Hello Saturday Long Runners!
All those March showers seem to be paying off, as we're in for a treat tomorrow! Temperatures will be in the mid-50s and we'll get some sun towards the end of the run, so come prepared. Now let's get into it:
The Route: We're pulling an audible this week because peak bloom in the National Arboretum (strava, gps, pdf) came early this year! For those who haven't been, the National Arboretum (whose website is coincidentally down when I'm sending this out) has one of the best collections of azaleas in the area and it's worth a trip up there once a year! We'll head across the Mall and up via Maryland Avenue and Bladensburg Avenue to get to the Arboretum, where it's a big of a choose your own adventure once you're inside. Head right and follow signs for the azaleas (you should be able to see the color on the hillside) for the shortest route, which is around 15 miles.
Want Something Shorter? If 15 miles is too long for you this weekend because you just ran a marathon on Monday, there's a few options for a shorter route that will still get you some time in the gardens. For 10, hop on the metro at the Capitol South when you get back to the Capitol for a $2 train ride back to Rosslyn. If you'd like a little bit longer, the Smithsonian station is at 12!
Need a longer route? Get some great hill training in with more loops of the Arboretum. The route map we use is an 18 miler that inclues another few loops, but it's hard to get too lost and easy to find some cool plants. Head up to the Asian gardens, which should also be blooming at this time of the year or stop by the Capitol Columns!Â
Thirsty? Some of the Mall water fountains are back on for the summer! There's also a water fountain immediately in the Arboretum inside the same building as the bathrooms (take a right when you enter)! We're getting to the season of drink volunteers, help out the club and knock out some volunteer credit!
Need a Bathroom? The Arboretum has a great one! The Washington Monument has a less-great one, but is an option. The bathrooms that are set up next to the Lincoln Memorial have also been a good option lately, and should stay around for quite some time during construction.
No major club events in the next month, but the Bunion Derby is quickly approaching and signups are open for many of the races!
Happy Running!
Anna
