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
