Hello Saturday Long Runners!
I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Turkey Trot! Thank you to everyone who volunteered or raced at the Alexandria Turkey Trot. It was our largest event ever and a huge success for the club! It looks like tomorrow may be our first SLR of the season below freezing, so bundle up and get ready for some hills! Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be going o'er hill and dale (emphasis on the hill) along Marymount Chain Bridge (strava, pdf, gpx). We'll start by heading up the Rosslyn Hill then up Military Road before making a left into Zachary Taylor Park (named for the president who may have died of cherry overdose). After this we'll continue the long climb to Marymount University, where we'll be treated to a fabulous downhill all the way to the canal. To hit 14, continue through Georgetown and return via the Memorial Bridge back to the park.
Want Something Shorter? For 12 miles, return over the Key Bridge instead of the Memorial Bridge. If you want even less mileage, continue straight on Military Road instead of going into Zachary Taylor Park continue up Military and make a right onto Old Glebe Road to head straight to the canal and follow the Chain Bridge Loop Route. This will get you 10 miles instead of 14 and a little less elevation gain!
Need a Longer Route? Continuing down to the 14th street bridge will get you an extra two miles for 16 if you come up via the cemetery. Continuing up through Rosslyn will get you an additional extra mile to make it 17. For more mileage than that, add an out and back going north on the canal for any number of miles.Â
Thirsty? There's a water fountain at the entrance of Zachary Taylor Park at mile 3.6 and another at the top of the hill at mile 4.6. Fort Ethan Allen Park (mile 6.6) also has a water fountain, though it's sometimes turned off and a bit off the beaten path. Last time I ran by, the Fletcher's Cove fountain was turned off, so don't bet on that one tomorrow morning. The Mall water fountains around Lincoln, however, were still functional, but no guarantees!
Need a Bathroom? There are almost always portopotties along Glebe Road in random yards, but in the winter those are less dependable. The bathrooms at Fletcher's Cove have been very dependable lately, however, so those are a good bet for tomorrow morning!
The next club race is the Gar William Half Marathon on December 3rd! Sign up here for the lowest-price half marathon in America and please consider volunteering if you're available! The Book Club will have its next meeting on December 17th and we're reading 26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi, which is one of my absolute favorites!
Happy Running!
Anna
