DC Road Runners - Enter your slogan here
|
Welcome! This is the home of the world-famous (well, maybe locally well-known) SLR.
Our start time is at 8:00 AM until next summer! Every Saturday we meet at North Meade Street Park, a small park northwest of the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) in Rosslyn. The closest address for mapping purposes is 1300 Arlington Blvd, and street parking is available in the neighborhoods adjacent to N. Meade Street. Be mindful of parking signs, since Arlington County enforces them enthusiastically, and please do not park on Marine Memorial Circle (inside Iwo Jima), because this parking area is for memorial use only. At least one porta-john is available year-round near the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the memorial's water fountain is usually on during the summer.
We run rain or shine! In cases of extreme weather (snow, ice, thunderstorms, heat waves) we do occasionally either change our meeting time or cancel the run for safety, but the run will be held as planned unless otherwise posted via email/twitter/facebook and here on the SLR web page.
All are welcome! We're an informal group, and there are no requirements for speed, racing experience, or what distance means "long" for you, other than the suggested route that most of our group will be running each week. If you don't want to run the same distance or course as the main group, you can go out for half of your own target distance and re-trace your steps back to Iwo Jima. More specific route info and mileage options will be given in the email/post preceding each Saturday's run. SLR always features a run from our extensive Route Catalog, which gives us a wide range of options to keep things fresh for you each week. We have routes that are flat, hilly, looped, out & back, roads, sidewalks, trails, and more, reaching all around the local area of DC, VA, and MD!
For more details about Saturday Long Runs please read our Frequently Asked Questions to get a sense for what it's like to run with us, or send an email to Anna if you have any other questions that are not covered.
To receive weekly SLR updates via email, please log in and check your email subscriptions.
Schedule:
| Date | Miles | Route Map | Navigation Downloads | Post/Mid-Run Beverages |
| 4/5 | 14 | Marymount Chain Bridge | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/12 | 12 | Pentagon Army Navy | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/19 | 13 | Cathedral Clintons | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/26 | 18 | National Arboretum | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/3 | 12 | Potomac Overlook Loops | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/10 | 13 | Southeast DC | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/17 | 16 | Around the World in Fourteen Miles | Cue Sheet & GPS | 62 Embassies! New Route! |
| 5/24 | 14 | Ross Drive | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/31 | 15 | Long Bridge Park | Cue Sheet & GPS |
SLR: 12 Miles Potomac Overlook Loops
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
I’m back! If you had half as much fun at SLR as I did the past two weeks then you had some great runs. If you ever get the chance to run Big Sur I can’t recommend it enough. Thanks to Nate for taking over! We might get a little wet tomorrow morning, but I think we might luck out. Now let’s get into it:
The Route: Rain or shine (but hopefully shine), it’s Potomac Overlook Loops (strava, gps, pdf) time! This is outgoing President Ben’s favorite route in our repertoire and one that we don’t do nearly enough (as evidenced by the strava segment records on this loop coming from pre-pandemic runs). We’ll head out as if we’re going to do Chain Bridge (up Custis to Lorcom Lane and right onto Military Road) then make a turn onto Marcey Road (that’s the stoplight at the top of the hill after the circle across the street from the church). From here we’ll head back to Potomac Overlook Park and loop around that trail four (yes! FOUR!) times. The only trick here is DO NOT FOLLOW SIGNS FOR DONALDSON RUN, everything else is mostly straightforward on a single trail. Luckily, we’ve got a lot of loops to practice on (and we’ll retrace our steps afterwards back to the park the same way we came).
Want Something Shorter? Less loops means less mileage! You can cut this route easily down to a little over 9 with one loop, as each loop is only 1.25 miles (or a 2K for the metric folks).
Need A Longer Route? To avoid getting too dizzy, head back to Military Road and follow the Chain Bridge Loop the rest of the way around for a couple extra miles and the Marymount Chain Bridge Loop for even more!
Thirsty? There are water fountains at Potomac Overlook Park, but I haven’t been able to check if they’re on for the season or not (sorry!). Bring water, but hope for the best! The weather is also getting warmer which means it’s SLR Drink Season once again! Volunteer for post-run or mid-run drinks and get Bunion Derby series credit!
Need a Bathroom? Apparently Nate is against using the portopotties in people’s yards, but that might be your only option in the morning. There are restrooms at Potomac Overlook Park just up the road from the tennis courts, but I’m not sure they’ll be available tomorrow.
Thank you to Nate and Ben, our outgoing board members, for their dedication to the club over the past years! The Bunion Derby kicks off on June 8th with the Women’s Distance Festival and Run After the Women (yes, we use atlinks now for race registrations, no it won't have any hidden fees on your end)! Come out for a wonderful kick off to summer racing season or volunteer!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 15 Miles National Arboretum
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It is once again Nate, your faithful ersatz SLR leader, as Anna is out in California to run Big Sur this week. Send her good vibes! The weather will be cloudy and in the mid-60s, which is warmer than it has been...keep that in mind!
Where Are We Going This Time? It's another SLR tradition as this week is our visit to the National Arboretum (strava, gps, pdf)! For those who haven't been, the National Arboretum has one of the best collections of azaleas in the area and is definitely worth the trip. We'll head across the Mall and up via Maryland Avenue and Bladensburg Avenue to get to the Arboretum, where it's a big of a choose your own adventure once you're inside. Head right and follow signs for the azaleas (you should be able to see the color on the hillside) for the shortest route, which is around 15 miles.
Want Less? If 15 miles is too long for you this weekend because you just ran a marathon on Monday, there's a few options for a shorter route that will still get you some time in the gardens. For 10, hop on the metro at the Capitol South when you get back to the Capitol for a ride back to Rosslyn. If you'd like a little bit longer, the Smithsonian station is at 12!
Want More? Get some great hill training in with more loops of the Arboretum. The route map we use is an 18 miler that inclues another few loops, but it's hard to get too lost and easy to find some cool plants. Head up to the Asian gardens, which should also be blooming at this time of the year or stop by the Capitol Columns!
Parched? Always got the water fountains on the mall. There's a water fountain immediately inside the Arboretum inside the same building as the bathrooms -- take a right when you enter. We're getting to the season where we need drink volunteers, help out the club and knock out your Bunion Derby volunteer credit!
Swimming Eyeballs? The Arboretum has a great restroom! The Washington Monument has, of course, the "well, it exists" one.
No major club events in the next month, but the Bunion Derby is quickly approaching and signups are open for many of the races!
Happy Running!
Nate
SLR: 12 Miles Cathedral Clintons
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It's Nate, your faithful ersatz SLR leader, writing to you this week...I heard there is this little race up in Boston this weekend! Good luck to all of our club members who are running and have a blast! If you're here, please note the weather because this is going to be our first Hot One(tm) of the season. Forecast is for the upper 60s at the start. You aren't heat-acclimated yet, so stay hydrated, listen to your ol' meatbag, and don't push yourself too hard!
Where Are We Going This Time? This week we'll be heading up Rock Creek Park and up (and up and up) Calvert and Cleveland to Cathedral Clintons (strava, gps, pdf). Your friendly neighborhood Episcopalian is always awed by the cathedral's majesty! (And really wants to go to a choral service soon!) After trudging uphill for seemingly the entire run, we'll be treated to the best downhill in DC (as voted by Anna, last time we did this) along Massachusetts Avenue, passing Embassy Row and the White House back to the park.
Want Less? From Mass Ave, take a right on 22nd Street and then another right on M Street to cut this down to 10 miles. If Metro is your thing like it is mine, we will pass Woodley Park at 5 miles, Dupont Circle at 7-3/4 and the Farragut Square stations at 8-1/4.
Want More? Heading down the Mall towards Capitol Hill will also get you a few more miles and a few water fountains along the way. Running along the Mount Vernon Trail to get back to the park instead of passing the cemetery will also tack on an extra mile.
Parched? There are not many options on this one. There is one fountain in Bryce Park, which is on the far (south) side of Mass Ave when you turn left off of Wisconsin. There is another along the short route at the corner of 23rd and P -- I have used this one and can vouch that it worked then -- but if you want the full length, it is easy to detour to it and then continue east on P over to Dupont Circle. Of course, there are always the usual ones on the Mall that my park ranger friends swear will actually work this time. In light of that vote of confidence I recommend carrying today.
Swimming Eyeballs? Unlike Anna, I do not condone using random port-o-potties in the yards of under-construction houses...but if you're desperate, you do you becuase there will probably be one. Open City, the Cathedral's cafe, opens at 7am and is another option in a pinch. (Or for a drinks break!)
Don't forget there is Happy Hour on Thursday at Carpool in Ballston, in partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank! Come on out and donate if you can!
Happy Running!
Nate
More Articles...
Upcoming Events
| Kenmore PTSA 5K Sat, May 10th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Hero Dogs 5K9 Sat, May 17th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Jamestown 5K Sat, May 17th, 2025, @9:00am |
| DCRRC One Hour Track Run Wed, May 21st, 2025, @6:45pm |
| Women's Distance Festival and Run After The Women Sun, Jun 8th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Rock Creek 5K Sun, Jun 22nd, 2025, @8:00am |
Login
 
|
The DC Road Runners Club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America and is also affiliated with USA Track & Field. We provide a year-round schedule of running events that offer everyone a chance to participate regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability. |