Another Full Wednesday

Wednesday's have become a bit of a chore for me lately because on this day, I usually lead my work running group out on a mid-day run on the Mall and then, on account of the half-marathon training group I direct for my club being in full swing, I lead the faster runners in an evening track workout. This Wednesday was no different. (Left: The National Christmas Tree. Photo credit K.)

To commemorate the upcoming inauguration, at noon we ran down to the White House to look at the preparations. We ran to the Ellipse to look at the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse with its little railroad snaking around it, and the nearby National Menorah. Around the other side of the White House, on Pennsylvania Avenue, workers were busy constructing some towering reviewing stands. It looked like a little village was being constructed next to Lafayette Park. Then we took off for a run from there to the top of Capitol Hill, completing a five mile run in about fifty minutes. We had to stop at intersections a lot because of the busy route we chose. (Right: The National Menorah.)

At 7 pm I showed up at Washington & Lee High School for the club's regularly scheduled track workout. The routine was 10X400 with 100 meter recovery jogs between each set. It only took less than 40 minutes but doing 400s is rough because the workout is done at such a fast pace. The recovery jog of 100 meters barely gets your heart rate back down.

One fast trainee showed up so Matt took him off to do laps in the mid-90s, while I led a group of four other faster runners in a set done in the mid-100s range. We were pretty consistent, hitting each one at between 1:40 and 1:47. We took turns leading the pack. It was a warm night and I was pouring sweat by the end of it. Andrew and Katie led the other half-dozen Program participants in slightly slower laps. These track workouts are a sure way to get faster in races.