Three Days Off...

Today is a safety day.

I feel better today than yesterday. Yesterday was better than Wednesday.

Tomorrow I start back up.

Developing...

Two Days Off

I don't like it, but I am doing it. Red Fox doctrine states "stand down, then attack" when an injury/ailment begins to creep up. I am now standing down. I am in great shape and do not need to "push" an injury. The good news is that my leg feels better today than it did yesterday. I am not 100% yet, but I am confident I am getting better. I think I can run/race right now without any major issues, but the plan is to stamp the injury out now before it gets worse. I have not taken a day off for 7 weeks and the plan was to not take a day off until next week, but unforeseen circumstances have pursued me to change my course. I have nothing to do at the end of my day without my run. I stare out the window and long to hit the road. It must be an addiction. The addiction gets me stronger...better.

My plan now is to run Friday morning (if able) and then continue on as if nothing had happened. If I'm not 85% by tomorrow, I will take the day off and attempt to run on Saturday. This week is a wash in terms of mileage. Regardless, next week is a down week. And regardless, next Sunday I go all in.

Lock n' Load Teasers

LOCK N’ LOAD: Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner - Celebrity bloopers here


LOCK N’ LOAD With R. Lee Ermey: Big Stick Promo - The most popular videos are here

My Right Leg Feels Mangled

I tweaked something in my right thigh yesterday or sometime on Monday. I felt the pain between runs yesterday, but it wasn't too severe. I thought it was just a minor muscle pain, one of the dozens of pains us runners have on any given week. However, I woke up last night screaming when I turned my leg the wrong way while sleeping. I naturally nixed my morning run and will likely take the entire day off. I want to beat this thing quickly...though I am not sure what "this thing" is. Maybe YOU do?

I massaged and iced it all morning, but in doing so, I think inflamed the pain/issue. I should have simply iced it and left it alone, but I was trying to pinpoint the problem. The pain is centered along the tendon of my right inner thigh and/or the muscle that supports/is below this tendon. The crux of the pain occurs when I try and lift my right foot and hold it on my left knee (like in a relaxed pose). Any ideas?

Lock n' Load

A sneak peak of the series I worked on attracted 1.1 million viewers on Sunday night (11pm). Below is information on the "official" premier:

NOW HEAR THIS!!!

History comes to life as R. Lee "Gunny" Ermey leads viewers on a fascinating ride through the engineering and development of weapons in the new one-hour series, LOCK N’ LOAD With R. Lee Ermey.

Premieres Friday, July 31 at 9pm ET on HISTORY™

Get hands-on with some of the world’s fiercest firearms - such as machine guns, tanks, pistols and rockets - as Gunnery Sergeant, drill instructor, Vietnam veteran, actor and former MAIL CALL host R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the weapons that made battlefield history. For example, Ermey unleashes a torrent of ammo using a Dillon Aero Minigun, which shoots three thousand rounds per minute, and then traces the evolutionary steps that brought the gun to its present place in history.

Learn the inner workings of a particular weapon in each episode of LOCK N' LOAD With R. Lee Ermey as special high-speed photography gives viewers an unprecedented look at how weapons work and what really happens at the point of impact. Advanced 3D graphics help to detail the improvements, changes in technology and thinking behind each weapon, while experts flesh out the engineering and history involved. It’s an enthralling ride through the evolution, origins, innovations, victories and defeats of weapons, as Ermey delivers the story with, literally, one finger on the trigger.

Premieres Friday, July 31 at 9pm ET on HISTORY™

Be sure to check your local listings.

Tell everyone you know to tune in to History™ on July 31st and check out the Gunny

Tune in for Lock N Load, R. Lee Ermey’s new History Channel series!

UPDATE: 7th at Crystal City?

The Battle of Crystal City from Tow Path on Vimeo.

UPDATE - OFFICIAL results now put me in 7th place. I am almost positive I had a late rally and surged back past Alton, but apparently not. I figured his chip time might have beaten me, but not the gun time (as that was how close it was). In this recently released video from TOWPATH, you can see Alton walking me down, BUT, again, I thought I held him off just feet from the finish line. Nuts!

PLACE BIB NAME AGE SEX CITY ST 1M 2M 3M GUN NET NET PACE
1 2965 Demesse Tefera 27 M S.Spring MD 04:23 09:11 14:05 14:35.0 14:34.9 4:41
2 2 Andrew Dumm 24 M Washington DC 04:28 09:17 14:16 14:44.6 14:44.4 4:45
3 2964 Gurmessa Megressa 31 M WashDC 04:27 09:20 14:56.0 14:55.9 4:48
4 26 Abiyot Abebe 22 M Washington DC 04:32 09:24 14:31 14:59.2 14:58.7 4:49
5 20 Dirk De Heer 28 M Silver Spring MD 04:34 09:29 14:33 15:03.1 15:02.5 4:50
6 33 Guy Alton 25 M Richmond VA 04:34 09:31 14:38 15:06.9 15:06.8 4:52
7 19 Jake Klim 29 M N Bethesda MD 04:34 09:30 15:07.3 15:07.1 4:52
8 2018 Steve Hallinan 23 M Washington DC 04:34 09:32 14:39 15:10.7 15:10.6 4:53
9 3 Robert Wade 27 M Arlington VA 04:38 09:37 14:44 15:11.9 15:11.9 4:53
10 2461 Jon Molz 22 M Richmond VA 04:35 09:31 14:42 15:12.7 15:12.6 4:54
11 12 Brian Mcgovern 27 M Arlington VA 04:35 09:33 14:47 15:19.0 15:18.9 4:56
12 22 Frank Devar 21 M Alexandria VA 04:48 09:53 14:55 15:25.0 15:24.3 4:57
13 2454 Tim Rusterholz 22 M Richmond VA 04:38 09:51 15:00 15:27.0 15:26.4 4:58
14 1892 Steven Mance 25 M Alexandria VA 04:45 09:46 15:27.1 15:27.0 4:58
15 34 Leoule Degfae 19 M Springfield VA 04:34 09:35 15:27.3 15:27.0 4:58
16 1889 Ryan Murphy 23 M Fairfax VA 04:51 09:56 14:56 15:28.2 15:27.5 4:59
17 36 Bert Rodriguez 29 M Arlington VA 04:37 09:49 15:09 15:39.9 15:39.2 5:02
18 2958 Hunter Willis 23 M Washington DC 04:48 09:58 15:13 15:42.6 15:41.8 5:03
19 23 Ryan Foster 24 M Washington DC 04:50 09:56 15:09 15:44.8 15:43.8 5:04
20 1836 Bryce Iverson 22 M Manassas VA 04:37 09:53 15:18 15:52.3 15:52.1 5:06

Riley's on Sunday

I met about 10 peeps at Riley's Lock on Sunday morning for a long run. My legs were pretty tired from the race so I kept the pace easy. I even let the pack go at one point, something I never seem to be able to do in a long run, but caught back up when the pack slowed down. The towpath was super muddy and our legs were caked with muck and soaked with puddle water. I got in about 16 miles before hanging up the shoes and soaking in the surprisingly cool, brown water of Seneca Creek. I ended up the week with 83.5 miles.

I ran with Karl and Bain from B&N after work. We did the Canal-CCT Bridge Loop (a route name I just made up) and my legs continued to feel beat. Again, the pace was chill. We talked marathon stories. At the end of the run I saw my good pal Jim Hage as he was running home from Chevy Chase. Ended up with 10.5.

I was thinking of racing a mile in Arlington on Wednesday, but have pretty much decided against it. I've raced a lot over the past few weeks and I have a BIG race in 2 weeks, so I think it's smart to take it a little easy, get the miles in and get a good workout or two. I plan to uptick the mileage this week before a minor taper next week.

RACE REPORT – CRYSTAL CITY 5K

July 25, 2009 - 8pm
Wx – Humid, rainy/drizzly, wet

“10, 9, 8, 7…”

The race director was counting down to the start of the race. "...6, 5, 4.." I looked to my left and to my right and a horde of runners began to step cautiously up to the starting mat. Some, including me, made a hoop with their arms, anticipating that micro-second when you punch the “start” button on one’s watch.

“Go!”

I got out quick but then eased back and tried to relax. Too nervous. Too anxious. I was jostled a bit by a couple of runners as we all attempted to find our groove and place during the first 400m. The rain had stopped but parts of the wet street were slick. There were just a few puddles. I tucked in behind teammate Dirk, the Ethipoian Abebe, Richman’s Guy Alton and PACERS’ Steve Hallinan and was joined by a slew of other guys I had never seen before. By the time we made our first turn, Tefera already had a sizable lead. Dumm and Megenssa led the chase pack.

I hit mile one in a blistering 4:35. I was battling with 6 other guys for a spot in the top ten. The Washington Monument loomed across the Potomac ahead of us. I felt good and made a slight move just after the mile and put a little bit of real estate between myself and the pack. The mile split seemed to psych some people out, so I wanted to take advantage of that…just a little, as I, too, was already in a little over my head. Dirk, Hallinan, Guy and Abebe matched the move. At the turn-around (roughly 1.5 miles into the race), I found myself in 8th place, but quickly surged up and by the end of the overpass got myself into 5th. I planned to hammer my way home. Again, Dirk and Abebe followed. The good news was that each time we surged we dropped a couple guys. Dirk and Abebe then flew past me and I tried to ride their coattails down Old Jefferson Highway. Abebe pulled away slightly while Dirk and I muscled together through 2 miles in 9:30. Yikes. Actually, my intent was to hit mile 2 in 9:30, but not after running the first mile in 4:35. We were on pace to run 14:45, BUT actually we weren’t. We were slowing down…but we were ALL slowing down. The grindfest began. The wicked fight to the finish was going to be heartbreaking. The last 1.1 miles loomed ahead. I envisioned a pack of dudes rolling up on me and running me into the ground. I shook those thoughts from my head and eyed Dirk and Abebe who were slugging at one another with strides and surges. I thought I could catch up to them, get into the money and make a break with Dirk, drop Abebe, and head to the line. Even if I didn’t catch them, I had to try. Trying would at least get me away from the pack that I thought was hungrily coming after me. There was a giant pack, frothing and foaming at the mouth that went out in 4:50 and was mopping up the dead and dying. Or, so I thought. In fact, I was sure of it…“C’mon legs, let’s get moving!” The last ½ mile went on for days. I felt as if I went back and forth from quitting and being content with losing to all out sprinting. One thing was for sure, my legs were cooked and I was fried. I could see the 3 mile mark 10 miles down the road. I heard a few people yell my name and I knew it was time to go all in. I heard footsteps behind me so I lifted my knees and began to kick, but then realized I was beat. Dirk seemed to come back to me, but he was much too far ahead. Everything was happening very fast. What was going on? Suddenly Guy Alton blazed past me on the left. NO! I threw the stick shift into my last gear and kicked back past him just meters from the finish line (note – strangely Guy does not appear in the results, but he should be about 1 second behind me). I tore off my rain/sweat-soaked singlet and immediately felt a crushing sensation in my stomach/chest - likely a relapse of all the stomach issues I’ve been having all week. I changed my shoes as quickly as I could and headed out for a cool down.

I didn’t run as fast as I would have liked (15:07) and ran a very meager last 1/3 of the race, but I was happy with my overall effort and my place. I beat a lot of guys I’ve never beaten before and made a couple of moves at key moments in the race that ultimately contributed to my finishing place. Racing in DC is getting very competitive. Just looking at the results (below) I’m amazed at the depth of runners here in the area. 20 guys under 16:00 is very legit.

I have two weeks before the BIG summer race - the Falmouth Road Race (7 Miles). I am hoping to crush it and will no doubt need to taper in order to do that. I've been running 75-85mpw for the past 10+ weeks and my legs need some relief. I've been working out well, getting in solid long runs and have raced three times (4:22, 25:16 and 15:07) over the past three weeks. I'll then have 4 weeks to ratchet up the mileage (90-100) before tapering for the big dance - Philly Distance Run (13.1) where I hope to sneak under 68 minutes.

Race Across the River

RESULTS: 15:07, 6th

Beat a lot of good guys tonight, but didn't run the time I hoped for. Got out quick and stuck with it: 4:35, 9:30. Overall - good race, better than last week for sure. MORE...



1 2965 Demesse Tefera 27 M Silver Sprin., MD 04:24 09:12 14:06 14:35 14:35 4:42
2 2 Andrew Dumm 24 M Washington, DC 04:29 09:18 14:17 14:45 14:45 4:45
3 2964 Gurmessa Megenssa 31 M Washington, DC 04:28 09:20 14:56 14:56 4:48
4 26 Abiyot Abebe 22 M Washington, DC 04:34 09:26 14:33 15:00 15:01 4:50
5 20 Dirk De Heer 28 M Silver Sprin., MD 04:34 09:30 14:34 15:03 15:03 4:51
6 19 Jake Klim 29 M N Bethesda, MD 04:35 09:30 15:07 15:07 4:52
7 2018 Steve Hallinan 23 M Washington, DC 04:34 09:32 14:39 15:11 15:11 4:53
8 3 Robert Wade 27 M Arlington, VA 04:38 09:38 14:44 15:12 15:12 4:54
9 2461 Jon Molz 22 M Richmond, VA 04:35 09:32 14:42 15:13 15:13 4:54
10 12 Brian Mcgovern 27 M Arlington, VA 04:35 09:34 14:47 15:19 15:19 4:56
11 22 Frank Devar 21 M Alexandria, VA 04:49 09:54 14:56 15:25 15:25 4:58
12 1892 Steven Mance 25 M Alexandria, VA 04:45 09:46 15:27 15:27 4:58
13 2454 Tim Rusterholz 22 M Richmond, VA 04:38 09:51 15:01 15:27 15:27 4:58
14 34 Leoule Degfae 19 M Springfield, VA 04:35 09:35 15:27 15:27 4:58
15 1889 Ryan Murphy 23 M Fairfax, VA 04:52 09:57 14:57 15:28 15:28 4:59
16 2945 Brian Dugan 30 M Chevy Chase, MD 07:02 15:42 15:37 5:02
17 36 Bert Rodriguez 29 M Arlington, VA 04:38 09:50 15:10 15:40 15:40 5:03
18 2958 Hunter Willis 23 M Washington, DC 04:48 09:58 15:13 15:43 15:42 5:03
19 23 Ryan Foster 24 M Washington, DC 04:51 09:56 15:09 15:45 15:44 5:04
20 1836 Bryce Iverson 22 M Manassas, VA 04:37 09:54 15:19 15:53 15:53 5:07
21 18 Christopher Marke. 20 M Arlington, VA 04:44 09:56 15:27 16:02 16:01 5:09
22 24 Scotty Plunkett 18 M Fredericksbu., VA 04:54 10:09 16:06 16:03 5:10
23 7 Chris Geddis 24 M Silver Sprin., MD 04:52 10:13 16:08 16:06 5:11
24 5 Tim Fahey 35 M Arlington, VA 04:53 10:12 15:38 16:10 16:09 5:12
25 2917 Dickson Mercer 28 M Washington, DC 05:03 10:16 15:38 16:11 16:10 5:12

Another Crack at 15 Minutes?

On Wednesday I ran the Fletcher's 12 Loop that I failed to finish a week before. Again, I felt very strong, but my legs were a little tired in the last mile due to the speed the day before. I intended to double up on Thursday, but decided to sleep in and give the legs a break. Instead, I ran 10 in the evening during a deluge. I hid as best I could under the brim of my hat, but still got soaked. It was a little fun. I then gorged on a fattening chicken sandwich, 2 mugs o' beer and a sundae. I followed that up with an easy 9 on Friday morning.

Tomorrow I'll run an easy morning shuffle then venture across the Potomac and try to race a good 5k. Of the 3 races so far in my summer "season", this is the one I am interested in pushing hardest. The weather looks to be quite warm, but it will only be 15 minutes of racing. Actually, my goal is break 15:00 and do my damnedest to whip as many runners as I can. I feel as if I am in good shape and, although not tapered, think I can eek out a good 5k based on my mile race, workouts and the mileage I've been doing. Additionally, this will be a great workout before the Falmouth Road Race...now just two weeks away.

No More Tummy Pain?

I've been able to manage my issue without any major breakdown. I actually feel like the shake up last week made me stronger. I feel hungry. Though, I am certainly not out of the woods yet. I made an appointment to see a gastrologist on Friday. The best news is that the doctor is a long distance runner. This, my friends, is someone I can do business with! He speaks the same language...I hope.

This morning I ran an easy 4 (31 minutes) before heading to the track in the afternoon. I met Dirk a day early (both racing the 5k on Saturday) and ran a 400 (100), 300 (100), 200 (200) ladder x 5. The goal was to run just a little faster than race pace but not go into the tank. We ended up cutting down, but it felt quite manageable. Times below. 9.5 tonight.

400 - 70

300 - 50

200 - 33

400 - 69

300 - 50

200 - 32

400 - 68

300 - 49

200 - 32

400 - 66

300 - 48

200 - 31

400 - 63

300 - 47

200 - 29

Falmouth Elites

I received number 32 this year, after finishing 32nd last year. My hope is to finish in the top 25 this year.

The link below details a list of the Elite Runners currently entered in the field:

http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/elite-runners

"Your Heart is Fine"...

...said the doctor.
I breathed a sigh of relief and my heart slowed from its nervous 50 beats per minute.
"In fact, I wish I had YOUR heart".
I smiled.
"But, you probably wish you had MY stomach".
I nodded, then wondered whether we were going to make some Frankenstein-like trade.

My stomach issue from last week scared me half to death, literally. Near the ladder part of the week, my left shoulder and heart began to ache/cramp. Naturally, this scared the bejesus out of me. I've heard too many stories of people going out to run...only to never return. The pain thankfully subsided, but today it came back so I opted to see my doctor. Apparently it's my shoulder and not my heart that is achy, and this apparently happens when you tweak your stomach. Thank God for a messed up stomach. I could kiss it. But instead, I need to correct it...

When I woke this morning my stomach was still sore and tight. I did however get in a great 10 miles this evening without any issue whatsoever. In fact, the run was one of the best I've had in weeks. Go figure. This is likely a result of running a 6 mile long run on Sunday. That's not a typo. I decided to run to simply get my body back on schedule. When I awoke on Sunday, I was still a mess, but the run straightened me out. No reason to push it or run more than was necessary, so I cut it off at 45 mins and went home. The run seemed to "reset" my body and get me back on track. It's funny how running, which got me into this mess, actually helped correct it. Maybe my body is addicted to running? Maybe my body NEEDS to run in order to feel and be normal?

The monitoring continues...as does the training, if/when applicable.

Twilighter - 25:16

The weather was the coolest it had ever been in the 7 years I've run the race. My "issue" has not entirely gone away, but I did my best to put it out of my mind. However, I did feel my stomach during the warm-up and did an "oh great" while rolling my eyes. My goal was to go out easy and work the last 3 miles hard and walk people down. I hit mile one in 4:53 and was in about 15th place. I worked with Wardian and a younger guy I didn't know on the ups and downs passing runners left and right. Our trio worked our way up to GRC teammate Dirk and Izzy from UMBC fame. I led the uphill charges while Wardian led the downhills. It worked, but it took a lot of WORK. Wardian and the kid pulled away and I trailed back. I moved up and passed Izzy and another runner over the next 1.5 miles before pulling back up to the kid. We weren't doing a great job of working together; it felt more like a(n) (un)friendly game of surge. With just over a mile to go I put the hammer down and began to make up the real estate between me and Wardian. The kid caught back up to me again and this time I simply fixed an imaginary rope around his waste and let him pull me down Rockville Pike. Then I heard footsteps. I pulled up to the kid and said "come on, let's go", but soon found myself battling with master runner Ray Pugsley. He gaped me almost immediately, but in the last 1/3 of a mile I found another gear. The kid fell back and I charged after Wardian and Pugsley with all my strength...but still came up short. I ended up with a 25:16, a course PR by 38 seconds.

SPLITS: 4:53, 9:54, 15:01, 20:20, 25:16

I was happy with the effort, but the race (likely the last mile +) crippled my stomach. Before the race I thought this might happen. I walked bent over like the letter "L" back to my clothes. I attempted to cooldown but couldn't even do it. I was angry and frustrated but that was masked by the pain. I limped home, went to bed and squirmed and wormed in my sheets all night.

I believe I've pinpointed one of the reasons why I get this burning/acid-like pain - racing at odd times of the day. USATFXC, which was run at 2pm, pounded my poor tummy into oblivion. Rockville, run at 8:45pm, has done this to me before as well. My body is on a schedule and I am able to run without major issues when I wake up and when I get out of work (6-7pm). I've eaten at the right time, my sugars are in check and I am properly hydrated. When does one eat when the race is at 9pm? You can bump your meal back or up, but it still feels as if that is getting out of the daily eating/intake routine.

More on all this later...I am off to run (or try to)

RESULTS


1 1/184 2344 Daniel Too 33 Bel Air MD 23:53 23:52 3:51
2 1/156 10 Mathew Kiplagat 26 New Rochelle NY 24:27 24:31 3:57
3 1/81 4 Abiyot Endale 23 Bronx NY 24:37 24:36 3:58
4 2/156 18 Dirk De Heer 28 Silver Spring MD 24:46 24:45 3:59
5 3/156 70 Jeffrey Gaudette 26 Baltimore MD 24:51 24:51 4:00
6 4/156 19 Guy Alton 25 Richmond VA 24:57 24:56 4:01
7 1/163 13 Michael Wardian 35 Arlington VA 25:13 25:13* 4:04
8 1/142 40 Ray Pugsley 40 Potomac Falls VA 25:14 25:14* 4:04
9 5/156 15 Jake Klim 29 No. Bethesda MD 25:16 25:16 4:04
10 2/81 Alexander Battaglino 23 Owings Mills MD 25:19 25:19 4:05
11 3/81 38 Izzy Mehmedovic 24 Columbia MD 25:35 25:34 4:07
12 1/77 849 Greg Jubb 19 Westminster MD 25:43 25:41* 4:08
13 2/184 1436 Tim Schaefer 31 Gaithersburg MD 25:51 25:50 4:10
14 3/184 50 Eric Lavigne 33 Leesburg VA 25:54 25:54 4:11
15 4/81 1559 Ryan Stasiowski 20 Hanover MD 25:56 25:55 4:11
16 2/77 597 Kyle Gaffney 19 Silver Spring MD 26:01 25:59 4:11
17 6/156 1875 Matthew Fortin 25 Crofton MD 26:04 26:02 4:12
18 2/163 2179 Jeffrey Lewis 35 Silver Spring MD 26:09 26:09 4:13
19 3/163 818 Morgan Jarred 38 Las Vegas NV 26:10 26:10 4:13
20 4/184 21 Bart Borghuis 33 Arlington VA 26:14 26:14 4:14

Twilighter on the Morrow

I got in 6 on Thursday morning and put in another 9 at night. The temps are getting higher, but I've been keeping the pace easy while getting use to the weather. So far, so good. I ran another hour on Friday morning since I anticipated a long work day. Despite my "issue" earlier in the week, my mileage should be adequate this week.

I haven't been thinking much about Rockville, but I suppose I should since it's tomorrow. I hate the race, I really do. It's always super hot and not very fast. Last year, the race organizers delayed the race until 9pm because it was too hot. Still, someone died from a heat-related heart issue. But, I feel as if I need to race it since there aren't many big races in the DC area in July/August. Additionally, I dislike racing summer races over 5k since the heat produces slower times. I always feel as if there should be an astrix next to your name that reads "raced in the summer" whenever you post a semi par time. Tomorrow, instead of thinking about pace or time, I am going to simply go out and compete. I am hoping to go out slower than normal then see what I've got. Next week, the 5k will be a different story.

Good Workout After a Bad Day

I nixed the morning run I typically do on workout days because my stomach was still tender. My boss had a very similar problem and I likely got what he had. Perhaps a 24 hour stomach virus. By lunch time, my stomach seemed better but not 100%. I left work pessimistic I'd be able to run a workout, but decided to see how I felt after the warm-up. The stomach was still tight, but I didn't feel any worse. I decided to run half the workout, but still felt fine, so I ended up doing the entire thing. 4 x 1600m (400 rest) cut down: 5:02, 4:58, 4:54, 4:50. We were supposed to start at 5:05 and cut down 5 seconds each rep, so I was pleased.

MILE VIDEO c/o TOWPATH

The Long Walk Home

I met Bain at the usual spot at the usual time for the usual run. This time we headed out on the Connector Trail and ran south along the Towpath. I found Peter Towpath's initials carved in a tree and immediately bored it away with my marlin spike and wrote my initials in its place. We continued on our way and I began to have some stomach issues; my tummy began to burn, but I thought it would go away. Bain headed back via the CCT bridge while I continued south to Fletchers. I proceeded back along the Palisades Trail, but stopped outright when my stomach began to burn more than usual. I thought the feeling would again pass, but after repeated attempts to start back up, I had to stop and walk. This wasn't a "bathroom" pain, but a acid-like fire that burned somewhere in my lower stomach. It felt awful. I couldn't even shuffle since the bouncing caused great pain. I contemplated running to Matt Ernst's house and begging a ride home, but there was Ernst Hill between me and Ernst House and no assurance he would be there. Besides, I thought, the pain would pass. Hours later I marched out of the Capital Crescent. I had walked back about 3.5 miles and was beat and demoralized. I was so sick of walking. I hate walking. Walking sucks. It's brutal and boring. I was passed by a million runners and bikers. I began to curse at people walking, people with WALKmans, the idea of a boardWALK and even threw a stone at a hawk, simply because the species rhymed with walk. By 10pm, by stomach was still burning and I have no idea why. I did nothing out of the ordinary this afternoon. Go figure. This was my 3rd run in 15 years that I was not able to complete.

Oh What a Busy Weekend

The morning after the mile, I ran a very easy 70 minutes (9.5 miles) with the GRC in Georgetown. Nothing too eventful to report. Lots of people out on the trail. After the run I ate waffles at Dylan's.

On Sunday I met about 45 guys at THE LINE for the Zoo Loop. Actually, I believe I counted 13 runners including myself which comes close to a GRC record. We all ran together for 75% of the run until some splintered off either running less, running more or running faster. I opted to run a bit more and pushed some of the hills. I felt the mile during the up hills, but other than that felt quite content. I put the mileage down as 17.

The roster, including 2 Jakes, 2 Patricks and 2 guys named Chris:
Bain, Murphy, Reaves, Max, Sloane, Marren, Dylan, Billy, Red Fox, Nate Timm, Falls Roads’ Ben Ingram (whose wife let him out of the house and whose blog on the right is always a good read), a new guy named Mark (6th American at Chicago during the balmy 2007 run) and another new guy named Josh who we met at the mile on Friday. Did I miss anyone?

I only got in 73 last week. The mile race hurt my mileage total a little, but I am sorta due a down week. I'll ramp it up again this week, ease next week in preparation for the 5k, and then try to be close to 90 the following weeks.

On Monday I ran with soon-to-be neighbor Karl Dusen. Karl ran for Manhattan Track Club and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials in the marathon. He’s hoping to qualify again in 2012. Karl is moving literally just a block away. I showed him one of my running routes while getting in a steady ten.

OFFICIAL - 4:22.06

1 1/12 Jake Klim 29 Rockville MD MCRRC 4:22.06
2 1/8 Matt Straughn 32 Glenn Dale MD 4:26.12
3 1/18 Andrew Duncan 42 Washington DC 4:31.12
4 2/12 Joshua Evans Sr 26 Silver Spring MD 4:34.15
5 1/6 Andrew Sovonick 22 Gaithersburg MD MCRRC 4:38.05
6 3/12 Billy Askey 26 Arlington VA 4:38.53
7 1/26 Roni Teich 18 Rockville MD MCRRC 4:39.00
8 2/8 David Alexander 30 Silver Spring MD MCRRC 4:41.41
9 1/8 Stefan Rothenburg 38 Rockville MD MCRRC 4:43.26
10 2/8 Victor Cretella 38 New Market MD MCRRC 4:48.29

Bombed?

Unofficial - 4:22
Went out just a tad slow for the first 200m and corrected myself for a 64 at 400m. I led from about 300m until the finish. However, I kept the "corrected" pace going for another lap and hit 800m in 2:07. I had no fight left in my legs from 1000m to the finish. They felt very heavy and blah. My last 200m felt like a shuffle. Despite a great crowd screaming at me, my finishing kick was pathetic. I walked away a bit miffed, but anxious to fight again soon.

DEVELOPING...

The Mile Looms

Easy 6 tonight. Attack tomorrow.

4:19 or bust.

Working Out?

I met Dirk, Bain and the other Jake for a workout today. I planned to run only part/half of the workout in lieu of the mile on Friday. During the warm-up, Dirk was trying to convince me to forgo the intended workout and opt for 200m strides instead. He had a point. I went back and forth in my head about what to do. If the workout costs me a couple seconds in the mile race, is that acceptable? I am not really training for the mile, so I guess it is? But, I do want to run a really good mile, so shouldn't I take it easy? Should I keep my eye on the prize (Philly Distance Run in September) or deviate off course? A giant debate waged in my head. The cranium congress finally recessed and I decided to run only 2 x 1k and then follow up with 200m strides at goal mile pace. I ran the 1000s in 3:00 and felt good. The gang continued to cut down on the reps while I moved on to 200s. 13 today between morning and evening runs.


Next week, I will be back on the bandwagon.

I Need a Rabbit

Anyone interested in taking me through 800m in 2:08-2:09 on Friday?

Details HERE

Dark n' Stormy

This is my favorite summer cocktail and I had about 346 of them while I was away. It is definitely worth trying but most bars around here don't have it.

From Wikipedia: A Dark and Stormy (or Dark 'n' Stormy) is an alcoholic highball style cocktail popular in many British Commonwealth countries, such as Australia and Bermuda. It consists of dark rum and ginger beer over ice. The local rum is usually used, for example, Bundaberg in Australia or Goslings in Bermuda.

Ingredients:
60ml of dark rum (RED FOX drinks "Goslings")
Ginger Beer
1 slice of Lime

Preparation:
Pour the rum into a glass over ice. Pour the Ginger Beer over it. Squeeze in the lime wedge and drop it in

Part Two

On Sunday, I awoke at my regular weekend long run wake-up time and ventured to The Trail of Tears; Cape Cod’s Mecca for mountain biking and off road fun. The West Barnstable Conservation Area reportedly received its menacing nickname due to the difficulty of the various trails that twist and roll through the 1100 acre plot of land. In my youth I’d run these single man paths for miles, but now prefer the less undulating fire roads that crisscross the sandy power line highway. I met my old pal Pat Dennen for a planned 100 minutes. Pat mentions he’s a frequent RED FOX reader, so here is to you Pat!. Pat and I met at some rinky dink summer cross country race 12 years (or so) ago. We were the same age and both training for our high school (and later college) cross country seasons. Finding people to run with on the Cape can be a difficult task, so we’d meet once or twice a week to battle it out on shaded trails. We caught up on old times and kept the pace gentlemanly. I added another couple of miles after dropping Pat back off at his car for a total of 17. More on the trail system here - http://capecodbikeguide.com/tot.asp

I finished the week with 85 miles, my highest (I think) since February. This brings my 2009 average to 71 mpw and 78 mpw since beginning the “surge”. I am hoping to run in the area of 80-90 until I race at Falmouth. This year, I’ll make Falmouth an easy week. After Falmouth, I’ll ramp back to 90-100 before beginning my September taper.

On Monday morning, I ran nostalgically past both of my old childhood homes and then headed over to the home of my oldest childhood friend. Hale was in town visiting his family…though he now has a family of his own. Married with two kids, Hale seems to be getting along quite well. He and his wife own and run a breakfast/lunch restaurant in Salem, NH. I promised to have eggs there next time passed through. After 30 minutes of playing catch-up, I excused myself and ran the final two miles back home before packing my bags for the trek back to Washington. It’s always disheartening to leave the Cape in the summer, but alas, I need to make money so that I can buy my cockatiels their much needed seed.

Half a Report

I’ve been running at odd times; just getting out whenever I have a chance.

On Friday morning I woke up early and sailed to Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard (reportedly where the president will be staying later this summer). It was very foggy at times and we relied on radar to ensure we weren’t crushed by a giant tanker or smashed into the side of another vessel. I was posted on the bow where I scanned the seas for the ever threatening lobster pot (they get snarled in the motor) and other hazards. Eventually the morning sun burned the haze away and the Vineyard appeared before us. When I arrived I took the dingy into the pier and headed out for a run. It was high noon and the sun was beginning to feel warm. I ran from Oak Bluffs to Vineyard Haven along sandy, sunny roads. To my right was a giant cliff that looked out over Vineyard Sound. It’s a beautiful site. I made my way down to the drawbridge and ran past bumper to bumper traffic. Tourists and locals were all heading to the beach. Apparently it was the nicest day to date. I took it easy and finished the day with 9 miles…then I had myself a nap.

After a good sail home on Saturday morning, I got out and ran a patriotic 10 at 2pm. Again, the sun was a blazin’ and again I took it very easy. I wore a white cap and sunglasses and tried my best to stay in the shade. I always feel miserable running at weird times (like 2pm) and coupled with hot weather can make for a sucky run. I doused my head under a pump-action water faucet in a graveyard around 30 minutes in and then trekked back home. Later I indulged in food and drink while watching fireworks on the boat.

Sunday and Monday reports to come...

Beavers in July

I ran an easy hour on Thursday morning. I was dreading the run since I went to bed physically and mentally exhausted. I awoke at 6 and was out the door by 6:30. I crawled south along the RCT until I hit the trails at Walter Reed. While running along the misty creek, I noticed something swimming towards me. I stopped, backtracked and stared into the green abyss below, but saw nothing. I waited, but still saw nothing. I shook my head and continued down the trail. Within a couple of minutes I saw what I had thought I saw earlier – a beaver. Though, this was at a different spot. For some reason I see beavers in Rock Creek every July…and only July. This is the third July in a row where I’ve seen beavers. WTF! Do beavers only come out in Maryland in July? After cursing at the beaver for showing up on July 1st, I continued on my way and saw the local TV channel weather person walking her dog and an assortment of other characters doing their morning routine in the park. I hit my turn around in 32:30, which is the slowest I’ve ever done…but it felt so nice. I ran back to the creek’s shore to really give the beaver a piece of mind, but he wasn’t around. Lame. I lumbered back home and actually felt as if I had recovered from the workout the night before. 9 miles.

I finished reading Again to Carthage on Wednesday while in the airport waiting for a delayed flight. I had been frustrated with the book and found parts of the novel hokey and lame. I wanted the book to be good…just like I wanted Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to be good, but I felt like I was forcing it. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the ending and marveled at the author’s writing style during the last couple of chapters. I suppose it is worth reading just for the final chapters and if you’re simply a fan of running books…after all there are only 3-4 running books out there.

I arrived back on Cape Cod after midnight and was greeted by my loyal companion, Montana (the dog). The first thing I noticed was how old he looked, which made me feel incredibly depressed. He was whining and obviously happy to see me. He circled around me, tail wagging, and looked up at me with old sad eyes. His eyes were foggy, like the glass eyes in an old stuffed animal. He followed me up to my room and jumped on the end of my bed. But, as he usually does, jumped down and wandered back downstairs to sleep in my parent's room. When I awoke on Thursday morning, I was thinking about work, which I often do. I tumbled around with my eyes shut thinking about all the stuff I had to do today once I got into the office, until I realized I didn't need to care. I heard my dog's collar jingle somewhere in the house and I opened my eyes. I was home.


Then for the umpteenth time in my life, I laced up some shoes and went out for a run.