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Welcome! This is the home of the world-famous (well, maybe locally well-known) SLR.
Our start time is at 8:00 AM until next summer! Every Saturday we meet at North Meade Street Park, a small park northwest of the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) in Rosslyn. The closest address for mapping purposes is 1300 Arlington Blvd, and street parking is available in the neighborhoods adjacent to N. Meade Street. Be mindful of parking signs, since Arlington County enforces them enthusiastically, and please do not park on Marine Memorial Circle (inside Iwo Jima), because this parking area is for memorial use only. At least one porta-john is available year-round near the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the memorial's water fountain is usually on during the summer.
We run rain or shine! In cases of extreme weather (snow, ice, thunderstorms, heat waves) we do occasionally either change our meeting time or cancel the run for safety, but the run will be held as planned unless otherwise posted via email/twitter/facebook and here on the SLR web page.
All are welcome! We're an informal group, and there are no requirements for speed, racing experience, or what distance means "long" for you, other than the suggested route that most of our group will be running each week. If you don't want to run the same distance or course as the main group, you can go out for half of your own target distance and re-trace your steps back to Iwo Jima. More specific route info and mileage options will be given in the email/post preceding each Saturday's run. SLR always features a run from our extensive Route Catalog, which gives us a wide range of options to keep things fresh for you each week. We have routes that are flat, hilly, looped, out & back, roads, sidewalks, trails, and more, reaching all around the local area of DC, VA, and MD!
For more details about Saturday Long Runs please read our Frequently Asked Questions to get a sense for what it's like to run with us, or send an email to Anna if you have any other questions that are not covered.
To receive weekly SLR updates via email, please log in and check your email subscriptions.
Schedule:
| Date | Miles | Route Map | Navigation Downloads | Post/Mid-Run Beverages |
| 4/5 | 14 | Marymount Chain Bridge | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/12 | 12 | Pentagon Army Navy | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/19 | 13 | Cathedral Clintons | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 4/26 | 18 | National Arboretum | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/3 | 12 | Potomac Overlook Loops | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/10 | 13 | Southeast DC | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/17 | 16 | Around the World in Fourteen Miles | Cue Sheet & GPS | 62 Embassies! New Route! |
| 5/24 | 14 | Ross Drive | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
| 5/31 | 15 | Long Bridge Park | Cue Sheet & GPS |
SLR: 14 Miles Capital Crescent Trail OaB
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Fall is coming, marathon season is starting, and I'm getting a few e-mails about when SLR will roll back the clocks to our 8 AM start time. The current plan is to do so the week after Marine Corps, which provides a nice even break point for the changeover. I'll send out a few more reminder e-mails as the time comes (pun intended) and I'll see everyone at 7 tomorrow! Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be doing a classic out and back on the Capital Crescent Trail (strava , gps , pdf), which if you read the cue sheets closely you'll notice has been part of our repertoire since back when the Capital Crescent wasn't even fully paved. If you've been paying attention to the route choices here at SLR HQ, I'm not really a big out-and-back person, but this is always my exception (because it's all uphill on the way out and mentally that makes this a loop). The recommended mileage for the week is 14, which puts our turnaround at the bridge at River Road or really just when your watch says 7 miles (whichever comes first).
Want Something Shorter? Out and backs are perfect for that! The half mile marks on the trail roughly correspond to mile marks, so for 12 miles turn at 5.5MM, 10 turn at 6.5 MM, and so on.
Need a Longer Route? Take these old train tracks up to Bethesda for any number of extra miles. Like shortening the route, for longer just go a mile marker further for every two miles you'd like to add (so 2.5MM for 18 and so on). If you didn't get enough Big Loop last week, a reverse Big Loop is also a great way to get over 20 this weekend and enjoy the fall colors DC has to offer!
Thirsty? There is a water fountain at Fletcher's Boathouse at mile 3.5 and another couple along the CCT depending on how far you go out, my favorite is the one right before (on the way out) the big railroad tunnel, which is a great point to regroup after the worst of the hill.
Need a Bathroom? Fletcher's is your best bet for bathrooms around mile 3.5. Otherwise there are some gas stations just off the CCT that may work out, but not a lot of other public options.
The next club race (and the biggest) is the Alexandria Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. This race brings in enough profits every year for all of our other club perks (Bunion Derby, Snowball Series, mid-run drinks, and everything in between). Come out and support the club, convince your non-running friends that a five miler really isn't that bad, and please help volunteer if you can! We need a tremendous amount of help between packet pickup and race morning!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 21 Miles The Big Loop
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The sun is back and we've got our longest run of the cycle on deck for tomorrow! Get the last of your summer-ish training in before the cooldown next week and be sure to bring water for this one. Now let's get into it:
The Route: In terms of DC Running, The Big Loop (strava, gps, pdf) might be the most famous long run route in the area. It also happens to be one of my favorite routes in the area, but don't just take my word for it, Christie Wetzel , Coach Big Guy , and many others are also huge fans (at least that's what their Spotlight Runner articles say)! We'll embark on a journey up Rock Creek Park, cross Maryland via Leland St (including the dreaded hills, and a few turns as mentioned on the cue sheet, when in doubt follow signs for Leland!!), and finish all the way down the Capital Crescent Trail. Running this loop is a big accomplishment (pun intended) and no marathon training cycle is complete without it (unless of course you're running Chicago next weekend and haven't yet, in which case the Big Loop is completely meaningless and you're 100% ready to race)!
Want Something Shorter? The Bethesda Metro Station around mile 13 is a great midway point to ensure you get all of the fun hills in this route for a few less miles on the back end! If you're looking for something other than a metro route or an out and back in Rock Creek Park, the wonderful Ross Ridge Loop is a great way to get 14 miles in, take in the sights of Rock Creek, and still have company for a good chunk of the route.
Need a Longer Route? For a couple extra miles, continuing down through Georgetown and across the Memorial Bridge instead of the Key Bridge will add a couple miles to an already long day! Honestly, though, 21 is generally long enough for what you're training for!
Thirsty? There are some great water options every 5-8 miles along this route, so bring a bottle but expect some nice filling points! My favorites are at mile 5.5 just before you get on Beach Drive (with a new bottle filling station up near the bathrooms), along the Capital Crescent around mile 15 before the little bridge near the water treatment center, and at Fletcher's Boathouse around mile 17.7 as a good last fill before finishing out strong! After weeks of hope, I have now officially given up on the water fountain at the beginning of the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda. Do not depend on it, for it will only disappoint you. As these runs get longer, fueling becomes more and more important! Don't forget to bring a few gels tomorrow so you're still feeling strong on that long downhill!!
Need a Bathroom? Those also come roughly the same frequency as the water fountains! Mile 5.5 just before getting on Beach Drive has two different sets of bathrooms (pro tip: going up the hill by the community garden and Mill gets you private bathrooms instead of the multi-stall ones). There are additional bathrooms along Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park every 1-2 miles, keep your eyes out for them along the side of the road near the various picnic areas! There aren't a ton of great options along the Capital Crescent trail aside from Fletcher's Boathouse at mile 17.7, but there are a few gas stations along the way that make a good stop in a pinch!
The snowball series race is our still-exactly-the-same-just-with-a-new-name Founder's Day Half Marathon (formerly the Gar Williams Half Marathon), which honors the club's founders with the cheapest half marathon in the country on December 1st. We're in need of volunteers as well to kick off the Snowball Series, get your credit kicked off early!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 18 Miles Anacostia Riverwalk
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
News flash: it's still summer out there somehow! Temperatures tomorrow will be steamy and please please please be safe out there! Bring water, use one of the (many!) ways to shorten this route, and take care of yourselves and those around you. Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week, we'll be venturing east of the river to what I always call the most underrated place to run in DC: The Anacostia Riverwalk Loop (strava, gps, pdf) -- this time with a bit of a twist. This route will take us down through the wharf, up the west side of the trail by the Congressional Cemetery, across the Bladensburg Bridge, and down the east side of the Anacostia River to the wonderful Frederick Douglass Bridge and back to Virginia! If you've been to this one in the past and hated bushwhacking through Heritage Island, fear not. The route this time DOES NOT go around the island, instead we're tweaking how we get to the wharf a bit to add that extra little bit of mileage, so don't worry about bringing your tick repellent and hiking boots for tomorrow morning.
Want Something Longer? The farther north you run on the west side of the Anacostia trail, the more magical it becomes! The Kenliworth Aquatic Gardens are especially wonderful in the summer if anyone's in need of 22 miles (2 out, 2 back).
Need a Shorter Route? A nice way to cut this route down to around 12 is to make a modified Southeast DC Loop (basically don't cross any bridges, just follow the route until the turn off for Pennsylvania Avenue). Otherwise taking a turn at RFK and following East Capitol Street back to the Mall will get you around 14.5 miles!
Thirsty? We don't have any volunteers currently for post run drinks (but YOU, yes you! could change that). We've also got mid run drinks courtesy of Dara Schulman near the Pirate Ship Playground at mile 11.5! Other than that, Anacostia is fairly bare for water, so please bring some as it will be hot tomorrow. There are also fountains along the Mall near Lincoln at mile 1.7 and 16.2 in a pinch!
Need a Bathroom? There are plenty of businesses along the wharf that are good in a pinch, including a couple of CVSes around the 5K point. There are also bathrooms at the pirate ship playground at mile 11 that have been lifesavers for me in the past.
The Bunion Derby wrapped up two weeks ago, but there's still one more race this summer: the National Capital 20 Miler and Janet Braunstein's 5 Miler! This is also your last chance to get volunteer credit for the Bunion Derby, and we still need some folks out there on Sunday!
Happy Running!
Anna
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Upcoming Events
| Kenmore PTSA 5K Sat, May 10th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Hero Dogs 5K9 Sat, May 17th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Jamestown 5K Sat, May 17th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Women's Distance Festival and Run After The Women Sun, Jun 8th, 2025, @8:00am |
| Rock Creek 5K Sun, Jun 22nd, 2025, @8:00am |
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The DC Road Runners Club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America and is also affiliated with USA Track & Field. We provide a year-round schedule of running events that offer everyone a chance to participate regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability. |