Bethesda MD: 21+ mile weekend

Saturday
Ran Rock Creek Park with my sister in law Diane

Map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2563684

Distance: 9.14 miles
Time: 1:26.28
Heart Rate Average: 148
Comments: It's great to run with Diane. We chat and catch up and she tends to push me harder than I'd like for my recovery runs - I won't admit it to her but maybe she'll read the blog. This was an immensely beautiful run, and one that I will certainly add to my 'usuals' when I'm in Bethesda. We parked just outside the limits (you can see the parking lot in the zoomed in Satellite view right by the start...

Started out nice and easy and then increased the pace on the return (uphill). Diane really killed it over the last mile and it was all I could do to keep up.


Sunday
Capital Crescent Trail Solo
Map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2563682

Distance: 12.18 (going by the map ped because my footpod wasn't working)
Time: 1:40.56
Heart Rate Average: 153
Comments: The distance is likely a bit high because I was having footpod problems at the beginning and started and stopped a couple of times. City street run to the trail, which is paved. Ran on the side of the trail for much of the run in an attempt to soften the footfalls and decrease the pounding. Ran almost all the way down to Georgetown, and had I know how close I was I would have continued. Felt great on the uphill, although I was running in the 9 min per mile pace. All the downhill at the beginning and a nice 'kick' back up into the neighborhood completed an enjoyable and impressive training run. Note that the heart rate is staying down and the speed is slowly but surely ticking up.

Final comment - my legs feel surprisingly fresh for a 20+ mile weekend with only slight tenderness in my knees. My ankles on the other hand feel a bit battered from the uneven ground (I always run on asphalt). And I'm a little tired, but in general it's amazing how my 'typical' run is now ticking up into the 8 plus mile mark without really even noticing it. A 'long' run of less than 10 miles feels like a bit of a ripoff, with something missing.

I'm still somewhat frustrated by the relatively modest improvement in my per mile times - but I know that it's too soon to see major improvements and that I'm carrying some lactic acid from run to run. It takes a couple of days to clear and I'm not necessarily giving myself enough time. Still it will feel pretty great to tick off 5 spot on 7 minute miles again. But now is the time for patience to let this training regimen take its course. Remember the marathon is still 9 months away...