Running 22 In Unfamiliar Territory

I am McLean, VA, about 10 miles outside of D.C., for a reverse mullet trip, which essentially means party on the front part of the week and business on the back. My training schedule for the Cowtown marathon in Ft. Worth on Feb 28 had our group running 22 miles last Saturday, so I had to run it without my homies and was not looking forward to that, but I was excited to adventure onto a new running route and see what pictures were held in store for me.

I Googled and found a trail about 3 1/2 miles from the hotel called the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD). It was an old railroad track turned into a running trail. The hotel shuttle dropped me off at a community center on the trail around 9 a.m. on Sunday. The center would be my ending destination as well. The starting temp was 32 degrees, but the sun was shining with only a little wind from the west. The trail runs east-west, so the wind didn't bother me, at first.

So what does a lone runner take with him-/herself in the winter in unfamiliar territory? I bundled up in my RW stocking hat, Under Armor shirt, fleece shirt, windbreaker, warm gloves topped with wind-resistance gloves, tights covered with wind-resistant pants, thick socks, and shoes. Good thing I had plenty of pockets b/c my accessories included an iPod; cell phone (I promised I would text Dave every hour or so to let him know I hadn't been kidnapped); Advocare SLAM, which I quickly drank before running; four packets of Gu, which I am so glad I had; a Kellogg's breakfast bar in case I needed more than liquid; an 8-oz bottle of water from the hotel room b/c the fountains looked few and far between and sometimes nonexistent on the map; a camera; and my Garmin (whose serial number Dave wrote down so the FBI could track me in case I was kidnapped).

My plan was to run 1/4 of the way one way, return to the center, then 1/4 of the way the other way and return. I wasn't sure which way to go first, so I asked a lady walking her dog. She said going west was prettier, with ponds and lilipads (which, by the way, I never saw lilipads), and I could see a little of the town of Vienna, but she would never go that way by herself because of the woods, though her friend does it all the time. So I headed west to start my adventure.

Once I passed through the town, I saw few walkers and runners but a lot of bikers. I also noticed a trail that would be perfect for TATURS that runs parallel to the paved trail I am on. At certain points during this trail, off-shoots take off into the woods. (TT = TATURS trail)

This is the trail I am on, looking west.

I run a couple of miles and come across this at a rest area. Oh-oh, what runner reached "the final destination" at this point?!?! No worries, though. That is one of a few "Stretching Post"s that are dotted along the trail. Notice at the base of the post a heel stretch divot. All of the posts had these, front and back.

Further down the trail, about three or so miles, I come across this random soccer field. There are actually two fields back to back. The TT continues on the C curve at the left of the picture or the straight one heading up the incline.

My first bridge. Didn't come across any horses but apparently they frequent here enough to require signs. These were posted on both sides of all bridges. Notice the TT on the right.

A nice covered resting and stretching stop but no water!

No purpose in this photo; I just thought it was pretty. The picture doesn't do it justice. The tree made a cool nature-made bridge.

Four miles into my run I come across this sign. Hopefully not a sign for things to come.

Below is the crick the above bridge covered. (I love using the word crick around my 8YO niece. She never fails to correct me: "Cassy, it's creeeeeeeeek!") This creek is also a crossing point of the TT. You'll see the in-and-out in later pics.

Ahhhh, the first comfort break around 4 1/2. This trail has nuthin on RiverParks' bathrooms!! (This is the only potty, not counting the center, I saw during my entire run.)

Whoops! Somebody littered!! (No, it wasn't me.)

I walked the few feet to this intersection after leaving the Johnny On the Spot. If you run with me, you know I like to take full advantage of all water breaks and get upset (sometimes jokingly, sometimes not) if anyone pushes the walk button. Because it is required by the law, I stopped here and all the other intersections as instructed. This trail had many trail/roadway crossings, and a lot of the roads had curves not far from the crossing. More cars than not stopped to allow the bikers/walkers/runners to cross, but I wasn't taking any chances. Trail runners to the right, all others to the left.

So I made it five miles going east and decided to turn around and head back to the center to give me my first ten. By this time, I am out of water as there were no fountains on the trail. I passed the below jugs right before I turned around. At first I thought RW had come to my rescue, but it turned out it was for the Reston Runners. As I looked longingly at them, I thought, Do I, don't I, do I, don't I? I don't think I can make it another five miles w/out water. Will they really miss 8 ozs? A look to the left, a look to the right. No one's coming!! Quick, push the button. Yeah, I feel like a Fleet Feet water borrower, but I justify it that the RRs would understand and that God really put the water there to help me. Off I go.

So I am now heading east. It is warmer and I not running into the wind, so I unzip my jacket and fleece.

Below is the creek that I referenced above that the TT would run through. The trail that ends in the foreground goes down into the water where the runner swims/wades across...

...and emerges in the foreground trail of this picture. The TT trail had some awesome hills, turns, and creek crossings. I kept thinking, "Oh, GE would be loving this!!"

So I'm running, I'm running, and I look to my left and think in a matter of a couple of seconds, Hmm, I didn't notice going the other way that deer statue. I have never seen a deer statue with antlers before. Wow, that is a really big deer statue. Why would those people have put a deer statue so far out away from their home? As these thoughts race through my mind, suddenly...

...the deer turns its head and looks the other way!! OMG, that is a real deer! My other pictures I took didn't turn out well at all, but that sucker was huge! It stood there for probably 20 seconds and didn't take off until a doe that I didn't notice that was in the brush made a run for it. Buck took off with her. I tried taking pics of them, but they were too fast and I didn't capture them. What a sight, though!! A male runner going the opposite way exclaimed, "Did you see that buck?!" and a few feet down the trail, one women runner said to her buddy, "Did you see those deer?" I felt lucky to have encountered Mr. and Mrs. Deer.

So I am back to my starting point at the community center. Ten down, twelve to go. I go inside the center for a comfort break and to refill my water bottle as I have downed all contents by now. I also take my second Gu.

As an aside, don't you hate it when you have to go to the bathroom really, really, really bad when you are running, and when you get to a toilet, all you get is a tric, which is not even a full trickle, and/or your colon gets performance anxiety?? Yeah, me too.

The below pic is going east. I must agree with the above-referenced lady, going west was the definite way to go. On this side of the center, there was not a TT, only pavement.

This bend in the trail is entitled "Civil War Action in Vienna" and detailed in three accompanying pictures below it. There were a lot of stops like this along the trail giving history snippets.

At one point, I had stopped to adjust my knee brace and heard a sound that I knew wasn't coming from Madonna's song on my iPod. There was a bike coming towards me, and as it passed me, I determined it too wasn't the culprit. I listened a few more seconds and found the noise source: Woody Woodpecker!

I ran over another bridge that crosses I-495. This is looking south...

... and this is looking north.

Somewhere in this world, there is a baby dribbling all over itself b/c it doesn't have its bib.

This route is also hillier. There were a couple of miles that the phrase "Creek Turnpike" went through my mind.

About this time, I am pooped and once again out of water. I haven't come across another fountain since leaving the center, about 2 1/2 miles back, and have only one swig left. I come into town and see a running store to my left. My Garmin says it is 10 a.m., and since RW doesn't open until 1 p.m. on a Sunday, I assume it too is closed. However, I spot a Quizno's (seen below behind the light pole) on the right and hone in on the neon "OPEN" sign in the window. I make a detour. They were sooo nice to let me refill my bottle with water from the drink fountain. I gulp it down, along with my breakfast bar, text Dave a second time to let him know I am okay, and refill my bottle again. I am beginning to hurt and am tired but head out.

I only had to run about another quarter mile, over this bridge from where I am taking the Quizno's picture, to find a water stop. Good to know for the way back.

I pass a Masonic lodge and see this commemoration to 9-11. It says "Freedom & Endurance."

So I have ran almost six miles going east when I am ready to turn around, so I do. My left calf is really tight and my right knee is hurting but not enough to make me not want to run. I am heading west again, so I am running into the wind. Brian Hoover has commented before that he likes to finish runs into the wind b/c he is sweaty and likes to cool off. I have decided I like the wind to my back for extra oomph I need.

On my way back, I stop at the aforementioned (and only) water fountain on this route and refuel with my last Gu, down the last of my water, and refill the bottle. Thank goodness I brought this bottle!!

I stop at another scenic stop to read about train wrecks on the old railroad on which I am now running. The next four pics tell about two of them that happened in the exact same spot in different years.

I shouldn't have stopped to read. Getting started again was hard and painful. I am about on mile 17 and think, Good grief, I have 5 more to go. My knee was giving me some major issues, and I really wish someone would have stopped me to offer a calf massage. And I wasn't thrilled with this route at all. Had I known the difference between the two, I would have opted to go further on the first half. Did I mention my legs were killing me? I wanted to write on my forehead, "I am going this slowly because I have already ran 17 miles!" But since I didn't have a Sharpie, I thought, Oh, well. Nothing to do now but suck it up and finish.

You are almost finished reading this posting b/c at this point in my run I took only one more picture. I was afraid to stop for too long b/c I didn't know if I would be able to start again, plus I'm thinking, This isn't fun anymore and I just want this to be over! At this point, I am losing it mentally because it took me about two running miles to realize, I am hearing outdoor noises b/c I don't have my iPod on. I couldn't hardly focus on anything but finishing.

Suddenly, there it is, like Dorothy spotting the Land of Oz for the first time: a sign telling me I am close to the finish.

I made it back. I walk around the outside of the community center to gain my last .20 miles. Finishing mileage: 22:02 miles. Finishing time: 4:56:00. Okay, not the fastest time in the world, but I wasn't out for the time; it was more about the experience. (I later learn that the clock time of 12:42 was still programmed for CST.)

I manage a call to the hotel for a shuttle pickup. I ask Kay, the driver, to take my picture. Yeah, I managed to climb on top of the tree stump; it was the coming down that was the problem.

On the way to the hotel, it occurs to me that I still have to run 4 more miles than what I did today to finish Cowtown. Oh, boy. Wish me luck!