March 30 – April 6, 2012

March 30 was my usual off day for running, so I slept in some.  However, pollen is get in the way to the quality of my sleep due to allergy was acting up; I woke up middle of the night with sinus block up and dry scratch throat.  Since it was my day off, I logged in about 12 hours of sleep two days before Cherry Blossom.  Eventually I got myself of bed in the late morning and head south to Billy Goat Trail.  Fox suggested us to hike Billy Goat to see the different scenery of DC/MD.  It was very nice and my knee didn’t bother me at all.

I went home early that night to sack and woke up around 06:00 on March 31; blew my nose till both ears popped, put some layers on, and head out for an easy four mile jog on Matthew Henson Trail.  I wasn’t trying to run hard at all; in fact, the bottom of my right foot was sore for whatever reason.  I figured it should be fine.  I ran that 4.1-mile for 30m’02s’, exactly where I wanted to run the day before a major race. 

I hurried home, down some coffee, changed clothes, and got myself into the city to volunteer in CB10’s expo.  That wasn’t a good idea since my foot was bothering me.  I stood on that marble museum floor for four hours to direct people around was not helping to ease the soreness of my foot.  However, that soreness didn’t stop there after that; I met up with friends and walk around town throughout the day; eventually, I got myself into bed around 22:00. 

April 1 is the April Fool Day and it wasn’t a joke to me.  It was a day for battle.  I got up very early, got some bagels in me, and then headed out to the starting line by metro.  I met Bain on the rail.  We arrived at the Washington Monument before daylight appears. 

Washington Monument at 06:00 on April 1, 2012

Temp was tiny little chilly, but was excellent condition for racing.  The team gather together and out for a 20-minute warm up. 

Time went by fast as everyone gear up to the start, I double went thought my checklist to see I have everything ready in place.  The plan was run 59m’59s’ to 60m’59s’ for the race.  I know I was ready for it.  Horn was blow and we were out. 

I felt very good and ready; quickly, I found my rhyme and spot Megan McNew of Fall Road Club right in front of me, which I ran with her in several occasions in the local races.  I “tagged” onto her heel and I clocked 5m’53s’, 5m’51s’, & 6m’01s’ for the first three miles. 

When we ran to mile 4 at FDR Memorial, the clock was read 24m’05s’ or so and I spot Alex Booth was about 100 meter behind me.  I thought I was doing well; but I got excited too early.  As we made a sharp right turn onto Independent Avenue and go up a slight uphill and I felt discomfort on my foot and quads.  I didn’t care and push forward.  At mile 5, I clocked 30m’31s’, average 6m’06s’. 

“Oh NO!” I realized I am not running my target pace and I need to push harder.  Course takes us into Hains Point and Megan McNew was drop about 30-second back.  Cherry Blossom trees along Ohio Drive were green, just like I said in my previous post, we have trees with green leaf instead of pink-white blossoms. 

I was clearly suffering from the fast pace and slow down significantly in the second half; around mile 8.5, three GRC ladies was come from my rare and took the lead.  I tried to response the surge from LTO and B Young, but I failed after quarter mile.  I didn’t give up, I stuck with S Hendricks; Susan was clearly also slow her pace down as BY and LTO surged harder. 

At the same time, we were just about to run out of Ohio Drive and charged up the hill in front of Bureau of Engraving, I spotted Alex Booth running on my heel.  I dug deeper, pass Susan, and photo finished with Alex at the finished.  I finished with a new personal best of the distance at 1h’01m’16s’, which 25-second PR from 2011. 

I felt good afterward and did a fifteen-minute warm down with Sea Bass and CTR.  It was hardest race I ran so far and did it in solid effort.  I logged about 1h'35m'45s' approx. 14.2 miles for the day. 

I was super-duper tired on April 2, it is not only because I ran a hard race the day before, it is mostly because I got up at 04:30 to drop friend off to BWI to catch early flight.  I didn’t bother to run that day and went to bed super early on Monday night.

I felt somewhat better on Tuesday morning.  I got to L street locker room early enough to stroll in Glover Archibald Trail.  I logged 58m’34s’ approx. 7.3 miles.

Since I am in tapering mode, then I don’t need to over work myself; so I ran somewhat easy on Wednesday morning.  I logged 34m’42s’ approx. 4.9 miles.  Thursday, I logged 56m’59s’ approx. 7.9 miles.

Today is Friday of April 6.  I woke up with sore calves and hammy, so I skip another day of running and give more rest to my body.

Tomorrow is April 7 and it is exactly one week out till Gansett Marathon.  I am going to take it super easy tomorrow’s run.  I plan to running ten miles or less on Towpath; however, not sure where I want to go, Lock 5 or Riley or … 

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