~12.2 mi @ ~12.6 min/mi

"Self-Discovery, Skills of Mind, Generosity of Heart," reads the bumper sticker on a car at mile 9 — mission statement of the Field School in DC, and not a bad motto for Dawn Patrol either! K2 leads the way from Fletchers Cove Boathouse downstream. Alleys of Georgetown provide a cobblestone surveillance detection route to iced coffee at Starbucks.

"We saw a Great Blue Heron yesterday," says Roadkill, a quarter mile into today's run.

"And there's one now!" replies K2, pointing at the big bird standing in the waters of the C&O Canal. And then, a quarter mile later, "There's another!" and a quarter mile after that, "Look, another!" Time to pause for photos and appreciation. A few steps later, "Deer ahead!"

"Nice rack!" Roadkill comments, then apologizes, as we admire velvet-covered antlers that the stags are growing. The pace of nature discovery slows after the first mile; we spy one doe and one more heron.

"Grow their Circle of Concern?" We brainstorm ways to encourage better medical testing among young people. Maybe instead of peer-pressure or self-protection, remind them that they can help their friends and family be healthier? Likewise pattern inversion can suggest ideas for corporations to apply data-analytics to help employees, and vice versa. And maybe category theory can generate new jokes and meta-humor? "If a light sleeper sleeps with a light on ...".

"Less first-person singular?" After all, in a note from oneself the words "I think" or "In my opinion" are often a bit redundant. First-person plural is better, and maybe even that can be minimized? Hard not to have a viewpoint, though! Monuments stand dense on the mall — Lincoln, Korean War, Washington, DC War Memorial, Jefferson. A happy horse nibbles hay in a Park Police van.

"Fat & Greasy Citizens Brigade" reads the sign on a Georgetown churchyard fence. Roadkill is ready to sign up! Later research reveals that it's a DC theater company and a Shakespearean allusion. "Maybe after I lose another 19 pounds?" We wish Happy Fathers Day to dads running with baby carriages along the Mount Vernon Trail.

"Both elegant and genuine!" Qualities to strive for, and lovely feedback to receive. It's so hard to see ourselves as others see us, and to accept kind comments. We discuss the value of complementary skills in a group; Roadkill remembers an old science fiction story ("Pandora's Planet" by Christopher Anvil; cf Merit Scholarships) where both an alien civilization and humanity discover that they each need the other. Young runners dash past.

In the final cooldown mile: two of the first Great Blue Herons that we saw two hours ago, still fishing in the canal waters. And on the way home, by chance Roadkill drives past the Field School on Foxhall Road NW.

"Self-Discovery, Skills of Mind, Generosity of Heart"

_{(trackfile) - ^z - 2019-07-07}