Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Break out those Silly Bandz and Do the Harlem Shake, we're throwing it back to the early 2010s this week at SLR. That's right, our former leader Erik Price is taking over from me this week as I attempt to throw my body from Two Harbors to Duluth as fast as possible on Saturday morning. The weather looks as good as it gets in mid-June for a long run tomorrow with temps in the mid-60s to low-70s and a nice breeze. Be sure to tell all your friends on YikYak about it and remember, You Only Live Once #YOLO.ÂÂÂ Now let's get into it:
The Route: New to some, old to many, hilly to everyone, Cleveland Park Cathedral Clintons (strava, gps) is back baby! For those who don't know, anytime someone takes over to lead SLR, they get to pick the route and this one is Erik's favorite. The only slight (and unfortunate) modification from its former glory is we will no longer be running through the zoo (for a variety of reasons mostly surrounding timed passes and restrictions the zoo has placed on clubs like us trying to run through). Nevertheless this fun loop will take us up Rock Creek to Connecticut where we'll get a tour of Cleveland Park (named after former president Grover Cleveland, not the Wolfstone song) before coming back down by the Cathedral and through Dumbarton Oaks.
Want Something Shorter?An out and back to Connecticut Avenue will not only let you avoid all the hills, but will also get you 9 miles if you come back via Memorial Bridge and 8 via Key. The original Cathedral Clintons loop is also a great way to modify this and still get in 12 miles (with some hills of course). If you want all the up and none of the down, the Cleveland Park, Van Ness, and Tenleytown metro stations also give good options for coming back early.
Need a Longer Route? Adding an out and back on Rock Creek Park on the way back will get you any number of extra miles. Another option is to come back via Memorial instead of Key, which will also add between one and two miles depending on how you get onto it.
Thirsty? We'll have pre and post run drinks provided by Carolyn Y. again (and Erik said he'll throw in some extras as well)! On the route itself, however, water fountains are few and far between, so definitely bring water for this one. There is, however, a CVS at mile 8.5 that provides a good place to buy a drink if you need one!
Need a Bathroom? There aren't many public bathorooms along this route, but it's generally a safe bet that in the summer in Cleveland Park someone is going to have a portopotty in their yard for house construction. There are also a few stores along Wisconsin and Massachusettes that should have public restrooms in a pinch!
The next club race is the Hugh Jascourt 4 Miler on June 20th, named for club founder Hugh Jascourt (fun fact: Hugh Jascourt was one of the first RRCA presidents and it was under his leadership that in 1963 RRCA began sponsoring distance races for women). If you aren't able to race, please consider volunteering! The book club will also be meeting next Sunday June 25th to discuss For the Glory: The Untold Story of Eric Liddell, Hero of Chariots of Fire by Duncan Hamilton!
Happy Running!
Anna
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