Good morning!
How were your weekends? Get in any great training runs or fun adventures?
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On Saturday, my first task of business was a 16 mile LA marathon training run! I’m just under a month out from the race now and feeling pretty good. I can’t believe it’s so soon! It will be nice that hopefully when the race is over, the weather will be getting nicer so I can enjoy going for long hikes and bike rides with Matt on weekends and not worrying about getting in super long runs.
It was a bit of a gloomy and cold day on Saturday – snow was forecast, though thankfully it held off – but the fun company I had on my run brightened things up with no problem. 🙂
I did an adventure run of sorts, picking up people as I went. Part 1 of the adventure was running solo to my college friend Sarah’s apartment in Dupont Circle. I ran over Key Bridge, through Georgetown…
Up Wisconsin and made a right on P street until I reached the circle, and shortly after, her apartment.
Once at Sarah’s, I had run about 3.6 miles already, and then we set off together for 4ish more miles. We decided to run 2 miles north (uphill – arg – good training!), through Woodley Park and the zoo and past Cleveland Park, then turn around.
When we got back to Dupont, we picked up two more people – me and Sarah’s mutual friend Gabby and Gabby’s friend Erin. They were interested in doing 6 miles, so we forged on together, deciding to do most of the run along the C&O Canal/Capital Crescent Trail, which we accessed via Georgetown.
The four of us had a great time – it was awesome to meet Erin and to catch up a little with Gabby, who I hadn’t seen in awhile. This run felt like such an adventure, adding people on every few miles. I loved it!
When we turned back, we stopped for a photo. 🙂 Such a fun group!
A bit too chilly for boating, I think… 😉
For fuel on this run, I decided to try something new as I haven’t really been feeling the gels lately, and the gummies I liked in summer/fall training for the Richmond Marathon get really cold and hard to chew now that it’s so freezing out.
Introducing my new favorite fuel: medjool dates pitted, filled with a small amount of peanut butter, and sprinkled with a little sea salt. SO GOOD. Totally doing this again. I’ve also still been loving chewy granola bars on long runs.
While I noshed on my fuel, the girls and I ran back towards Georgetown, where we parted ways and I set off for my final 2 miles of the run back home.
My last mile was, of course, the dreaded mile long hill of death. Ohhh how I hate that hill. But I know I’ll be glad that most of my runs have included it when I arrive in LA in a month! I was feeling pretty tired but did my best to power up it, slow and steady. No walking = success.
16 miles – another long run in the books!
Splits:
- Mile 1: 8:29 (downhill)
- Mile 2: 8:42
- Mile 3: 8:36
- Mile 4: 8:56
- Mile 5: 9:27 (uphill)
- Mile 6: 9:24 (uphill)
- Mile 7: 9:02
- Mile 8: 9:14
- Mile 9: 9:15
- Mile 10: 9:35
- Mile 11: 9:28
- Mile 12: 9:49
- Mile 13: 9:28
- Mile 14: 9:44
- Mile 15: 9:15
- Mile 16: 9:48 (hill of death)
Thanks for keeping me company out there, ladies! 🙂
I felt pretty wiped out the rest of the day after this run, in comparison to last week when I felt great all day after running 18 miles. Weird how that happens, isn’t it? Either way – got it done. One long run closer to the race!
Now it’s your turn – how was your run this weekend? And how are you all enjoying the Winter Shape Up? Gina shared the week 3 workout plan this morning and this week’s workout looks like another awesome one! On the nutrition front, week 3’s meal plan is up and I hope you’re all getting ready to enjoy today’s lunch, which is an old favorite of mine: Healthier Chicken Salad!
Hope you all have a wonderful day, my friends!
