Wow! A Hot Sloggish Run In DC

The wow is for the heat not my prowess on the run.  Whew. It was hard but still oh so wonderful.  I left Em's new apartment carefully looking around so I could find my way back. ( I may have had a little trouble on the way back from getting a bagel.)  I walked until I got to a certain point and then I began the "run" and I do use that term loosely.  But before I knew it I was running alongside the traffic which I get a little kick out of as it is so alien to me.  I was running by the Potomac with many other runners and bikers another alien concept to me.  I generally see no one else working out.

When I got to the Lincoln Memorial I wondered if I should turn left and go to the monuments or cross the bridge and run along the Mt. Vernon Trail and back across the bridge to the Jefferson Memorial.  I sat and texted for a minute (texting wasn't important but if felt great to sit)  and decided across the Potomac it was.  I am always amazed at how complicated it is to cross the road.  You don't just cross left. You go right cross a couple of roads - go all the way back toward Arlington Cemetery cross there, along the road and cross in couple more places and you are finally where you wanted to be.  It's not Vermont!

I love the path and looking back across the Potomac. I don't think I would ever get sick of the sight of the monuments and memorials.  I know I don't on my visits here.

I made a planned stop at the Jefferson Memorial to fill my water bottle and use the bathroom.  The water was rather warm and the angle of the fountain made it not easy to fill at all.  In fact it was at best half full.

I am glistening.

  

I ran along the Tidal Basin another place I love to run and feel very inspired by.  

When I got to the Mall I stopped at the Ranger Station??? for the COLDEST WATER EVER and a full water bottle.  I NEVER run with water at home but man did I need it on Thursday.  I just walked by the Washington Monument without visiting any of the Memorials.  I decided to go by the White House for the rest of my run.  I didn't get lost and ended at Starbucks with a cold drink and an iced water.  

After a badly needed shower I met Emily for a quick lunch.  Then with some time to kill I spent time at Starbucks with an iced coffee, in the air conditioning happily reading and people watching.  Then I went to the National Gallery of Art. I planned what I wanted to see and had a delightful time.  My favorite two paintings are below. The top one is the Isle of Shoals in NH.  Then the statue.....I'm not a real statue person but I had to take a picture of this statue entitled Girl Putting on Her Shoe.  Well when I first saw it I thought it said Girl Peeing on her Shoe!  All this athletic stuff makes me think about peeing and where I can pee way too much and what happens if there is nowhere to go?? Well you just pee on your shoe obviously.

I also just enjoyed some time walking by the Capitol and White House.  I put some serious miles on in that heat!  Then I picked up Em and we walked back!  The 9 I ran was a small part of my total for the day.  

Distracting things during the day:

• People wearing jeans in such hot weather. Why or why!
• Sweating
• Looking for license plates. I am playing the find all 50 states electronically with a couple of friends.  Yes, I know that is something children usually do but I always liked it more than my kids.  It's all about filling in those lists!  
• Sweating
• Walking along curbs to look at license plates carefully.  I'm sure people thought I was a meter maid.   I'm also sure that is no longer what they are called!
• Sweating
• Texting my friends to brag about the license plates I was seeing - like shooting fish in a barrel
• Sweating
• Getting mad at Maryland for having so many different license plates.  
• Sweating

I do not know how you runners in warmer climates do it!  I was fatigued and ran so very slowly!  I admire all of you greatly!