so much to say, so little time

Hello World!

Really so much to say and way to little time to say it....

Updates:

$1,260.00 raised today and $16,000.00 raised so far!!!  Thanks everyone for making Alexandria a better place for  all.  It's going to hard deciding which Alexandria charities to donate to so if anyone has a suggestion or a favorite place, let me know.  I'm thinking about ALIVE, the Alexandria Health Department, SCAN and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation...

I had my first good track workout in 6 weeks on Tuesday.  Yes!  It felt awesome getting some speed in and not gasping for air.  Are the asthma meds working?  Too soon to tell yet but maybe...  I thought they would have an instantaneous effect but maybe it took a week to take hold.

 Above photo was taken on the C & O canal -- what's up with the no water ? -- working on the canal/lock system in Georgetown ? --  it is usually a lot more picturesque than this.  But anyway, the crew met here for our Sunday long run.  Usually love running long but this was painful!  We did an easy 8 up and through Bethesda along the Capital Crescent Trail, over East/West Highway and looped around a neighborhood park before heading back, refueling -- goos and gatorade -- at a pre-planned pit stop at a dry cleaners.  Here is the painful part:  tempo run -- 6:40 min/mi down to 6:25 min/mi miles -- the remaining 6 or so miles back.  I was almost in tears; evil thoughts were going through my head but man was I proud of myself when I came gasping in.  And wasn't it so much fun, the camaraderie of it all, afterward standing around, just talking, afterward.  Perfect.  Painful, but perfect.

A French vendor selling baguettes and other breads at the King Street Farmer's Market wanted to know what I did for exercise when I was there this afternoon.   Me, skinny with the good arms -- sorry to everyone but I inherited the good arm gene -- carrying lots of bags --ordinary tank top on.  He, well you know, French baker dude.  The point to all of this is that he starts to proudly tell me of how he's begun to run -- 2 weeks in a row, now -- his routine is to run for a few minutes, then walk for a few minutes, then run again.  I'm all for it and encouraged him enthusiastically!  I said that I'd check on his progress every time I was at the market.  Ummm... was I too nice?  He gave me my rolls and banquette for free and I felt a bad vibe from the woman behind me...  reading too much into this?...

So that is it for now and here is a 'shout out' to mcmamma.  Your blog is a fun one to read...

Cheers and it is a beautiful day for a run!

RunningBrooke