the last long run

T minus 6 days until the big dance.  The big dance of running, that is...the Boston Marathon.  As I struggle with a myriad of emotions ranging from nervous to downright frightened to confident to skeptical to excited, I try to find ways to occupy my time that I'd otherwise either be a) running, b) obsessing about race day weather, or c) obsessing about everything and anything.

So I blog.

I'd like to share a little pictorial of my last long run before Boston.  This took place on our Spring Break to Washington DC...just me and Siri on my iPhone.

pre run shot in the bathroom at our hotel.  trying not wake up the rest of the family at a stupid early hour, i hung out in here, drinking my coffee, checking facebook, texting friends.  you know, the usual things you do in a hotel bathroom at 6am before a 12 mile run.

mile 3: the capital.  i love how the sun shines on the building. i don't love my shellshocked look here.

mile 4ish: washington monument. there was a freaky homeless guy steps away from me hence the scary looking expression on my face.  ok.  no freaky homeless guy.  just a scary look on my face.

around mile 6-7 I crossed over the Arlington Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery. Breathtaking. No "joggers" (ahem.  i am a runner) allowed in the Cemetery but I sneaked in to grab this shot of the tombstones in the distance.

just shy of 8 miles I cross back over the bridge to head back to the monuments.  i love looking at all the crew boats (i used to row in college) glide their oars through the Potomac. they all look effortless.  i too feel effortless, graceful...until...

OUCH!

 my collegiate nostalgia abruptly ends as I face plant on the middle of the bridge. and I went down HARD. I am pretty sure part of my elbow skin is tattooed on the ground.  but, it's all good:  my new North Face coat didn't rip, my favorite Nike 3/4 pants are still intact and the blood stains eventually came out of my Smartwool shirt.  Pressing on...

a little sun in my eyes and a bruised ego i hit (not literally thank goodness.  but the way my luck was going...) the Lincoln Memorial around mile 9.

my path back.  reflecting pool and monuments in the background. breathtaking.

and no, i did not fall into the reflecting pool as i looked at the landscape.  smart ass.

white house in the background.  mile 10. homestretch. i wish i could tell you that is obama and michelle  playing football behind me. it would really put this story over the top.

ah.  the piece de resistance. grande americano. please and thank you. 

12 miles down.  26.2 to go.

See you in Beantown friends!