from Maryland to Virginia through DC

...another killer Sunday run is behind me now. It was hard getting up this morning thinking I have to run 15 miles (multiply this by 1.6 to get KM), especially since yesterday I ran 7M in the morning in New York and then another 4M in Washington DC just before we headed off for a wedding.

The wedding was slow but nice, and I was anyhow too busy adoring my wife in her amazing orange dress and thinking about the run.

I set off this morning at 9am from Bethesda, on the Georgetown trail, thinking what a nice change from running in Manhattan between buildings and yellow cabs, which are always ready to run you over if the opportunity presents itself. Life on the Manhattan streets is tough, and as my friend B said, ride the bike in the opposite direction from the traffic.

I can't quite figure out the taxis in New York. I'm from the Balkans and I know a few things about aggressive driving, but man, these guys are altogether on a different planet. I can only think of one other city where driving is aggressive -- try crossing a street in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Descending on the trail I hit the canal -- it's a small water shoulder of the Potomac river probably used to control water levels and prevent floods down lower in Georgetown -- at which point I turned to the right heading towards Georgetown and the Virginia bridge. I crossed the bridge into Virginia and continued along the Potomac river toward the Reagan National Airport. I really enjoy it for the planes taking off above my head. I'm obsessed with planes and have been since I was a kid, which is probably why I don't mind traveling so much. At some point, I crossed over another bridge which got me back into the DC area, setting me at the footstep of the Washington Monument. I turned left and passed in front of the White House. The street was closed off due to the Harley-Davidson gathering for the Memorial Day convention. I've never seen so many bikes, dudes in leather jackets, and chicks in jeans. It was a very American sight, but it had a cool look to it. Something that I love about the U.S. is the love for "cruising." Growing up in Abu Dhabi I too developed a love for driving.

Once I hit the Kennedy Center I knew I was almost done. From there it was a 10 minute run back into Georgetown where I met up with my wife, who did her own 8M run today. Most impressive. She's running so great; I never thought it.

I stopped at 16.43M (about 26.3KM), which I completed in just over 2h and 5min. Having crossed two States, Maryland and Virginia, and the District, Pao and I headed over for coffee/recovery session at the Slovenian Ambassador's residence. His terrace is the best place in Washington DC to have an Iced Latte on a Sunday afternoon, and if you need some recovery sports gels, be sure to stop by there.