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 |
10/5 | 22 | Big Loop | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
10/12 | 14 | Capital Crescent OaB | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
10/19 | 10 | Chain Bridge Loop | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
10/26 | 12 | RFK | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
11/2 | 15 | Long Bridge Park | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
11/9 | 12 | Piney Branch | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
11/16 | 13 | Southeast DC | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
11/23 | 12 | Bluemont L Loop | Cue Sheet & GPS | |
11/30 | 14 | Catholic MBT | Cue Sheet & GPS |
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It's Nate, your faithful ersatz SLR leader (if you don't know me, strava and instagram) writing to you this week...I will be here to kick you off for the next 2 weeks, as Anna is in Duluth and totally gonna crush it on Sunday! First things first:
We are starting at 6 AM due to high temperatures and the likelihood of an NWS-issued heat advisory.
There it is in bold red text, so if you show up at 7 that's fully on you, pal! We do have post-run drinks this week (thanks Kate!!) but this is still a long time to be out in high temperatures, so please carry water! Also, listen to your ol' meatbag! If something feels off or you're just not having fun anymore, there is nothing wrong with calling it a morning. No sense making yourself sick or worse just to hit an arbitrary number of miles!
Where Are We Going This Time? This week we'll be treated to a nice tour of the Wharf and the southern portion of the Anacostia Riverwalk as we take on Southeast DC (strava, gps, pdf). We'll head into the city via the Memorial Bridge, head down L'Enfant Plaza and through the Wharf to get to the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, make our way up the Anacostia Riverwalk and across the John Phillip Sousa Bridge (possibly the most random person this side of Sen. Francis Case to get a DC bridge named after him?), before heading to the Capitol via Pennsylvania Avenue and back to North Meade Park via the Mall.
Want Less? This is the perfect route to bring your SmarTrip card, as we will pass four Orange/Blue Line Metro stops: Potomac Avenue (8.5 miles), Eastern Market (9 miles), Capitol South (10 miles) and Smithsonian (11 miles). Even if you are planning to run the full route, it's never a bad idea to bring one in case you need a heat-related bailout. For anything shorter, your best bet is an out and back.
Want More? Eh, you don't, really. I would personally advise against trying to go any longer today, but adding the rest of the Anacostia Riverwalk (up to Benning Road) and then coming back via Pennsylvania Avenue will get you 4 extra miles.
Parched? There are water fountains at the pirate ship playground (~7.5 miles) as well as at Eastern Market metro (9 miles) -- this one is set back from the road a bit in the park area so you may not notice it at first glance. As well, most of the mall fountains are in working order. Good news...I know a mall park ranger to whom I can incessantly complain about them now!
Swimming Eyeballs? The pirate ship playground also has well-appointed restrooms, and we will also pass the "welp...they're there" restrooms by the Washington Monument. In a pinch, there are plenty of shops along Pennsylvania Avenue that will let you use theirs if you ask nicely (and don't drip on anything). Anna's personal favorite is in the foreign language section at Capitol Hill Books.
Happy Running, and have a blast!
-Nate
Hello SLR crew,
Here's an early heads up that due to the high temperatures and equally high likelihood of the NWS issuing a heat advisory for Saturday, we're getting out at 6 AMfor this week. We will return to 7 AM in following weeks, assuming the weather cooperates.
-Nate
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The Heat Dome(TM) is upon us and it's going to be a sticky one out there for the next few weeks. Thus I begin my yearly pleading to please please please stay safe and hydrated out there on this and all of your runs. Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are dangerous and staying hydrated and knowing when to stop are imperative to avoiding them. Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be heading up Rock Creek Park and up (and up and up) Calvert and Cleveland to Cathedral Clintons(strava, gps, pdf). After trudging uphill for seemingly the entire run, we'll be treated to the best downhill in DC (as voted by me, this morning while writing this) along Massachusetts Avenue along Embassy Row and past the White House back to the park.
Want Something Shorter? Take a right on 22nd Street and then another right on M Street to cut this down from a 12 miler to a 10 miler and skip a bit of the stop-and-go of running through the city. Otherwise a shorter out and back in Rock Creek Park is the way to go!
Need a Longer Route? Heading down the Mall towards Capitol Hill will get you some sun this weekend, but will also get you a few more miles and a few water fountains along the way. Running along the Mount Vernon Trail to get back to the park instead of the Cemetery will also tack on an extra mile.
Thirsty? Water is few and far between on this route (other than once we get to the Mall, but those are late in the game), so be sure to bring your own. We've had some reshuffling of post-run drinks and no longer have any planned for this week, if you've got any lying around and put them out tomorrow I'll be sure to get you some credit towards volunteering!
Need a Bathroom? Those are also limited. There are usually some portopotties in people's yards for construction along Cleveland. There are also the reliable-yet-disgusting bathrooms at the Washington Monument, which are great options in a pinch! The Lincoln Memorial's construction project may be a bit of an eye sore, but it does come with nice standalone bathrooms across the street towards Ohio Drive which are wonderful!
We'll miss you Jill! The rumors are unfortunately true and former board member, Marathon Training Program lead, and SLR stalwart Coach Jill Brasky is moving to Ohio in July! Jill has long been one of the people I (and many others) have looked up to most in the club, she always knows what to say after a good or bad race, has provided guidance and mentorship to countless first-time (and many-time) marathoners, and will attack any challenge (or metal pole) in her path. Come say goodbye after SLR on Saturday (coffee, tea, bagels, and baked goods included). Feel free to bring anything else, we'll be in the party room where there is plenty of space to bring kids and other family/friends. The building gym locker rooms will also be available to freshen up if you need to! The party will be held at the Williamsburg Condominium (1276 N Wayne St. Arlington)from 9-12 on Saturday June 15th, enter #522 in the lobby to be buzzed in, the party room is just to the right. Thanks to Deb, Lisa, Anne, and Eunja for organizing!
The next club race is the Hugh Jascourt 4-Miler on Friday June 21st. We need plenty of volunteers to keep this event running (and if it's anything like the past editions, we'll have birthday cake for the club's birthday!). The Book Club also meets this Sunday from 4-5 to discuss Running with the Buffalos, contact Eunja for more information!
Happy Running!
Anna
Alexandria Turkey Trot Thu, Nov 28th, 2024, @9:00am |
DCRR Gar Williams Half Marathon Sun, Dec 1st, 2024, @9:00am |
DCRRC Bread Run 10K & Gingerbread 2-Miler Sun, Dec 8th, 2024, @10:00am |
Book Club Sun, Dec 8th, 2024, @4:00pm |
DCRRC New Year's Resolutions 5K Wed, Jan 1st, 2025, @12:00pm |
DCRRC Al Lewis 10-Miler and 5-Miler Sun, Jan 5th, 2025, @8:00am |
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. |