1. Out
It was 41 degrees, not cold by Washington, D.C. standards for October but cold for a Texan. So although I was wearing running shorts, I also had a jacket, an ear band and gloves to keep my fingers warm.
This weekend, we were supposed to run eight. I had originally planned to run up Rock Creek where Trudy and I had ridden bikes last time we were here. But on Friday Amanda had plotted what seemed a better route that went south instead of north.
I crossed Rock Creek on the P Street bridge and took a sometimes-brick, sometimes dirt trail along the top of the bluff overlooking the creek and the parkway. I crossed Pennsylvania Avenue and ran to the mouth of the creek near Thompson Boat Center where the trail turns south along the Potomac.
I ran past the Watergate, past Kennedy Center, down the marble steps between the Lincoln Memorial and the river. I ran past the Tidal Basin, under the Arlington Memorial Bridge and followed Ohio Drive under the spaghetti of 14th Street and US-1 and Interstate-395. And I finally ran along the western edge of East Potomac Park under the Cherry Trees that will be blooming six months from now.
I ran almost to Hains Point — not quite, but almost, because time was ticking away and I needed to turn back.
2. And Back
On the return, I stopped at the Jefferson Memorial. Of all the times I have come to this town, I have never been here.
I ran up the steps and walked around throngs of tourists and sat inside on the marble benches along the circumference and gazed up at Thomas Jefferson standing under that white dome surrounded by those great ionic columns.
I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times.
And after sitting there, I was late.
Around the tourists. Back down the steps. Beside a long line of people in purple walking to end Alzheimer’s. Back up along the Potomac with the wind at my back. Texting Trudy on my progress, knowing that she might be wondering if I was going to finish in time to meet her and Karen for lunch.
@jeff memorial
@lin mem
@kennedy ctr
@watergate
@rock ck pk
@P and 23rd
And finally @home.
By Washington, D.C. standards, it might not have been cold that morning. And for a serious runner, those eight miles would have been nothing. But let me tell you, the steaming, hot shower felt mighty fine.