#fairfaxholidayhalf

[cmjhawk86]

When you’re walking the #fairfaxturkeytrot4miler you definitely do stop for the #fireballwhiskey. Since I raced a few days ago, I told @lynnucla I would walk it with her today. We enjoyed cool but sunny and pleasant weather, and we actually logged well over 5 miles since we had to walk to the start/finish area and back, too. Back to running tomorrow as I prep for #fairfaxholidayhalf #4miler in a couple of weeks. As for today after relaxing to watch some #worldcup2022, we will pivot towards getting the feast ready. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 🦃 🍁 🍂 #mastersrunner #masterstriathlete #masterstrackathlete #mastersxcrunner #mastersroadrunner #runva #tracktraining #xctraining #neverstopstriving #justkeepgoing #zensah #zensahambassador #teamzensah #withoutlimitz (at Mantua, Virginia) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClWfqphOzlA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[cmjhawk86]

Unofficial, that is, result from my @garmin #forerunner35 for today's #fairfaxholidayhalf. The hills late in the race really knocked me down. I chalk that up to not doing enough hill work while I have been rebuilding fitness. And it was tough out there with the cold and sometimes slippery trail conditions. Still, I ran a big #pr for a trail half marathon, about 7 minutes. I don't know my overall finish but I was 3rd in my age group; usually that puts you in the AG winners circle but they only gave awards to the first 2 in this one. #boobyprize position, oh well, not the first time. Proud to represent both @dcroadrunners and @lifetime.run today. Now for some rest and recovery while I determine the next target. More coming soon on that. #runblr #fitblr #halfmarathon #trailracing (at Wakefield Park, Audrey Moore Recenter)

[cmjhawk86]

It was pretty tough to come up with a #bestnine2017 collage, just because I have so many shots to pick from. But here is my attempt to capture the highs - 1) Women March on DC; 2) family selfie with @lynnucla and @finnmcshane; 3) walking the beach at #stoneharbornj; 4) running with my @lifetime.run teammates; 5) cycling at the #restoncentury; 6) tapping my best #homebrew yet, a maple porter; 7) coaching the #leelancerscrosscountry girls, who I'm so proud of for making history and qualifying for regionals for the first time; 8) finishing the #fairfaxholidayhalf with a new trail #halfmarathon PR; and 9) closing out the year on the #oregoncoast. There are so many more I could have picked but I think these really speak to the year that was. On to 2018!

[cmjhawk86]

#raceday tomorrow, the #fairfaxholidayhalf and it's going to be a cold and blustery one. So #flatme is geared up appropriately. @mizunorunning #breaththermo hat, gloves and tights, @underarmour #coldgear turtleneck base layer shirt, @asics @dcroadrunners long sleeve tech shirt, @balega_international socks, and @topoathletic MT-2 trail racing flats. This combo worked pretty well for me when I ran a very chilly half marathon two years ago and won the men's masters division. Not sure if that type of result is in store tomorrow, though. My training has not been what I hoped and the comeback from last year's #kneeinjury is still a work in progress. I really think my biggest goal tomorrow is to get through this feeling strong and with the knee holding up well -- that will be the test to determine whether I return to marathons in 2018 or possibly hang it up on that distance. I've done 14 marathons, including the @bostonmarathon 4 times, always as a qualifier. Not a bad career if it has to end there. But I hope it doesn't, of course. 🙂 #runblr #fitblr #fallrunning #halfmarathontraining (at Mantua, Virginia)

[cmjhawk86]

Just in case you were wondering, yeah, the #fairfaxholidayhalf course was pretty tough! Still feeling it two says later. #runblr #fitblr #fallracingseason #halfmarathon #trailrunning (at Wakefield Park, Audrey Moore Recenter)

[cmjhawk86]

This race is billed as a "trail" half but it is more paved than unpaved. Nevertheless, snow or ice cover will definitely make this a trail shoe day. Already Lone Peak or Topo MT-2? Hmm. It's been a while since I have done a true snow race.

[cmjhawk86]

What a fantastic day to #optoutside. I did the last really big workout in my plan before the #fairfaxholidayhalf on December 10. 3 x 2 Mile #temporun with a short 3:30 recovery between each. I felt pretty good after #vinyasaflow last night and ran these better today than the last time I did them 2.5 weeks ago. Hopefully that means I am hitting stride at the right time. And about the @underarmour #capritights - these are definitely not just for the ladies anymore. I love mine and I dare anyone to laugh at me as I run past them. 😈 #runblr #fitblr #trailrunning #halfmarathontraining #fallrunning (at Burke Lake Park)

[cmjhawk86]

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A post shared by Chris Johnston (@cmjhawk86)

Final #longrun before #fairfaxholidayhalf next weekend. I did this as a fast finish run, going easy for 6 before picking it up for 3. On the first two pickup miles I was well off target pace but stepped up my effort to on the third get under target pace and finish the segment on a high note. Then I finished up with a cooldown. This hasn't been the best training cycle and the long comeback from injury has tested my patience, but I will give it my best next Sunday. Let the chips fall where they may. #runblr #fitblr #halfmarathontraining #fallrunning

[cmjhawk86]

Looks like it's coming either way. Race is on Sunday so it won't be snowing anymore by then. It may not even be on the ground anymore at that point. But the wind chills will make racing interesting.

[cmjhawk86]

Dry run of next month’s #fairfaxholidayhalf course done! It’s definitely a challenging course, mostly on the #fairfaxcrosscountytrail. The trail is a lot more paved than it used to be but the twists, turns and hills keep you on your toes. I made a #temporun workout of this, warming up for 3 miles then doing 3 x 2 miles at tempo effort. I knew I wouldn’t hit typical tempo paces on this course and sure enough I was about 45 seconds a mile off that. But the effort was there and I now have the course burned into my brain. I also know what else I need to do to be ready for this in a month. So mission accomplished for today! #runblr #fitblr #fallrunning #fallracingseason #halfmarathontraining #trailrunning (at Wakefield Park, Audrey Moore Recenter)

[cmjhawk86]

Must be time to race, because #flatme is ready. @dcroadrunners singlet, @brooksrunning shorts, #nikepro rights, @2xu_usa arm warmers, @runnersmarathonofreston do-rag, @injinji socks and @altrarunning One flats for tomorrow's @viennaturkey_trot. A year ago on a bad knee I finished 17th and won my age group. Hopefully I can better that tomorrow. #runblr #fitblr #10k #fallracingseason #fallrunning #halfmarathontraining #fairfaxholidayhalf (at Mantua, Virginia)

[cmjhawk86]

Gobble! Gobble! Two turkey trots this year!

So I'm now signed up for both the Vienna Turkey Trot 10k on 11/19 and the Fairfax Turkey Trot 4-Miler in my neighborhood on Thanksgiving morning. The latter one I'll probably just do for fun with @lynnucla but the 10k I'll run hard as a tune-up for my half in December. I love turkey trot races, so much fun. The holiday season is just starting but the associated stresses haven't really kicked in yet, so the mood at these events is always festive and friendly.

Meanwhile it's dress rehearsal day today for the half next month. This is a small local race and it's on trails that I run a lot. Entries are capped at 550 and if the stars align just right (meaning the real local elites don't run it) I should finish pretty high...maybe even notch a W? Maybe? Not counting on that, but if I definitely hope to bring my best that day. Let the chips fall where they may. In any case I will run the course this afternoon with the middle portion divided into a 3 x 2-mile tempo workout. I know I won't hit true "tempo" times on this course but it should be a big confidence builder just to work it and know I am ready.

[cmjhawk86]

Busy day meant logging some late treadmill miles at home in the basement. But I got them done. #boiledfrog #progressionrun started at 10:00/mile pace and added 0.1 mph every 400 until I finished 10k at 7:08 pace. Mile cooldown to finish up. Now back to work. 😓 #runblr #fitblr #fallrunning #treadmillworkout #fairfaxholidayhalf #halfmarathontraining (at Mantua, Virginia)

[cmjhawk86]

Not the performance I was hoping for today at the @viennaturkey_trot . Not much I can do now but review what went wrong and figure out how to correct it. It was crazy windy and the course is hilly but I’m not using that as an excuse. I trained through this race and was not optimally prepared to race, and my energy level was low today. A mitigating factor perhaps but I still should have done better than this, a lot better. Three weeks until #fairfaxholidayhalf so there is still time. #runblr #fitblr #fallrunning #halfmarathontraining (at Vienna Turkey Trot 10k, 5k and Fun Run)

[cmjhawk86]

Longest #longrun in over a year today. I kept the effort relaxed and things felt that way until about 9 miles in, when it was time to break down some barriers. I wasn't surprised by that, but the early onset of a storm and some big hills made it even tougher. There was nothing else I could do but dig deep and push through. All a part of getting stronger. #runblr #fitblr #halfmarathon #fairfaxholidayhalf

[cmjhawk86]

Key workout time. It was a tough one this week, 5 x 1200 + 3 x 200. My @mcmillanrunning plan wanted me to knock the 1200s down in 4:44 which I had a feeling was a little out of reach. I was happy just to be consistent and to run my fastest rep on the last one at 4:51. The 3 x 200 were on exhausted legs but I managed to go 44, 43 and 42 on them. For the cooldown, I just jogged slowly until I hit a nice round 10 miles for the night. That's a lot of running in circles! I outlasted an entire elite club soccer practice while I was at it. #runblr #fitblr #fallrunning #halfmarathontraining #fairfaxholidayhalf #intervaltraining (at Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School)