~20 miles @ ~12.2 min/mi

"Is Ash Wednesday on Wednesday?"

"Yes, it usually is."

"I mean, is it this Wednesday!?"

"The other interpretation was funnier."

"I know."

Banter continues apace on a cold winter morning, as Gayatri Datta, Sara Crum, Barry Smith, and Rebecca Rosenberg join me to trot along Rock Creek.

Temps are in the upper teens when we start, and I'm wearing two hats, one on my head, the other tucked into my shorts. I pause on the way from home to our 0730 Candy Cane City rendezvous to take photos of the pulchritudinous "mermaid fountain" in the National Park Seminary, with dawn's baby-blanket pink and blue clouds behind it.

After out-and-back warm-ups as the gang gathers we commence the trek to Ken-Gar. A friendly fellow who calls himself "Dan" joins us near there, finishing up his 3 mile day. Rebecca and Sara stop when we're back to their cars; Gayatri and Barry and I continue to the DC line and back. Then to finish up her goal distance Gayatri and I run back past Meadowbrook Stables, where Barry picks me up and kindly gives me a ride home.

(Garmin GPS and Runkeeper app concur to within 1%; cf. 2012-06-06 - National Park Seminary Statues) - ^z - 2013-02-14