street, a short one block residential lane.
Jeanne wangled the invite from resident Anthony and he was kind enough to let us run wild - in a manner of speaking - for the afternoon as we waited for the say-can-you see fireworks spectacular at 9:10. There were neighbors manning two grills, a full blown sound system and music mix, plenty of food and drink, an interesting blend of residents. We donned name tags and mixed and mingled. Jeanne's NOD appeared with the SO and all was well.
Then we were treated to the parade of athletes for the Walter Street Olympics. Darn, I wish I had my camera cables because I'd show you the zaniness now. You'll have to wait until Thursday when I get home. Anyway, the parade and lighting of the olympic (tiki) torch was conducted by a man wearing a flamingo on his head and swimming flippers on his feet. Everything in between worked with that, believe me.
For the next three hours there were numerous game of skill and foolishness. Jeanne and I participated in the water balloon-tossing contest and lifesaver relay. We and our teammates in the relay (NOD, SO and a recruited ringer named Nicole) eaned silver medals for our efforts. We avoided the hula hoop spinning, egg on a spoon relay, limbo and numerous others that you will never see in Beijing.
The hilarity crested with the several canine competitor events. Jeanne has a few pics posted until mine go up. All in all it was the only way to do the 4th in DC.
Instead of fighting the Mall crowd and the impossible Metro traffic to follow, we trekked over to the Iwo Jima Memorial and watched the rockets' red glare from the embankments where the Marine Corps Marathon ended for me mercifully two years ago. [hey - had to get some running in here somehow].
After sitting in a drizzle for 20 minutes the fireworks exploded and the rain stopped. Everyone who had been huddling under umbrellas now stood up to watch. Everybody behind us screamed in perfect American holiday tradition, "Sit down! Down in front!" Didn't happen.
Saturday I made my presentation to the conference that brought me here and was surprisingly flattered by the spontaneous applause when I finished. Nobody else got that response. Yea me.
Runnign short. After the meetings I had to see if I could run any better than Friday morning in Orlando (That had been a pitiful 3 mile effort). I jogged over to the trail along the Potomac near National Airport and put in 4.4 miles at 10:35 pace. At least everything worked, although the spicy black bean soup from lunch was reminding me of Food Poisoning Monday.
Running long. Sunday morning Peter came by to pick me up at 7 a.m. We drove up to the Arlington Cemetery and set out on a 10+ mile run from the Iwo Jima Memorial across the bridge to DC and along the mall, up Capitol Hill, east to RFK Stadium and then back.
Jeanne wangled the invite from resident Anthony and he was kind enough to let us run wild - in a manner of speaking - for the afternoon as we waited for the say-can-you see fireworks spectacular at 9:10. There were neighbors manning two grills, a full blown sound system and music mix, plenty of food and drink, an interesting blend of residents. We donned name tags and mixed and mingled. Jeanne's NOD appeared with the SO and all was well.
Then we were treated to the parade of athletes for the Walter Street Olympics. Darn, I wish I had my camera cables because I'd show you the zaniness now. You'll have to wait until Thursday when I get home. Anyway, the parade and lighting of the olympic (tiki) torch was conducted by a man wearing a flamingo on his head and swimming flippers on his feet. Everything in between worked with that, believe me.
For the next three hours there were numerous game of skill and foolishness. Jeanne and I participated in the water balloon-tossing contest and lifesaver relay. We and our teammates in the relay (NOD, SO and a recruited ringer named Nicole) eaned silver medals for our efforts. We avoided the hula hoop spinning, egg on a spoon relay, limbo and numerous others that you will never see in Beijing.
The hilarity crested with the several canine competitor events. Jeanne has a few pics posted until mine go up. All in all it was the only way to do the 4th in DC.
Instead of fighting the Mall crowd and the impossible Metro traffic to follow, we trekked over to the Iwo Jima Memorial and watched the rockets' red glare from the embankments where the Marine Corps Marathon ended for me mercifully two years ago. [hey - had to get some running in here somehow].
After sitting in a drizzle for 20 minutes the fireworks exploded and the rain stopped. Everyone who had been huddling under umbrellas now stood up to watch. Everybody behind us screamed in perfect American holiday tradition, "Sit down! Down in front!" Didn't happen.
Saturday I made my presentation to the conference that brought me here and was surprisingly flattered by the spontaneous applause when I finished. Nobody else got that response. Yea me.
Runnign short. After the meetings I had to see if I could run any better than Friday morning in Orlando (That had been a pitiful 3 mile effort). I jogged over to the trail along the Potomac near National Airport and put in 4.4 miles at 10:35 pace. At least everything worked, although the spicy black bean soup from lunch was reminding me of Food Poisoning Monday.
Running long. Sunday morning Peter came by to pick me up at 7 a.m. We drove up to the Arlington Cemetery and set out on a 10+ mile run from the Iwo Jima Memorial across the bridge to DC and along the mall, up Capitol Hill, east to RFK Stadium and then back.
I started too quickly and it cost me later but I was not phased. I had good company and plenty of sites to see. We stopped at the Vietnam War Memorial, RFK Stadium, the Korean War Memorial, World War II Memorial and ... let's see did I miss any wars? Oh, and we ran by the "idiot's house" too.
Peter snapped a bunch of photos of me posing as the Runner Tourist. We hiked up to the Lincoln Memorial before finishing our run along the same dastardly half mile of that Marine Corps Marathon back in Arlington.
It's been a lot of fun so far. More to come. DC never gets old. Best of all, I am now an official member of the DC Runners Club thanks to Peter who knighted me and then gave me a club running shirt. Woo hoo.
7.04.2008
Sure fire way to lose weight
NEW AND IMPROVED!! Lose weight now the old-fashioned way. With FoodPoisoning! Yes, you too can lose 2.5 percent body weight in just three short days by eating a corned beef reuben at Sh_ke_s Deli on Edgewater. Just listen to what Thin Trader had to say:
- "I couldn't eat. I couldn't open my eyes to even watch food on TV. There's no TV in the bathroom anyway. I gave up beer and everything. It was horrible. But, hey; I lost four pounds!"
So the next time a 15-miler doesn't take it off for you just stop by Sh_ke_s for a dose of what's not good for you.
Ta ta. I am off to the nation's capitol today to find Jeanne on the Mall tonight for the fireworks show. I'm sure we'll meet up. Then again, maybe later in the weekend she'll finally check her answering machine and call me back and we might run.
Update 3:30 p.m. I woke Jeanne up from a nap and she's taking me to a DC street party behind Capitol Hill tonight and then to the Mall for fireworks; and DC Spinster Peter called and we're booked for a run Sunday morning. This is working out great. I have a Nationals game in mind for Tuesday night too. Anybody want to go?
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