The LONG Weekend

I had some great running this weekend and ran more than I expected to. On Saturday I met the GRC for 11 miles. We ran down to Chain Bridge and came back along the Virginia side of the Potomac. Again, too much concrete/asphalt, but it was a good run. Later in the day I drove to the Shenandoah (see blog post below) to try my hand in climbing waterfalls.

On Sunday I went to the Agriculture History Farm Park in Derwood to see old running buddy Rob Magin. Rob was the race marshall and started the 5k. He is one of the first running guys I met when I moved to Bethesda some 7 years ago. He'd rock me on the track each Wednesday and we'd go back and forth in races. Additionally, he is a former UMBC Retriever and ran for the "dawgs" about 10 years before I did. Rob is no longer running races. He is suffering from a grade 3 brain tumor and fighting the battle of his life. Rob is a tough dude and right now he is at mile 22 in a marathon. It hurts. It hurts like hell, but he'll get through it. He is a fighter. Pray for him.

At the end of the race, I went out exploring the farm park with Double C and the great Dan Lawson. Dan ran a remarkable 2:21 at the Columbia Marathon on a 24 degree day when he was 38 years old. He rarely ran more than 90 mpw but would run 20 milers at 5:40 pace. He did ALL of his running solo. I peppered Dan with questions before looping back to the parking lot. Double C and I then proceeded to explore a new trail which brought us along silent creeks, thick mucky shores, horse farm fields and wooded orchards. A Red Fox bounded ahead of us and white tailed deer galloped gracefully through the brush. The greenway stubbornly blazed through the backyards of MoCo McManshions teasing land owners while pleasing runners like me. I got in 16.

On Monday I met exploring rival Petey Towpath at The Line. We had a good, hard run over the trails of Rock Creek. I got in 11 before heading out to climb Sugarloaf Mountain in upper Montgomery County. Great views from the top of the 1200ft hill. While the sun dipped over the horizon I sipped bourbon in a leather bound flask. I watched a giant flock of Canadian Geese flood a recently mowed cornfield. They pecked and preened as they marched slowly across the grounds. Soon the sun was gone and the long three day weekend was over.