Today's Track Workout Cancelled

Happy Memorial Day! Due to the holiday, our usual Monday night track workout has been cancelled, as neither Winnie nor I will be there to lead the workout. Anyone is of course welcome to head over to the AU track and do their own thing though. Be careful in this heat though & stay hydrated if you plan to run outside today (better yet if you already ran this morning). See you all tomorrow out at the run at the Chevy Chase GRC! Enjoy the rest of the 3-day weekend :)

Swimming Sunday

For anyone interested in some cross-training, on Sunday a few of us will be at the city pool at Hains Point. It just opened for the season Saturday. We'll be there later than usual, starting at around 1 pm, but come and go whenever. If you're walking, it's about 25 minutes from the Smithsonian Metro station. If you're driving a car, add extra time to navigate around the Rolling Thunder rally. And if you're driving a non-American motorcycle... don't.

The "dictator" of Rolling Thunder at last year's rally.

Signups Due

VA Beach - Cheap rate ends 5/31

Philly Distance Run - Cheap rate ends 5/31

National Running Day Event (2 June)

The Chevy Chase store is sponsoring a National Running Day event: a run at 7pm, followed by a talk on the benefits of running. Details are available on the National Running Day website, runningday.org

Three Year (Running) Anniversary

Three years ago on May 20, I signed up for my first marathon after just 12 weeks of training. I figured I'd finish, cross it off the life goals list, and move on to something else. Little did I know it'd change my life.

Thanks, guys.

Cheers from the North Carolinan CanAmerican

I just got invited to add to this blog by Mike. I left Washington DC and unfortunately the Georgetown running group about 6 months ago and I miss you guys soooo much. The runners around here are mostly men and not nearly as cool as you guys (and gals).

After moving to High Point, I spent the first few months getting settled and learned that the local running store is 30 minutes from my place and runs start at 5:40 on tuesdays and 6:00 PM on thursdays. I get out from the company at 5:30 PM and so I could not attend. I went from weighing 185 lbs from the marine corps marathon to 215 lbs in notime. At that point I had to make a decision and that decision was to immediately sign up for the North Carolina Half Marathon without any training. This is a sane decision for a longtime runner, anyone reading this blog who has not run full marathon distance or is not part of the Georgetown running group should not attempt this.

Anyways... that decision saved my running life. I started to run on my own and then with the Off'n'Running group on Thursdays. One Saturday, I randomly drove up to Washington DC and ran 14 miles with Winnie. I just don't like the the running community here and Winnie is much more interesting to talk to.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, I found my passion for running again. Following a random 5k race hosted by the Triad Triathlon Team, I was invited to a swim clinic where I tried a full body suit and swam 200 meter laps around a bouey. I signed up for the Sprint Triathlon that was to be held at that site the next week and loved it! I never thought a 5k could be that fun again and it was after swimming 800m, biking 13 miles and then running the 5k.

I am now an addicted Triathlete. I have joined the USAT, Triad Triathlon Team, a masters swim group at the Y, a spin class at the Rush, a bike group, still train with Off'n'running and now lift weights at the rush for upper body. I just completed my first Olympic Distance Triathlon called "Over the Mountain" and this is my third Tri to date. I am now 205 having lost 11 pounds of fat and gained 1 pound of muscle and so I compete as a Clydesdale at these events. I will surely do a half Ironman (Swim:1.2 Bike:56 Run:13.1) in a few months time and probably a Sprint or Olympic in between. My social life has improved now that I am in the Triathlon crowd and life in North Carolina is starting to make sense.

Again I really miss you guys and if you have an event that you will cause you to travel South at all I am sooo there. I'm up for a good Half Marathon anytime or a Full with some advance notice.

Cheers,

Marc Bourbeau

Alternative Routes & Expansion

First of all, thanks to Mike for getting the blog set up!

A few people have expressed (myself included) a desire to run different routes to spice up the Tuesday and Thursday runs. If there's a sizable contingent that agrees, let's start doing a different run on Thursdays.

I'm happy to map out some runs and post the maps here on the blog before the run so people can see where they are. We'd still meet at the store and run in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Additionally, CCRC is looking to expand the membership of the club - how do all of you think we can attract more people to the runs? And, once they come, to make sure they keep coming back?

A few of the ideas that have been bandied about:

-getting a coach to help with programs for a group that's training for the same race (like the Chicago Marathon)
-organizing some stuff other than running like pasta dinners (a la MCM 09) or happy hours at different venues
-setting up pacing groups for Saturday long runs (like DC Road Runners)

Please voice your opinions!

-Amber

Despite the Clouds and Showers

I will be at the run on Tuesday night!

Will YOU?

Hello!

Welcome to the Georgetown Running Company at Chevy Chase blog. We are the sister blog of the Georgetown Running Company in DC. While not quite as addicted to running as our Georgetown brethren, the support level is the same, whether you are just starting out with running, improving your time, wanting to qualify for Boston, or more!

Oh, and every so often race day takes a turn...