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 Piney Branch
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The weather tomorrow looks like the same soup we've been swimming in the rest of the summer, so as always make sure to hydrate and carry water with you during your run! The temperatures are going to get warm a little faster than normal, and as such Marathon Training Program's 10+ Minute Pace Groups will be starting at 6:15. If you normally run with them and want company, meet at 6:15, otherwise I'll be seeing everyone at 7! Tomorrow's route also includes a good amount of running on city streets. Although these all have good sidewalks and clear signals, please please please be careful at intersections and especially around Washington and Dupont Circles! Remember stopping for an extra 30 seconds won't ruin your trianing cycle, but getting hit by a car on 16th Street will. Now let's get into it:
The Route: Back from the dead with construction over, we'll finally be getting a taste of the newly renovated Piney Branch route (strava, pdf, gps). I like to think of Piney Branch as the cool little sister of Ross Ridge: she goes out in Dupont Circle, runs through the gorgeous Meridian Hill Park, and then comes down Rock Creek just like her big sister. Fun fact: Meridian Hill Park gets its name because it is on the exact longitude of the original DC milestone marker in Jones Point Park (which we'll run by in a few weeks during The Awakening route!).
Want Something Shorter? Aside from the usual out and back option, another way to shorten this route to around 8 miles is to take a left onto Connecticut Ave at Dupont Circle and follow it to Calvert Street. Take a left on Calvert and an immediate left on Shorham Drive to go into Rock Creek Park and continue along the RCP Trail as the original route states.
Need a Longer Route? My personal favorite way to add onto this that isn't "out and back on the canal" is to take a right instead of a left when you get into Rock Creek Park and add on a Ross-Ridge loop to make this route 17 miles. Otherwise, just adding on to Pierce Mill is another option for a few more miles!
Thirsty? Unfortunately on my course recon run on Tuesday I discovered the only option for water on this route is the fountain at the Lincoln Memorial around mile 1.7. This route does not go all the way to Pierce Mill and unless you want to add on some miles there is no water in Rock Creek Park. The fountains at Meridian Hill Park are also not turned on (and neither is the cascading fountain for that matter). This is all to say: please bring water tomorrow! Or at minimum, bring some cash and plan on popping into the Dupont Circle CVS for a drink.
Need a Bathroom? Those are also a bit few and far between tomorrow. There are some portopotties that may be available at the Lincoln Memorial depending on the construction. The Dupont Circle CVS is also a good bet in a pinch at mile 3.5. Otherwise there are plenty of businesses on 16th street that may be available, but your mileage may very.
The next club race is the Paul Thurston 4.5 Miler at Burke Lake on August 15th! The Bunion Derby series is rapidly coming to a close, so if you need another race or volunteer credit don't forget to sign up!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 16 Miles Arlington Triangle
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The heat has broken and has made for a wonderful false fall and some nice (compared to the rest of the summer) weather for tomorrow's run! Though the temps will be cooler, the humidity is supposed to be very high, so be sure to bring water and plan to be a little sticky! Now let's get into it:
The Route: You've seen the maps around the Custis and W&OD trails, now run it for yourself! That's right it's Arlington Triangle week (strava, gps, pdf)!! The Arlington Triangle combines the four major trails of Arlington: the Mount Vernon Trail, the Four Mile Run Trail, the W&OD Trail, and the Custis Trail to form a 16 mile loop completely on paved bike trails. It's a wonderful reminder of the incredible biking and running infrastructure we have in the DC area and gives you a true tour of the Arlington area!
Want Something Longer? My personal favorite way to add onto the loop is to add an extra out and back along the W&OD before turning onto Custis, which allows you to get any number of extra miles. If you're in the mood to make it "real" Arlington Triangle (and maybe go after a Fastest Known Time ;) you can continue down the Rosslyn Hill past Roosevelt Island and return by coming up the same way you go out by the cemetery for an 18 miler.
Need a Shorter Route? For around 14.5 miles, instead of coming back along Custis take the Bluemont Connector trail (which is a different bike trail about a mile before the turn for Custis). This will take you to Wilson Boulevard, which you can take into Court House and hop down to the park from there! Otherwise there are some options for more complex loops, but the least mentally taxing will definitely be an out and back. Turning around at the turn onto the Four Mile run will get you 10 miles and getting to the W&OD will run you 14.
Thirsty? Thanks to Steven P. once again for post run drinks! Mrs. Big Guy will also be at the Weenie Beenie parking lot at Mile 7 with mid run drinks! Otherwise the Arlington Triangle has a nice collection of water fountains: mile 4.4 on the MVT by the airport, 7.2 at the trailhead of the W&OD, 8.8 after crossing Columbia Pike, 11.1 at the corner of Custis and W&OD, and 13.3 midway through Custis! Although these are great options (and all of them are on last I checked!!), the humidity tomorrow looks brutal and brining water is a great idea!
Need a Bathroom? Like water fountains, there some good options! There are plenty of portopotties at Gravelly Point at mile 3, though their cleanliness is always questionable. There are also some great ones at mile 10.6 near bluemont park (there are both some in the park, which adds a bit of mileage, as well as just before the Wilson Boulevard bridge, which are closer to the route.
The next club race is this Sunday August 6th! The Steve Thompson 8K provides a great opportunity for a fast almost-five-miler to kick off your fall racing season! If you're too tuckered out from SLR, consider volunteering and helping the club out!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 14 Miles Ross Drive **6AM Start**
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The weather tomorrow looks toasty, with lows in the upper 70s and high humidity. As I mentioned earlier this week,ÂÂÂ SLR will be starting at 6 AM due to the heat. I'd also like to take this opportunity to remind about the warning signs of heat related illnesses in advance of this weekend:
Heat Exhaustion Signs: Dizziness, Thirst, Heavy Perspiration, Cold or Clammy Skin, Nausea or Vomiting, Weakness/Exhaustion, Cramping, Headache.
- Solutions: stop physical activity, move to a cooler area if possible, remove clothing, spray with water when it's an option, and drink water and electrolytes.
- Next Steps: seek medical attention if symptoms do not improve within an hour
Heat Stroke Signs: Confusion, Dizziness, Perspiration, No Perspiration but Hot to the Touch, Loss of Consciousness
- Solutions: stop physical activity and CALL 911 (heat stroke is deadly!)
- Next Steps:submerge in cool water up to shoulders if possible to do so safely, or move to a cooler place
- What Not to Do: DO NOT give someone suffering from heatstroke anything to drink. They can vomit, pass out, and aspirate.
- HEAT STROKE IS DEADLY If your fellow runner is disoriented, please call 911 immediately (and shoot me or one of the coahes an e-mail or text letting us know what has happened).
With all that being said: take it easy tomorrow, it's going to be hot and safety is important! Run in a group and keep talking to eachother, when someone shuts up or starts babbling incoherently, it's time to assess the situation. Talking is a very useful and easy indicator. Now let's get into it:
The Route: The good news is we'll have plenty of shade on tomorrow's route! Ross Drive (strava, gps, pdf) is a fan favorite and a fabulous introduction to Rock Creek Park if you haven't run there before. Beach Drive is still closed to vehicle traffic (and will be for the foreseeable future!), however Ross Drive has reopened to cars so stay alert when running there (though I've never seen more than a few vehicles on the road at any given time). If you haven't run in Rock Creek before, it can get confusing and I'll do my best to explain some of the weird turns and nuances tomorrow morning but in general: Keep Beach Drive to your Right on the way out and Left on the way back and when in doubt follow signs for Pierce Mill!
Want Something Shorter? The easiest way to get in less mileage is to do an out and back in Rock Creek Park. If you want to switch it up a bit more, on the way back run through Georgetown along the waterfront instead of along the trail.
Need a Longer Route? The Ross-Ridge-Beach Loop we'll be doing is a little over three miles and makes adding on a multiple of 3 easy! As an added bonus, you'll also pass the mid-run drinks station on each loop for some extra hydration. Which leads us into...
Thirsty? Huzzah! The wonderful Alan Dixon will be supplying mid-run drinks and in honor of the duathlon he'll be doing on Sunday, we'll pass him twice! He'll be at the parking lot where the Western Ridge Trail meets Beach Drive. Thank you so much also to Gregory Smith for picking up pre and post run drinks. especially on short notice! Other than these two planned stops, there is very little opportunity for water (though there are fountains at Pierce Mill, it's also where mid-run drinks are which cancels it out a bit). Please bring water tomorrow!I don't know how many different times I can mention the heat, but water and electrolytes are essential to combating heat-related illnessess. Sweat isn't just water, it's also salt and electolytes and on hot days it's easy to drink a lot of water, but easy to forget electolytes! Bringing nuun/liquidIV/salt tablets tomorrow is a smart idea!
Need a Bathroom? Pierce Mill has multiple bathroom options availabe at miles 5 and 9. Other than that there aren't many options, so plan accordingly!
The next club race is the Steve Thompson 8K on Sunday August 6th at Belle Haven Park in Alexandria! This is a wonderful out and back on the Mount Vernon Trail! If you can't run, please volunteer!
Stay safe tomorrow everyone and see you all bright and early!
Anna
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