RUNNER’S LIFE
Reminiscing About Running in Washington
Drawing strength from favorite old routes to hit new goals
Seeing this article a couple weekends ago reminded me of how much I love running in Georgetown:
I love running through Washington, D.C., in general, but I always saved Georgetown as my treat at the end of the run. You can escape the main drag with its tourists and either meander along the canal or take to the hilly, quiet, tree-lined streets around the university. I’ve run by Julia Child’s house several times (and despite being sweaty from a run sometimes I duck into the Smithsonian on the other end of town to visit her tv set). I always take the time to run up The Exorcist Steps and often end up directing lost like-minded souls toward them, because while it shows the steps on Google maps they can be difficult to spot if you don’t know exactly where to look.
I like to run up Embassy Row toward the National Cathedral, studying the flags from different countries. One very early morning I thought maybe I was a target of international espionage when I noticed a car following behind me very slowly. But it was the Washington Post delivery. Embassies get newspapers, too.
I enjoyed detouring through Rock Creek Park, too, but was always wondering if I might find myself in the beginning of a Law & Order episode.
I was lucky enough to train for the Marine Corps Marathon* (my first and so far only marathon) in Washington, D.C. I’d start my long runs at home near the Dunn Loring Metro station and take the bike paths into the city. Twelve miles to the Marine Corps Memorial. Sometimes to increase my mileage I’d pop over to Roosevelt Island, and on the bridge, I’d always look up at the spires of one of the buildings at Georgetown University, the one that looks like Hogwarts. Thirteen miles to the Lincoln Memorial, depending on my route. I could get to the Foggy Bottom Metro stop at about mile 15 or extend my runs longer to end there no matter the distance, then take the train home. I’d go around the Tidal Basin and visit Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. In the spring I got to see the cherry blossoms on early mornings when few others were there. I learned that Capitol Hill isn’t just a clever name; it can be a brutal incline if you’re hitting it around mile 14 or 15.
One day it was hot and humid, because it was D.C. in August, and I planned my longest run to date, somewhere around 15 miles, I think. I started early in the morning, with plenty of water and snacks, but by the time I ended that run, I felt more miserable than I had in a very long time. I was nauseous and light-headed, and when I ducked into a bathroom I couldn’t tell if I was pale or if the poor lighting made me look washed out despite my pink cheeks. I was grateful the Foggy Bottom Metro stop is at a hospital with a coffee shop (I think a Starbucks?) on the ground floor. I went in to cool off, thinking best-case scenario, I sit here for a few minutes, get an iced coffee, then head home on the train. Worst-case scenario, at least I’m in a hospital. Fortunately, it was the best-case scenario.
The old memories enhance new experiences
I recently signed up for my first race since 2019. A half marathon. I live in another hot, humid climate with very little cool, pleasant, transitional springtime weather. The race is in July and in April I was already running through pea soup in the early mornings. The race starts at 5:30 in the morning so I’m starting my long runs around that time, too. Strava noted that by the time I finished my most recent long run at 7:00, the temperature was in the 70s with 100% humidity. (It started raining during the last mile but it had been so humid I barely noticed. I was already soaked.)
My training needs are different now. My nutritional needs are different now. I’ve got a dog now. I’ve got new trails to explore. But I can still draw on those Washington, D.C. memories to keep me entertained and to remind myself that I’ve done it before and I can do it again. Just because the running is uncomfortable doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s probably making me stronger.
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*The Marine Corps Marathon has virtual openings and may be opening up more in-person slots:
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