Trudging Along

Not much to report on the training front. It's been difficult enough managing the excessive heat & humidity here in Northern Virginia the past few weeks, but I'm managing. Getting out and running before (or just as) the sun rises has been the routine. That also means that I don't get any "flat road" work, since I'm doing all my running in my neighborhood, which happens to be loaded with rolling hills.

I signed up this weekend for the Loudoun County 10K on Sunday, August 8th. I ran this race last year as my first race back from my (first) calf problem, ran it cautiously, and clocked a 10:06 pace. The weather shouldn't be too much of a problem, since it starts at 7:30 AM, and the middle 3 or 4 miles are run in the shade of the W & OD Trail. I'm treating this as a tune-up for September's Rock & Roll Philadelphia Half marathon, so no time goal for this one. The only goal is to run it at about my half-marathon pace and stay away from injury.

Speaking of the R & R Half, they have changed the course, basically reversing it from last year and changing the run through Center City Philadelphia a bit. I was initially hesitant at first when I saw this, but I noted a positive from it: the final 4+ miles (after crossing the Falls Road Bridge) will be generally on a negative slope. The course is already flat to begin with; now it seems to be just a bit easier. I have dreams of breaking 2 hours now.