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SLR: 18 Miles Rock Creek MBT

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Snow in the forecast again?! Looks like we're supposed to get somewhere between zero and six inches, depending on your confidence levels and preferred weather channel. The one thing they can agree on is some form of precipitation falling overnight tonight, which means if we do get some snow it likely won't be cleared by the time SLR begins tomorrow. For now, we'll still plan on Rock Creek MBT, but depending on the conditions may have a last minute change. As always, stay safe tomorrow and make the best decisions for you and your upcoming races, remember missing a long run or a workout is a blip on the radar, but slipping on ice can completely derail your training. As another aside if it is a snowy wonderland tomorrow, remember that you use different muscles when running on snow and ice than you do on dry pavement, and those muscles may not be up for 18 in the morning or may be weirdly sore afterwards. Enough about the weather, now let's get into it:

The Route:I know I say very often that the route we're doing is my favorite (getting people excited is kind of my job after all), but if you really made me choose Rock Creek MBT(strava, gps, pdf) takes the cake. We'll head up Rock Creek Park to Beach Drive then turn right onto Blagden Ave up a long hill (with a strava segment or two on it ;) before making our way to Gallatin Street. We'll cross the city via Gallatin (be mindful that although Gallatin is a relatively low-trafficked road we will cross some major throughways like Georgia and New Hampshire Ave) then head down the Metropolitan Branch Trail to the Capitol. From here we'll complete our perfect loop of DC by running across the Mall to the Memorial Bridge and back to the park via the cemetery.

Want Something Shorter? Another favorite route of mine (and seemingly everyone else as well) is Ross Drive, which will allow you to stay with the group for the first sixish miles before continuing up Beach Drive and coming back down Ross Drive and Ridge Road for a 14 mile lollipop loop. Funny enough, we missed Ross Drive earlier this year for snow, so maybe we'll luck out this time. There are also a plethora of metro stops down the MBT and along the Mall that makes bailing after 9 miles easy enough!

Need a Longer Route? If 18 isn't enough for you, returning across the 14th Street Bridge and coming up the Mount Vernon Trail to Rosslyn will add another two miles for an even 20. For even more, add on an out and back or a loop of Ross Drive in Rock Creek Park for some extra miles and some extra hills.

Thirsty? There are water fountains at Peirce Mill (mile 5) that claim they're freeze-proof that we can put to the test tomorrow. Otherwise there are some options along the MBT that I believe are open year round, but with the impending weather you really never know. What is for certain is that the fountains along the Mall are off and the ones inside of Union Station are on. The safest bet, of course, is to bring water, or risk eating some snow!

Need a Bathroom? Peirce Mill around mile 5 and Union Station around mile 14 are my two go-tos along this route. There are also usually some portopotties outside of the Dew Drop Inn, which can be a gamechanger in a pinch!

Signups for the Club Challenge closed yesterday, but signups for the bus are still open if you haven't yet! Registration for the Club Banquet is also open! Come celebrate the club's achievements from the past year and hear from an excellent lineup of club members who had exceptional achievements in 2023. If you know of someone who would give a good 5-10 minute speech on their past year, reach out to me! We could still use one or two more people to fill out our already stellar lineup! The next club race is the Burke Lake 12K! Signups are open!

Happy Running!

Anna

SLR: No SLR! Langley 8K

Hello Saturday Long Runners!

Welcome back to our last week of Snowball Series Races instead of our regularly scheduled SLR. Judging from feedback I've received, it's been a bit of a mixed bag ranging from "this was great we should do it every year" to "never again please". I'll bring it up at the next board meeting and keep you all updated as to what will happen next year for SLR/Snowball Series crossovers, but rest assured this will be the last time we cancel SLR this year. The weather for tomorrow's Langley 8K looks stellar, with temperatures in the upper 40s and wonderful indoor amenities courtesy of Langley High School, there's no reason not to come out! Now let's get into it:

The Route: It'll be a Party in the CIA tomorrow as we race the Langley 8K! If you think your neighborhood loop is hilly, just wait til you see what we have in store tomorrow. We'll start out on a bike path with a gentle downhill before heading into the neighborhood where we'll be treated to plenty of rolling hills. If your spring marathon has some elevation or you're planning to race the club challenge, this is the perfect tuneup race to test your legs against some elevation changes in a low-key environment.

Want Something Shorter? The 8K is the only option tomorrow, but if you're interested in volunteering instead there are plenty of spots along the course that will net you a shorter run if you jog there and back!

Need a longer route? I love to hit up Scott's Run Nature Preserve when I'm out in that direction for some extra miles. The park has an excellent trail system and a great opportunity to see the Potomac River from the other side of the canal!

Thirsty? There will be water and other goodies before and after the race. Last year I also distinctly remember a water stop around one of the hills (specific, I know) but I'm not fully confident there will be one this year.

Need a Bathroom? Langley High School has excellent facilities and plenty of restroom options inside (with plumbing! and fully stocked soap dispensers! a real treat!).

The next club race is THE club race, also known as the Club Challenge. Registration for this event closes on February 15th, so sign up today! We also have a bus from Court House and Dupont Circle, so if driving on the BW Parkway is holding you back, join 40 of your closest friends as we recount all our fantastic high school cross country memories. Award nominations are also open for club awards that will be presented at the banquet on March 10th. Nominate your training partners (or yourself) who had incredible years so we can recognize them appropriately! 

Happy Running!