Tuesday’s run was tough, but I think that had more to do with the heat and the noon-time start than I realized when I started out for my run. My Garmin (affiliate link) showed a ridiculously slow pace, even for an injured Deb, but I think that was because I was running on the winding trails behind our house. I always seem to have a slower pace back there and I think that’s due to my GPS picking up the straight tangents as I run the longer curves.
I got a lot of comments about how beautiful this trail is when I posted this picture to Instagram on Tuesday. We are actually able to step off of our property in our backyard onto this trail which winds for 28 miles through our community. I know I’m a lucky girl and I don’t take having these shaded trails for granted.
Thursday morning, with temps in the low 50°’s, I made up for Tuesday’s lackluster run when I met my friends super early. Wearing a tank and shorts, I was much more comfortable than on Tuesday and my body performed accordingly. Even though I sent my speedier friends ahead on the relatively straight W&OD Trail while I ran alone, my pace was 2:15 per mile faster than on Tuesday.
Sunday morning I joined Bill while he shot pictures for the Loudoun Half Marathon. We arrived at the start about forty minutes before the race started so he could take pictures of packet pickup as well as the start.
After a week of seeing 60-80% chance of rain in Sunday’s forecast, we were pleasantly surprised when we awoke to a dry sky. I had expected to hold the umbrella to help protect Bill’s camera equipment, but ended up holding it to block the glare off his lens. We’re quite the team. 😉 I had a blast cheering on my MRTT and Cruiser friends from our post around the nine-mile marker.
After the last runner passed by, we headed back to the high school and the finish line for more random shots and the awards ceremony. It was great catching up with our friends who had run the race. With such perfect weather there were a lot of PR’s!
On the blog this week, my Race Linkup will be going live at midnight tonight as it does the last Monday of every month. Please join me and let your readers and fellow bloggers know which races you’ll be attending so we can plan meet-ups! I’ve given up hoping to get that little surprise blog post together that I’ve been hinting toward. Let’s just say I’ll finish it when I finish it… Friday I’ll be joining Marcia at Marcia’s Healthy Slice for her monthly Runfessions linkup.
In case you missed it, on Monday I wrote a tribute to the everyday runners running in the Boston Marathon entitled Saluting Everyday Boston Marathon Runners and on Thursday I posted A Long Run Junkie’s Tips For Surviving Your Next Long Run.
Back to my workouts, overall it was a pretty good week and here’s how my workouts went down…
Fitness tools beyond the equipment in my gym that I used during the week included:
- Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga For Beginners (affiliate link)
- Rodney Yee’s Intermediate Yoga (affiliate link)
- Rodney Yee’s Yoga Conditioning For Athletes (affiliate link)
- Tony Horton’s Ten Minute Trainer (affiliate link)
- Teeter Hang Ups Inversion (affiliate link)
Cameras used for blog photography include:
- GoPro Hero 4 (affiliate link)
- Canon Power Shot Elph (affiliate link)
- iPhone 6S (affiliate link)
- And the occasional picture taken by Bill
- Questions:
- Does your GPS seem less accurate on windy trails?
- How often do you spectate or volunteer at a race vs running?
- Did you race this weekend?
Have a great week!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.
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I’m linking up with Holly at HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap. Be sure to check out not only the hosts, but the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!
Everyone was so worried about the weather this weekend so glad it turned out fabulous for your race and for GW. So fun to be on the other side of things for a change.
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Friday Favorites Spring Edition
I know – today’s weather was quite the pleasant surprise!
Great week of training! I’m glad that you had some nice weather this weekend. We had rain and gloomy skies on Saturday, but today was gorgeous!
Kimberly G recently posted…Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon Training Recap – Week 8
Your weather this weekend sounds exactly like ours!
Your such a great assistant. So many people will appreciate your husband’s wonderful pictures! My run today was intentionally about 2 minutes slower. And, it felt fantastic not to worry about pace. I’m completely jealous of the lovely (and long) trail system you have right at your disposal. Thanks for linking, Deb!
I’m so glad you had such a great and relaxing run today. Those are the best!
I have never noticed my GPS being off on windy trails. I will have to pay attention to that next time it is windy. I have always wanted to do that Loudoun half marathon since it is in Wine Country.
Lacey@fairytalesandfitness recently posted…Something you DON’T Want to see on a Run
The Loudoun Half is in Eastern Loudoun County which is very residential. Western Loudoun is where all the wineries are located and the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon is run.
About the windy trail… I meant the adjective windy, as in curvy. LOL
I love cheering for friends at races – what a fun way to spend the day and with your husband too 😉
AmyC recently posted…My Workout Recap, But First
You’re right, it was fun! 😀
I don’t think I”ve ever had GPS issues with windy conditions. But how lucky you are to have access to some great trails!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Doing the Opposite
HaHa, I mean the adjective windy, as in curvy. 😀
When I run trails, I barely pay any attention at all to my Garmin. I love that yours are already shady. We still don’t have enough foliage here for shade and that sun gets hot! Best photo assistant ever!
Marcia recently posted…The Power of More
The trails behind my house are paved, but wind through the woods so I don’t really think of it as trail running. I don’t focus on my Garmin other than for distance when I run on truly technical dirt/rock trails. The foliage here is getting thicker every day!
I’d LOVE to have access to some of your trails! I try to volunteer whenever we have a local event in town (which, unfortunately, is not too often). No racing this weekend (except for racing back & forth from one place to another).
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Nonstop Running…Literally and Figuratively
I love having these shaded trails in the summer when I can’t run in the early morning hours. Come join me for a run sometime!
How very lucky to have something as nice as this trail right behind your house! Not only that but where you could do long runs. It’s one thing to have a mile or so but dang I’m very jealous!
I haven’t given much thought to my GPS not recording correctly on the trails. Humm I hope it’s not cutting me short.
Tricia@MissSippipiddlin recently posted…Weekly Wrap 90 Randomness
Not to make you even more jealous, but… if I jump on this trail at my house and run for just over a mile I come upon the W&OD Trail which runs for 44.5 miles in a pretty straight line from the urban areas near DC to the rolling countryside of Virginia. It’s a paved trail with a parallel gravel horse trail. 🙂
I love your trail pictures! Was nice to see all the Loundoun Half photos from yesterday. I would love to fit in the 8K next year.
It would be great to see you if you come out for the race next year. I ran the 8K last year and had a lot of fun!
We have a trail very similar to yours, not quite as long and certainly not right off of our property, but it is only a mile from my house. So I can either run to it and just keep going or drive to it and run until my heart is content. We are fortunate, indeed! Great job assisting the hubs there …you two look like you’ve done that a time or two! 🙂
Teresa recently posted…Challenges Pave the Way for Breakthrough
Oh cool, you’re a lucky girl, too! 🙂