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SLR: 14 Miles Catholic MBT

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Happy Fourth of July! In honor of the holiday, we'll be running FOURteen miles in the morning all around our Nation's Capital. We're looking at low-70s for the morning and hopefully not the worst humidity. Now let's get into it:

The Route: Do you like the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Rock Creek Park and everything in between? Well Catholic MBT (strava, gps, pdf) is the route for you! We'll head east along the Mall to the Capitol (NOTE: we'll have a slight detour in the morning along Constitution due to the fireworks closures) where we'll take a trek up the MBT before crossing the city and heading down Rock Creek Park to make a nice big loop. Check out the largest Catholic Church in North America while you're up there and enjoy the shade in RCP.

Want Something Shorter? The MBT makes for an easy out and back from 10 to 12 miles depending on where you turn around. Alternatively, looping the Capitol instead of going towards Union Station will give you a nice 9 mile route.

Need a Longer Route? For some extra hills and another big church, combine this route with Cathedral Clintons for a nearly exactly 18 miler (continue straight on Calvert Street and pick up Cathedral Clintons from there). I like to call that one Catholic Cathedral Clintons which is also a fun tongue twister. If you've had enough hills for one day, going north on Rock Creek Trail instead of south gives you an easy way to add any number of miles (though go too far and you'll hit the hills you were trying to avoid).

Thirsty? The water fountains on the Mall will be on, but may not be reachable in the morning. The MBT also has water fountains at Eckington Dog Park at mile 5.8 and at mile 6.5 near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station, along with a few jugs along the trail. After the MBT there are limited water opportunities, so bring your own for the second half of the run!

Need a Bathroom? There are bathrooms at the Washington Monument and Union Station, as well as a few Starbucks and CVSs across the city that make for good options in a pinch.

Allez Allez! The Tour de France kicks off tomorrow morning which is also a great reminder that our next club race is the Bastille Day 5K on Monday June 14th at 6 PM! We also need plenty of volunteers to make this one happen, come out and help if you're available!

Happy Running!

Anna

SLR: 14 Miles Marymount Chain Bridge

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

It's hot out there! I am once again giving my yearly plea of please please please be careful out there tomorrow morning (and every morning, spoiler alert DC will just be like this (TM) until October). Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are extremely dangerous, remember the signs of each and take care of eachother:

Heat Exhaustion

Signs: Dizziness, Thirst, Heavy Perspiration, Cold or Clammy Skin, Nausea or Vomiting, Weakness/Exhaustion, Cramping, Headache.

Solutions: stop physical activity, move to a cooler area if possible, remove clothing, spray with water when it's an option, and drink water and electrolytes.

Next Steps: seek medical attention if symptoms do not improve within an hour

Heat Stroke

Signs: Confusion, Dizziness, Perspiration, No Perspiration but Hot to the Touch, Loss of Consciousness

Solutions: stop physical activity and CALL 911 (heat stroke is deadly!)

Next Steps: submerge in cool water up to shoulders if possible to do so safely, or move to a cooler place

What Not to Do: DO NOT give someone suffering from heatstroke anything to drink. They can vomit, pass out, and aspirate.

HEAT STROKE IS DEADLY If your fellow runner is disoriented, please call 911 immediately (and shoot me or one of the other DCRR board members an e-mail or text letting us know what has happened).
Now let's get into it:

The Route: We're going o'er hill and dale (keyword: hill) this week for Marymount Chain Bridge (strava, gps, pdf). We'll start by heading up the Rosslyn Hill then up Military Road before making a left into Zachary Taylor Park. After this we'll continue the long climb to Marymount University, where we'll be treated to a fabulous downhill all the way to the canal. To hit 14, continue through Georgetown and return via the Memorial Bridge back to the park.

Want Something Shorter? For 12 miles, return over the Key Bridge instead of the Memorial Bridge. If you want even less mileage, continue straight on Military Road instead of going into Zachary Taylor Park continue up Military and make a right onto Old Glebe Road to head straight to the canal and follow the Chain Bridge Loop Route. This will get you 10 miles instead of 14 and a little less elevation gain!

Need a Longer Route? Continuing down to the 14th street bridge will get you an extra two miles for 16 if you come up via the cemetery. Continuing up through Rosslyn will get you an additional extra mile to make it 17. For more mileage than that, add an out and back going north on the canal for any number of miles.

Thirsty? Thanks to Kate Scott for post-run drinks and picking the route this week. Want less hills and more fluids in the future? Volunteer for drinks and choose where we'll head that week! There's a water fountain at the entrance of Zachary Taylor Park at mile 3.6 and another at the top of the hill at mile 4.6. Fort Ethan Allen Park (mile 6.6) also has a water fountain, though it's sometimes turned off and a bit off the beaten path. Fletcher's should be turned on, but that's been hit or miss for me this season. There are also a few fountains by Lincoln for your return trip!

Need a Bathroom? The bathrooms at Fletcher's Cove have been very dependable lately, so those are a good bet for tomorrow morning!

Back by popular demand, we've got singlets for sale until July 16th! Get yours here and reach out to Steve with any questions! The next club race is the Age-Graded Four Miler on July 4th. Come race, or better yet volunteer and start scrounging around your apartments for whatever swanky stuff you don't need anymore for the prize pool.

Happy Running!

Anna