More of the Classic

In my haste to report on my own Classic experience - I think I left out some very important perks of the day.  I had flown in for just Saturday to see my family and run with them - it's a mini-tradition we started in 2011.  The day was PERFECT and there's a lot more to share than I wrote about on Tuesday.

Like all of this...

1.  Aunt Karen wasn't running the race - but she did wake up at 5:30am to help us get ready.  She also donned a headband and a runner's bib (aka a post-it with the number 2 on it).  While we were racing, she was getting the house ready and picking up food for the Crawfish Broil scheduled for later in the day.  We appreciated her enthusiasm!!

2.  My Aunt Jeanne - who joined Weight Watchers a little over a year ago and lost A LOT of weight - completed the race in 63:59.  She wanted to point out she's 50, and she can KICK, and STRETCH, and KICKKKKKKKKK!  I'm really proud of her and seriously, I'm not jealous at all that she's faster than me...

3.  The Crescent City Classic is more of a "Social Function" than a race.  There are more walkers than runners, people start drinking at 7 am, and in addition to water stations, people set up stations for jello and tequila shots.  My Aunts' friend, Diane, pointed out to me: "If you're trying to run a 10K at a serious pace, this is not the race to do it." So next year, I'm walking and drinking (see number 4, below).

4.  Referencing number 3, my father and Uncle participate in our mini-tradition socially.  My uncle buys 2 or 3 cases of beer, throws them in a rucksack and walks the 6.2 miles in his Army fatigues carrying over 48 cans of beer the whole way...and one in his hand.  My dad and Uncle John's buddies help out by drinking the beers; effectively lightening the load the closer they get to the finish line.  I think they stop at bars along the way as well, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

5.  My favorite station from 2011 was back this year in 2012.  Re: Number 3, non-race volunteers camp out throughout the course and blast music, cheer, and provide beverages that are most certainly NOT water.  My favorite group passes out jello shots and wears tee-shirts that say "Jello Shots" on the front and "It's not like you're going to win..." on the back.  I find this hilarious - and next year, I intend on partaking in the non-water hydration provided along the course.

As with most things in New Orleans, the Classic, though athletic, is a drinking extravaganza.  I stopped into a restaurant in the French Quarter to use the bathroom at 8am before the race started and the bartender almost convinced me to get a Bloody Mary.  Peer pressure in Sin City!  And I almost caved - I'm so weak!

After the race we cooled off at Aunt Jeanne's with an amazing batch of Crawfish, potatoes, sausage, onions and lots-o-snacks.  I gave my diet the day off, having run 6.2 miles that morning.  Judging by how much I ate, you'd have thought I ran a marathon...and I've been paying for it at the gym all week. 

So that's the REAL Classic Recap - and not just me moping about running an 11 minute mile and getting attacked by ants.  

I Think Your Clock Is Broken

I think I've mentioned before that I'm "training" for the Crescent City Classic which is April 7.  I started training in the middle of January with a program on NikePlus.com.  This is all old news to you loyal readers - but below is a groundbreaking update.

Over the past 10 weeks, I've been following my Nike program as closely as possible (running their assigned mileage on assigned days).  But let's face it, I've missed a few workouts because who has time to run 8 miles on a Tuesday?  The gist of it is - weather and schedule permitting - I've been trying my darndest to train to run farther, while still walking when I feel tired and such.  A girl can only do so much.

Fast forward to last Sunday: Amanda and I did the St. Patty's Day 8k here in DC - which is the sister of the Jingle All the Way 8k we did last December.  And I surprised even myself!  Because little did I know that I can not only run farther now - I can run faster!  Check it: In December I ran the 5 mile race in 57:12 - Nothing to brag about.  Well you know what IS something to brag about?

This:

You want to focus on the two columns all the way to the right.

Net Time - 49:47

Avg Mile - 10:01

Excuse me Race Organizers, is your clock broken?  Or am I just whipping myself into that good of shape?  I'm going with the latter - because it's right there in writing on the Race Results website.  

That's over 7 minutes off my 8K time in just 2 months of training.  Watch out world.  Yours truly is now running a 10 minute mile.  I don't think I've ever run a 10 minute mile - especially for a prolonged distance.  In elementary school I could run 1 mile in 7 minutes - but then I'd start to walk.  What can I say? Old habits die hard.

So, New Orleans better get ready for this speed demon.  Who knows - I may even be leading the pack with the people trying to qualify for the Olympics or whatever.  I just hope their clock isn't broken either - because if I happen to go back to running a 12 or 13 minute mile, I'm filing a complaint.  

*Stay tuned for an upcoming post about race goals for Classic Weekend.

The National Archives and Other News

Last Saturday, Kerri and I met up to visit the National Archives.  Both of us have lived in DC for awhile but have never been to see the nation's founding documents.

As far as hiking is concerned - I am going to say I hiked it there.  The Archives are on 7th and Constitution, but despite the fact that I have lived here almost 4 years, I am constantly scrambling Independence Ave. with Constitution Ave.  That being the case - I took the longest way possible to get there.  The good thing that resulted was I found this charming little garden that I've never seen before on the Mall, nestled between the Smithsonian Castle and Independence Ave.  It has a variety of different flower species and each is marked with a little label of the species and origin.  There was also this beautiful fountain:

Instead of water, the fountain has pieces of blue glass.

Mom and Dad - take note for your weed-filled fountain.  Maybe blue glass is the easy-to-maintain, aesthetically pleasing way to go.  Just saying.

Anyway, my perpetual confusion of the 2 biggest streets in DC also led me to cut through the Sculpture Garden.  I've been there countless times, but I noticed something else I'd never seen before...

Is this sculpture a new addition?  

I don't know - but it's my new favorite in the Garden.

The Archives are a tad underwhelming.  The only thing it really houses are the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Those are important of course, but be prepared to stand in line for longer than you are actually inside the museum.

The National Archives

Kerri.  O'Brien.  Get it?  You have to know her.

The O'Brien Gallery housed a Ben Franklin exhibit which was actually very good.  But alas, Kerri and I sped through it - we are kind of BF experts, having read his autobiography for the amazing Nick Marshall's American History class.  Instead of learning about the Frank, we reminisced about Marist and it's greatest, best looking professor: Nicky Marshall.  We love him, his classes and let's just say we'd read anything he told us to.  We'd read it all night long.  Just kidding.  That's insanely inappropriate.  But, I mean, we're kind of serious...when we're not kidding.  Anyway...

We're history geeks so we thoroughly enjoyed waiting 50 minutes outside on a beautiful day to spend 15 minutes observing the documents that founded this great country.  Well worth the trip, if you have the time.

In other news - today, I'm wearing a pair of jeans that I haven't fit into in 2 years.  My 2009 body is so close I can taste it.  Oh yeah.

5K for AIDS

I didn't hike this weekend because Amanda and I had registered for the Aids 5K on Saturday morning.  That's ok, it still counts.

Boy, was it miserable.  Saturday morning was freezing and rainy.  Amanda and I both contemplated skipping it, but because we had our "Oh Sh*t" moments at separate times of the morning, we were able to motivate each other to show up.  I woke up and saw that it was a light drizzle and very cold.  I texted her to say I would still show up, but was in no way running if it was pouring rain.  She said she would still go too, so even though I desperately wanted to climb back into bed (I'm rarely awake when it's still dark outside), I layered up and headed to Freedom Plaza.  Around 7:15, I was on my way and getting a coffee at Starbucks when I got a text from Amanda saying "Have you left yet?  It is REALLY gross outside."  I called her and said, yes I'd left but if she wanted to cancel, that was fine with me.  I stressed that the rain was just a drizzle so running wouldn't be so bad, and she agreed to go.  

True Story: A guy at Starbucks asked me if I was running in the race and said he was going to cheer on friends.  He said he felt really bad for us runners because of the terrible weather.  He was running the Marine Corps Marathon the next day and the forecast was perfect.  I laughed and told him not to feel too bad, I felt bad for him that he had to run 26.2 miles in any weather.  Ba dum chhhhh.

Anywho, The race was a flat 5K starting at 12th and Penn, running up Penn towards the Capitol, and looping back to the starting line. I haven't gotten the official results yet, but I finished in about 31:00.

I prepped for the race by not working out at all the week before.  It sounds silly, but my calfs and shins have been killing me, so I wanted my legs to be really rested for maximum performance.  I have calf cramping issues, so I ate tons of Spinach for potassium the week before.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the race I also forced myself to eat bananas.  I hate bananas, I always have. (I love banana chips and banana bread though - don't ask me why.)  I hate the texture, the smell and the flavor, I hate everything about them.  But I know from past race prep, that banana potassium is my instant preemptive remedy for cramping - potassium supplements just aren't the same.  That was my prep and it worked!  I ran the whole thing without stopping, not even run/walking!  So proud!

Yum. No. Yuck!

Amanda and I - Ready to Run.  Love her parka, BTW.

Amanda also had an AWESOME tip for sneaker care after running or hiking in the rain:

Put newspaper in your kicks to soak up the water!  Less than 24 hours later, my sneaks were dry and they weren't stinky with mildew.  For those of us who can't stick our sneaks in the dryer because it'll cost $1.50, this is a free and awesome solution.  

Smarty pants.

Overall, I am so glad my lazy butt didn't climb right back into bed at 6:30 AM because the rain really held off and the race was so fun.  Amanda is much faster than me so she finished first, but right when I finished, a little after 9:00, the rain really started pouring.  I told her that if this was what the weather had been 2 hours earlier, there was no way I would have run.  So I guess in a way, my Motivation Cookie was right: It can't rain all the time.  Or maybe it should have said: You can't blame the rain all the time.  Close enough.

Museum Mile

My favorite museum in DC is the National Museum of American History - it's one of the only museums I ever bring visitors to.  You can see the Ruby Slippers, the inaugural dresses of past and present First Ladies, the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner and a wide array of constantly changing exhibits that are always interesting.  So when I read that there'd be a 9/11 exhibit September 3 through September 11, I penciled it into my Labor Day plans.  What I didn't read was that the exhibit is only open 11am to 3pm, daily.  Why?  I have no idea.   Why for only 8 days?  Again, no idea.  Needless to say, my lazy butt got to the museum after the exhibit had already closed.  I'm planning on going again either tomorrow or next Saturday (walking there of course via my 16th Street Route).

Despite missing the 9/11 tribute, I did catch some of the new exhibits and revisited the gowns and the ruby slippers that make the museum my favorite in the first place!

Pershing Park

A few favorite dresses from the First Ladies exhibit

There was a totally new section open in the First Lady exhibit I'd never seen before! 

And Michelle Obama's Inauguration gown was on display.  Beautiful!

There's No Place Like Home

Muppet Muppet

A fun, new exhibit on Phyllis Diller (who I'd previously never heard of)...

one of the first female comediennes.

I guess you could say this will be part one of a two part post.  I loved visiting the museum today, but was definitely disappointed about missing the exhibit I had set out intending to see.  I'll be updating soon when I do get to go though.  Stay tuned! Woot!

The Inventionist

See - I just invented that word to add drama and meaning to the fact that yeah, I'm an inventor.

For example, it's long been one of my life goals to have a word entered into Webster's.  Which considering they added "woot" to the Oxford English Dictionary this year, I can't be that far off.  In college I invented the word "majoratively" - Muh-JOR-ah-tiv-lee Adj. Meaning a majority of the time - and would throw it into finals and term papers just to see if my professors recognized my genius. Usually they just circled it with a question mark...but at least they noticed.

George is clearly aghast at the state of the English language.

(Art on the corner of 15th and V NW)

I also claim to be the inventor of the RunWalk.  Since joining the Cross Country team in high school - and never being much of an endurance type - the RunWalk is the fine art of running for a few minutes until you get too tired and bored, so you slow to a walk.  Coach Townsend will attest to the fact that I'm somewhat of a Master Yogi of RunWalking.  That year I attempted to run in exactly one race - and it was rained out.  I took that as a sign.  Unfortunately, in relating this story to someone who's actual profession is 'Trainer,' he claimed the RunWalk is already in existence as an official way to do long-distance races.  Apparently there are even some books about it.  Whatever, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

Cross Country Practice - 2002

I've invented loads of other things, but I think you get the idea.  Also, none of my brainchildren have yet to reach the level of the Snuggie...so the world’s not ready for me anyway.

Which brings me to my hiking point, because after all, that's what this blog is about - I've invented a hike!  Yes, I understand you can't "invent" a hike, but I forged the path, blazed the trail, and wrote it down first (which according to Groundswell is half the battle).

I was walking solo this weekend since Matt had a friend in town...but after seeing what our book classifies as DC Hikes, which are sometimes just long sightseeing walks, I thought I'd share a route I routinely take on the weekends from my apartment to the Regal Gallery Place movie theatre.  I bring you: "Movie Miles."

There are plenty of ways to walk from 16th and U NW to Chinatown but I prefer to walk straight down 16th for a few reasons: there are tons of beautiful buildings to look at along the way and it's really hard to get lost. Hang a Louie at the White House and stay on H.  Not hard.

Along 16th, dead-ending at the White House, you'll find some really beautiful townhomes and apartment buildings (my favorite is the one below with stars as trim - Stars remind me of my friend Katie), the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Museum and Library, and the DC Church of Scientology - which I heard gives free tours and free stress tests.  Helloooo DC on a budget.

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Museum and Library

I love the primary colors.

Carnegie Institute

'Free in DC' - Scientology

  

The walk is about 40 minutes one way and it's the perfect exercise to justify going to sit for 2 hours in a dark theatre on a beautiful day.  In addition, for the ladies, if you go down F or G Street instead of H, there's a Macy's, Filene's, Forever, H&M, and Zara along the way.  And in the words of the immortal Carrie Bradshaw, "Shopping is my cardio."  2 birds, 1 stone.  3 birds if you count ending the spree with a movie.  4 if you bike home.

And I shot all those birds on Saturday.*  


Cardio Woot!  Thanks to the Redcoats, and their bloody control over the English language, that is officially a real sentence. If you ask me, 'majoratively' will do less harm to future generations.

*No birds were actually harmed in the writing of this blog.

Hike 3 - Park Preview

For the next two weeks, Matt and I will be doing Tuesday hikes because we’re busy/out of town during the weekends.  This past Tuesday we trekked around Great Falls Park, VA.  Un.freaking.believable.  I didn’t know such beautiful nature even existed in the Metro area.  You haven’t seen the Potomac until you’ve seen it like this.  If I can say that, anyone who’s actually into nature would really go gaga.

Check out the little kayakers!

The murky green waters that snake through the District and around our monuments don’t hold a candle to the white-capped rapids that break in Virginia’s Potomac.  Breathtaking.  Shoot, now I feel guilty that I’m rounding my three-year anniversary here in DC and I had no idea this little gem even existed.  I knew the Potomac existed, duh, but not like this.

In addition to experiencing the River in a completely different way, the drive up is equally pleasurable.  Again – I didn’t know homes so grand existed in this area.  Am I really going through life with blinders on?  Oblivious to the wonderful city I live in and all it has to offer?  Keep it to yourselves – those questions are rhetorical.

*Sidebar – After almost getting hit by a car 2 days ago at 19^th and L, I had the random conversation with myself about what it would be like if we had no peripheral vision.  Weird, right?  It’s fun inside my head.  I go there all the time.

Oh –as I was saying: Sprawling acres, gated and stonewalled mansions, it’s a Real Housewife’s dream.  Being a sucker for real estate and home décor publications, I just gawked out the window - hanging my head out farther than Hudson - recurrently gasping, “Look at THAT!” 

Then came the obvious question, “Seriously Matt, how do I marry into that?” I kid, I kid.  But as my dad, Ed, always says, “It’s just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is to fall in love with a poor man.”  And I always listen to Ed.

We had to cut this hike short because an important thing to note about Great Falls is that it’s a solid 30 to 40 minute drive from DC.  By the time we both got off of work, I biked to Matt’s (more to come on that debacle), and we high-tailed it out to Virginia, there was only about 40 minutes of light left in the day.  It was even darker in the thick of the woods.  Hudson was scared, so after promising each other to come back on a Saturday morning and do the works - kayaking, hiking, and grilling – Matt and I reluctantly drove back to the mothership – er, land. 

Now comes the funny part about my bike ride to Matt’s house in Eastern Market.  It’s actually just pitiful, but I figure if I write enough embarrassing stuff I can shame myself back into shape.  Here goes:

I recently have been dabbling in Capital Bikeshare  – a bike rental company in DC.  I tested the waters with a few one-day passes and a couple of days ago I signed up for an entire month.  Reckless, I know.  In the spirit of my new healthy-ish lifestyle, I decided I’d snag a bike around the corner from my office and bike to Eastern Market.  Easy-Peezy.  And it was.  Not.

Do you know why they call it Capitol Hill?  Because our Capitol Building sits on an actual hill in DC and it is the highest point in the city.  I know what you’re thinking: It’s not Everest, Chief.  But, let’s face it, I would never climb Everest because I hate the cold and I complain too much – so the Hill is my Everest.  Just go with it.

One thing leads to another and I’m pedaling along, minding my own business, when I realize the route I have taken will bring me right to the belly of the beast.  There’s no turning back.  Independence Avenue.  Between the Capitol Building and the House Office Buildings.  The Mother of all Hills – or at least the Mother of all Democratic Hills (a little political humor, if you will).  It was too much, too big, too soon. 

I made it past Rayburn – which Washingtonians know is only a third of the way up - and then I had to stop and walk the bike up the rest…hanging my head ashamed as I passed the Capitol Police and they looked at me with disdain.  Judging.  And thinking, “That girl is weak.”  I made that part up.  They didn’t notice me.  But it was still embarrassing, especially since I didn’t even think – as I gasped for air, and my quads burned like the fires of Hell– that I was going to be able to make it walking either.  I went into my head picturing the horror of waking up, trapped under this bike, with Capitol Police zooming to my rescue and reporters rushing to the scene.  ‘Alert DC’ texts going out saying, “Chubby girl wipes out and blocks traffic to the Hill.  Congress shut down until further notice.” 

Just kidding – Congress isn’t even in session right now.

In the end, where Independence turns into Pennsylvania, I got back on my horse.  Luckily, I didn’t see anyone I know, but the Hill got the best of me.  Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

This story went on forever, but humor me.  You’ll appreciate the film version.

Becoming a “We” and Special Guests

To officially make our hikes a “thing” we embarked on ILikeHike number 2.  60 Hikes brands it the “Columbia Island” hike.  But being that I’m a tourist in my own city – I don’t know where that is or if we were there.  This is how I see it: we started at Theodore Roosevelt Island, walked to the LBJ Memorial Grove and then looped back to Teddy’s pond.  I don’t have a poetic title for this one – but good stories ensue.

Spandex v. Shorts

Matt and I thought we were a little more prepared this time.  I’ll censor the blog for the children, but Matt and I finished our last route somewhat uncomfortably.   We each have a special name for our common ailment, but I’ll just say this: It involves thighs.  Inner thighs.  Being more prepared, and ever the lover of spandex (blame it on my ballet and rowing days, or just blame it on too much Saved By The Bell), I wore bike shorts.   Poof.  Problemo solved.  Matt thought longer underwear was the answer.  It wasn’t.  Shorts – 2.  Matt – 0. 

And…we’re hiking.

Enter my Mom, Claudia, who was in town for the weekend to go see Wicked with me.  It was a fabulous show, and I was over the moon that she came up just to see it with me... but I digress.  Claudia wore jeans on this hike, which I unfairly gave her a hard time about.  (But Moooooommmmm - Matt kept calling me Farrah, you figure it out.)  I can’t say the jeans slowed us down though because Matt and Hudson weren’t exactly on their A game either.  Matt will retaliate that I was some type of steroid-enhanced speed demon on this particular Saturday morning (and he’d be right), but these are my feelings, and I’m entitled to them.  As I sped ahead, it turned out Matt and Claudia are a match made in Heaven!  They chatted politics and had a blast!  Mom:  Matt is reading the book you suggested and can't put it down.  He told me to tell you "Love It" is an understatement.  *Sigh* I love it when my parents like my friends... :)

In addition to speedy, (and I wasn’t going to mention this, but in the spirit of full disclosure), I was cranky.  Don’t ask me why, I’m just a woman.  So, I’m cranky.  And we got lost.  On the GW Parkway.  No trail.  Just highway.  Going rogue.  Needless to say, after turning around a few times we found our way back to the trail.  But some jaywalking occurred and I’m flashing back to screaming across the highway, “Well, I’M NOT GOING THAT WAY.”  Not my proudest moment.  The up side to this is that even though the book says the Columbia Island Hike is 5.7 miles – our detours I’m sure made it significantly longer and therefore more exercising!!  Despite getting lost, this trail only took 2 hours and the book predicts it taking 2.5 or 3.5.  Long story short: We’re awesome.

What was really fun though is that we ventured into an area that Mom, Matt and I had no idea even existed: the LBJ Memorial Grove.  We ran into 2 very nice women in the grove that took our picture and – in a weird turn of events – actually know the author of the book which inspired and maps our 60 hikes.  Small world, right?  These women told us two things: 1) The author has a listserv Pelliyacht@aol.com that organizes naturey, outdoorsy kinds of events around the Metro area.  I mean, nature may not be my cup of tea, but I do have a blog about hiking now, which puts me about one dreadlock away from buying Birkenstocks and clothing made out of hemp.  Don’t worry – I don’t need an intervention.  Yet.  Oh, and 2) Apparently this LBJ Grove is one of the best places to watch the fireworks on the 4^th.  A little hidden treasure, if you will.  But you didn’t hear it from me. 

Memorial Grove

In speaking to one of the women, I quickly realized that Matt and I – through 15 months of friendship and our hikes - have become somewhat of  a ‘We.’  Just 2 hikes in, we have stories about ‘our’ walks and I talk about Hudson as if he were my own.  “Oh, yes lady I don’t know, WE hike every week…WE always bring the dog…WE are going to blog about our hikes…WE love Netflix.”  And on and on and on.  When she said, “Oh, don’t worry, he’ll take care of you…” (I think we were talking about the high price of real estate in DC...ok, I know we were) Matt and I made eye contact, awkwardly looked away and said “Oh, it isn’t like that.”  But it is.  No, it isn’t.  It kind of is.  Nah.  Well, we thought it was funny. 

The Marine Memorial

'I <3 Oz' Shirt Courtesy of Mom!

In addition to my mother and some women who know the author of 60 Hikes, we had yet another guest star in this week’s hike.  Diana.  See – Matt is my boss Rob’s second cousin and Diana is Rob’s girlfriend.  Small world AGAIN, right?  We ran smack into each other, totally unplanned at 9am on the trails.  Diana has done the Breast Cancer walk a few times now and is training for one upcoming in California.  She walks a thousand miles per weekend to train.  Maybe not a thousand, but she literally walks to Vienna and back.  It’s too far for me to even Metro to Vienna.  Enough said.  It was wonderful seeing her though and kudos to her as she walks further every weekend than I could ever hope to.  WE really enjoyed seeing her.

Overall, though the weather was gloomy and the map was difficult to read, having my dear old mom along for the ride was really exciting.  Now that she’s taken part, WE actually have a witness to our little challenge.  Diana witnessed it too.  This is not a drill, people. 

I just have to decide who will play Mom in the movie.  The woman in the park will be played by Halle Berry and I actually told her that.  True story.

Hike 1 - The Lincoln Loop

I wish I could say I started this challenge as some noble endeavor: a love of the outdoors, a need to connect with nature, or a longing to explore a city I live in but see too little of.  Nope.  Anyone who knows me knows I hate nature.  So, let’s call it a little bit of vanity (I need to lose weight), a little bit of boredom, and a little bit of “Matt Found This Book in the Bargain Bin at Borders.”   I don’t actually know if that’s true, but he showed up with this book one day and we hatched the idea to do them all.  Oh – the book we’re following, the inspiration for the 60 hikes, is 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Washington, DC. 

Of course, Matt and I had the obvious fear that we would give birth to this baby plan and never see it grow.  We’re a whole lotta talk and very little action.   The couch calls and I must answer.  But here’s how it works:  We started talking about it to anyone who would listen or dare utter “Any big plans this weekend?”  Parents, friends, coworkers… Matt pointed this out but – How embarrassing would it be to talk about our grand 10 miler and future plans to conquer the world, er, I mean 60 hikes in 60 weeks, if on Monday morning when people asked we both just hung our heads sheepishly and said, “Oh, yeah, um, I didn’t do that…I sat on my couch watching Netflix and eating my feelings…”

I know.  So embarrassing.  That’s what I was thinking.

And so began, “I Like Hike.” Well, we started hiking at least.  The idea for the blog came a bit later.

It’s the beginning of August and DC has had record heat this summer.  Most of July’s days had a heat index of well over 100 degrees.  That brings us to Saturday, August 6, 2011.  The first hike was Lincoln Park to the Lincoln Memorial and back, which the book dubs 8.6 miles and what I’m dubbing The Lincoln Loop.  Clever, right?  (I may or may not have stolen that gem of a title – I really don’t know).  But, Matt recently moved to Eastern Market and that’s where we walked from, so let’s just round it up to about 10 miles.  10 MILES.

10 MILES!!!  I was nervous.  Really nervous.  I’m not going to speak for Matt – but I’m (ahem) a little out of shape.  I know from friends training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, that walking at a leisurely pace and flat road or not – you can’t just bust out 10 miles without achy joints, blisters, sore feet, etc.  I was also a little paranoid that it would take us 5 hours.  Having once stood at the top of the Capitol Dome and looked down The Mall – the Lincoln Memorial is like, really far away.  Worried that if we started the walk at 10:30 am, we’d be stuck in severe heat at the peak sun hours of the day, I had the grand plan to start at 8am.  Matt woke up on time, but being that I don’t even wake up at 8 on a workday, I did not.  I am…the weakest link.  So, we started at 10am anyway.  The good news is: It was only about 88 degrees that day and it only took 2.5 hours.  Visions of stress fractures and heat stroke quickly vanished once we began.  We were back at Matt’s by 12:30.  The bad news is: Hudson was a little worse for wear.  I’ll let Matt elaborate in a later post, should he feel that Hudson not get too embarrassed. 

We felt so empowered by our accomplishment and endorphins that we thought, “Pshhhhhh, stupid hikes – We could do one of you every day.”  And then, in typical loudmouth fashion I blabbed to parents, friends, and coworkers, “Oh, yeah, Matt and I are doing this hike-a-week thing.  No biggie.”  And to come full circle, we didn’t want to be embarrassed for letting the plan fizzle out, yada yada yada, we’re doing one hike a week.

Admirable.  I know.

And that's how we started this blog.  Because how else do people get movie deals?  Duh.