Breezy Windy Running Post

This morning's workout did not go as I had planned, and it was a little demoralizing.  As I've written before, the past two years have found me devoting a lot of time to work-related and other assorted extracurricular projects.  As a result, my training has been a little wobbly--or if nothing else, has not contained as much speedwork as it usually does.

And that brings us to this morning's tempo run, which was well within a range that should have been very comfortable for me.  The problem was that it wasn't very comfortable, which surprised me.  Most of that discomfort is likely due to the process of getting back into shape, which is fine.

However, I also very earnestly want to believe that part of that discomfort was due to a modest headwind that blasted me straight on for the last 2.5 miles of the tempo workout.  When I turned into the wind, I sighed (out loud, to myself), and I adapted, ensuring that I was still maintaining a good pace while not pushing things too hard right at the start, because I had over two miles to go.

By the end, however, I was dead tired, and I was stunned, because it really didn't seem to be that windy.  Also, my overall pace was comparably slow for reasons that did not make sense to me.

So, to Google I went, and it was there that I found this informative article from Runners Connect about the effects of headwinds.

For whatever it might be worth, the calculations that John Davis offers seem to make sense for this one particular workout that bugged me enough to write this post.  If I had shaved about 12 seconds off of my pace per mile, I would have been right in my prescribed range.  For now, this is solace enough.

Give the whole thing a read, and always remember to use the last workout--however it goes--as fuel for the next one.

Reminder: The Kiprunning Sports Club Is Accepting New Members

The Kiprunning Sports Club, coached by Wilson Komen, is currently accepting new members.  If you are a competitive-level, or an elite, runner who trains in the Washington, DC area, contact Coach Wilson to inquire about joining us.

Wilson Komen (right) with two members of the Kiprunning Sports Club

The club meets at Georgetown Running Company at 7:00 am on Saturday mornings for weekly long runs.  These runs are free and are open to prospective members.  However, runners should consult the club's qualifying standards before planning to join these workouts.  Upon completing your initial long run, Coach Wilson will talk with you about your training program and the expectations for club participation.

If you have any questions, please contact us.  We will look forward to running with you.

Announcement: The Kiprunning Route Report Has Launched

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the Kiprunning Route Report, a guide to a variety of running trails--on and off-road--in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

This resource is free and is available to anyone who is planning a run in the DC area.  We enjoyed writing the report, and we really hope you find it helpful and informative.  Share it far and wide!

As is inevitably the case with projects like this, we anticipate a variety of adjustments and updates over time, so we do encourage you to bookmark the report's homepage and to check in with it in the future.  The maps that we have embedded into the report represent our best current knowledge of the various routes that we have highlighted.  Please monitor the trails for construction and maintenance closures, and always follow any posted on-site directions or restrictions.

Finally, as the report itself indicates, you should always run with responsible safety in mind.  Bring whatever food and hydration you need on any workout.  Also, always carry some form of identification, and be prepared with some spare taxi money if you need to hail a ride for any reason.

Run smart, run steady, and stay warm!