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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 Custis W&OD Out And Back
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
We're looking at a balmy morning tomorrow with temperatures maybe even reaching the low 20s by the time SLR is wrapping up. There is still ice on every surface not deemed shovel-worthy by Arlington County and DC, so we're in the same boat as last week as far as route options go. If you can't tell by those first two sentences I'm going a little crazy from it (and I'm sure you are as well), so come out and complain together, at least until our faces freeze. Now let's get into it:
The Route:We're doing a classic Custis W&OD Out and Back (strava) this week with a twist, instead of going towards Falls Church (which does not plow their trails) we'll head deeper into Arlington like we do on the Arlington Loop. We'd do a full Arlington Loop, but the Mount Vernon trail also does not get plowed (however it DOES get shoveled in chunks by the abosolutely lovely Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail, who accept donations in time and money if you're available). This should be enough to get a reasonable amount of mileage in the morning, but there are certainly still a few icy spots (and more to come today as we melt a little and then refreeze), so please be careful out there!
Want Something Shorter or Longer? It's an out and back, which means cutting mileage is pretty easy if you turn around earlier and or later. If you want something other than a loop, Bluemont is plowed and the sidewalks along Clarendon and Wilson are in tip-top shape aside from a few small snow banks near the streets. A loop of Custis-W&OD-Bluemont from Rosslyn will get you roughly 10 miles (usually a little less, call it 9.5) if anyone is looking for that distance.
Need a Bathroom or Water?There are very few bathrooms that are open currently, but I believe the one at the corner of the W&OD and Four Mile Run around mile 5.5 does get unlocked at some point in the morning, whether that's when we're running is a mystery. The water fountains, however, are freeze proof and proving it this week! There is one on Custis after the Corkscrew Crusher and another at the corner of the W&OD and Custis that are both operational as of this week.
The next club race was supposed to be the Belle Haven 8K this weekend, however due to Mount Vernon Trail conditions that has been postponed to March 2nd (which, I hope, will be warmer and more enjoyable). Signups for the Club Challenge 10 Miler (February 26th) are now open! Join our team and mentally prepare for the hills with some this weekend.
Happy Running!
Anna
https://mountvernontrail.org/
SLR: A 14 Mile Out and Back On Clear Trails
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Surprise! It snowed again yesterday enough to make every surface a little slick, but luckily that should all be cleaned up by tomorrow and we will be having SLR. The only question now is where we're going to run, I'll outline a few options but we'll likely pick tomorrow morning based on what is and isn't cleaned off (I'm planning on heading out early and getting a lay of the land, but if anyone is doing an afternoon run today let me know how the trails look). So let's get into it, I guess?
As I said above, we've got a couple options for routes that I know are clear, I'll lay out the options I see, but happy to have more if folks have other ideas:
1. Custis - W&OD Out and Back: This has been a staple for me over the past two weeks and Arlington county does a great job at plowing both trails. You know who doesn't? Falls Church. We'll likely head over to W&OD via Custis then hang left for any extra miles. Bluemont has also been consistently clear and is a great option for not an out and back.
2. Capital Crescent Out and Back - The Capial Crescent has also been consistently plowed, but ususally is a day or two behind the Arlington trails. The biggest pro of this route is that the Potomac and Canal are both frozen which gives some good sights, though we did _just_ do that route a few weeks back.
The Mount Vernon Trail is not plowed (sigh) so we will be avoiding that. In general DC sidewalks are 50/50 and there were a lot of slick spots today, so going that direction is out of the question as well. The Cemetery Hill has yet to be plowed and was a sheet of ice earlier this morning.
So I guess in general if you're someone who absolutely needs to know the route ahead of time tomorrow's SLR may not be for you. If you like a little adventure with some familiar areas, come on out!
The next club race is the Belle Haven 8K next Sunday, January 26th at 7 AM. We're giving out coffee mugs for prizes and need plenty of volunteers to run this smoothly! Nominations for Club Awards are also open until January 19th! If you (or your training partners) had a stand out year be sure to mention it in the form!
Happy Running!
Anna
No SLR: Winter Weather Cancellation
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The board and I have made the decision to cancel SLR tomorrow morning due to current trail and road conditions and forecasted snow overnight. This is not a decision we take lightly or make often: according to Nate this is the third weather cancellation in the last 20 years. But there are a few large ice patches surrouding North Meade Park and with us getting up to two more inches of snow overnight -- which might well still be falling at 8 am -- the risk of even safely making it to the park, let alone safely running, is too great.
So what are your options, dear Saturday Long Runner who's thinking "How could you, this is a travesty, I absolutely must get my long run in this week"?
1. Get your long run in today! Custis between Rosslyn and W&OD, W&OD East of Falls Church, Bluemont, and Capital Crescent from Georgetown north are all wonderfully plowed. Each have a few icy patches (specifically around road crossings) that today without fresh snow over top of them are quite visible and easy to avoid. Many bridges, roads, and sidewalks in the area are still untreated and have become very slick. Be mindful of those areas when getting to the trails, but once you on them they are mostly cleared aside from a few patches. Tomorrow morning that may not be the case, get some sunlight and get your long run in early to give yourself a full two day weekend!
2. Treadmill it tomorrow. Yes, it sucks. Yes, I personally hate it just as much as the next person. But you won't risk slipping on ice and you will have a chance to watch as many episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" as your legs will let you.
3. Take the day off and cross train or rest. As I've been learning lately, there are actually other sports out there that will let you push your body, get your heart rate up, and not require you to hear the mindless "cathunk cathunk cathunk" of the treadmill. Go for a swim, hop on the stationary bike and explore Watopia, or recognize that a single day off or one missed long run isn't going to ruin the fitness you've been building this winter. Flexibility trumps perfection in every training cycle.
... I'm sure there are some more options between these ones ...
1000. If you insist, brave the conditions, but please be careful. Running outside on fresh snow can be great, but it can also be an excellent way to get spectacularly injured. There are a lot of icy patches that you will no longer be able to see. Balancing and focusing takes mental and physical effort that you do not normally have to put forth on a normal run. Play it safe and understand weird muscles may be more sore than usual.
I hope everyone stays safe and warm this weekend!
Anna
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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. |