Hello Saturday Long Runners!
The sun is back and we've got our longest run of the cycle on deck for tomorrow! Get the last of your summer-ish training in before the cooldown next week and be sure to bring water for this one. Now let's get into it:
The Route: In terms of DC Running, The Big Loop (strava, gps, pdf) might be the most famous long run route in the area. It also happens to be one of my favorite routes in the area, but don't just take my word for it, Christie Wetzel , Coach Big Guy , and many others are also huge fans (at least that's what their Spotlight Runner articles say)! We'll embark on a journey up Rock Creek Park, cross Maryland via Leland St (including the dreaded hills, and a few turns as mentioned on the cue sheet, when in doubt follow signs for Leland!!), and finish all the way down the Capital Crescent Trail. Running this loop is a big accomplishment (pun intended) and no marathon training cycle is complete without it (unless of course you're running Chicago next weekend and haven't yet, in which case the Big Loop is completely meaningless and you're 100% ready to race)!
Want Something Shorter? The Bethesda Metro Station around mile 13 is a great midway point to ensure you get all of the fun hills in this route for a few less miles on the back end! If you're looking for something other than a metro route or an out and back in Rock Creek Park, the wonderful Ross Ridge Loop is a great way to get 14 miles in, take in the sights of Rock Creek, and still have company for a good chunk of the route.
Need a Longer Route? For a couple extra miles, continuing down through Georgetown and across the Memorial Bridge instead of the Key Bridge will add a couple miles to an already long day! Honestly, though, 21 is generally long enough for what you're training for!
Thirsty? There are some great water options every 5-8 miles along this route, so bring a bottle but expect some nice filling points! My favorites are at mile 5.5 just before you get on Beach Drive (with a new bottle filling station up near the bathrooms), along the Capital Crescent around mile 15 before the little bridge near the water treatment center, and at Fletcher's Boathouse around mile 17.7 as a good last fill before finishing out strong! After weeks of hope, I have now officially given up on the water fountain at the beginning of the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda. Do not depend on it, for it will only disappoint you. As these runs get longer, fueling becomes more and more important! Don't forget to bring a few gels tomorrow so you're still feeling strong on that long downhill!!
Need a Bathroom? Those also come roughly the same frequency as the water fountains! Mile 5.5 just before getting on Beach Drive has two different sets of bathrooms (pro tip: going up the hill by the community garden and Mill gets you private bathrooms instead of the multi-stall ones). There are additional bathrooms along Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park every 1-2 miles, keep your eyes out for them along the side of the road near the various picnic areas! There aren't a ton of great options along the Capital Crescent trail aside from Fletcher's Boathouse at mile 17.7, but there are a few gas stations along the way that make a good stop in a pinch!
The snowball series race is our still-exactly-the-same-just-with-a-new-name Founder's Day Half Marathon (formerly the Gar Williams Half Marathon), which honors the club's founders with the cheapest half marathon in the country on December 1st. We're in need of volunteers as well to kick off the Snowball Series, get your credit kicked off early!
Happy Running!
Anna
