Just a Jonsi Musical Monday

Since funds are running low lately and the first thing to go is my iTunes budget, these days I'm just mixing in a couple of new songs per week to keep me going. Recently I've found that Jonsi (of Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros)'s latest beats thrust me into a full sprint. 


Though this particular song is slightly way overplayed on some commercial lately (Maybe Banana Republic? Maybe a car commercial? Can't remember), it still gets me going - and it forces me to breathe in the moment and enjoy the motion of putting one foot in front of the other. 

ánægð gönguleiðir 

(that's "happy trails" in icelandic... duh)

I Stalk Little Girls

I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's true. I like to stalk them online to find out where they are and then track them down to meet in person. C'mon - admit that you're into it, too. 

No? Too creepy? Okay, then maybe I should clarify before I have to join Pedofiles Anonymous and go door-to-door through Georgetown introducing myself to neighbors...

My name is Sally, and I'm a Girl Scout Cookie-aholic.

Every spring, I force myself into a full-on cookie coma... completely self-induced and utterly horrific. I don't know what it is about those little morsels of heaven, but I lose all self control and somehow justify eating 8 cookies in one sitting. Maybe it's because I know that I can only have them for a limited amount of time? Maybe it's because the packaging makes them so easy to grab? Maybe it's because sweet little Girl Scouts lace them with crack?? I don't know what it is about them, but I... CANNOT... STOP!  

In fact, just the other day, Liv + I had a G-chat exchange that went like this...

me: must.stop.eating.girl.scout.cookies

  which i typed as i added the next girl scout cookie sale at safeway to my outlook calendar

4:26 PM Olivia: see - you haven't even bought any yet have you?

  from the troop you've been stalking

 me: nope

 Olivia: which by the way, there is a box of thin mints and samoas over my left shoulder on this file cabinet behind me that you know who brought in

  want any?

4:27 PM me: mother effer

  of course i want a samoa

  but i've had 5 thin mints and 3 do-si-dos already

 Olivia: so is that a yes? want me to get you one

 me: yes. but just one.

Seriously, what is wrong with me? I'll analyze this problem later - gotta go meet Troop #3613 at Safeway.

5 Mile Therapy

Whenever we have a 5-mile day, Liv + I don't even have to discuss our route because our feet naturally move along the following path...

We typically meet up on the corner of Liv's street while it's still dark and the city is empty. 

We then run through Burleith, pass by Visitation (and  my old house) and continue toward Palisades by way of the Georgetown  Hospital.

Georgetown Visitation by John W.

From there we run past the cutest farm house in all of DC (Okay, that's debatable but we love it. We'll snap a photo when it's not so dark in the morning) and then sprint downhill to (illegally) cross Canal Road. Next we hop on the Capital Crescent Trail at the Fletcher's Cove Boathouse and enjoy the solitude of the early morning. 

There are so few runners and bikers in the early hours, that we sometimes spread out across the entire path... until we hear the jingle of bikers' bells politely asking us to share the way. 

As we round back into Georgetown along the water, sometimes we continue on the C&O Canal (depending on whether or not we feel like racing up the stairs to get there). 

C&O Canal by M.V.Jantzen

Photo by rwoan

And other times, we finish down on K Street...

Key Bridge by JosephLeonardo.

We then head up to M Street toward home... by way of Starbucks for a little morning boost. 

Photo by Jim Malone.

M St. by Geetarchurchy

We begin sipping our coffee as we stroll home - taking in the early morning sounds that will soon transform into a yet another boisterous day. Our favorite days are when we catch a certain mom on 31st Street sending her children off to school on the bus - she always looks so sad to see them go each day and gives them such an endearing farewell (I wish we had a photo - but I'm pretty sure that she has already noticed us staring at her, so she might take out a restraining order if she see's us with a camera).

We take in the softness of the morning as the wind blows through the trees (my attempted poetic mush is nearly over, I promise).

And as the sun begins peering through the trees, I scurry home along Q Street to get ready for the day. 

Not too shabby for an early morning run, eh? I think I needed this reminder of how lucky I am to live in D.C. considering how much I'm hating the process of finding a new apartment right now (sigh)

GU Time?

So, I did it. This past weekend I completed my longest run to date - 10 miles. I was pretty proud of myself, and as promised...self-rewarded, accordingly. It was a perfect day for a long run in DC. Temperature in the 50s, not too windy and slightly overcast. Miles 1 through 8 felt fantastic and I was really in a rhythm. Miles 9 - 10...notsomuch. My run turned into something more like a shuffle and on the 10th mile I was basically willing my legs to finish. Any sort of hill or incline was out of the question.

This complete lack of energy and inability to finish strong like I normally can when running 5, 6, and even 8 miles got me thinking....is it GU time?

In my brief research, I've found varying times at which it is appropriate to refuel and replenish the glycogen store during long distances. Some sources say anything over 75 minutes is the magic number, others say the 90 minute mark is a good threshold. I guess it's time for me to begin experimenting with what works best for me.

So I ask you, what is your threshold? When do you find yourself needing to refuel? Also, what are your favorite forms of refueling: jelly beans, gels, sports drinks?

Along these same lines - Sal recently purchased wrist strap water bottle. I still haven't given way to running with water yet. What works for you? Do you like the belt that has multiple water bottles? I think that would annoy me. The wrist strap water bottle? The Camelbak? I imagine the straps of the Camelbak cause some chafing on the neck and shoulders?

Just full of questions today and ready to be enlightened,