Teaching Gretchen the city life

This past weekend my sister Kristen and my niece Gretchen came to visit. I took the opportunity to teach Gretchen about city living. Lessons learned:

When riding the Dinosaur train (Metro) you should always hold on, stand to the right on the magic stairs, and saying abracadabra when swiping your card assures success.

Apartments may be small, but there are great playgrounds right around the corner (and taking the elevator down to get there is almost just as fun).

Cities have great food (and milkshakes) within walking distance.

You have to walk a lot.

There is always time for coloring,

building,

and sports.

And when you get caught in a torrential rain storm, stop and eat tacos.

Scenes from my Shutdown

I woke up the first day of shutdown determined to make the most of my day. For some crazy reason I thought I might only have the one day to enjoy and I didn't want to waste it. 

I lept out of bed made myself a latte and started mixing up banana bread.  

Then I watched all my favorites on the Today show (looking at you Willy) while blogging my September recap.

Then I went for a three mile run that ended at Whole Foods to purchase eggs and some other essentials for eating all my meals at home.

I mixed the eggs with some pumpkin and chocolate chips for pumpkin bread.

Oh and giant Texas muffins.

A few weeks ago I stopped by a street sale with my friend Jenn. They were cleaning up and there was a free pile. I grabbed this tray from the free pile and decided to paint it up.

First I sanded.

Then I painted with chalkboard paint.

Then on to some flag painting, first the DC flag

Then my interpretation of the US flag.

Then it was noon and time for lunch. Haha... just kidding. That was two days of projects. I also finished hanging my collage photo wall and framed and hung some photos in my bedroom. 

My sister Kristen and niece Gretchen have arrived for fun. Even though tons of things are closed and they canceled the half marathon we were going to run, we are determined to have a good time. 

Yesterday we hit up the playground.

And then enjoyed milkshakes at Ted's Bulletin.

Today the building museum!

September in review

I wasn't a very good blogger in September. A few thing were going on...

I moved.

I stayed in the same apartment building, but I moved two floor downs and to the front of the building. I also added a bedroom! Now it seems to be taking me an extra 20 minutes to get ready in the morning. I think I get lost.

I'm still working on decorating the new space... so much wall!

I was playing dodgeball.

Dodgeball turned out to be a lot of fun. A friend and I joined a team of strangers, who ended up being awesome. We ended the season with a rooftop party at the Vida Penthouse.

Team Peace Corps Peru

Penthouse Pool!

My sister Beth came to visit.

Beth came to visit some of her friends in Baltimore, but luckily she found some time to spend with me. I took her running and eating.

Pizza & pizza scissors at Ghibellina 

cream cow for breakfast at Ted's Bulletin

Pacers Shake Shack Run

I had a quick trip to Missouri to see Marissa get Married.

I squeezed in a quick visit to see my family, which of course included coffee and bake goods at Old Drum.

junior year college roomies

Me & Sarah enjoying the beautiful evening

Dad enjoying coffee from a john deere cup while decked out in john deere 

I painted wine glasses with friends at 918 F Street.

I continued to work out in Franklin Park.

Every week was a great workout and full of great giveaways. If they do this again I suggest everyone attend.

I'm in the hot pink shirt

I watched Australian Football at the Australian Embassy.

So it isn't just like rugby after all. They play on a round field (CRAZY) and have four poles at each "end zone" looked a little like a quidditch field if you ask me.

I coordinated the DC State Fair Bike Accessory contest.

It was a lot of emailing and worrying, but it all worked out perfectly. I also entered a dog bow tie in the DC flag knitting contest.

The winning entry and my three judges

I didn't have any DC red, but you get the idea...

I also did a fair amount of running... this Sunday Kristen and I are running the Woodrow Wilson Bridge 1/2 Marathon.

Turkey Trotting

I stayed in the DC area again this year for Thanksgiving. I had some extra cousins in town, so we decided to run the S.O.M.E. Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning. Its the same race I ran last year with my dad and sister. The route was a little different this year, they got rid of a weird out and back and we circled back closer to the Capitol Building before heading back down Pennsylvania Avenue to the finish.

getting ready to go

some people got into the holiday spirit

Last year we headed over the the White House for post race pictures, we did it again this year, so now it is a tradition.

First Family and Family Flyers

Again this year the race was huge, they were announcing something like 10,000 participants. I worked my way up to the back of the 8 min/mile pace group with my teenage cousins in tow. I was hoping to run around a 7:40 pace, but the starting area was so packed I couldn't move any further forward. There was some issues with people not lining up in the right area. To my left was a man with a stroller and an eight year old and to my right was a girl in jeans carrying a backpack. Since it was Thanksgiving I didn't tell them what I was thinking about their positioning at the starting line.

Once the gun went off and we crossed the start line I didn't have too much trouble opening up, but I immediately lost my cousins. The first mile went pretty fast as we ran toward the Capitol Building. A little after my watch beeped for the first mile at 7:33 I spotted my cousin Matthew. Although very athletic, at 15 he's not a long distance runner so I was a little surprised to see him at this point. I gave him a nod and a smile and passed him as we headed into the second mile. Mile 2 is the least scenic and flat portion of the race. We looped around some office buildings south of the Mall before heading back towards Pennsylvania. My second mile was only a bit slower at 7:39.

My stomach started feeling a little iffy as I headed into the final mile so I slowed down a little. I hadn't really been running with anyone so I didn't have anyone I was trying to keep up with or pass, mistake. Soon I saw the balloons at the finish and powered through. My third mile was 7:55 with a 1:08 final .1(6). 

My official time was 24:15, another PR!

My pace was 7:49 a little off of my Baltimore Relay Pace.

I placed 593rd out of 3453 (timed participants, many signed up as untimed)

and 61st out of 550 Females 20-29

legwarmers and a headstand for the win

Steak, grilled veggies, and Hershey Pie

I was lucky enough to be invited out to my Uncle and Aunt's new house for a BBQ last Sunday. For just moving last month I was impressed by how many pictures were up and things were put away. 

The rain held of just enough to finish the steak and veggies on the grill.

yummy

no words...

My cousin Shannon made a delicious Hershey Pie for desert.  

delicious and pretty

Double dose of Nats

Some of my cousins are in town visiting from Germany. A visit to DC isn't complete without a double header at National's Park. The Nats split the day with the Marlins, but the highlight of the night was seeing family I hadn't seen in a few years.

Race Recap: Father's Day 8K (aka 6.5 min PR)

When my speedy sister called me a few weeks ago to discuss her upcoming trip to DC, she had two requests:

1. Run everyday

2. Take pictures of Gretchen in front of monuments

So in a addition to thinking about some runs around the monuments, Rock Creek Park, and Run club, I set out to find a race for when she was here.

The Father's Day 8K stood out to me for a few reasons:

1. 8K distance is not as common 

2. It was on the C&O canal (a place I hadn't yet run)

3. Race was capped at 300 people (DC has some big races)

4. The path is flat

5. The race was at 6:30 pm (no crazy early morning wake up)

I mentioned the idea to Kristen and immediately she was on board.

We spent the day walking around Georgetown getting "warmed up". Then we stopped by Dean & Deluca for some pre race hydration and used the restrooms to change into our race gear. The race seemed a little hap hazard like all the race bibs were left over from other races (hey, I'm a fan of reducing waste too!), there wasn't any electronic timing, and the small t-shirts were huge. 

Luckily when we lined up for the start we were only a few seconds back and once we started the field thinned out quickly. Mostly because we were racing with some FAST people.

The 8K out and back course was on the C&O canal towpath, which is crushed rock and some uncrushed rock. There were a few washout hazards, but mostly a smooth path for running.

As soon as the train whistle blew we were off and soon I could no longer see Kristen. I took off fast propelled by those around me and I finished my first mile in 8:19. A little before I reached the second mile marker a biker was heading towards me warning that the lead runner was on his way back. I looked at my watch, the race had started 15 minutes ago, this guy had less than two miles left. When he flew by I could tell that indeed he was running 5 minute miles. His energy lead me to finish my second mile a little faster at 8:09.

Soon after the lead runner I saw the first female runner in the middle of a male pack and I started counting ladies. I only got to thirteen when I saw my sister heading back! I gave her as much as a "go Kristen" as I could muster. In doing so I lost my lady count, but soon hit the turnaround.

I kept my pace through the turnaround and finished mile 3 a little slower at 8:13. By mile 4 I was getting a little tired and a few people passed me back, but I kept my pace at 8:19. One person who passed me back was an older man (later I figured out he was 70 years old). My competitiveness kicked in and I was wasn't going to let him beat me. I stuck to his heels till I could see the finish. I decided at that point to make my move at a slightly faster pace. Only some other man decided he was going to sprint past me. He was not going to sprint past me. Thats when I picked up my pace to full out sprint for the last 100 meters or so. We tied and my pace for the last 0.97 mile of the race was 7:33.

Official time of 40:43

Overall- 106/228

Female- 31/100

Female 20-29- 17/46

Kristen finished in 36:55

Overall- 59/228

Female- 15/100

Female 30-39- 4/33

If you remember the St Patrick's Day 8K (why would you?) I ran it in 47:11, therefore I PR'd by over 6 minutes! I'm pretty happy with that time.

After the race there was water and Georgetown Cupcakes. My first of the famous Georgetown Cupcakes and I couldn't finish it because it was too rich.

I asked my Mom to use my iPhone for a quick photo... which turned in to a too long unsuccessful photo shoot in front of the canal (as demonstrated below).

photo #1 because it was Father's Day Kristen closed her eyes just like my Dad does

photo #2 ground shot

photo #3 demonstration on lightly tapping iPhone

photo #4 taken while I'm instructing how to  take a picture

photo #5

photo #6

photo #7 last ditch effort is unsuccessful