runDC

It's no secret by now that one of my favorite things to do is run.  I absolutely love it.  Heck, I even love it so much that I used it as the intro to my personal statement for graduate school.  Of the broad category of "running," however, my favorite favorite thing to do is train for (& run) half marathons.  I love the way it keeps me disciplined in so many different areas of my life, both within and outside running.  Sure, I have to occasionally skip a night out with my friends because I have to be up early to go for a run (because I hate running in sunlight), but I don't mind.  I don't mind having to cut back on things like soda and sweets because I know that it's all for the greater good in the long run (no pun intended).  If anything, the "void" that is there is rather filled with the excitement of completing a long run before most people wake up in the morning, the joy of actually using workout clothes to work out, and the sense of accomplishment in working hard to achieve a tough goal.

Why all of the sudden a post about running you ask?  Because today I completed my first "long run" as a DC resident, and it was absolutely wonderful

When training for a race such as a half marathon, the longest long run is about 11 or 12 miles depending on your goal for the race.  For me, a long run usually occurs first thing on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and it requires more discipline and focus than a typical treadmill run.  I won't get into the specifics of it all, but I can tell you that this morning was an amazing run.  I had been conditioning myself all summer and building up speed, which has certainly paid off now that my long runs are about 45 seconds/mile faster than they used to be!  What also made today's run so much more enjoyable was the fact that not only did I get to run on the National Mall, I got to do it alongside several others who were out for their morning exercise.  In Miami, I used to go at it alone on a Saturday or Sunday morning, usually in a loop from my apartment and around back home.  But today it was so fun getting to run on a surface that wasn't road, while getting to take in some of the best views of our country, and scoring a new 5-mile PR.  Not a bad way to start the weekend!

I am so excited & happy to be a member of the running community here in DC and look forward to many more adventures while sightseeing and engaging in one of my favorite hobbies.