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SLR 14 Miles: Hains with a Capitol H

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

The heat has broken and low 70s has never felt so good! We'll be kicking things off at 7 AM tomorrow and if I'm being honest I'm rooting for the light rain currently in the forecast. In the event of thunderstorms we will have to cancel (unfortunately), but that doesn't look like a possibility tomorrow. Now let's get into it:

The Route: This week we're doing a route I like to call Hains with a Capitol H (strava, gps, pdf) (get it? Because you go around Hains Point and the Capitol?). If you're running Marine Corps, this is also about as close to a 14 mile version of the marathon you can get (or at least, I could get when I designed the route). This gets you all the good parts (The Mall! Georgetown! Hains Point!) without less of the bad parts (The Rosslyn Hill! That Loop in Crystal City that everyone hates!!). We'll also pass by my all time favorite location on the Mall and my favorite view of the Washington Monument: Signer's Island (because I designed this route I also get to make it take slight detours that most people will skip, how fun!).

Want Something Shorter? The easiest way to cut off a little more than 3 miles of this route is to skip Hains Point and go directly to across the Fourteenth Street Bridge, giving you a nice loop of the Mall and 11 Miles. Going partially out and back on the Mall will also allow you to get even less mileage in, down to 7 miles if you just go up 15th street to the 14th street bridge (which even written out feels wrong to say).

Need a Longer Route? Hains Point and the Mount Vernon Trail are both great for adding onto runs. Any extra loop of Hains will get you three more miles (well, technically 3.2) and the Mount Vernon Trail makes for any distance of an out and back (and you can even check out the aforementioned loop of Crystal City to mentally prepare for what that feels like at Mile 22)!

Thisty? Thank you to Christie and Rodrigo for post run drinks this week! This route also has plentiful water fountains along the Mall, most of which are even functional! Instead of listing all of the ones that are on, I'll mention that my favorite water fountain in front of the Air and Space Museum was turned off on Monday, but the one in front of the carousel (or whatever's left of it) was turned on.

Need a Bathroom? The Mall also has plentiful bathrooms, though which ones are open honestly depends a lot on the day. The Lincoln Memorial Construction has brought new temporary bathrooms (and seemingly removed the ones from the Jefferson Memorial). The Washington Monument Lodge bathrooms on 15th street are usually open as are the ones at the tip of Hains Point. Along Hains Point there are a few different bathrooms that are hit or miss, same with the ones along the reflecting pool.

The next club race is tomorrow's Bastille Day Four Miler. We're still in need of a couple more volunteers for this one, so please, please help out if you can! Our next club happy hour will be Thursday, July 18 in the Cosgrove Room at the National Press Club (14th and F Sts, NW) from 5:30 to 8 pm. As usual, the club will pay for appetizers and there will be drinks for purchase.

Happy Running!

Anna

SLR: 6 AM 12 Miles Pentagon Army Navy

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, tomorrow is the warmest SLR I can remember and there's not much that can be done to get around it. As a reminder we will be starting at 6 AM to try and get out of the heat before the worst of it. This also serves as a reminder of the signs and symptoms of heatstroke:

Heat Exhaustion Signs: Dizziness, Thirst, Heavy Perspiration, Cold or Clammy Skin, Nausea or Vomiting, Weakness/Exhaustion, Cramping, Headache.
Solutions: Stop physical activity, move to cooler area if possible, remove clothing, spray with water when it’s an option, drink cold water.
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 a heat stroke sufferer anything to drink. They can vomit, pass out, and aspirate.
HEAT STROKE IS DEADLY.If your fellow runner is disoriented, please call 911 immediately (please also let myself/someone in the club know you've called 911)

It doesn’t have to be above 95º to have signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke; if it is also very humid, the temp doesn’t have to be nearly as high for these to be legit options—and these can happen to ANYONE. If you call an audible and change your route mid-run, please let the runners around you know where you’re going, and that you’re leaving the group! Missing a few miles on a run, especially when it’s hot and humid, will have NO impact on your training or fitness for your goal race. If you get separated from the group, change the route for whatever reason, lose touch with your group, decide to bail and hop Metro or Uber to get home, or just go right to your car after finishing, please let someone know you are okay.

Now let's get into it:

The Route: This week we'll be doing the classic Pentagon Army Navy route (strava, gps, pdf), which will take us around National Landing (which is really just Pentagon City and I still refuse to seriously call it that) via Army Navy Drive before coming back along the Four Mile Run and Mount Vernon Trails. I always think of this route as being horribly sunny, then realize it's not that bad and fairly shaded, so here's to hoping tomorrow continues that trend. Also don't forget to cross at South Meade Street when crossing Glebe Road, that's a bit of a tricky intersection and safety is always the priority!

Want Something Shorter? For a little over 11 come back through the Cemetery instead of going all the way up to Rosslyn (this also saves you from my least favorite hill by Roosevelt Island). If you want an even shorter run, come up South Eads Street off of the Four Mile Run and take the 27 Trail back for around 10.5 miles! There are also metro stations in Pentagon City and Crystal City that can get you back easily, most importantly consider the turn into Crystal City off of the Mount Vernon Trail as your point of no return (as in you're committed to running at least 4 more miles back to the park). If you're feeling off in any way PLEASE turn back early here (or at any other point along the route). Tomorrow is not a day to be a hero, it's a day to be smart.

Need a Longer Route? Tomorrow, you really don't and if you do want something longer please start early! It's supposed to be 88 by 10 AM, which is no joke. Stay safe, be smart, do small loops.

Thirsty? There's a water fountain along the Mount Vernon Trail just past the metro bridge right before mile 7 and one up near Roosevelt Island at mile 11. We've also got both mid and post run drinks this week! Thank you to Maura for mid run drinks, she'll be at the intersection of South Eads Street and the Four Mile Run trail at exactly 6 miles. Christie and Rodrigo will have post run drinks this week (and if we're lucky some of that sweet sweet melon gatorade they always rave about)!

Need a Bathroom? There are portopotties at Gravelly Point at Mile 8 (maybe even some nicer ones left over from the fireworks). There's also some portopotties at Roosevelt Island at Mile 11. Both of these are of questionable sanity, but better than the alternative.

Bonjour! La prochaine course du club est le Jour de La Bastille Quatre Miler le 14 julliet! If you aren't up to date with highschool french, that means the next club race is the Bastille Day Four Mileron July 14th! This is a fun race every year with French wine, croissants, and the canal! If you can't race, volunteer here!

Happy Running!

Anna