2017-07-24 14:29
The Great Alaskan Running Cruise has officially set sail! This vacation has been amazing in so many ways.Cruise Ship RunningOn Saturday, the ship was at sea all day long. I woke up feeling d… Read More
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Racing Stripes-- A Running Blog
racing-stripes.blogspot.com
This blog is all about running and races. It includes race reports, training schedules, and personal anecdotes.
2017-07-21 18:04
Greg and I flew across the country from Virginia to Alaska yesterday to take part in the Great Alaskan Running Cruise. What is a running cruise? It's a normal cruise, Royal Caribbean to be s… Read More
2017-07-14 17:47
Lately, I have been seeing this word all over the place in the running community. Particularly in blogs and on Instagram. And when I read it or hear it, it's like nails on a chalkboard to me… Read More
2017-07-04 22:51
Ouch. That was definitely a humbling experience!This morning I ran my 5th Firecracker 5K in Reston, VA. This race is always brutal with the heat, humidity, and hills. I missed running it las… Read More
2017-06-26 00:20
Last night I ran the =PR= Twilight Festival Four Miler. This was my 5th time running this race, I had run it before in 2007 (31:18), 2008 (time unknown), 2015 (30:08), and 2016 (28:36). This… Read More
2017-06-10 15:46
In June 2005, I ran my first "big" race: the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in Washington, DC. It was only the weekend before that I had discovered road racing when I participated in a two-mile race… Read More
2017-06-03 20:23
Success (or failure) in running is never based on one workout alone. Like notes played on a piano, you need all of them at different times and different intensities to make a rich song. A si… Read More
2017-05-28 16:37
I started racing almost exactly 12 years ago. I had been a treadmill runner for years, but I didn't discover racing until my 5-year college reunion in 2005, which had a two-mile race. I was… Read More
2017-05-21 21:05
This morning I ran the Semper Fi 5K in Washington, DC. Over the past six weeks, I've been focused on increasing my speed at shorter distances and this race was one in a series of sever… Read More
2017-05-17 00:51
Exactly one year ago, I published my first book, Boston Bound. I never expected it would sell so many copies; I simply thought it might be helpful for someone to read so I put it out there.H… Read More
2017-05-14 19:19
That's right. This morning I, along with about 800 other people, were given the gift of perfect racing weather in Mid-May for the Mother's Day 4-Miler. It was unseasonably cool (50 degrees)… Read More
2017-05-07 17:38
It's been awhile since I posted a training update. My current focus is building speed for shorter distance races. To recap, I set a PR in the 5K in mid-April (20:44), and then beat that PR a… Read More
2017-04-23 18:49
This morning I ran the GW Parkway Classic 5K. I had only run this race once in the past back in 2008, when I ran a 23:58. This race also offers a 10-mile race (which is what the event is kno… Read More
2017-04-15 15:41
Last night I ran the Crystal City 5K Friday. I know, that sounds weird, but "Friday" is actually part of the race name. This race occurs every Friday evening in April, and I ran the second r… Read More
2017-04-09 20:38
If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know about my work with a sports psychologist. A few weeks ago, Greg asked me if I had been to see him lately. And I realized that it had bee… Read More
2017-04-02 19:13
Dear Fast Runner,As part of the 45th Running Celebration of Credit Union Cherry Blossom, we are awarding mugs that read "I would have won this race in 1973" to all males who finish faster th… Read More
2017-03-26 16:38
It's now been three weeks since the Myrtle Beach Marathon, and my legs are finally feeling fresh after some rest and reduced mileage weeks.Saturday, March 25thThis recovery period has come a… Read More
2017-03-12 17:22
Now that I've had some time to truly process the race, I have a few additional thoughts I'd like to share.First of all, this week has been a shock to my system. I took Sunday-Wednesday off c… Read More
2017-03-04 20:10
About four years ago, when I was working with my sports psychologist, he asked me what I thought my fastest possible marathon time ever would be. I told him that I believed I was capable of… Read More
2017-02-26 18:57
It's taper time and my body couldn't be happier! After my most intense marathon training cycle ever, I'm definitely ready for a little down time before I race 26.2 miles in Myrtle Beach. Now… Read More
2017-02-19 16:54
This final week of intense training has been rather complicated. But I guess if there was ever a time for things to go awry, it would be once most of the training is over, but not close enou… Read More
2017-02-12 21:31
In my book, Boston Bound, I address the idea of "expectations" when it comes to racing: what I expect from myself, what others expect from me, and how that impacts my performance. I've been… Read More
2017-02-04 19:25
This morning I ran the "For the Love of It" 10K.I'm in the height of my training cycle for the Myrtle Beach Marathon, which means I've logged 70+ mile weeks for the past several weeks. The p… Read More
2017-01-29 15:13
It would be an understatement to say that I've been running a lot lately. I'm at the height of my training for the Myrtle Beach marathon and things are pretty intense. I'm happy to report th… Read More
2017-01-26 00:06
Hidrate Spark 2.0 Water BottleAs a goal-oriented person, I'm extremely motivated to achieve whatever it is I set out to do. But with one hang-up: I need to be able to measure my progress and… Read More
2017-01-22 14:09
With only six weeks until the Myrtle Beach marathon, this training cycle has gone by very quickly! But then again, I've really only been training for five weeks-- I got a late start due to m… Read More
2017-01-14 18:04
Reynaud's Syndrome: After running in 40 degreesDo your hands and/or feet turn white when they are cold? If so, you may have Reynaud's Syndrome. Reynaud's Syndrome is a condition that causes… Read More
2017-01-10 00:53
Ever since it opened, I’ve wanted to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Wild animals, including zebras, roam freely on a small savannah directly outside of your room. Through… Read More
2017-01-02 13:23
2016 was an interesting year for me. One the one hand, I accomplished a lot in terms of running, writing, and my career. I ran the Boston Marathon for the first time. I published a book. I s… Read More
2016-12-31 20:51
For the 7th year in a row, Greg and I ran the Ringing In Hope New Year's eve race. This race offers both a 5K and a 10K option, and typically we do the 10K. This year, I'm registered for the… Read More
2016-12-25 16:34
Happy holidays to all of my blog readers! While this season "downtime" for many runners, I'm just ramping up. I'm planning to run the Myrtle Beach marathon on March 4th, so training is now i… Read More
2016-12-11 12:50
I like to review things. I like to review my individual races, workouts, training weeks, training cycles,and years. It helps me gain closure and ensure that I've taken everything I need from… Read More
2016-12-04 18:15
This morning I ran the Run With Santa 5K. I typically don't run so many 5Ks back to back, but I needed to squeeze in three "ranked" races before the end of the year. Previously, I ran the Ve… Read More
2016-11-24 18:42
This morning I ran my 11th consecutive Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K. That's right, I have an eleven-year streak, which is impressive, considering I have never been ill or injured on Thanksgiv… Read More
2016-11-20 18:10
I celebrated my 38th birthday on November 11. It seems like just yesterday I was 28 and just starting to get into long distance running.I ran my first marathon in 2006, and even though runni… Read More
2016-11-13 17:39
Apologies for the spoiler in the headline, but I destroyed my goal for today's 5K race.After 12 weeks of no running, no cross training, and virtually no physical activity, I finally resumed… Read More
2016-11-06 17:51
Yesterday, I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon as a training run. I had originally registered for the full marathon last spring, before I came down with mono. But due to the… Read More
2016-10-23 15:46
Since recovering from mono (or some mono-like virus that took me out for 12 weeks), I've now been running for just over four weeks. My coach determined it was best to re-build my aerobic bas… Read More
2016-10-16 15:01
One of the topics that I cover in depth in my book is making comparisons to other people. Little good comes of comparing yourself to other people, and yet, it's part of human nature to do so… Read More
2016-10-08 14:51
It's comeback time!I am thrilled to be healthy and able to run again!My previous post, Running and Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome, summed up the timeline of the illness, and my first few runs b… Read More
2016-09-24 14:59
Celebrating my recovery with a beach sprint!I really wanted to title this post "Recovered!!!" but I'm hoping that this title will be more searchable for runners struggling with mono and/or p… Read More
2016-09-18 12:40
As runners strived to qualify for Boston 2017 within just days of the qualifying window closing, two rather frustrating marathon mishaps occurred. On Sunday, August 28, runners were tak… Read More
2016-09-06 17:40
I'm still dealing with this mono/post-viral illness, and I've gained some new perspective on it within My coloringthe past week or so. For those of you who are just tuning in, I've been sick… Read More
2016-08-27 13:05
Imagine you are finishing a race. You're pushing as hard as you can and you know you only have to endure the pain for a few more minutes. The finish line is in sight. All you need to do is p… Read More
2016-08-17 13:29
I've come a long way in gaining mental strength over the past eight years. There was a time when I had very little of it; I didn't understand it. I simply let my emotions control me without… Read More
2016-08-06 12:43
Before I started working with my current coach, I never understood how people ran 5Ks while marathon training. 5Ks usually fall on the weekends, and that interferes with a weekend long run… Read More
2016-07-31 13:07
I have not run for the entire month of July. I got sick on June 30 and was diagnosed with mono about two weeks later. This is not my first experience with mono as an adult, I also had mono 4… Read More
2016-07-24 23:56
In spite of all the struggles and mental barriers that I had to overcome to qualify for Boston, I never gave up. Even when others told me that maybe the marathon wasn't my thing, I still kep… Read More
2016-07-20 13:06
The first half of 2016 was amazing:March: I set a huge PR in the half marathon despite 20 MPH winds and a torrential downpourApril: I ran the Boston Marathon and then took a week-long vacati… Read More
2016-07-13 21:56
Yes, running is a challenging, tiring and difficult sport. But you know what's harder than running? NOT running!This morning, Greg returned to our house soaking in sweat from his humid hill… Read More
2016-07-04 15:58
Today I was supposed to run the Reston Firecracker 5K. I've registered for this race every year since it began in 2010, but I've missed it almost as many times as I've actually run it due to… Read More
2016-06-24 17:06
My favorite part about having published a book is hearing from people who were helped by it. Within just two weeks of launching Boston Bound, a runner named Alison reached out to me on… Read More
2016-06-19 22:02
It's been awhile since I've posted a training update. I blogged regularly about my Boston Marathon training, and it helped me see the bigger picture of my hard work.After the marathon, I too… Read More
2016-06-15 19:31
I'll preface this post by saying that I hardly ever review products on my blog. Companies do not send me free products to review and I only write about products that I'm passionate about, li… Read More
2016-06-12 12:51
Last night I ran the =PR= Twilight Festival 4-miler. This was my 4th time running this race, previous years were 2007, 2008, and 2015. Having run the race just last year, I remembered i… Read More
2016-06-04 16:06
About three weeks after running the Boston Marathon, I returned to Boston for a business trip. I was honored to be speaking at a marketing conference on the topic of social media, and m… Read More
2016-05-27 16:21
I wanted to write this post about a week after the Boston Marathon, but I was on vacation at a resort in Mexico. The Saturday following the race, Greg and I flew to Mexico and spent a week d… Read More
2016-05-21 17:03
Rain, rain, go away!The actual name of this race is the Semper Fi 5K, but I took the creative license to change it to Semper Five K in the blog title for the fun of it. I had never run this… Read More
2016-05-16 14:56
As many of you blog readers know, I spent seven years of my life tortured by repeated failed attempts to qualify for the Boston Marathon.At first, my failure to qualify for Boston was simply… Read More
2016-05-08 20:03
This morning I ran the Mother's Day 4-Miler in Reston, VA. I had never run this course before, and typically I run the Angel Kisses 5K on Mother's Day, but that race no longer exists. Ideall… Read More
2016-04-20 00:16
It finally happened. After setting my sights on Boston in March 2008, I finally ran the race, 8 years later, and 10 years after running my first marathon in 2016. The Boston Marathon was my… Read More
2016-04-17 23:49
Typically when I write my race reports I include a section called "Before the Race." In the case of Boston, I think "Before the Race" deserves its own blog post.In front of the #RunBold wall… Read More
2016-04-13 16:27
With just five days until the Boston Marathon, I've been doing some serious reflecting on what got me here.Some HistoryI first decided that I wanted to qualify for Boston way back in 2008. I… Read More
2016-04-03 12:13
In case I haven't said it enough, I am so elated to be running the Boston Marathon. It's been a dream of mine for 8 years and it's finally coming true. I've worked hard for so long and strug… Read More
2016-03-20 21:05
Today's Shamrock Half Marathon was truly a breakthrough experience for me, in many ways.At the expoThe weather conditions have been described by many as "brutal" and in spite of that, I stil… Read More
2016-03-18 18:56
I typically don't review products on my blog. I don't have relationships with particular brands, and I Mizuno Wave Catalyst, released February 2016am usually not offered free stuff. But when… Read More
2016-03-13 21:07
Boston is freakishly close! In five weeks I will be eating my "last supper" before running my first Boston Marathon.Training has gotten super intense over the past two weeks. I never thought… Read More
2016-02-28 19:33
The end of a 20-miler on the W&ODI can't believe that I will be running the Boston Marathon in just seven weeks! This has been a dream of mine for over eight years and it's finally comin… Read More
2016-02-15 17:29
I plan my race schedule for each season far in advance. As I train for the Boston Marathon in April, my coach and I agreed on two tune-up races: the GW Birthday 10K on February 14 and the Sh… Read More
2016-01-31 22:52
The Washington DC metro area was hit with a huge blizzard last weekend. Known as "Snowzilla," "Storm Jonas," and "The Blizzard of 2016," this system dropped about 28 inches of snow onto my n… Read More
2016-01-03 01:01
2015 was the best year of running I've had since I started racing 10 years ago.10K PR, October 2015It’s easy for beginning runners to improve. Usually runners see major gains during th… Read More
2016-01-01 18:07
Yesterday afternoon, I ran the Ringing in Hope 10K. The inaugural event was held in 2010, and Greg and I have run it every year since it started. Even though I have quite a few issues with h… Read More
2015-11-26 17:58
This morning I ran my 10th consecutive Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K. That's right- my 10th year in a row! I'm thankful that I have never been injured on Thanksgiving and I have always been ab… Read More
2015-11-16 19:55
I spent the past week visualizing the race I wanted to run this morning in Richmond. Four weeks ago, I considered the Columbus Half Marathon to be my breakthrough race of the season, and Ric… Read More
2015-10-21 20:06
I had three new race experiences today:1. Stopping immediately before hitting the start line2. Running in cotton underwear3. Throwing up after a raceThe tagline for this year's Columbus half… Read More
2015-10-05 18:50
On Thursday of this week, I had pretty much decided that I was going to bail on my 10K this weekend. A hurricane on the order of magnitude of Sandy was coming through, and the forecast calle… Read More
2015-09-19 18:24
It doesn't come much flatter than this.I admit that I was hesitant to register for the Dulles Airport Runway 5K. It seemed a little wonky to hold a 5K on a runway, and I wasn't thrilled abou… Read More
2015-09-02 22:48
As summer draws to a close, I have a few interesting updates to share. I haven't been writing in my blog as much as I used to, mainly only when I race. I don't ever want blogging to feel lik… Read More
2015-08-01 17:55
This morning I ran the Crime Solvers 5K, a race organized by Capital Area Runners benefiting a local charity.This is my last 5K of the summer, and I'm really pleased with my decision to dedi… Read More
2015-07-04 19:21
This morning, I ran my 4th Firecracker 5K in the Reston Town Center. I've registered for this race every year since it started in 2010, but I've only been able to race 4 of them.History2010… Read More
2015-06-14 20:45
Yesterday evening I ran the Potomac River Running Twilight Festival 4-miler. I've run this race twice before-- in 2007 and 2008.When planning my summer race schedule, I heavily debated betwe… Read More
2015-06-07 21:22
It's my 10-year raciversary! I ran my very first race 10 years ago at my 5-year college reunion.I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2000. Shortly after graduation, I joined… Read More
2015-05-25 18:43
Continuing my series of 5K races this summer, I ran the Fair Oaks Ambulance Chase 5K on Saturday. I ran this race back in 2009 and I remember it being extremely hot and hilly, winning my age… Read More
2015-05-10 19:40
Now that I'm done with my marathon and the weather is heating up, I'm focusing on racing shorter distances until the fall. The heat is a real challenge for me, and I've nearly passed o… Read More
2015-04-25 16:26
Last Saturday, I won my first-ever 5K. Prior to this race, the only race I’d ever officially won was a 2-mile race at my college reunion in 2005. And that was actually the first… Read More
2015-04-05 16:23
It's now been one week since the B&A Trail marathon so I've had time to reflect more on the race.In some ways, I feel like I got "the monkey off my back," but really I know that I h… Read More
2015-03-29 23:48
This morning I ran my 19th marathon at the B&A Trail marathon in Maryland. I had run this race once before in 2013 and I liked it quite a bit. I like to run marathons of all sizes… Read More
2015-03-15 20:39
A few weeks ago, when I received my training plan for the month leading up to the marathon, I noticed that there was a half marathon "time trial" scheduled for Saturday, March 14. My coach t… Read More
2015-03-01 23:13
I just posted a post a few hours ago about Greg and my crazy adventure yesterday in the search for a half marathon that wouldn't be canceled because of the weather.Original PlanWe were… Read More
2015-03-01 20:46
Well, not exactly crazy. They seemed logical at the time, and even in retrospect they were. I think I learned a lot yesterday in my quest to run a half marathon.BackgroundGreg and I register… Read More
2015-01-19 22:29
Brrrrrr.I'm still thawing out from this morning's Frostbite 15K in Richmond, Va. This was a tough one.I had never run a 15K race before, and I ran this one due to the lack of local races in… Read More
2015-01-01 16:23
This morning, my "TimeHop" app showed me the blog I wrote 4 years ago, which was a recap of my 2010 year of running. I thought it would be fun to do a comparison of 2010 to 2014, and write t… Read More
2014-12-31 23:44
This morning, Greg and I ran our 5th consecutive Ringing In Hope 10K. It's also the 5th year that the race has been put on, so we've never missed one. It's a tradition in our family of two t… Read More
2014-11-29 15:52
When I qualified for Boston last month with not a second to spare, I realized the importance of seconds while racing. Things like running the tangents, avoiding weaving, and being quick abou… Read More
2014-10-20 23:45
A Six-year JourneyMarch 2008. Upon completion of the Shamrock marathon in Virginia Beach, with a shiny new PR of 3:51:49 I set out to qualify for the Boston Marathon. My first six marathons… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
I've heard the phrase "pushing past limits" over and over again throughout my running career. Whether it comes up in the blogs I read, on Facebook posts, in running magazines or during in-pe… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
This morning I ran the Shamrock half marathon in Virginia Beach. And it was hard.I had fond memories of this race from 2009, where I surprisingly smashed my PR by over 4 minutes. I was hopin… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Due to the major snow storm we received on Thursday, I was unsure if I was actually going to run the GW Birthday 10K this morning. I thought the race might get cancelled, or they would hold… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Just over six months ago, I accepted a new job. Before I even started, I had everything planned out for how I would manage a long commute + long hours + high mileage. But then I actually sta… Read More
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