Iwo Jima Memorial

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
10/5 22 Big Loop Cue Sheet & GPS  
10/12 14 Capital Crescent OaB Cue Sheet & GPS  
10/19 10 Chain Bridge Loop Cue Sheet & GPS  
10/26 12 RFK Cue Sheet & GPS  
11/2 15 Long Bridge Park Cue Sheet & GPS  
11/9 12 Piney Branch Cue Sheet & GPS  
11/16 13 Southeast DC Cue Sheet & GPS  
11/23 12 Bluemont L Loop Cue Sheet & GPS  
11/30 14 Catholic MBT Cue Sheet & GPS  

SLR: 15 Miles Battery Kemble Park

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Welcome to June! In case you missed it last week, SLR now (and throughout the summer) begins at 7 AM to beat the heat! We shouldn't have too much of a problem with that this week, as we're getting some great fall weather over the past couple of days that should continue til tomorrow. Get ready for some nice shaded trails! Now let's get into it:

The Route: Keeping with our Battery theme from last week, this week we'll be treated to some trails and hills as we head up to Battery Kemble Park (strava, gps, pdf). To get there, we'll cross the Key Bridge and head up the Capital Crescent Trail and over to Potomac Ave past the Washington Aqueduct and up the very steep Chain Bridge Road Hill into the park. Historically, there have been some issues with off-leash dogs along the trail here, so please be careful and watch out for dogs that are "so friendly" and "just want to play". Note the cue sheet for this route says 16 miles, which assumes two loops of the park. We're calling it 15 here at SLR HQ for only one loop!

Want Something Shorter? This is one of my favorite routes because there are so many ways to change the distance for it and still get to run in some really neat places! For about 14 miles, instead of taking the small out and back to the water fountain on the CCT, go straight up to the park and back. For even less (around 12.5 miles), take a left on Potomac Ave instead of a right when coming back down from Battery Kemble. There is a small trail at the end of the street (which I refer to as "Mark B's Trail", because he's the one who first introduced me to it). This takes you down to the bridge on the CCT and is a great way to get all the sights of the route without as much of the mileage. If 12.5 is still to much, take a left on McArthur Boulevard instead of a right and run straight down MacArthur back to the Key Bridge and cross for 11 miles. Both the 12.5 and 11 mile options skip the out and back on the CCT like the 14 mile option.

Need a Longer Route? We need more loops, Batman! Each additional loop of Battery Kemble Park will add an extra 1.3 miles to your run (and about 175 feet of climbing). If you want something flatter, an out and back on either the canal or the CCT is a great bet (though calling the CCT up in Maryland flat is a bit of a hard sell).

Thirsty? There are water fountains at mile 3.3 and 12.4 at Fletcher's Cove Boathouse near the snack shack. There is also a water fountain at the turnaround on the CCT at miles 5 and 10.7. Thanks to Carolyn Yang for post run drinks this week and for everyone who volunteered last week after my mild pleading! The next open slot for post-run drinks is the last week of July, but we've got plenty of openings for mid-run drinks over the next few months (remember how great they were last week? don't you want that every week?!).

Need a Bathroom? The bathrooms at Fletcher's Cove at miles 3.3 and 12.4 are your best options along this route. There have also historically been some along Potomac Ave with random home improvement projects, but those aren't a guarantee.

Missed the signup for the Tracksmith 5K? Well you're in luck! For less than a third of the cost (if you're not a DCRR member, if you are then for 35 bucks less) and less than a third of the chance of a thunderstorm, check out the Women's Distance Festival and Run After the Women 5K next weekend on Sunday June 9th at Bon Air Park! We need plenty of volunteers for this and all our Bunion Derby races, so sign up today!

Happy Running!

Anna

 

SLR: **7AM Start** 14 Miles Battery Garesché

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Summer is finally here and we'll be starting SLR at 7 AM from now until sometime in October when we switch back. It's basically daylight savings time (SLR edition), so set those alarms one hour earlier and kick off your Memorial Day weekend right! The weather tomorrow looks muggy with low 70s and high humidity, get in those extra miles before the run and enjoy all of the drinks we have in store! Now let's get into it:

The Route: Del Rey's own Nate Rathjen brought us this route last year and we're running it back for round two this week! Battery Garesché (strava, gps, pdf) runs through Alexandria and by Battery Garesché, an old Civil War artillary battery named for Lieutenant Colonel Julius Peter Garesche. We'l head down Army Navy Drive to the 4 Mile run before a little lolipop loop in Fairlington (with a very big hill in the middle) and back up to North Meade Park.

Want Something Shorter? For an 11 or 12 mile option, the Pentagon Army Navy route is a good way to cut off a few miles while still running on Army Navy Drive. There are also metro stations at Potomac Yard, Crystal City, and Pentagon City that can make for shorter routes as well. For less than 10, I'd recommend an out and back on Army Navy down to the 4 Mile Run.

Need a Longer Route? To add two miles, take the 4 Mile Run to the Mount Vernon Trail and follow it back to the Memorial Bridge for about 16 miles. If you want even more, coming through Rosslyn instead of the Memorial Bridge will give you around 17 miles total! With tomorrows forecast, however, it's probably best to get those extra miles in before SLR instead of during it.

Thirsty? We've got mid-run drinks tomorrow down at the bottom of Army-Navy Drive near 25th street thanks to Gary Morgans and Donna Lekang! We'll pass them twice around miles 4.8 and 9! Thank you also to Kate Scott for providing post run drinks this week (and many, many weeks). Kate has been one of SLR's best supporters for drinks over the past years and we really cannot thank her enough! Water fountains are limited on this route, but there is possibly one in Utah Park and by the Fairlington community center around 7.7 miles.

Need a Bathroom? Bathrooms are also a bit limited on this route, but keep an eye out throughout the neighborhood, there's generally a portopotty in someone's yard. The Target at the corner of Army Navy Drive also has public restrooms and the Fairlington Community Center would likely let you use theirs in a pinch.

The next club race is the Women's Distance Festival and Run After the Women 5K on Sunday June 9th at Bon Air Park! We need plenty of volunteers for this and all our Bunion Derby races, so sign up today!

Happy Running!

Anna

 

SLR: 7 AM Start Time May 25th

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Looks like the weather has finally moved from "pleasant spring" to "kinda swampy". As such, going forward, SLR will start at 7 AM instead of 8 AM for the remainder of the summer.

See everyone bright and early on Saturday!

Anna

 

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Upcoming Events

DCRR Gar Williams Half Marathon
Sun, Dec 1st, 2024, @9:00am
DCRRC Bread Run 10K & Gingerbread 2-Miler
Sun, Dec 8th, 2024, @10:00am
Book Club
Sun, Dec 8th, 2024, @4:00pm
DCRRC Predictions & Resolutions 5K
Wed, Jan 1st, 2025, @12:00pm
DCRRC Al Lewis 10-Miler and 5-Miler
Sun, Jan 5th, 2025, @8:00am
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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.