~11 miles @ ~12 min/mi

At 6:10am I set off from home toward Candy Cane City for a rendezvous with Rebecca Rosenberg, Barry Smith, and Ken Swab. Small world: en route on the Georgetown Branch Trail whom should I see but yesterday's new acquaintance, young Ms. V! (aka Javi Hartenstine; cf. 2012-06-30 - Meet V) She's heading toward me and turns from the GBT onto the connector path at Terrace Dr and Grubb Rd, then proceeds down to the Ray's Meadow water fountain. I catch up with her there and re-introduce myself; she wasn't sure it was me since today I'm shirtless after the first humid mile.

At Meadowbrook Stables a MINI Cooper beeps and comrade Joyce drives past. I visit with her at the Candy Cane playground before she and friend KC set off to run trails in Rock Creek Park. Ken arrives, followed soon by Rebecca and Barry. We proceed down Rock Creek Trail to Beach Dr at the DC line, and onward as speeding cyclists whirl past. When Barry's GPS says 3+ miles at the bridge over Rock Creek (between Bingham and Military Rd) we turn back. It's ultra-damp and warm. We take walk breaks guiltlessly.

Back at Candy Cane City Ken heads for home; he survived 30 miles of the Black Hills ultramarathons in South Dakota last weekend and is still recovering from that hyperthermic experience. Barry is willing to give me a ride but wants to do another mile or two with Rebecca and her friend Megan O'Rourke, who arrives at 8am. I follow them along north on RCT, but instead of turning back with Barry just continue on homewards, bidding Megan and Rebecca adieu at the branch to take Ireland Dr up the ridge to my home. The Garmin GPS trackfile offers more detail.

^z - 2012-07-27