ZhurnalyWiki: AwesomeAdonis

"Wow, I wish I had the female version of that body!" Mary confesses to me, shortly after we witness a strikingly-developed shirtless young Hercules jogging through Rock Creek Park. "He's probably a juicer," I reply with marginally-repressed envy. A couple of hours later it's my turn, when a svelte lady runner approaches us on the Valley Trail. "Gee, I wish I had the male version of that body!" I admit to Mary — who agrees that she likewise wouldn't mind looking so fit. We're on a Sunday morning trek to get a drink at the National Zoo (1 July 2007), a baker's dozen miles including the return journey. Notes on that, and other pedestrian excursions during the last dozen days, follow.

(^z on a rock near Difficult Run's confluence with the Potomac River, at the beginning of the Fairfax Cross County Trail — photo by Mary Ewell)

2007-06-23 - Difficult Run Stream Valley Trail

~9 miles @ ~14 min/mi

On 10 June Mary ran in Rock Creek Park with Ken and me, so today we return the favor in her neighborhood. We start at historic Colvin Run Mill, just off Route 7 (near 38.970°N 77.294°W) and tootle downstream along the Fairfax Cross County Trail CCT Overview map which here follows Difficult Run. The weather is surprisingly cool and pleasant this near-midsummer morning, and with minor hesitations Mary navigates to the Potomac River, where we inspect the rocks of Great Falls and take photos of one another. On the trip back we divert onto the Ridge Trail and the Old Carriage Road in Great Falls Park, where Karen of the VHTRC greets us. She remembers Mary and me from Bull Run Run 2007. Several riders on sleek horses also pass by.

2007-06-26 - Hot Time on the Railroad

12+ miles @ ~13 min/mi

As on my birthday in 2005, this morning I'm at the MINI Cooper dealership in Sterling VA for Paulette's car to be serviced. the Washington & Old Dominion rail-trail is adjacent, and I've got my GPS with me. Sounds like a chance to collect a few more W&OD milepost coordinates! (cf. September2005JogLog, 30 Sep 2005) At 7:30am it's already warm and humid. Mary jogs eastward from near her home in Ashburn while I head west from milepost 24, swatting black stinging flies that settle on me to feed. We meet and proceed to mile 30, admire the big stone quarry, then turn back. This sweat-fest eventually has to help us get used to the heat!

W&OD GPS Waypoints
mile	latitude	longitude
24.0	39.01281	-77.43549
24.5	39.01726	-77.44287
25.0	39.02168	-77.45023
25.5	39.02616	-77.45769
26.0	39.03048	-77.46490
26.5	39.03495	-77.47224
27.0	39.03932	-77.47964
27.5	39.04377	-77.48701
28.0	39.04815	-77.49433
28.5	missing!	missing!
29.0	39.05706	-77.50893
29.5	39.06387	-77.51126
30.0	39.06841	-77.51840

2007-06-27 - Sunset Trackwork

~1+ mile

At 6:15pm light rain begins to fall on the way to Montgomery College, lowering the temperature slightly and raising the humidity. I've never been to an MCRRC track workout, so Christina suggests the experiment. We arrive early to avoid some of the crowds. After a few 200m half-laps at ~1 minute each Chris challenges me to do a 400m at speed, and I manage a 1:38, puffing like a steam engine at a far faster time than I expected to accomplish. We do more 200's together, increasing the pace slightly, and then cool down with a walk around campus. Then I meet son Robin, who is finishing late work in his etching class, and give him a ride home.

2007-07-01 - Zoological and Botanical Gardens

(cf. RacyJetsam (4 Feb 2007), AggressiveResting (17 Mar 2007), NotSoDifficultRun (10 Apr 2007), TheyBullRunRun (6 May 2007), TrailImprovement (21 May 2007), OperationAcclimation (3 Jun 2007), BabesInTheWoods (18 Jun 2007), ...)

TopicRunning - TopicPersonalHistory - Datetag20070703

(correlates: TiffinWallah, 2008-07-20 - Sweet and Sweaty Seneca Sixteen Sunday, MatherGorge, ...)