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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 |
| 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 |
SLR 16 Miles: Mock Marine Corps
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
It's Nate, your faithful ersatz SLR leader, writing to you today as Anna is racing tomorrow, so wish her luck! Here's the lowdown for this week:
The Route: This week we'll be doing a SLR once-a-year classic: Mock Marine Corps (strava, cue sheet, gps). This is the perfect opportunity to test out your fitness on 16/26ths of the Marine Corps Marathon course while getting a nice tour of DC. We'll head in through Georgetown, down Rock Creek to Hains Point and make a loop, back over to Lincoln via the Tidal Basin, then around the Mall and Washington Monument before returning over the 14th Street Bridge. For those following along at home that means we'll miss the dreaded Rosslyn hill, an out and back in Rock Creek Park, and some twists and turns in Crystal City from the true course.
DETOUR! Due to the long-term construction on Ohio Drive, there is a slight modification to this route. Instead of heading straight down Ohio Drive toward Hains after Lincoln, cut inward for a block on Independence, make a right turn on West Basin Drive, then turn on the sidewalk and run through the FDR Memorial -- always keeping the Tidal Basin on your left -- to rejoin the route. (Next time we run here, there will be a temporary road to serve as the detour that will be more obvious.) On the out-and-back, stay on the right (north) side of Independence to avoid the construction. Neither change will significantly affect the distance. If any of this doesn't make sense, Anna has updated the Strava link to show you where to go!
Want Something Shorter? Luckily, the MCM organizers have made a lot of great opportunities to cut serious mileage off this route...just don't try it on race day! Cutting off Hains Point will save you a little over 3 miles for around 12. Skipping the out and back to the Capitol will also give you around 2.5 less miles, and cutting off that (in my opinion, rather annoying) out and back to Lincoln will cut off a little less than 2! Luckily any twists and turns you're confused by today will be well marked come race day, so don't worry too much if you find yourself taking a slightly different path than the cue sheet says.
Need a Longer Route? Hains Point gives a lovely option for adding on mileage in multiples of 3! Running south along the Mount Vernon trail after crossing the 14th street bridge is another excellent way to get a few more miles and a bit of a taste of the latter stages of the marathon. For 26.2 miles tomorrow, see the course map above...but maybe avoid the part where you run on the 14th Street Bridge!
Thirsty? I would carry water today as the fountains on both the mall and Hains have been hit-or-miss recently. Feel free to complain to your friendly neighborhood park ranger, I know I will!
Need a Bathroom? There are a few decent options to choose from! Anna's personal favorites are outside the Jefferson Memorial around miles 4 and 13. There are also the "well...they're there" bathrooms at the Washington Monment when we pass it around miles 9.5 and 12. Hains Point, of course, has plenty, but which ones are unlocked depends on the current day, weather, zodiac sign, line on the Commanders game, and the FiveThirtyEight polling average (i.e., just try your luck)
Have a blast!
Nate
SLR: 15 Miles Iron Triangle
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Fall is steadily approaching, but it seems like we've got a warmer SLR on deck for tomorrow morning with temperatures in the mid-60s and a little sticky (as it has been for the past few days this week). We've got some hills in store and a bit of a shorter route, though, so it should still be a good time! Also a hearty good luck to all our SLR regulars racing the DC Half this weekend! Now let's get into it:
The Route: What's that? You want more hills?? Well you're in luck because this week we're running none other than the infamous Iron Triangle (strava , gps , pdf)! This route is an all-time SLR legend for its 1200ish feet of elevation gain over the course of 15 miles that will take us up Military Road, down to Falls Church, and then back to Rosslyn along the W&OD and Custis Trails. I feel like every SLR route has a couple opportunities to get lost, but I always like to highlight this one as there are a few turns throughout it and it's an area we don't run in too often. I'll have maps out tomorrow morning, but make sure to review them ahead of time, especially if it's your first time running this loop!
Want Something Shorter? For a few less hills and a few less miles, the Chain Bridge Loop 10 miler is one of my all-time favorite loops. It'll allow you to be with the group for almost five miles before heading back in a much flatter way than how you came out. There are also excellent metro stops at mile 9 (East Falls Church) and 12 (Ballston-MU) where for a mere $2.25 you can be back to Rosslyn in a jiffy!
Need a Longer Route? The W&OD is a fabulous trail to add anywhere from 1 to 80 miles to your weekend long run! Running east on the W&OD can also lend itself to what I've dubbed the Iron Arlington Triangle if anyone needs 20 this weekend and wants a challenge!
Thirsty? We don't have any volunteers for post-run drinks this week (or next week, or the week after that or the week after that) so I will now start my yearly begging of "summer isn't quite over yet help out and volunteer for drinks"! Other water fountains can be found at mile 3.5 in Zachary Taylor Park just off Military, at Fort Ethan Allen Park around mile 5, the Custis and W&OD interchange at mile 10, and along Custis at mile 12.
Need A Bathroom? Ethan Allen Park also has bathrooms around mile 5 and there are some others if you keep going down the W&OD after Custis for an extra mile and some indoor plumbing. Otherwise there is always a house or two along this route that has some contruction going on and a portopotty in the yard, so keep your eyes peeled!
The final race of the Bunion Derby series is this Sunday at 9 AM for the Bastille Day Four Miler! Nate's got plenty of volunteers (thanks to everyone who is helping out), but signups are still open! DCRR has also been invited to Run fest at REI Tyson’s on Saturday September 21. The focus of the day will be mini-sessions on various aspects of running. There will also be demos and sampling. Each session will run about 45 – 60 minutes, starting at 10:30 am. Registration Details are here. They will also provide us with a table to host a meet-and-greet with potential club members. If you would like to volunteer at the DCRR table reach out to Mari, our wonderful director for community outreach! And last (and potentially most importantly): Singlets are here! If you ordered club apparel and had it delivered to Steve, he'll be at SLR tomorrow morning before the start to hand out apparel orders (we'll also have them at Bastille Day on Sunday)!
Happy Running!
Anna
SLR: 20 Miles Ross Drive Extended
Hello Saturday Long Runners!
We’ve got a new take on an old favorite this week and some normal weather for this time of year (sorry folks, looks like high 60s again this Saturday, we’ll get a nice weekend one of these weeks). Hydration is important all year, but especially as we start having cold and warm swings in weather it becomes even more important on the warmer days like this one. Now let’s get into it:
The Route: Love Ross Drive but always wish you could do a little more mileage for it? Well this week we’ve got you covered in Ross Drive (Extended Edition) (strava, gps, pdf)! We’ll head over the Key Bridge and up Rock Creek to do a nice Ross Drive loop, then repeat that same loop for more Ross Drive than ever. After this we'll head back down the trail to the Key Bridge for a double-lollipop route. As a reminder, for Ross Drive make a left immediately following the police station in Rock Creek Park onto Joyce Road, cross the little bridge, and take the next left onto Ross Drive up the hill! If you’re the kind of person to grab the route from the website before this email, I made a couple small tweaks (read: completely screwed this one up the first go around and got both the mileage and route incorrect, sorry about that)!
Want Something Shorter? A classic Ross Drive route will get you 15 miles (without the trail, and less if you take the trail) and almost as much Rock Creek Park action. For even less mileage, an out and back is your best bet! If you want somewhere between 15 and 20, doing a single loop of Ross Drive and then returning over Memorial Bridge instead of Key Bridge will get you around 18 miles.Â
Need a Longer Route? There’s a good contingent of folks planning a trek around the Big Loop tomorrow, which is the perfect way to tack on a couple miles to this 20 miler. Just keep heading up Rock Creek Park to Leland and follow the Capital Crescent Trail back down to the city.
Thirsty? The Peirce Mill water fountain has seen better days, but the new one (with a bottle filling station!!) next to the bathrooms makes up for it and more! Thanks to Don for post run drinks this week! We're in need of volunteers for any and all drinks from next week onward, consider helping out the club today and get your Bunion Derby volunteer credit taken care of!
Need a Bathroom? Peirce Mill also has you covered with two options (there are some at the actual Mill as well). We’ll pass those ones twice, which are by far your best bet to avoid the Rock-Creek-woods squat of shame.
The next club race is Le Quince Septembre aka the not so Bastille Day Four Miler. We’ve got registration and volunteers open, get your Bunion Derby credit in before 9/30! The book club will also be talking about “Do Hard Things” by Steve Magness this Sunday after we all do some hard things at SLR this week! Reach out to Eunja or Viriginia for more information.Â
Happy Running!
Anna
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Upcoming Events
| 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 |
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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. |