<p><img alt=”” class=”floatRight” height=”160″ src=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?displaypic=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1311.JPG&amp;non_lr=” width=”213″/></p>
<p>Following the airing of the <a href=”http://www.click2houston.com/sports/Olympic-Trials-marathon-held-in-Houston/-/1735736/7776410/-/2uar41/-/index.html”>US Marathon Trials</a> (spoiler warning!), I found myself without a team in the playoffs, a little bored, and in need of a run. On the downside, it was dark and 30 degrees. Whatever… that’s running.</p>
<p>After about 20 minutes of prep, I was double-layered from head to toe, had my credit card, a metro card, my phone, a gel, and no plan other than to stick to <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Line_(Washington_Metro)”>the Orange Line</a> and ride it home when I was done. I haven’t run more than nine miles (and that was only once… other than that, maybe six) since I fully gave into my injury in late 2009; I didn’t expect to make it much past <a href=”http://g.co/maps/xnm2z”>Rosslyn</a>.</p>
<p>So I set out. Less than a mile in, I had to ditch those stupid iPhone headphones (I gave them a shot since I was wearing a headband and my usual sports headphones don’t work with them) and take a leak. Not an ideal start.</p>
<p>Once I got going again, I hit a groove. Five miles in, I was approaching Georgetown with my sights set on <a href=”http://therunningcompany.net/georgetowns-homepage”>the running store</a>. While my legs felt great, my nips were burning something serious… <a href=”http://www.bodyglide.com/”>I NEEDED SOME GLIDE</a>. Unfortunately, they were closed. Jogging around to a few other stores in the area, I finally sourced some, lubed up the ole chesticles, and was back in business.</p>
<p>– Sorry for the pic quality and goofiness… very tough to take a blind photo of yourself. Yes, iPhone has a front-facing camera, but I needed flash and that’s only on the back one. I was not being picky with my poses… Just giving Heather a live tour of my run, which at least she’s lying about having enjoyed :)</p>
<p>From Georgetown, I followed the waterfront, passed the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Memorial [<a href=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?display=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1305.JPG”>pic</a>], the Washington Monument [<a href=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?display=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1306.JPG”>pic</a>], The White House [<a href=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?display=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1308.JPG”>pic</a>] (where I was yelled at for not running on the sidewalk and where I also noticed for the first time the countless blacked out random vehicles in the parking lot), the Capitol [<a href=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?display=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1311.JPG”>pic</a>], The Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and finally down to RFK Stadium [<a href=”http://www.iammike.org/gallery/?display=running%2F2012_01_14%20Run%2FIMG_1312.JPG”>pic</a>].</p>
<p><a href=”http://connect.garmin.com/activity/141705655″>I ended up doing some looping at the end of the run to make my GPS say a perfect 13.1 miles run</a>, but I did miss a couple of blocks with my watch stopped so 13.25 is more likely. Average pace was not exactly blazing as it was just a nice, fun run, but I have to be pleased with how easy a 1:49 (8:20/mi) half-marathon was.</p>
<p>My hamstrings feel good, my legs are pretty beat in general, but that’s natural. I’m very hopeful that 2012 will be a great year of progress runningwise.</p>