Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Anna is currently in Boston and going to crush it on Monday, so here's Nate Rathjen, your faithful ersatz SLR leader (if you don't know me, strava and instagram) writing to you this week -- it's been hot, but sounds like we'll get a nice breeze and cooler temperatures for Saturday morning, let's get at it!
The Route: Let's go trainspotting, it's Long Bridge Park (strava, gps, pdf) week! As your resident Del Ray-vian (is that the right demonym? I've decided it is!) I'm excited for SLR to finally come back to my neck of the woods. This is a nice, chill hot dog of a route where we start heading through the Pentagon and Crystal City, then through Potomac Yard and briefly into Old Town Alexandria before turning around up the familiar Mount Vernon Trail. You'll also pass the site of the very-ill-fated Glenn Dome, so feel free to stop and thank Senator Lucas (and laugh at our schlub of a governor) for saving us all from that nonsense!
Want Something Shorter? Bring your SmarTrip card (Randy would be proud of you!) and this is easy to turn into a point-to-point, as you'll pass Potomac Yard metro at 6-1/2 miles. Continue on the Potomac Yard Trail (the marked trail on the left side of Potomac Avenue) instead of turning on to route 1 and you will reach Braddock Road metro at 8 miles, or continue following the trail across Braddock to head for King Street at 8-2/3 miles. Or, you can use the Crystal City "escape hatch" back to the Mount Vernon Trail (at 18th and Crystal) to make it a 9-mile loop.
Need a Longer Route? Just as many opportunities -- turn right on the Mount Vernon Trail toward Old Town for an out-and-back for as long as you want, or detour over the 14th Street Bridge on your way back and catch what's left of the blossoms! For a longer loop (about 18 miles) in Alexandria, I would continue on the aforementioned Potomac Yard Trail to its end outside King Street metro, then left on Cameron Street and left on Union to connect back up with the Mount Vernon Trail.
Thirsty? There are a set of water fountains outside the entrance to the Long Bridge Park gym (about 4 miles). After that, not much...I have two IRL friends running for Alexandria council and I have expressed my displeasure at the fact that this city apparently doesn't believe in water fountains! One of the things Arlington does better. One of the few sets in the entire city happens to be at 7 miles on the left (northbound) side of Potomac Ave just before your turn onto Route 1 (after the large brick building that seems like it belongs on a farm), then there is one more at 10-3/4 miles after you turn onto the Mount Vernon Trail!
Need a Bathroom?The Long Bridge Park soccer fields have restrooms on the other side from the path...it seems Arlington has removed the hilariously large "Restrooms Here" signs, but they are in the low-set grey buildings you can see. After that, unfortunately the Potomac Yard Park port-a-pots have been removed, so all you've got are the Gravelly Point ones that are...there! In a pinch I'd detour into the world-famous (ok, regionally-famous) Potomac Yard shopping center, as Giant, Target and Dunkin' will definitely be open this early, as will the Crystal City Starbucks.
Happy running, and have a blast!
Nate
