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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 Pentagon Army Navy
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Sorry for the last minute change in routes, we were originally slated to do Potomac Overlook Loops this week, but we’re switching it up due to the weather (if you’ve run there in the rain you know what I mean). Rest assured we’ll get to it in a few weeks in honor of our departing president Ben! In the meantime we’ll enjoy a spin around National Landing (does anyone call it that yet?)! Now let’s get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be doing the classic Pentagon Army Navy route (strava, gps, pdf), which will take us around National Landing (which is really just Pentagon City/Crystal City) via Army Navy Drive before coming back along the Four Mile Run and Mount Vernon Trails, where we will be treated to some lovely tulips at Lady Bird Johnson Park! Don't forget to cross at South Meade Street when crossing Glebe Road, that's a bit of a tricky intersection and safety is always the priority!
Want Something Shorter? For a little over 11 come back through the Cemetery instead of going all the way up to Rosslyn (this also saves you from my least favorite hill by Roosevelt Island). If you want an even shorter run, come up South Eads Street off of the Four Mile Run and take the 27 Trail back for around 10.5 miles! There are also metro stations in Pentagon City and Crystal City that can get you back easily, consider the turn into Crystal City off of the Mount Vernon Trail as your point of no return (as in you're committed to running at least 4 more miles back to the park).
Need a Longer Route? An out and back on the Mount Vernon or Four Mile Run trails can get you some more mileage without too much mental energy. Otherwise heading into the city over any of the bridges can add about 1-2 miles (depending on which bridges) and save you from what will likely be a headwind on the Mount Vernon Trail. Going into the city also lets you see some of our remaining Kwanzan cherry trees and a LOT of tulips!
Thirsty? There's a water fountain along the Mount Vernon Trail just past the metro bridge right before mile 7 and one up near Roosevelt Island at mile 11, but I doubt either will be turned on tomorrow morning. Does that lack of functioning fountains infuriate you? The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail, a nonprofit organization who supports trail maintenance and upkeep along our lovely MVT is soliciting donations in support of replacing water fountains along the trail to freeze-proof, year-round fountains with bottle filler stations! They have current funding for eight replacement fountains along the entire stretch of trail (including the ones at Roosevelt Island), but there is room in the contract for three more fountains if they can secure funding (including some at LBJ Park).
Need a Bathroom? There are portopotties at Gravelly Point at Mile 8 if you really need them in addition to the ones at Roosevelt Island at Mile 11. Both of these are of questionable cleanliness, but better than the alternative.
We’ve got a happy hour in partnership with Capital Area Foodbank on April 24th at Carpool in Ballston! Come out and donate if you can!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 14 Miles Arlington Loop
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Good luck to everyone racing Cherry Blossom this weekend! With a little luck (and a little less rain than currently in the forecast) we may actually get some blossoms out there for the first time in years! Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we're heading back to college for Marymount Chain Bridge (strava, gpx, pdf). We'll head up Custis to our favorite Lorcum Lane, then take Military Road to Zachary Taylor Park where we'll head up about a mile long hill to reach Marymount University. From here we'll be treated to a long downhill along Glebe and Old Glebe Road all the way to the C&O Canal, where we'll head back to North Meade Park.
Want Something Shorter? Other than an out and back, a Chain Bridge ten mile loop is a great way to cut the mileage (and a little bit of the hills) while still getting in a loop.
Need a Longer Route? The C&O Canal gives a ton of options for adding mileage. Alternatively, return across the Memorial Bridge for another 2 miles.
Thirsty? There are a few water fountains along this route that should be turned on this weekend. At the bottom of Zachary Taylor Park there's one as well as one at Fletcher's Cove. It's going to be a warm one (especially compared to the cold winter we've had) so bring fluid!
Need a Bathroom?Fletcher's has the most dependable ones, however there are usually a few others along Glebe Road at construction sites (as well as across from Marymount), but I wouldn't count on them!
The Bunion Derby series has been announced and we've got a great selection of races coming up this summer! Before that, though, we've got a happy hour on April 24th in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank.
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: Water Route 12 Miles
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Happy Peak Bloom (which technically wasn't called until 10:20 this morning, but by the looks of it we've been in "peak-enough" bloom for a few days now). That means we'll have a wonderful cherry blossom run on deck in the morning, but please be mindful of the trees and your fellow tree-watchers. As a reminder, touching the trees (including stepping on their roots) damages them, watch your step and your heads tomorrow morning, especially because it will lkely be quite crowded at the Tidal Basin when we're running through it. Now let's get into it:
The Route: We're hitting up the Water Route (strava, gps, pdf), which migh as well be renamed for the Cherry Blossoms since that's really the only time we do this one (what can I say, I don't like Hains Point ~360 days of the year). We'll head across the Key Bridge down the Rock Creek trail and over to Hains, though we may have to make a slight detour due to road closures in that area (it's been very hit or miss that direction, but won't add any distance). From there we'll go around Hains Point then around the Tidal Basin and head back across Memorial Bridge and up the Mount Vernon Trail to finish the run!
Want Something Shorter? Take metro to see the blossoms and not see double-digits on your watch. Smithsonian and L'Enfant Plaza are great options and will put you on a train straight back to Rosslyn. If you'd like to make it a loop, cutting out the Tidal Basin will get you somewhere around 10 miles and removing Hains will leave you with around 9.
Need a Longer Route? Extra loops of Hains will get you a lot of extra blossoms, just be mindful that for every additional loop you're looking at approximately an additonal billion people showing up to the Tidal Basin. An out and back on the Mount Vernon Trail will be a lot quieter if you want to avoid the crowds.
Thirsty? "Too bad" says NPS, who still hasn't turned on any water fountains. Potentially Peak Bloom will have changed that, but I wouldn't count on it.
Need a Bathroom? There are many around and even more temporary ones along the Cherry Blossom Festival, most of which should even be open in the morning!
As a reminder we've got the training seminar at Pacer's in Georgetown tomorrow at 10:15 and a meetup at Pacer's at 9 AM for a 2-7 mile run with Joe, Kelly and the training program coaches. If you're interested in attending the seminar, e-mail joe@dcroadrunners.org ASAP (RSVPs were technically due yesterday, but a few more folks won't hurt, this was mostly for a ballpark estimate for food purposes).
Happy Running!
Anna
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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. |