Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It's Nate, your faithful ersatz SLR leader, here with you for the next two weeks. We have an excellent fall Saturday on tap with the weather forecast to be in the mid 50s and sunny. And an obligatory "go Spirit!" (say hello if you are going to the game, I'm in the supporters end!) and "go Hoos!"
Where Are We Going This Time?It's time for a classicMount Vernon Trail Out and Back (strava, gps, pdf). Ask Anna about the time she ran the whole thing out and back! Our prescribed distance for this week is 17 miles, which puts the turnaround just past the end of Union Street, as you turn toward Jones Point Park.
Want Something Shorter or Longer? Out and backs make that easy! The mile markers along the trail roughly line up with half miles from the park, where MM 12 is 5.5 miles, MM 11 is 6.5, and so on. You can also detour to Potomac Yard (~5-2/3 miles out, ~13 miles back), Braddock Road (~8 miles out, ~11 miles back), or King Street (~9 miles out, ~10-1/2 miles back) metro stops if you would like.
Parched?With last night's frost, I would expect all non-freeze-proof water fountains to be turned off. FoMVT unfortunately have not replaced the one by the airport yet, but the one at Jones Point is good to go! If you'd like to detour to the waterfront and try your luck, there are a couple though they are often broken if not also turned off.
Swimming Eyeballs?I am not certain about this, but I would expect the toxic waste dump, er, Gravelly Point port-a-pots, to be locked due to the shutdown. Old Town has two sets of public restrooms that open at 9 a.m.: one is to the left of Blackwall Hitch when facing its entrance (turn left on Cameron in the 200 block of North Union) and one is on Pioneer Mill Way (turn left in the 300 block of South Union). The latter has a large Public Restrooms sign and is easier to find. There are also Anna's favorite park restrooms in the area underneath the bridge in Jones Point Park, slightly past the turnaround point.
Happy Running!
Nate
