Hello Saturday Long Runners!
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Looks like we'll avoid the cold for tomorrow in exchange for some rain (you can't get everything you want). We've reached the last SLR of 2024, come out and round off your yearly mileage with the group! Now let's get into it:
The Route: This week we'll be doing a classic out and back on the Capital Crescent Trail (strava , gps, pdf), which if you read the cue sheets closely you'll notice has been part of our repertoire since back when the Capital Crescent wasn't even fully paved. If you've been paying attention to the route choices here at SLR HQ, I'm not really a big out-and-back person, but this is always my exception (because it's all uphill on the way out and mentally that makes this a loop). The recommended mileage for the week is 14, which puts our turnaround at the bridge at River Road or really just when your watch says 7 miles (whichever comes first).
Want Something Shorter? Out and backs are perfect for that! The half mile marks on the trail roughly correspond to mile marks, so for 12 miles turn at 5.5MM, 10 turn at 6.5 MM, and so on.
Need a Longer Route? Take these old train tracks up to Bethesda for any number of extra miles. Like shortening the route, for longer just go a mile marker further for every two miles you'd like to add (so 2.5MM for 18 and so on). The Big Loop is also a great option if you're looking for something over 20 and are also not a huge fan of Out and Backs!
Thirsty? There is a water fountain at Fletcher's Boathouse at mile 3.5 and another couple along the CCT depending on how far you go out, my favorite is the one right before (on the way out) the big railroad tunnel, which is a great point to regroup after the worst of the hill.
Need a Bathroom? Fletcher's is your best bet for bathrooms around mile 3.5. Otherwise there are some gas stations just off the CCT that may work out, but not a lot of other public options.
The next club race is the Predicitons and Resolutions 5K at noon! We need some more volunteers, so if your New Years resolution doesn't involve a 5K, make it involve volunteering more with the club!Â
Happy Running!
Anna
