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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 for the rest of the year. 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 |
| 4/20 | 18 | Arboretum - Azaleas!! | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/27 | 12 | Piney Branch | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/4 | 14 | MBT - Catholic | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/11 | 14 | Capital Crescent OaB | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/18 | 16 | Arlington Loop | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/25 | 14 | Battery Garesche | Cue Sheet & GPS |
SLR: 14 Miles **New Route** Hains with a Capitol H
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Happy Bastille Day and good luck to everyone running the Bastille Day Four Miler tonight! It's going to be a warm one tomorrow and I'll be honest I've been wracking my head all week trying to decide if we should start earlier. Because of the race tonight, however, I've decided to keep this one at a 7AM start time, but know that in the future this combination of humidity + distance + temperature will likely warrant a 6 AM start time. I've also been strongly considering just starting everything in July and August at 6 AM because finishing up runs after 9 is pretty miserable, feel free to shoot me an email with thoughts/opions/concerns about this (it wouldn't be implemented until next year, don't freak out too much Steve). However! With the high temperatures Marathon Training Program has decided to start all 10+ Minute Mile Groups at 6:15 tomorrow morning, if you normally run in these paces (or just want to start a little earlier and miss the worst of the heat), please attend! Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we're debuting a brand new route I like to call Hains with a Capitol H (strava, cue sheet, gps) (get it? Because you go around Hains Point and the Capitol?). If you're running Marine Corps, this is also about as close to a 14 mile version of the marathon you can get (or at least, I could get when I designed the route). This gets you all the good parts (The Mall! Georgetown! Hains Point!) without less of the bad parts (The Rosslyn Hill! That Loop in Crystal City!). We'll also pass by my all time favorite location on the Mall and my favorite view of the Washington Monument: Signer's Island, so get excited for that!
Want Something Shorter? The easiest way to cut off a little more than 3 miles of this route is to skip Hains Point and go directly to across the Fourteenth Street Bridge, giving you a nice loop of the Mall and 11 Miles. Going partially out and back on the Mall will also allow you to get even less mileage in, down to 7 miles if you just go up 15th street to the 14th street bridge (which even written out feels wrong to say).
Need a Longer Route? Hains Point and the Mount Vernon Trail are both great for adding onto runs. Any extra loop of Hains will get you three more miles (well, technically 3.2) and the Mount Vernon Trail makes for any distance of an out and back!
Thisty? Thank you to Kate Marden for post run drinks this week! This route also has plentiful water fountains along the Mall, most of which are even functional! Instead of listing all of the ones that are on, I'll highlight that the fountain at the corner of Lincoln between 23rd Street and Henry Bacon Dr. is off as well as the fountain at the tip of Hains Point (at least as of earlier this week). My personal favorite fountains on this route are the ones in front of the Air and Space Museum and the fountain at the north gate of Hains Point (which is a life saver most workouts).
Need a Bathroom? The Mall also has plentiful bathrooms, though which ones are open honestly depends a lot on the day. The Washington Monument Lodge bathrooms on 15th street are usually open as are the ones at the tip of Hains Point. Along Hains Point there are a few different bathrooms thare are hit or miss, same with the ones along the reflecting pool.
The next club race (after tonight's French Fiasco of course), is the Bluemont 5K on July 26th. This is a fabulous event directed by DCRR's coolest Anna (Suhring, that is). If you can't race that night, volunteer!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR - 12 Miles - Pentagon Army-Navy
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
We've officially entered the dog days of summer and tomorrow should be another warm one! Training in these conditions sucks, but there's no greater feeling than crushing a run on the first 50 degree day of the fall after working hard all summer. Remember to bring water, be okay with slowing down a little, and that nutrition is twice as important in the summer as it is any other time of year. Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be doing the classic Pentagon Army Navy route (strava, pdf, gpx), which will take us around National Landing (does anyone actually call it that?) via Army Navy Drive before coming back along the Four Mile Run and Mount Vernon Trails. On our way by the Pentagon we'll also pass by LBJ Memorial Grove, where LBJ used to go to escape the city (and also an excellent view of the National Mall). Also 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 al ittle 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!
Need a Longer Route? To add another mile, take a trek over any of the bridges into DC and come back along one of the further ones. Adding an extra out and back on the Mount Vernnon Trail towards Alexandria can also get you any number of extra miles. In the summer, however, I usually recommend people do an earlier add-on for routes instead of during the run, just because the sun does get stronger throughout the day and the temperatures will creep up on you.
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. We've also got both mid and post run drinks this week! Thank you to Russ (and Baby Theo) for mid run drinks, they'll be at the intersection of South Eads Street and the Four Mile Run trail at exactly 6 miles. Gina is also providing post-run drinks once again! We don't have any volunteers for future weeks, so please sign up (send me an email)!
Need a Bathroom? There are portopotties at Gravelly Point at Mile 8 (maybe even some nicer ones left over from the fireworks). There's also some portopotties at Roosevelt Island at Mile 11.
Bonjour! La prochaine course du club est le Jour de La Bastille Quatre Miler le 14 julliet! If you haven't been taking French on Duolingo, that means the next club race is the Bastille Day Four Miler on July 14th! This is a fun race every year with French wine, croissants, and the canal! If you can't race, volunteer here. The red singlets are also still available for a little while longer, make sure to grab yours before they're gone!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: Chain Bridge Loop 10 Miles
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It seems like this will be an ongoing trend for the summer, but the air quality issues are back once again. It would appear the fates have spared us again and SLR should have decent air quality (putting on my amateur meterologist hat, I'd approximate anywhere from 80-110 which is rounghly "safe to run outside, but take it easy" range in my book). As always be safe, missing a long run isn't worth major health impacts. Otherwise be prepared for a warm one, this is a shorter route but temperatures are still estimated to climb from around 70 to 75 from 7 to 9 AM. There are a couple very nice and dependable water fountains, but as always bring extra if you need it. Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we're doing my all time favorite loop, the Chain Bridge Loop (strava, pdf, gpx), or as Jack and I nicknamed it, "The Hilly Loop". We'll start by going up the Rosslyn Hill and then following Military Road up four very nice climbs (that's only five hills total! You can do five hills!) before a nice run back down the C&O Canal. Need something to look forward to on the hills? There's a church on top of the second one on Military with a bunch of cell towers on top and a cute little rainbow drawing on the sidewalk on top of the third one!
Want Something Shorter? This route doesn't have a lot of great ways to shorten it, but an out and back on Military Road is never a bad run.
Need a Longer Route? This route is easily extended by going over any of the other bridges to return back to the park at North Meade Street. Taking Memorial Bridge back and going straight to the park will make it 12 miles and taking memorial bridge and going up through Rosslyn will be 13. The 14th Street Bridge makes for a convenient 14 miler if you come back up by the cemetery and 15 miles if you go through Rosslyn. For any more than that, throw in a loop of Hains for 18+.
Thirsty? The water fountain at mile 3.5 at Zachary Taylor Park has been a lifesaver on many, many summer runs. Additional water can be found at Fletcher's Cove Boathouse, just take a right off the canal and head down the steps and it's on the left. Hungry? It's finally wineberry season on the C&O Canal! These are delicious and make for a great summer snack (just be mindful of poison ivy if you go foraging for any). Thank you to Gina for pre and post run drinks this week! As an added incentive, we're offering a special opportunity! If you volunteer for post run or mid run drinks at least once between now and September 16th, you will be eligible for a chance to win free entry into the National Capital 20 Miler and 5 Miler race taking place on September 24th. Even if you are unable to participate this year, this free entry can be used for the 2024 race! Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to contribute and potentially earn a compilementary race entry!
Need a Bathroom? There's a portopotty around mile 4.3 at the Nature Center and working bathrooms (with indoor plumbing!) at Fletcher's Cove! I've also had a lot of luck with construction sites in front yards, so keep an eye out.
The DC Road Runner Red Singlets are still available for purchase until 7/16, guaranteed to make you faster and more fashionable for your fall races! The next club race is the Age Handicapped Four Miler on the fourth of July! Come for the chance to break the tape in this age-graded event, stay for the unique and zany prizes that people provide every year. If you can't run this year, please consider volunteering!
Happy Running!
Anna
More Articles...
- SLR: **New Route** Battery Garesché 14 Miles
- SLR - 14 Miles - Cleveland Park Cathedral Clintons
- SLR - 10 Miles - Cemetery Loop **New Route**
- SLR - 15 Miles - Battery Kemble Park
- SLR - 12 Miles - Cathedral Clintons (Alt Route)
- SLR - 15 Miles - Iron Triangle
- SLR - 14 Miles - Catholic MBT
- SLR New Start Time 7 AM
Upcoming Events
| DCRRC Women's Distance Festival 5K and Run After the Women 5K Sun, Jun 9th, 2024, @8:00am |
| Book Club Sun, Jun 16th, 2024, @4:00pm |
| DCRRC Age Handicapped 4-Miler Thu, Jul 4th, 2024, @8:00am |
| DCRRC Bluemont 5K Wed, Jul 24th, 2024, @7:00pm |
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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. |