“Recovery” Week

By | April 10, 2022

if by recovery you mean back to back runs, a bike ride and two ten mile runs. Oops. That’s one way to do peak Half training week. Cherry Blossom recap still to come, but short version: awesome weekend and I got to see Deborah and Coco! Life is good.

runners are the best people

96.08 miles run in March. Slight increase over last year’s 94.23.  I didn’t feel like I ran that much, but I guess I was just consistent. Thrilled with that given the return to hybrid. One day in the office didn’t have as much impact on my run life, so we’ll see what two days does.

283.99 YTD through March 31 (v. 272.39 last year)

Linking and catching up with Kim and Deborah:

Week of 3/28

  • never miss a Monday: winter came back and killed the early cherry blossoms. It also killed any motivation to get up and run with an 8 degree wind chill so I ran after work. The things we’ll do in January that we won’t do in late March

who else had this as a kid?

my childhood favorite

  • Tuesday: Whitney Biennial preview, which somehow never ended up on social. Good crazy week. The drinking bird was one of my favorites, and is actually Eric Wesley’s “North American Buff Tit”, but really enjoyed the whole exhibit and need to get back. It was a busy day capped off with the first preview of The Little Prince. Who grew up on the book vs. the TV show? There was no other option for my first Broadway show back since A Christmas Carol for my 40th birthday, and I’m glad I went. I felt safe in an all vaccinated crowd and my KN95. COVID anxiety is definitely a wave that I’ll be riding for a while.
  • Wednesday: the reason for all our work chaos. First all member annual meeting since 2019 and in a new location for the first time since 2008 or so. Really proud of how it all came together. Staff, Board and our members were happy and our new campaign was well received. Excited and optimistic for this year.

American Bittern

  • Thursday: office run group a casualty of a totally chaotic week, which was fine. I took a different route and ended up spotting this treasure at the Pool on the northwest side of the park. Thanks to Manhattan Bird twitter account (best pics ever!), I knew he was an American Bittern. The reason I went to the Pool was I couldn’t remember whether there was a cherry tree there, but then I spotted the birders and knew I was in for a treat.

BOSU <3

Jeff Koons, Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden

  • Friday: train to DC. Not remotely a rest day as I went scampering all around the Mall before meeting friends for dinner. National Gallery and its sculpture Garden, National Archives (finally, after four tries), Hirshhorn sculpture garden, Natural History Museum and Building Museum for the Expo. I LOVE this city.

Photo (c) Deborah

C&O Canal

amazing Venetian glasswork, American Art Museum

  • Saturday: morning walk followed by lunch with Deborah and Coco afternoon in Georgetown. Fun to explore new to me parts of the city.  Was worried about how the heel would hold up. Answer? Sneakers. It was fine. When I got back to my hotel, found out a friend had arrived from Raleigh and was about to go to the American Art Museum. Rest? What’s rest?

glad I didn’t race in these!

World War II Memorial

  • Sunday: officially “the reason” I came to DC, but really I’m an incurable culture vulture and the race was just one part of an awesome weekend. It was really just one part of a day. We had brunch post-race and after resting feet/charging phone I couldn’t leave a museum unvisited. And then once I was at American History, the Monument was there, and how could I leave without seeing Abe? My feet were so tired but it was a glorious day. So awesome to see the literal Star Spangled Banner after visiting Francis Scott Key part the prior day.

Week of 4/4

so serene!

past peak? says who?!?

  • never miss a Monday: I don’t run the day after a long race – except when I’m finally going to get the chance to do a Mall runrise after Coco has generously shared her photos.  It was a quick hop from the hotel and a nice recovery run. My plans for the day changed and I still had a late train so after walking a bit, my feet said no more. I had a cookie sitting by Abe Lincoln and planned what I wanted to see and then I found the easy answer. Capital Bike Share to the rescue. Rest the feet and much quicker way to get from Abe to Iwo Jima Memorial (long time bucket list) and out to the tidal basin and finally back to my hotel to get my checked bags. Let’s just say I slept well on the train home. Magical weekend in a fun city.
  • Tuesday:  finally a true rest day. Some errands but no formal exercise beyond a Peloton class.My mind and body needed it.

welcome home!

  • Wednesday: the transition back to two days a week in the office begins. Run commute is really not working for me, but wanted to give it another go. I took the train in the morning because it was pouring, but it stopped. I had some issues that were a combination of lingering fatigue/soreness from the weekend and backpack form, so this was a walk run. Would have been anyway with peak cherry blossoms. I have some ideas for how I’ll make running and commute work, but that’s a longer thought for another day. (Or, Song for Another Time, which popped into my head. LOVE Old Dominion).

such an oasis

  • Thursday: office run commute a casualty of sleet in our face. Nope. Not interested. I walked in, which was nice balance. I am truly grateful for this regular option. I missed walking to and from work while marathon training because I always felt like I should be running, and then we weren’t in the office too much longer. It’s truly the little things.

looking north south of the Stuy Town dock

to steal Marcia’s phrasing, “Oval Office”

  • Friday: I think the best motto in life is Why not? when someone asks if you want to do something. In this case, a run after work along the East River to see how far south it was accessible with the construction. Answer? To the track at East 6th Street and that was a lovely change in surface on some tired legs. I don’t run this way often enough and I really need to fix that. Although I did it once last year en route to Wegmans, it gave me major marathon training deja vu. 4.5 miles to the track, five miles on it and then a run to the bus. 10.75 and Half training is d-o-n-e. I’m not ready for Brooklyn, but I’m going to have fun.
  • Saturday: life is getting back to “normal”. Three sets of friends in this week for three different reasons. Lunch with one before plodding around Central Park with Darlene. The legs. They are tired.
  • Sunday: maybe a run? Running Friday throws the routine off. So will Sunday so we’ll see. Spectate Darlene’s race.

12 thoughts on ““Recovery” Week

  1. Deborah Brooks

    You have packed a lot of fun and fitness into the last few weeks. So great to see you! Hope you and Darlene had fun together. Have a great week ahead!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      It was a great set of back to back weekends with runner friend mischief. Is there any better kind?

      Reply
  2. Wendy

    I so enjoyed all your DC adventures on IG–you captured some beautiful moments! I have never been to DC but I need to remedy that. GREAT MILES for March.

    Nice that you had an in-person meeting for work. I hope that moving forward we can continue to resume some semblance of normal. Today my sister and niece are visiting from NY. My niece is planning on college in Chicago. I’m surprised but very excited for her. I hope she loves it as much as I do!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      You do need to remedy that – DC is amazing. Such a cultural hub for all the things and I think you’d really enjoy exploring. Or racing.
      I hope your sister and niece had a great and safe trip. I will never again take normal for granted

      Reply
  3. Chocolaterunsjudy

    By March we are way over the cold weather, that’s why we’ll run in it earlier in the Winter but not when it’s Spring!

    Growing up, and as a college graduate whose fist job was in MD a metro ride away from DC, I was there many times. Since I’ve moved away, almost 37 years — nothing. Kinda sad about that.

    I admire people who can live without thinking about COVID at gatherings at all. It’s not me.

    Sounds like you’ve had an amazing couple of weeks! Congrats on the races, the travel, and the meetups.

    Reply
  4. Darlene

    Loved following your DC adventures on IG.

    So fun to traipse around the park with you yesterday. And it was great to hang out again today.

    A race would not be as much fun with friends to share it with.

    Reply
  5. Kimberly Hatting

    DC is such a beautiful place! Even better is getting to see it this time of year. A few years ago, we road-tripped to see the oldest daughter (when she was still in PA), and took a day trip from there to DC with the younger daughter (who was on spring break from HS). The cherry blossoms were absolutely beautiful (as they were in 2019, when I was there for the CUCB). Sigh…I really need to go back 😉 I’m glad you had a great trip!

    Reply
  6. Kim G

    Wow! You certainly packed a lot into the past 2 weeks. I’m tired just reading everything that you did!

    So glad that you were able to link up with Coco and Deborah for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler last weekend. That race is still on my bucket list.

    Reply
  7. Michelle

    Loved all of your DC photos on IG! You had a very full two weeks for sure! I love wandering around DC – never enough time for everything. And, Cherry Blossom remains on my bucket list. Looking forward to your recap!

    Reply
  8. Coco

    I’m glad you had such a great time in D.C. You really packed a lot in. Next time I’ll join you in some museums. You did still get some lovely cherry blossom photos too!

    Reply
  9. Jenny

    Phew- I’m tired just reading all this. Your trip to DC sounds exhausting and amazing. Then you got back home and hardly missed a beat before throwing yourself into the week! You’ve got a lot going on and it all sounds fun. Hope you enjoyed your time with Darlene!

    Reply
  10. Jenn

    I am so glad you had such a beautiful and exciting week! I know this week started fairly horribly, but I hope you area able to get in even more walks in that gorgeous city. Sending so much love your way.

    Reply

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