Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Summer is finally here and we'll be starting SLR at 7 AM from now until sometime in October when we switch back. It's basically daylight savings time (SLR edition), so set those alarms one hour earlier and kick off your Memorial Day weekend right! The weather tomorrow looks muggy with low 70s and high humidity, get in those extra miles before the run and enjoy all of the drinks we have in store! Now let's get into it:
The Route: Del Rey's own Nate Rathjen brought us this route last year and we're running it back for round two this week! Battery Garesché (strava, gps, pdf) runs through Alexandria and by Battery Garesché, an old Civil War artillary battery named for Lieutenant Colonel Julius Peter Garesche. We'l head down Army Navy Drive to the 4 Mile run before a little lolipop loop in Fairlington (with a very big hill in the middle) and back up to North Meade Park.
Want Something Shorter? For an 11 or 12 mile option, the Pentagon Army Navy route is a good way to cut off a few miles while still running on Army Navy Drive. There are also metro stations at Potomac Yard, Crystal City, and Pentagon City that can make for shorter routes as well. For less than 10, I'd recommend an out and back on Army Navy down to the 4 Mile Run.
Need a Longer Route? To add two miles, take the 4 Mile Run to the Mount Vernon Trail and follow it back to the Memorial Bridge for about 16 miles. If you want even more, coming through Rosslyn instead of the Memorial Bridge will give you around 17 miles total! With tomorrows forecast, however, it's probably best to get those extra miles in before SLR instead of during it.
Thirsty? We've got mid-run drinks tomorrow down at the bottom of Army-Navy Drive near 25th street thanks to Gary Morgans and Donna Lekang! We'll pass them twice around miles 4.8 and 9! Thank you also to Kate Scott for providing post run drinks this week (and many, many weeks). Kate has been one of SLR's best supporters for drinks over the past years and we really cannot thank her enough! Water fountains are limited on this route, but there is possibly one in Utah Park and by the Fairlington community center around 7.7 miles.
Need a Bathroom? Bathrooms are also a bit limited on this route, but keep an eye out throughout the neighborhood, there's generally a portopotty in someone's yard. The Target at the corner of Army Navy Drive also has public restrooms and the Fairlington Community Center would likely let you use theirs in a pinch.
The next club race is the Women's Distance Festival and Run After the Women 5K on Sunday June 9th at Bon Air Park! We need plenty of volunteers for this and all our Bunion Derby races, so sign up today!
Happy Running!
Anna
