Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure May 11

You can still register in person today to run the 5K tomorrow. I hope the weather holds--possible thunderstorms.

Looks like it will be a huge event!

Way more tents than for the Avon walk.

Thanks to all of the rain we have had recently, the flood gates are up at Georgetown Waterfront. It is hard to tell from the picture, but the water level was just below the top of the boardwalk.

Potomac River was high this morning.

HRM and Treadmill in Synch--Shocking!

As an early mother's day present, :) I bought a Garmin FR70--and I love it! I wasn't looking for a watch with GPS, which can drain the battery quickly, I just wanted heart rate, calories, and the ability to track progress on a Web site. FR70 is perfect!

Previous to this purchase, I occasionally wore the heart rate monitor (HRM) that came with the treadmill. I was devastated at how much holding onto the sides and getting on and off for bathroom breaks affected my heart rate. And, I wondered how much better of a workout I was getting outdoors versus indoors.

To the rescue, the Garmin HRM. I freely admit that I need this device to keep me honest and motivated. Actually, since I started using it, I have tried to do all runs outdoors--the weather is nicer and no temptation to cheat. This morning, however, I ran 5 miles, .5 incline, averaging speed of 7.5, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the calories on my Garmin were pretty close to the treadmill calories. Most equipment overestimates the calories burned by a long shot.

What is my point? If I use the treadmill as the machine expects I should--without stopping and without holding on even with my pinky finger--the calories burned display will be pretty accurate. (FYI, both the treadmill and Garmin are programmed with my age and weight.)

Cheer Signs!

I saw my name up on a sign this morning and it reminded me of all the great spectator signs you see  when running a race. They are entertaining and a great distraction. A couple of my favorites...

• You're beating everyone behind you!
• Don't stop, people are watching!

R Street in Georgetown

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Gorgeous day for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer!

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Preparations

The walk is May 4 - 5, 2013, in Washington, DC. They were setting up in front of the Washington Monument, where the opening and closing ceremonies will take place.

I can't wait to go running tomorrow and capture the participants en route. Usually, they go right through our neighborhood, so it will not be hard to snap some photos.

The Nike Race tents are gone and the fountain is back on!

Washington Monument Scaffold Update

As promised, here is an update for my scaffold company friends. The Washington Monument will remain closed to tourists while repairs are completed, which could take between 12 to 18 months. These pictures were taken on my afternoon run home; it was a beautiful--in the low 70s--sunny day.

Rainy Monument Run

Monday and Tuesday were both dreary, wet runs hovering in the high 50s. The weather deterred some tourists, which made for a nice 5pm run along the reflecting pool and past the Lincoln Memorial yesterday.

Fountain is back on at GT Waterfront

Lincoln Memorial