Race Recap: Burke Lake 12k

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Better late than never, I finally got around to my Burke Lake 12k race recap. This race was part of the DC Road Runners Snowball Series back at the beginning of March. Being a member of DCRR, the race was free, so the price was definitely right.

Not shockingly, based on my once or twice a week running schedule I had going on at the beginning of the year, this was not going to be a fast one. In fact, I finished just a few minutes ahead of my last 10 mile time (1:12:15)…yikes! I went in with the expectation that this would just be a run to enjoy, not race, and a plan to evenly pace myself.

Off and running at the start with a smile!

Race Dogs!

Burke Lake is only about a 30 minute drive from Arlington on the weekend, yet I had never made my way out there. I’m so glad I did. It was a bit brisk, but overall a nice, sunny day that could have been a whole lot worse with the winter we had, and the scenery was wonderful.

The race was an out-and-back almost completely around the lake starting in the parking lot near the ice cream parlor before entering the trail. It was a dirt trail that was pretty muddy that morning. It wasn’t very technical, making it my kind of trail run and also meaning I didn’t fall once, so there’s a positive. I also really liked running around the lake making it pretty hard for even me to get lost.

Final uphill to the finish.

I’m so glad I found this new-to-me running spot so close to home and hope to get more runs in there throughout the year. I also hope to go back and race this next year when I’m in better shape. I continue to really enjoy these smaller DCRR races!

Purely Epic

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Nothing like an epic Boston Marathon to bring me out of my blogging hiatus. (Sorry, life has been a bit busy lately!) While I would have loved to have been in Boston cheering in person on Monday, the flight prices were just a bit too much. Still, I had so much fun watching the live-stream online and following along on twitter – while getting lots of work done of course!

I was really pulling for Shalene, and while it’s a shame she couldn’t get the win, she had one heck of a race. You can’t ask for anything better than a personal best. The guts and determination she showed were just awesome. I hope she wins it someday. Jeptoo is just unstoppable right now though! That was an unreal display of endurance and speed.

When Meb, one of my favorites, first started pulling ahead I tried not to get too excited. I thought, “could this really happen?!” His lead kept getting bigger though. I sat there praying he could hold on and was so unbelievably excited when he crossed the line – the first American male to win the Boston Marathon in my lifetime!

What an awesome day for Boston and for America! It was so awesome to see so much joy and happiness after last year’s tragedy. This gif sums it all up for me…

It was also so much fun to see all the Oiselle birds flying to the finish and running Boston – so many PRs and great races!

Hope everyone that ran and cheered had a great day!

My plan is to get the blog back on track. I have a couple race recaps I still need to get to and some trail running fun. Posts will probably still be sporadic though as I navigate a busy summer filled with lots of travel plans, prep for my work’s big annual conference, multiple weddings and wedding planning of my own! And, of course, lots of running!

Footprints: Monday Morning Recap

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Well it was another week of not running as much as I should have, but I did get in some quality workouts, enjoyed running outside in nicer weather and felt like I’m starting to get back on track.

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:

Monday: Extended Real Ride spin class at Revolve. P90X abs.

Tuesday: P90X abs.

Wednesday: 30 minute tempo run after work. It was high 50s and it felt incredible to not have to wear multiple layers, glove or a hat for the first time on an outdoor run in a long time.

Thursday: P90X abs.

Friday: Body Ride spin class at Revolve.

Saturday: 10 mile bike ride from Arlington to Old Town to see if I could feasibly bike to work without getting sweaty…not going to happen! It was a good thought though. Quick abs workout.

Sunday: One hour easy run in glorious sunny and 65-degree temps! This. Felt. So. Good.

January Reads

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

One of my resolutions this year was to make more time to read. I hoped to get through one book per month and surpassed that in January reading these three. Here’s my quick review on each book:

My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, And Insights of a Road Racing Icon by Bart Yasso.

Review: This is a great read and one I’d recommend to runners and non-runners alike. It details his life and career in a series of stories about some of his many different life experiences. He bravely talks about his battle with drugs and alcohol at a young age. He regales readers with stories of some major challenges he faced. He shares stories of some of his more humorous adventures that will have you laughing out loud. I really loved this book and am even a bigger Bart Yasso fan now than I already was!

The Widow File by S.G. Redling

Review: I got this through the Kindle First program that allows Amazon Prime members to choose one of several books a month before their official release date – for free! I couldn’t pass that up. It took me 10 or 15 pages to get into this, but then it was a page turner I didn’t want to put down. It was a fast-paced action/crime mystery that took place in and around D.C., which probably increased my enjoyment of it. As much as I liked this book I felt like it was missing something at the end. It wasn’t a bad ending, it just felt like there could have been a lot more detail and story.

The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom

Review: I absolutely loved Tuesdays with Morrie, which I read years ago, also by Mitch Albom and thought this book was great as well. Based on the title I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but thought it would probably be focused on religion. I found it more a story of belief and faith – not in any particular religion, but just in general. It perfectly hit on feelings of loss and sorrow. It also had a really interesting plot that centered around more of a mystery as to how these calls from heaven were happening that kept me reading until I’d finished the book in just a few sittings. This one is worth reading for sure.

I’m Back!

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Hi everyone! It’s been far too long since I’ve posted, but I’m back and ready to get back at it. I’ve been crazy busy lately and in addition to neglecting my blog I haven’t made time for reading a lot of the many other blogs I enjoy. Time to fix that!

Aside from being busy I’ve been a bit off my running game lately, which I think in turn knocked me a bit off my writing game too. I even skipped a race last weekend because I knew I wasn’t in shape to race it and didn’t want to be embarrassed by my time. Not super proud of that, but what can you do?!

Now I’m looking to turn things around. I’ve got my sights set on the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler as a goal race now in hopes to get things going by then. I downgraded from the half marathon to the 8k for Shamrock so I can really race that weekend instead of trudge myself through a half marathon I’m not ready for. I’ve done that before – it’s not fun! It will be a blast however to cheer on my teammates doing the half and the full that weekend.

Despite being in a running funk it has been a pretty good month. To keep this blog post from going on for too long, here are some of the highlights of what I’ve been up to:

Cross training and core work – and lots of it.
I made it 21 days plus without a soda. I’m back to drinking it now, but not as often!
I’ve been reading a lot more. I set a goal of getting through a book a month this year, but already cranked through three of them in January. Reviews to come.
So much wedding stuff! The wedding isn’t until October, but my fiancé and I have been on a roll getting things done like the wedding website, save the dates and more. Expect another post on this too!
Took an RRCA Running Coach Certification Course – yes, you’ll hear more about this one too.
Family fun! I spent a weekend down in Florida visiting my grandparents. I also got to hang out with my Mom for a weekend while my Dad enjoyed some warm weather on a golf trip to Florida.

Upcoming Races

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

I’ve finally nailed down my race schedule (meaning registrations are in) leading up to the Shamrock Half and even a little beyond. This is where I’ll be picking up the pace over the next few months. Hope to see some of you out there!

February 9 – Love the Run You’re With 5k
Running to the Finish
February 23 – RRCA Club Challenge 10 Miler
March 2 – Burke Lake 12k
March 16 – Shamrock Half Marathon
April 6 – Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (My first race in the 30-34 age group!)

Where are you racing this winter/spring?

21 Days to Create a Habit with Revolve DC

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

I’ve decided to take Revolve DC (my favorite spin studio) up on their Facebook invite to create a healthy, positive habit in 2014. They are encouraging everyone to ditch the idea of resolutions and make a true healthy stride forward by creating a new habit. It takes 21 days to create a habit and as they suggest, “Think “DO”, not deprivation.”

So, I’m doing just that! Last year I had a New Year’s resolution to drink less soda that I struggled with all year. Well, this year I’m going to make a new habit by drinking a glass of water everyday with lunch instead of grabbing a soda like I usually do.

I got a jump-start on things and started Monday, so today is day three for me. I encourage you to start today though and join me in creating a new, healthy habit this year!

My Mom saw my Facebook post on Revolve’s page and decided to join me in drinking more water. She’s holding off on getting her first cup of tea at work until she finishes a bottle of water. After the first two days we’re off to a good start. I’ll let you know how we’re feeling by day 21!

Let’s hear it…what new habit are you going to create over the next 21 days?

Footprints: Weekly Workout Recap

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Well I’m a bit behind with my usual Monday morning recap, but still wanted to fill you in on how week 2 of my Shamrock training went. Overall, it was a really good week of workouts although I have to do a better job of figuring out how to integrate my spin workouts into my run schedule. I always have good intentions of still running, but once I’ve finished spin I don’t quite have the same level of motivation. I think this is fine on my 3 mile easy run days, but I don’t want spin to replace any of my quality runs.

Here’s the day-by-day breakdown:

Monday: Spin Class – Real ride at Revolve.

Tuesday: I put in 3 easy miles on the treadmill followed by my P90X routine and a leg workout.

Wednesday: I ran the DC Road Runners Predictions & Resolutions 5k in Rosslyn along the Mt. Vernon Trail as a fun training run. It was definitely not close to being one of my speedier 5ks, but I had a blast and it was a beautiful day for a run!

Thursday: Spin Class – extended body ride at Revolve.

Friday: I took my speed workout to the treadmill with 7X400 meter repeats followed by an abs and lower body workout.

Saturday: Spin Class – extended body ride at Revolve.

Sunday: I debated between my missed tempo run or my scheduled long run, but was really feeling the need to work on some speed so I went tempo run. It turned out to be a great decision and I rocked a 45-minute tempo run maxing out at roughly a 7:13 pace!

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

And just like that… it’s 2014! Hope everyone had a great holiday season and a fun New Year’s eve. This is going to be a great year for my family with my brother’s wedding in August and mine in October. With a handful of other fun events on the calendar and some great races planned for the year, it certainly looks like it’ll be a busy one.

With everything going on, I know that staying stress-free, or at least as stress-free as possible will be important, so I tried to focus my New Year’s Resolutions for this year around things that help me de-stress.

Read more. I always say I wish I had more time to read, yet I’m able to find plenty of time at night to check on social media, so it’s really just about setting priorities. My goal is to read a book a month in 2014.

Get up early. Getting up early has been an ongoing struggle for me, but I always feel so much better when I have my workout in before starting my day. This is the year I stop hitting the snooze button!
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5949809/why-the-snooze-button-is-ruining-your-sleep

Socialize more (group workouts). When it comes to working out I work harder and have more fun with group workouts, so I want to try to fit more of that in during 2014.
Post-workout Group Photo from November Project DC Facebook page

Get Speedy. I love running fast, so this year is all about shorter races and working on my speed, which I need to keep reminding myself of when I get the itch to sign up for another marathon!

What are your resolutions for this year?

Fav Posts of 2013

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Colleen Lerro

With the year winding down, I took a look back at this year’s blog posts and wanted to share my favorites with you.

In the order they appeared…

A Pizza Kind of Weekend – because it’s not always just about running and pizza is one of my favorite foods!
Fresh out of the oven
Running Missteps – even after years of running, it’s good to remember that we can all fall into some rookie mistakes now and then.
Birthday Fun – because it reminds me what a great b-day I had this year.
Race Recap: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler – not only do I LOVE this race, but it was also one of my fastest and most successful races of the year making it a fun recap to relive.
Smiling after hearing Ian call my name!
So Sad – because this was one of the most emotional posts I’ve written, and I still find what happened in Boston hard to believe.
Book Review: Pre: The Story of America’s Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine – because I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read this book and because you should too if you haven’t read it yet!
Race Recap: Such a Rush – the day I ran my first-ever track race and loved every second of it!
Engaged! – because this was my favorite thing about 2013!
Celebratory Toast at Fireworks
A Conversation with Bart Yasso – because I got to talk with Bart Yasso. Enough said.
MCM Race Recap: BQ or Bust… Well, Not Exactly – while this race wasn’t at all what I expected I love the emotion that comes through in the recap and the understanding that a bad race isn’t the end of the world.