March 22 – March 29, 2012

I didn’t feel like do anything on 03/22.  I felt like dragging all day long, instead of running or doing anything, I went out for an hour long walk in the Mall during lunch break, and walk home from metro; logged about six miles of easy walking.

On Friday morning, I went out for the last long run off the marathon training.  I tried to get out of bed early and start to run at 07:00; but I didn’t try hard enough.  I stay up somewhat late on Thursday night due to chatted with a new friend, then out of bed around 08:00 on Friday morning, and started my run around 10:00.  It was a tough day to run, temp was around mid-60s when I started, and climbed up to upper 70s when finished.  I stopped at every single water fountain for water during the 23 miles run. 

Before I started, I thought I was up for easily (could say it in Snow’s tone), since I self-claim as a Texan from the years that I lived in Texas Republic; but I must say this regrettably – my body can no longer to allow me to exercise in warmer climate (however, I still very much a Texan by heart).  I en-routed from my house onto Matthew Henson Trail to East West HWY, via Jones Bridge Road, then get on Rock Creek Park Trail to run home.  I finished with the 23.1 miles run with a time of 2h’59m’47s’. 

I felt overly dehydrate and tire.  I drown myself two or three big bottle of Gatorade, water, and energy recovery drink as I set on the floor.  After an hour or so, I felt better, and be able to got myself stand up to make myself some food.  I went to bed that night with soreness on both legs (IT Bands and hamstrings).  I debated to myself not to run Piece of Cake as a race. 

I spend a day relaxing on Saturday and spend an evening with a dozen of GRC teammate to celebrate Joey Wiggy turned into an old fart like myself.

Sunday morning, I got up early, drove up to Seneca Park, and volunteer in the Piece of Cake 10K.  After I arrived, I learn the MCRRC Boston group also ran their 22+ miles long run the day before.  I guess they are not running the race as a race.  Time goes by fast when you busy with work.  By 09:00, the flag was up, and everyone was out. 

I started easy with Jeff Mehr and Lee Firestone.  As we stroll down the park road, everyone shift their gear into their own pace, and I was too.  MCRRC has several races in Seneca throughout the year on the same ole hilly road.  There is not much to talk about this race, other than everyone was running the race as a recover run and treated it as the last 10K of a marathon.  I hit each mile as follow: 6m’45.36s’, 6m’13.49s’, 6m’38.92s’, 6m’34.21s’, 6m’15.26s’, 6m’25.27s’, & 2m’14.20s’ (0.4 mile).  I finished with a time of 41m'06s'; not a PR, but a good solid training run as I gearing toward Cherry and Gansett.

After the race, we spend some fun time in the MCRRC Annual meeting to have a brunch together.  My evening in the event of FCWR was also pleasant and met some very beautiful people; I hope these new friends can keep in touch as time goes by.

I took Monday off from running, since I am officially into tapering for Gansett Marathon. 

I (tried) run very easy on Tuesday morning, logged 53m’28.81s’ approx. 7.24 miles. 

Wednesday is my usual workout day, since I just ran a 23-miler and Cherry Blossom Ten Mile is on Sunday; so I decide to have an easy tempo repeat.  I planned to run 2x2 miles with 12:10 and 12:00, respectively.  However, I was in the mood for that and my left knee was arguing with me.  Then I decided at the last minute to change my workout to 6x3m’ repeat with 3m’ break in between, with 2@6:05 pace, 2@6:00 pace, & 2@5:55 pace.  Splits are following:  

	Distance (Mile)	Splits	Minutes per Mile
Warm Up	2.01	15m’12.12s’
Tempo 1	0.50	3m’03.60s’	6m’05s’ Pace
Recovery 1	0.32	2m’57.92s’
Tempo 2	0.48	3m’01.55s’	6m’18s’ Pace
Recovery 2	0.36	3m’01.12s’
Tempo 3	0.58	3m’03.80s’	5m’17s’ Pace
Recovery 3	0.30	2m’56.72s’
Tempo 4	0.52	3m’05.03s’	5m’56s’ Pace
Recovery 4	0.32	2m’54.72s’
Tempo 5	0.55	3m’14.55s’	5m’54s’ Pace
Recovery 5	0.28	2m’36.05s’
Tempo 6	0.52	3m’04.35s’	5m’55s’ Pace
Warm Down	1.40	10m’41.00s’
Total	8.14	58m’51.23s’	7m’20s' per mile

I felt pretty good after this.   I think I am in shape for a new PR in Cherry this weekend by looking splits after this workout; however, my legs did felt sore after the sixth.  The warm down was especially tough, but I managed.

Just a little under 24 hours later, I woke up sore and tired on Thursday morning.  I was going to run across Key Bridge and back to work on Fourteenth Street Bridge as I metro into town; when I get to L street locker room, I changed my mind.  I decided to venture to Glover Archibald Trail.  I was very sore, sorer than I expected.  I ran the first part pretty easily, then when I jogged out GA Trail and cross Reservoir Rd, onto the GA Trail again.  My mind wonder off to something else while I jog down the trail, my left foot stepped onto a slippery rock and tripped my right foot, next thing I know, my all four were on the dirt trail, and roll over onto my back. 

I laid on the dirt trail for a little while and felt my heart was racing fast.  The first thought was, ‘Oh Frack!  Am I okay race on Sunday? ’ I lay on the trail feeling the cold breeze and sensing my body part – just want to make sure I didn't broke anything. 

I slowly got up, walk some very slowly, jog few steps, then off I go again extreme easy.  I got myself back to locker room after all; I logged 59m’20s’ of easy jogging, approx. 7.5 miles.  I went to the Heath Unit at work and had the nurse clean it up.  We don’t think I broke anything, just scratched some skin off, and little trail rash on right outer shin skin.  I think will be okay to race on Sunday morning after proper warm up, I might have a few step of stiff knee, but I am sure will be fine.

I was planning to hike in Billy Goat Trail tomorrow with friends out of town as cross train.  I am not sure now; I’ll see what I can do on those trails…

More detail about Cherry Blossom Ten Miles will comes later...

March 1 – March 5, 2012

My legs were stiff and heavy on the first morning of March after the leap-day workout.  I got to work in the early morning and ran easy for 50m’03s’ approx. 6.7 miles.  I felt much better the next day (03/02/2012) and abled to run 37m’51s’ approx. 5.1 miles with no soreness. 

NOAA was forecasted to rain on Saturday morning; I woke up at 06:30 on March 3, I noticed the road was wet and rain drop was coming down.  I excused myself back into bed to avoid run in the cold rain.  Weather was clear out toward later morning and turned sunny in afternoon.  I gear up and left home around 15:30 onto MH Trail toward the Line.  It was surely wet everywhere, big puddle of water block my way on RCP trail where I almost need to swim across. 

I was wearing a thin layer of tan top when I started my run, temperature was at 59 degree and drop down to 48 when I finished.  Since I was using large amount of energy and my core temperature was drop with the outdoor change.  I was pretty shaky when I get to the end.  Aside from that, I think I didn’t take enough of water when I was on the run.  I felt so dehydrated, cold, and not in mood to eat anything.  I randomly grab some bites of pre-made noodle; then took a very long hot shower and cover myself with several layers of clothes afterward.  The long detail is here. 

I went to bed pretty early on Saturday night and woke up so bloody late on Sunday (03/04/2012) morning.   Then I spend the day, drowning myself with fluid.  I finally was feeling better toward the end of night.  I guess lesson learn here is that I should cover myself with little more clothes when temperature change so dramatically toward the end of my run and always drink more water.

This morning (03/05/2012) when I woke up, I felt strong and not as sore as I was expected; but I still going to take another off-day.  I am planning to walk home from Glenmont station later on; that should help me recover more for tomorrow morning easy 6-mile run.

November 19 – November 21, 2011

11/19/2011 – It was good day with good weather.  I ran around Matthew Hanson Trail for 38m’05s’, approx. 4.7 miles; very easy and relax.

11/20/2011 – I had my alarm to goes off at 05:30, but I pressed snooze and went to sleep; then didn’t get out of bed till 06:15.  By the time I get myself together and drove to Susanna Lane is already 07:20.  I was late.  I was late to start my run, so late that traffice will pick up in G-town if I ran up Wisconsin Avenue from K at 08:30.  Good planning, but bad execution.  Oh well, plan change.

Since I couldn’t run up Wisconsin, then I picked my route on hillier portion of Rock Creep Park with two loops of zoo-loop, via Tilden St.  Detail is here.  Before the weekend, I was planning to run a solid 21-miler; but I actually ran 23.1 miles, but I used less time to covered same ground compare to 11/30/2011 (ran 23.8 miles with 3h'01m').   I finished with 62 mile for the week. 

However, I think this long run means I am stronger than three weeks ago and I know I will be ready for Tucson Marathon.  Now, I am officially into taper... 

http://www.tucsonmarathon.com/

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Here is a small piece of insight for the 2012 and 2013 fall race schedule.  By looking at the calendar, my (annualized) birthday is on a Saturday of 2012 and a Sunday of 2013.  That means I MUST run a marathon on each of those days.  I hope they have more races open up by the time comes.  Feel free to post a comment or suggestion if you think of a good race and idea...

October 29 - November 1, 2011

10/29/2011 – The soreness of the left fade away as I go out of bed on Saturday.  I rode metro down to Armory and help out in Running Company’s booth in MCM Expo.  It was my first ever working in the retail industry.  I didn’t know anything about how to sell anything; thanks for Ben, Wilson, and Victor show me how get the job done.  The job is not complicate, but the hour of standing is tough, and it remind me of time when I was wait table back in the day.  Time went by fast when you are busy, I left there around 20:00, then I got myself home around 21:00, and then hit the sack around 22:30. 

10/30/2011 – I woke up dark and early; made myself some coffee and bagels as pre-run fuel.  By 06:45, I was ready to roll; but I looked outside, it still in complete darkness.  I decided to wait for a few.  At 07:15, sky started brighten some, I strolled down Rippling Brook, and began my 23-miler run.  After Saturday’s frozen rain, the wooden portion of Matthew Hanson Trail was wet and icy.  I slow my pace down and slowing gets over that quarter mile long bridge.  I ran very slowly due limit sighting and notable black ice on the trail.  However, I gotta agree with Red-fox’s description of fall in Rock Creek Trail (http://jakeklim.blogspot.com/2011/10/it-was-arguably-worst-weather-to-run-in.html); autumn in Rock Creek Park is truly beautiful and made my run easier. 

I turned around on 10.9-mile on RCP Trail and MD-410.  The return trip was much easier after temperature rose significantly after sunrise.  Sine I have an older model of Garmin watch and signal lost due I ran in Connecticut Avenue tunnel; I only have 20 mile or so with a time of 2h’39m’24s’ when I get to Georgia Avenue and MHT; so in order to avoid under train, I decided to run for three hours, rather than by distance.  I mapped my run on GP and get a total approx. distance of 23.82 miles for total running time of 3h’01m’15s’, average 7m’39s’ per mile.  I finished with 62 miles for the week.  I felt generally fine after the run and I stretched a few. 

Around 12:30, I got myself onto a massage table in PMTI and I have an excellent graduate student-therapist.  After last time, I decided not to save the dollars to get a decent and more skillful therapist for my post 23-miler massage.  Around 13:35, I was up and walking around without much soreness that I used to feel after an extra-long-run.  I spoke briefly with coaches about this experience.  They are glad about my training and still suggest me to take next two days off/very easy; which I had that plan already.

Also, congratulate to the huge Personal Bests in MCM for B. Young and C. Solane.  Great job guys!

10/31/2011 – The massage was great for muscles; but soreness still bother my joints.  I felt tire after a solid 9-hour sleep.  I think it must have something to do with my body try to recover from Sunday’s long run and partly from Akron Marathon.  I decided to be wise not to run on Monday and Tuesday. 

Monday is also Halloween.  It is a least favorite “holiday” for me.  I think give out free candy to children is a worst way to educate the new generation without any work.  Maybe I still try to understand this country and culture; but the fact that I never have anything “free” when I growing up.  My family taught me that way, and I always work hard or at least I think I worked hard.  However, I got home early enough to keep my porch light OFF; but some fucking brats/idiots still rang my door bell.  I bet those brats that rang my bell will grow up to become a group of freeloader to our society. 

Buddha bless United States of America! 

11/01/2011 – No running as pre-caution for my body to get recover and stronger after last weekend hard runs. 

October 22 ~ October 28, 2011

10/22/2011 – I had a long workday on Friday.  So I slept in some till 07:00, woke up, grabbed some coffee and oatmeal while I put beans, rice, and peanut into a crock pot, and then around 08:55, I headed out and started my 14 miles long run on Matthew Hanson Trail via RCP Trail.  My house is located near mile 12th on MHT; so I ran south toward Bethesda.  Most part of the run is on Parks Half Marathon course, which I pretty familiar with.  I got to mile fifth at 53:29, and then I turn around 7.08 miles, and headed back home.  I clocked 52:00 flat for the return trip.  I felt great.  I think probably because the cool temp in the autumn made my run easy. 

As I return home, I took out very much tender cooked beans and peanut out of the slow cooker and pour into a stove top pot.  Then I added in a can of coconut milk and rock sugar.  It is for the dessert for Jake Manner’s cookout party.  I took the pot out to the RCP and spend an excellent afternoon with my friends.  I honestly did not spend lots of time Jake, but I truly enjoy the time that we ran together, the cookout, and most notably, his home brew.  I wish them all the best in the Green Mountain State and hope will see them again in the future.

10/23/2011 – I drank good amount of alcohol in the cookout the day before; but I still manage to get out of bed early enough to ran an easy 36:06, approx.4.75 miles in Aspen Hill.  Around noon, my friend Mark came by my house and helps me haul several dozen pounds of pine needle to the curb.  It was hard work, but a good exercise for shoulders and arms.

10/24/2011 – After spoke with few friends after Akron marathon, they all suggested me to add in a second workout during the week.  So, started this week, I added (back) tempo run into my training plan.  The plan is 4 x 1 mile repeat at the pace between 6:00 and 6:15. 

I jogged from my office to East Potomac Park as warm up for approx. 1.5 mile.  I started my tempo run under the Fourteenth Street Bridge toward Hais Point.  I ran precisely 1.04 mile in each repetition and clocked 6m’31s’, 6m’31s’, 6m’24s’, and 6m’19s’; which 6m’16s’, 6m’16s’, 6m’09s’, and 6m’04s’.  At the end, I finished with the workout with 2.3 miles jog back to office from Lincoln Memorial.  I finished with 53:20 of approx. total 7.7 miles for the day.

10/25/2011 – I had a good night sleep and don’t feel the soreness from the tempo run.  However, I still took it easy for my run during lunch hour.  I ran for 52:13 for approx. 7.0 miles from office to TR Island and back.

10/26/2011 – Track workout.  It was my second workout for the week.  I planned to run 2x800 at 2m’56 & 2m’54 with 3 minutes break, 3x3200 at 12m’44, 12m’36, & 12m’28 with 3 minutes break, 4x400 at 88s, 86s, 84s, &82s with 1.5 minutes break.

Then I ended up with:
  800 –   2’59    2’55
3200 – 12’47  12’47  13’01
  400 –   1’28    1’26    1’25   1’18
then plus warm up and down, I ended with approx. 10.25 miles for the day.

10/27/2011 – I had a solid eight hours sleep after Wednesday’s workout and felt good.  However, I still try to have maximum rest hour, so I started my mid-distance run around 14:00 to Iwo Jima Memorial to check out the MCM finish line.  I have been doing this for the past four years.  It is not like I will run that race anytime soon; but I just wanna see how they have that set up.  Lots of friends ask me why not run MCM; my response is ‘I want to run the capital city of each state.’ But I think I skipped this race probably because I work in DC and I kind of want to travel to different marathon to see different town, rather than something I already see too much day-in-and-day-out.  So I think I will likely to run Richmond (or other VA city’s) marathon in the future, rather than marathons in DC.  I ran easy to finished line and they have tons of fluid set up Sunday’s race.  I would say they are ready for it.  The forecast is dry and cool for the weekend.  I wish my friends B Young and C Sloane will have the best run of their life.  I ended up with 50:34 approx. 7.1 miles.

10/28/2011 – I don’t know the exact reason why I woke up with a sore left knee.  I think it may due to newly started two-workout this week and my body is trying to recover from each workout.  So I decide today is not a good day for speed and since most of my shoes are over-the-hill; therefore, I start use a pair of new shoes (New Balance 749) today to give me some extra padding.  I ran out easy during lunch for 39:01 approx. 5.6 miles.  I also ice this as soon as I got back to desk. 

I am going to take tomorrow off from running and continuous take care this.  I hope is nothing serious.  I am going to run long this Sunday morning for 23 miles before head out for a massage.  I was thinking to run south from Susanna Lane to Georgetown and then run up Wisconsin Ave from bottom of K; but I just remember MCM is this Sunday, roads are close and packed with people – probably not a very good idea to go by there.  So I more than likely to run the same route as last weekend, en route from MHT to RCP Trail, then turn around at the Line.  That should be pretty easy to handle.

August 14, 2011

It was rainy, thunder, and windy, but nothing get in my way to run a 23-miler.  It was pouring rain on my way to Susanna Lane, but it stop at 06:45 (for me) as I put my shoes and ready to run.  I ran this route http://www.gmap-pedometer.com?r=5001126 for total of 23.56 miles and with a time of 2h'55m'18s'.  I was soak from head to toes when I get it done. 

I feel good over all, just little sore on my left foot and hammy, but I don't believe is anything major.  If there has no other issue occur, I will sign up with Akron Marathon this Tuesday or so.

Who wanna come with me to Akron?  It will be fun!!!