Monday, I ran a very easy six miles from Lululemon with Will, Elyse, Brooks Rebecca and some strangers I really need to make an effort to talk to, more. We went around the Capitol and back, and I felt pretty relaxed.
Tuesday I planned to run 6-7 in the morning and ride the stationary bike after work, but I couldn't bring myself to wake up in time, so instead I ran a Westmoreland after work. I couldn't find my watch, so I just decided to go without one. I tried hard to keep myself under control, especially in the second and third miles, and I think I did that well.
Wednesday night I did a pretty good job for most of the workout- 6x1200m. We started off slow in the first lap and I tried to bring the group back on pace, but I ended up running exactly on pace for the second and third laps to finish in 4:04. I took the lead the next three and ran 3:58, 3:56 (four seconds fast for the first lap of that one...) and 4:00. I decided before the fifth to slow down, and I ended up running 4:10, which was fine. I started the sixth with a 76, and told Tender I was going to take the middle lap off and finish the third with him. He came through in in 2:30, and we ran the last lap in 72. That was by far the fastest I had run since the 5k I ran in Vienna in September, given my marathon-centric running in the fall.
Thursday I did a lunchtime run on a loop I made up that follows the Metropolitan Branch Trail, which I expected a lot more from while gazing at it from the Metro on my way to the Washington Hospital Center, to Catholic University and back. I meant to do eight miles but ended up doing 8.75, not terribly fast, but it was nice to run in daylight.
Friday I felt tired, so I decided early in the afternoon to take the day off and maybe double on Saturday. It's my first day off since Dec. 19, and right now I guess I can appreciate them more than when I am used to higher mileage.
We got started somewhat close to on time Saturday morning from the store and did a Hains Point loop. After a few miles, Hanson and I decided the rest of the gang was going too fast and we committed to running slower, though he said we still stuck around the 6:50s. I ended up doing 11, went home, napped, and ran another 3.75 on an extended Fisherman's loop.
Sunday morning, Alex and I traveled to Rockville to run on the Millenium Sidewalk. I planned to do 14 miles, extending one way or another after a 10.5-mile loop, but toward the end of that first loop, I knew I didn't want to do that. I spent the first 5.5 miles at the front of our pack, running into a strong wind, uphill mostly, and I was pretty tired of that. The trail itself, a paved sidewalk, for the most part, looped around the miserable developments Rockville comprises. There was maybe two miles at most of interesting trail, but for the most part, it was ugly and miserable. Though it's hard to find an example of how Montgomery County hasn't mismanaged its budget in the last decade, that trail is a good place to start looking. It made me appreciate where I live and run in Virginia so much more. The idea of running on that "trail" any longer than I was required to get back to the car was a nightmare. In conclusion, suburban Maryland is far inferior to Virginia for the quality of distance running loops. I would personally rather run in the various neighborhoods on the streets in Virginia than on some cruddy "trail." As much as I complain about the W&OD, at least it doesn't follow busy roads.
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