~7.5 miles @ ~13.0 min/mi

"They call me 'The Grim Reaper'!" Sako tells Rebecca Rosenberg and Ken Swab. A week ago she and her EMS crew save a life — yay, team! Today we do a space-filling ramble through the peak-bloom cherry-blossom-lined streets of Kenwood, pausing often to take photos.

"They should sell maps!" Neighborhood kids set up their table offering lemonade and coffee to passers-by — for a fee. Cars creep slowly under pink arches. I arrive early and, when attempting to put the car key into a pocket, discover my shorts are on backwards. Temps are far chillier than yesterday, with intermittent north winds, so while awaiting others I run back-and-forth along the CCT to stay warm (mile 1 @ 9.5 min/mi).

"Little Cherry Blossom" is what Sakurako's full name means; she reminisces about running the Imperial Palace Grounds in Tokyo. Rebecca continues her training for the Big Sur Marathon in a month. Ken recounts yesterday's antiquing-auction-odyssey into Pennsylvania, and last month's expedition into the slot canyons of Arizona for the 55k Antelope Canyon trail run.

"NO PARKING Montgomery County Police" say signs along the lanes. Is this a law-enforcement-free Sanctuary Zone?

(trackfile) - ^z - 2017-04-17