Workout of the Week

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Colleen Lerro

Last week was my first one back on a plan and boy did it feel good! I still haven’t decided on which half marathon I’m going to do – and even added another possibility into the mix – but all three are the same weekend in the D.C. area, so I have some time to narrow down which one I want to do.

Instead of breaking down the whole week day-by-day like I used to, I thought it’d be fun to switch it up a bit this time and share the highlights as well as my favorite workout – or workout of the week – as I go along. I’m trying to recap them each day on Instagram and twitter, so if you have any desire to hear all the deets, follow me on there!

Running in my brand new Saucony Kinvara 5s (they fit like a glove!) that I won in a Pacers contest, I put in nearly 40 miles over the course of six runs along with a spin class, some strength work (not enough), core workouts, stretching and a lot of rolling.

It was one crazy weather week here in the D.C. area. I ran in near 90-degree, high humidity weather and also had a few perfect mid-50s, low humidity morning runs!

My workout of the week was definitely my long run. Granted an 8-miler would probably be considered mid-week mileage during some of my old marathon training plans, it was a good distance to start out at for half training. I was up early on Sunday and greeted by sunshine and absolutely perfect running weather!

Gearing up for Saturday’s run…the bum wrap Oiselle skirt made it’s first appearance of the season!

I put on a tee, my rogas and compression sleeves and was out the door to a nice, quiet Sunday morning. Other than other runners, the streets were pretty empty. I love how Sunday mornings in Arlington/DC are so sleepy and quiet – such a difference from the normal hustle and bustle of the area.

I set out on one of my favorite routes that I used to take from my old place all the time, but haven’t done once since moving last July! I scooted up to Wilson/Clarendon Boulevards, the main streets running through the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor, and headed down the hill and over the Key Bridge into Georgetown.

After a jaunt down M street I briefly ran along the Rock Creek Park trail and headed off by the Kennedy Center before starting my return loop over the Memorial Bridge, past the Iwo Jima Memorial and back up the hill to home.

Like all of my runs this week, it was at an easy pace, but without even realizing it, I ran 30 seconds a mile faster than my run that was 2 miles shorter the morning before. My last mile that included ups and downs, but mostly ups, was also my second fastest – only falling behind the all downhill mile – and I felt like I could have kept going. I love that feeling of finishing strong!

I’m counting week 1 of training as a success! How did your week go? Any stand out workouts you want to share? Do you have a goal race on the horizon? Let me know in the comments!

The End of an Era

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Colleen Lerro

Last weekend my parents came down to D.C. to go to the Syracuse vs. Georgetown game with Ian and me. This was the last regular season Big East matchup ever between these two teams. It truly marked the end of an era and a legendary rivalry. While they say they’ll continue to play each other, right now it just doesn’t feel like it’s going to be the same.

I was so excited for this game and really hoping the Orange would get revenge for their loss at the Dome a couple weeks ago. I figured at the very least it would have to be a great game. I was up early for a sunrise 11 miler. The sun was shining, it was beautiful out and I felt great. Today was going to be a great day and I was sure this had to be a sign that Syracuse would rock it. Boy was I wrong.

I’ve been going to these rivalry games at the Verizon Center every year Syracuse has played down here since I moved to D.C. about seven years ago. There are always so many Syracuse fans that we jokingly refer to it as the Carrier Dome South. The school has taken measures in the last two years to limit the number of ‘Cuse fans that get their hands on tickets mostly I would guess because they were embarrassed when announcers would say it sounded more like a home game for the Orange. This year they stepped up their efforts even more, and for the Syracuse game only, required a minimum $50 donation to purchase up to eight tickets for the game. I’m not proud, but I did what I had to do and made that donation to Georgetown so we could get our tickets. Some of my cousins and a handful of friends made it to the game as well.

We were not alone. There was yet again a whole lot of Orange in the Verizon Center. I absolutely could not believe that the top half of the spillover student section in the upper deck was empty. That would never, ever happen in Syracuse. There was barely room to breathe in the Dome with the record setting crowd a couple weeks ago, and many fans were in seats so far away I don’t know if they could even really see the court. (Picture below) How embarrassing.

Turns out the joke was on us though as Syracuse got pretty embarrassed. They didn’t even break 40 points. It was hard to watch. It definitely wasn’t the way I saw this historic rivalry coming to an end. It is what it is though and there was nothing we could do about it, so we headed down the street to RFD after the game to drown our sorrows. I enjoyed a few Magners and some of the best fried mac and cheese bites I’ve ever had. We still managed to have a pretty good afternoon there.

We’ll be back at it cheering for the Orange in NYC today as they take on Pitt in the Big East Tourney. Here’s hoping a different team than the one we saw in D.C. shows up to play! Go ‘Cuse!

Home Sweet Dome

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Colleen Lerro

Last weekend my Dad, Ian and I headed up to the Carrier Dome to see Syracuse play longtime rival Georgetown. A record-setting 35,012 people packed the Dome breaking the NCAA on-campus attendance record. Carmelo Anthony was back at the Dome to have his number retired at halftime. The place was rocking and orange was everywhere. It was perfect. Then we lost to Georgetown. Talk about a buzz-kill.

The Syracuse – Georgetown rivalry is legendary and one of the things I’m most sad to lose as conference realignment moves forward next season and the Big East falls apart. I know they plan to continue playing each other, but it just won’t be the same. Seventeen of Syracuse’s 72 games with more than 30,000 in attendance at the Dome have been against Georgetown. A few years before I was born in February of 1980 Syracuse brought a 57 consecutive home game win streak in to its final game at Manley Field House. The seniors on that team had never lost a home game in their careers. Georgetown beat the Orange that day and Coach John Thompson grabbed a mic and announced, “Manley Field House is officially closed.’’ Truly a rivalry for the ages – you just can’t make this stuff up.

Last weekend, this year’s Syracuse squad took a 38 home game winning streak onto the court. Thanks to Otto Porter blowing up for 33 points and Syracuse not being able to beat their 2-3 zone – something you think they’d know how to attack! – the ‘cuse lost their last Big East home game to the Hoyas. Current Georgetown Coach, John Thompson III, said he wasn’t going to give a Manley Field House is closed type of statement. Some might call him classy for that, but I prefer to think he just doesn’t want to give the Orange any bulletin board material for their rematch on March 9 down here in D.C.

I’ll be at that game too and I hope the ‘cuse can return the favor. I’m sure it’ll be a blast and it’s always fun to see so many Orange shirts at an away game despite Georgetown’s best efforts to keep Syracuse fans out. I actually had to make a $50 donation to Georgetown this year for the chance to buy a maximum of eight tickets. They don’t do that for any other game. It was a bit hard to swallow, but worth it to head to Carrier Dome South – I mean the Verizon Center – for the game this March.

Pics from the game at the Dome below. I unfortunately forgot my real camera so some of the iPhone shots are a bit blurry. I did have my wide angle iPhone lens adapter though, so I was able to get some good shots showing how packed it was in there!