Since I had a conflict on Saturday, I ended up running with the Adams Morgan group on Sunday out of Fleet Feet (see http://www.fleetfeetdc.com/). Nice group and Coach Sasha was fun. We had about 20 runners and numerous coaches on the trail today. The club president ran with us too.
The Fleet Feet location is owned by the Fenty Family --- the DC Mayor's family. Papa Fenty opened the store for us at 7am-ish and set up water, sports drinks and cups. Quite the professional operation. Papa Fenty is quite the character. He's very zen. I guess that's what 35 years of running can do for you.
The Fleet Feet website describes papa Fenty as:
...our founding father. PHILosopher, businessman, poet, father, painter, runner, husband, cyclist, swimmer, grandfather and yoga and Buddhism student, Phil's interests and accomplishments are too numerous to name in this space but his palmares include some 50+ marathons and ultra-distance marathons including the Western States 100, and dozens of triathlons including IRON MAN in Hawaii. Phil is enjoying semi-retirement, where he is still working 20+ hours a week, training 12+ hours a week and spending more and more of his time with his growing number of grandchildren.
Our goal today was to complete a 4-mile route twice --- running it one way and then reversing it for the second 4-miles. I ended up adding another mile at the back-end and a quarter mile warm-down in order to get in my 9-mile target.
We started out up 16 Street and headed down into Rock Creek Park. We ran the edge of the zoo --- didn't see any critters --- and then up back to Fleet Street. Then we reversed the route. The route was part street, part pavement, park grass, part dirt --- I think you get the picture.
A few points:
- This was definitely (partially) an urban running experience --- dodging homeless guys sprawled at the bus stop, mentally ill women yelling at invisible people and crossing one too many cross-walks.
- On the second leg, I ended up being between two groups --- which I actually hate. It's terribly lonely. Not fast enough for the front pack and couldn't go slow enough to hang back. This was a dilemma since I didn't know the route. I had to check the written directions that I had thankfully snagged at the start of the run a few times. Luckily I didn't get too lost. Definitely were a few moments of pondering which way to go.
- The route was very, very hilly. I think I should get EXTRA credit for all the hills. One in particular requires special note --- Adams Mill Road in Adams Morgan. It is a BEAST!!! Forget Iwo Jima or Wisconsin Ave. This LONG, San Francisco-like road --- especially when you hit it at 3.5 miles into an 8 mile run --- is a challenge. It almost broke my spirit. Thank goodness Coach John was there to sweep me up and motivate me to the top. Since I was not familiar with the route I had no idea when this hill was coming. I unfortunately had just popped a shot-blok into my mouth and as I bit into it, I turned the corner and saw this massive hill. Let's just say I almost barfed up the energy square. It was definitely better running down the hill on the return loop.
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