Chesapeake and Ohio Steady Run

Time: 107:14
Distance: 17.5 mi.
Map

Target: 3-4 miles warmup, 10 miles steady, 3-4 miles cooldown
Run: 3.75 in 24:20; 10 miles in 56:33 (28:45/27:48); 3.75 in 26:20

To make sure I got my long harder effort in this week, I decided to do it this morning. I also knew that the Chesapeake and Ohio Towpath would be the a great place to get in an out-and-back long run with measured miles, as I really had no idea how to pace this run based on effort. The goal was to get in 3-4 miles warming up and getting into the pace, 10 miles with the general target of working down to about 5:40 pace, and then running straight through with the same 3-4 miles cooldown.


The towpath runs between the Potomac River and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (on the right of the path here)

I started from where I parked near M Street in Georgetown and got worked down to about 6 minute pace by the time I hit the 4 mile mark on the path (~3.75 miles from the car, 24:20). I felt very comfortable running the first mile of the steady section in 5:50 and kept bringing it down from there. I ran the first 5 miles up to the turnaround point (which, while flat, has a consistent slight uphill grade) in 28:45 (5:45 average). I kept pushing the pace a bit on the way back, running 27:48 (5:34 average) with a few of the middle miles under 5:30. The total time for the 10 steady miles was 56:33 (5:39 average). I was fairly tired, and ran the cooldown 3.75 miles in 26:20.


These 9 mile markers indicated my turnaround point

I was generally happy with how I felt given that this was my first effort like this in my training cycle. I got into a good rhythm (despite hopping over two trees over the path) and was able to run through a side cramp in the 7th mile of the steady section. I didn't go to the well and stayed aerobic throughout the run. With a bit more sleep and better nutritional preparation I would've felt okay to go 2-3 miles longer hard without too much trouble. That is the pace I will have to average for the whole 'thon in order to run under 2:30. Yikes.

RCP South, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown

Time: 80:47
Distance: 12 mi.


Buffalo / Q Street Bridge in Georgetown

Headed south in RCP through Montrose Park, and onto the streets of Georgetown. Met up with the C&O Towpath for a little bit and then headed back north.

RCP South, C&O Towpath

Time: 81:30
Distance: 12 mi.

Headed south in RCP on the paved path down to Georgetown where I got on the C&O Towpath for about a mile out and back. Feeling pretty sluggish on the way out and both knees were annoyingly stiff and sore, but on the way back I decided to get the legs moving a little bit with a fartlek. Did 12 x 30 sec with 1 min rest, which didn't feel too bad. In fact, afterwards I felt looser and more awake than I had on the way out.

Still pretty hot and humid, but hopefully some rain today will clear things out.

Nat'l Mall, TR Island, C&O Towpath

Time: 82:14
Distance: 13 mi.


View from the Key Bridge, looking east

Ran from work down the Mall to TR Island where I picked up Chad, then headed further down the Mt. Vernon Bike Path and crossed the Key Bridge to get on the C&O Towpath... stayed on that until 15 min out from TR (Chad was shooting for 30 min) and then headed back. Ran quick out to meet him and then didn't slack off much even when we were running together.

Had "workout stomach" afterward. Not sure what that was all about.

Also not exactly loving these shoes... they're a bit bulky and soft, like a worse version of the Nimbus, maybe. Doing some late-stage pronation because of my orthotics.

RCP South, TR Island

Time: 116:20
Distance: 17.5 mi.
Map


The "Valor" statue on the D.C. side of the Arlington Memorial Bridge

Headed south in RCP, which means being on or along the paved path the entire way. It is far less hilly than the trails in the northern section, though. Ran down to Georgetown where the path hits the C&O Towpath; went east on the towpath to the Key Bridge; took the bike path on the Virginia side of the Potomac; went onto TR island for 20 minutes; then headed back around over Arlington Memorial Bridge, along the DC side of the Potomac; a little bit of the Towpath and then back up RCP.

Overall a good run, but hamstrings and quads were pretty tired by about an hour and I was pretty dehydrated by the end. Went to the well a little bit.

Chesapeake and Ohio Towpath

Time: 80:33
Distance: 12.5 mi.
Map


The beginning of the towpath in Georgetown

Decided to head down to the towpath, which starts in Georgetown and goes 185 miles into Maryland. Needless to say, I didn't make it quite that far. Quite different from most of the hilly runs I've been doing--it is totally flat and really easy to roll. Didn't feel as good as I would've liked running 6:20 miles... definitely haven't been recovering well as I've been dehydrated and not getting enough sleep. Left hamstring very tight.