How Bout Those New Shoes

Over the past week we've met several more team members as well as heard from some of our holiday travelers.

Now it's my turn as I'm off to Boston this evening for a few days to celebrate passing into the New Year (woooooo party). My ratty old running shoes are long gone and my new pair is taking up valuable carry on luggage space.



I'm hoping to get two training sessions in since I'll be missing our group run this coming Saturday although I'm thinking it may be a bit ambitious.

Last weekend a number of us got brand spankin new kicks but I've been hearing mixed reviews thus far. I took mine for a longer run over about 6 miles as a trial and while about halfway my feet were feeling a bit foreign, by the end things were pretty comfy.

Others haven't been so lucky. Both Brandon and Ashwin have come up against tight leg muscles and shin splints they weren't experiencing with their older shoes. We have varying theories on what might be the cause but I imagine a few more miles to break them in is all that's needed.

So aside from the obvious trial of running a marathon and the purging of aging running equipment, there a few smaller running related goals I have for the coming year.

One will actually be finishing well in my first competition of the year, as I'm joining my roommates in the half-marathon portion of the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach this March. To make a strong time, I'm learning better pace myself during training. Also, as I'm writing this in Reagan airport staring at a McDonald's, I'm hoping that training for the marathon will help me eat better (Taco Bell excepted).

So, any goals for the New Year? Tips on breaking in new shoes? Eating tips? Feel free to share them below.

I'll try to update with some photos from running in Boston - in the meantime check out some of the photos from last weekend on our Flickr page - and I hope that everyone has a happy New Year!

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and New Shoes

First of all, happy holidays to all - hope everyone has spent at least one relaxing day with family or friends. We have embarked on a tough stretch for our team, a lot of people have left the DC area to visit family and take a vacation, thus truly putting the onus on us (is that even possible to say, "onus on us") to make our runs and be responsible. Many of us were really excited to put on our new shoes and find out if our investments would pan out in our favor...

It's probably too early to tell, but I followed up my best run of the season (from Saturday) with a very disappointing run. Shin splints ruined mile 2 to a walking pace, though I somehow finished the last mile running pretty well, I was not happy with my effort despite the ability to brave the New England weather for a nice run. My knees are bothering me, I've probably eaten too many of mom's cookies in the past two days, but I'm hoping that the next run will work out better. All in all, I hope the rest of my team has fared better, been responsible and are enjoying their vacations.

Saturday Round 2 - Georgetown

On a chilly but comfortable D.C. December morning, 6 out of 7 survived our second Saturday session with Team in Training, a four mile jaunt up the C&O Canal in Georgetown. Our seventh runner Jessie was out of town but likely ran faster and farther than the rest of us on her own.

The group, which all arrived in punctual manner after some late arrivals last week, started at the foot of M Street and headed West past the entrance to Georgetown University before doubling pack along the dirt path and finishing up at the Georgetown Running Company for a breakfast of bagels and hot chocolate.

As a group we were all extremely pleased with our efforts. Brandon and I led the group out with two others while the rest of the pack followed closely behind and finished with some gas left in the tank. One guy had running goggles on which I'm convinced give you super powers.

The highlight of the morning may have been our visit to the running store where most of us picked up some fresh kicks on discount. Dealing with some smelly bodies and feet the knowledgeable and patient staff watched us take strides to help us choose the perfect pair. My poor shoes were in particularly bad shape and have been abandoned (RIP) for the next generation of Nike.



According to our training schedule, we've all now completed a total of 17 miles over two weeks not counting any bonus work anyone might have done. Looking forward it seems like a meager distance, but the hard work has only just begun and the support and confidence of those around us has gotten us off to a strong start.

Some more things learned:

Use the potty before you leave the house. An early morning four miles in Georgetown on a muddy trail doesn't provide many options.

The city is a much different place in the early hours of a Saturday and is going to be a joy exploring over the coming months. An empty M Street is an oddly pleasing sight when it's typically jammed with cabs, shoppers and party goers in the evening.

Friday nights are going to be much more subdued as we move along. If this past one was any indication (minus two nameless individuals), they're going to involve a lot of chick flicks and Mario Kart:



Yea, Love Actually. Ashwin's fave.

For now, most of us are headed our separate ways for the holidays but will hopefully stay on course and reunite for our next Saturday session on January 3 ready for the step up into even more challenging distances.

Keep checking in, we'll have some outstanding video clips and more bio pages up shortly.