To anyone training for an ironman or half ironman, you amaze me!
While I am a firm believer that every single one of us can do whatever we set our minds to, including completing an ironman, it is not an easy road. It requires many hours of training, endless amounts of willpower and months of dedication and I am truly honored to call myself an aspiring ironman.
I feel the same way about calling myself a runner and being surrounded by thousands of runners on the George Washington Parkway on Sunday felt amazing!
The morning started off with a short jog to the bus loading area. We boarded an Alexandria Dash bus, who like the Parkway Classic is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, and were taken ~10 miles down the road to the beautiful Mt.Vernon Estate & Gardens.
Yep, you read that right, we boarded a bus that took us 10 miles away, just so we could run back. Silly runners!
The morning was a bit chilly and since we had about 45 minutes before the race, we joined the hundreds of other runners by wrapping ourselves up like burritos in space blankets. We skipped the coffee and water, having brought our own pre-race snacks, and about 20 minutes before the start we headed for a quick warm-up.
I used to never do more than a few pre-race stretches, but in recent years I have started appreciating the value of the warm up and I recommend warming up for at least 10 minutes, if not longer. I know what you're thinking: I'm about to run 10 miles, I don't want to exert any more energy than I need to!
Trust me, a solid warm-up is your friend.
Running on warmed up muscles decreases your chance of injury and allows your body time to get ready for the race. My heart rate, for example, has a tendency to spike whenever I start running. If the spike happens during the race, I lose time, because I have to slow down and get my heart rate under control. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather take care of that pre-race.
The race started a few minutes late and there was a bit of shenanigans with 2 buses arriving late and parking in the middle of the starting corrals, but once we started everything was perfect!
The run follows the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a long flat road along the Potomac River surrounded by trees. While there weren't many spectators for the first half, I was definitely not alone. It was actually quite breathtaking to look in front and behind me and see nothing but a sea of colorful runners surrounded by nature.
The volunteers were once again fantastic, providing water (and Nuun) about every 2 miles and as we reached the various neighborhoods spectators lined the course cheering us on and waving signs. As always, the cheers boosted my energy, especially when I saw my friends John and Amber!
The crowds picked up once we reached Alexandria and the last stretch down Union Street was pretty fun. Seeing the finish line for almost a mile before you get to it is a bit of a tease, but knowing this would be the case, I saved some energy for the last mile. As soon as I saw the finish, I gave it all I had, using the supportive cheers from the crowd to hold my fastest mile of the race!
Pablo, who finished the race in an amazing 1 hour and 8 minutes, was right at the finish line cheering me on and after receiving my fun 30-year-anniversary medal we headed to the Finisher's Festival.
While I was disappointed that there were no bananas and bagels left when I got to the Festival area, I enjoyed the treats in my Recovery Pack, the live band and of course a cold cup of Port City Brewing Company's Optimal Wit.
We had a great time celebrating your 30th Anniversary George Washington Parkway Classic!
While I am a firm believer that every single one of us can do whatever we set our minds to, including completing an ironman, it is not an easy road. It requires many hours of training, endless amounts of willpower and months of dedication and I am truly honored to call myself an aspiring ironman.
I feel the same way about calling myself a runner and being surrounded by thousands of runners on the George Washington Parkway on Sunday felt amazing!
Yep, you read that right, we boarded a bus that took us 10 miles away, just so we could run back. Silly runners!
The morning was a bit chilly and since we had about 45 minutes before the race, we joined the hundreds of other runners by wrapping ourselves up like burritos in space blankets. We skipped the coffee and water, having brought our own pre-race snacks, and about 20 minutes before the start we headed for a quick warm-up.I used to never do more than a few pre-race stretches, but in recent years I have started appreciating the value of the warm up and I recommend warming up for at least 10 minutes, if not longer. I know what you're thinking: I'm about to run 10 miles, I don't want to exert any more energy than I need to!
Trust me, a solid warm-up is your friend.
Running on warmed up muscles decreases your chance of injury and allows your body time to get ready for the race. My heart rate, for example, has a tendency to spike whenever I start running. If the spike happens during the race, I lose time, because I have to slow down and get my heart rate under control. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather take care of that pre-race.
The race started a few minutes late and there was a bit of shenanigans with 2 buses arriving late and parking in the middle of the starting corrals, but once we started everything was perfect!The run follows the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a long flat road along the Potomac River surrounded by trees. While there weren't many spectators for the first half, I was definitely not alone. It was actually quite breathtaking to look in front and behind me and see nothing but a sea of colorful runners surrounded by nature.
The volunteers were once again fantastic, providing water (and Nuun) about every 2 miles and as we reached the various neighborhoods spectators lined the course cheering us on and waving signs. As always, the cheers boosted my energy, especially when I saw my friends John and Amber!The crowds picked up once we reached Alexandria and the last stretch down Union Street was pretty fun. Seeing the finish line for almost a mile before you get to it is a bit of a tease, but knowing this would be the case, I saved some energy for the last mile. As soon as I saw the finish, I gave it all I had, using the supportive cheers from the crowd to hold my fastest mile of the race!
Pablo, who finished the race in an amazing 1 hour and 8 minutes, was right at the finish line cheering me on and after receiving my fun 30-year-anniversary medal we headed to the Finisher's Festival.While I was disappointed that there were no bananas and bagels left when I got to the Festival area, I enjoyed the treats in my Recovery Pack, the live band and of course a cold cup of Port City Brewing Company's Optimal Wit.
We had a great time celebrating your 30th Anniversary George Washington Parkway Classic!
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