~6.8 mi @ ~17.8 min/mi

"He even smells great!" Slow-Twitch and K2 comment quietly, as an awesomely-developed Adonis runs by. Half a mile later he reverses course to head homeward and greets us with a baritone "Hello again!" in passing. The ladies try not to stumble; Roadkill and Jaybird admit to feeling inadequate. "I've gotta get to the gym!" someone comments. "And work on your cheeks?" asks someone else.

Dawn Patrol's Sunday stroll begins at Fletchers Boathouse and proceeds down the C&O Canal towpath to Georgetown. On the way a fallen tree offers a chance for cross-training. Flood barriers are up and the Potomac River splashes the shore. Kayaks paint a waterside rainbow. A happy corgi tugs his leash as we grab coffee and head for the Key Bridge, where Army 10 Miler participants swoop by, two miles into their race. "Go Navy, uh, I mean Army!"

"Their flowers look like a kid's attempt to draw a tulip," says Slow-Twitch, describing the Liriodendron tulipifera she found growing near her home and plans to transplant. A great green witch perches atop a condo complex; a blue heron soars above the water. We analyze upcoming races: Ghost Train next weekend, then Marine Corps and Richmond marathons, the Devil Dog, and next year Vol State. "Nothing to prove, and no goals — we'll just do whatever number is written on our hearts!"

(trackfile) - ^z - 2019-10-28