~24 miles @ ~14.7 min/mi

Important Tip: when refilling bottle in fancy restroom, hold under water tap, not under automatic soap dispenser!

Today's trek with Amy Couch and Gayatri Datta starts at Amy's front door and proceeds along the Anacostia Tributary trail system: down Sligo Creek and Northwest Branch, up Northeast Branch and Paint Branch, and across the University of Maryland campus to close the loop.

We see dozens of geese and robins and ducks, one huge turkey vulture, and one deer. After 20 miles, Gayatri confesses that she did 6 miles on Friday and 16 on Saturday. So, for some obscure reason, she feels a wee bit tired – hmmmmm! Gayatri and I send Amy, who still feels frisky, ahead via Sligo Creek during the final miles back to her home. We take a short-cut along Dale Dr to arrive a few minutes behind her.

As it has been for weeks, my left hamstring (gluteus maximus? piriformis? ITB?) is achy but tolerable. As happened a fortnight ago, Amy gets a couple of bonus miles compared to what her marathon training schedule prescribes – yay!

Runtastic and Garmin provide details of the route and pace, including a long pause at UM to find an unlocked building, visit the facilities, and rinse out a soapy water bottle.

^z, Amy, and Gayatri pose midway through the run, in front of a Hokusai-like mosaic – see 2013-12-14 - UM-NWB-NEB-PB Loop, 1, and 2 for background re the Melrose Skateboard Park on the Northwest Branch Trail.

^z - 2014-03-10