Where to Run in the DC Area
One POPSUGAR Staffer Shows Us the DC Running Route That Empowers Her to Race
Meg Konigsburg has lived in New York City since 2014, but her heart still belongs to the suburbs of Washington DC where she grew up. She frequently makes the trip back to see family in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, and now has an extra incentive — these familiar streets are a refreshing change of scenery as Meg prepares for the Brooklyn Half Marathon on May 19 and her third triathlon this year (!), Virginia's Reston Sprint on June 3. "Running makes me feel strong physically and mentally," Meg says. "If I'm having a bad day, or feeling anxious, going for a run can really change my whole perspective on the day." This is how she hits a home run.
Meg's prerun prep begins in LeDroit Park, the perfect spot to find a public garden, pretty bench, or gate to aid a hamstring stretch and to connect her MapMyRun app to her UA HOVR Sonic running shoes. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in DC — hence its iconic "LeDroit Park 1873" sign — and home to some serious real-estate eye candy. Its mix of Victorian homes provides Meg a colorful background for psyching herself up for a training run.
As an avid triathlete and half-marathoner, Meg is no stranger to an intense training schedule. She keeps her mind engaged and her body challenged with a complementary mix of strength, flexibility, and the necessary training miles to cross those finish lines. "I try to get in one long run, plus one training run at my running club in NYC, per week," she says. "I also like cross training with hot yoga, swimming, and weightlifting to keep things interesting."
Meg is well-accustomed to running city streets but particularly appreciates DC as she strives to increase her race pace to sub-11 minutes this year. "There are fewer people than in New York, so I don't have to weave around so much," she says. "Plus it feels closer to nature, which is a great way to shake up my routine."
That said, one of Meg's favorite spots for a postrun snack, Yang Market, reminds her of her adopted home and one of the things it does best: the sandwich. The menu covers every iteration, from $2 PB&Js to classic Italian sandwiches, but the husband-and-wife owners aren't the least bit offended if you go off-menu. "I invent my own tomato-mozzarella sandwich," says Meg, "but there's something there for everyone and their coffee is amazing."
The mark of any committed triathlete is the ability to change it up, so a typical run for Meg doesn't just stick to the sidewalk. When in DC, she loves to hit the trails of Crispus Atticus Park — a patch of green surrounded by First Street, U Street, North Capitol Street, and V Street NW that's maintained by the local community. Here, Meg's UA HOVR Sonic shoes help her navigate uneven ground and the weight redistribution that results. "These shoes are so incredibly lightweight and comfortable that at times, I forget I'm even wearing them!" she says. "They're super cushiony and make me feel like I can take on any terrain."
"Also, I like that they're so cute — they don't look bulky at all," she adds. In fact, Meg is happy to wear them to one of her favorite postrun haunts, The Boundary Stone. This favorite neighborhood pub is a nod to the 40 stones placed as mile markers to form the original diamond shape of DC. Mile markers and beer? That sounds like half-marathon day.
Beyond the long-term benefits of running, like increased strength and fitness, every runner needs an immediate motivation to keep it up. When that runner's high is still a few miles away, Meg relies on her soundtrack and the thrill of making progress to finish up strong. "Not every run for me is perfect," she says, "but when I notice that I'm able to go up a hill a little faster than last time, or that I don't feel winded as early on as usual, it's great motivation to keep going and continue to build."
Another great motivator is to set the finish line at the most breathtakingly beautiful point in your run. That couldn't be easier in DC, where cherry blossoms and monuments meet the Mall and the Potomac (check out MapMyRun's top nine DC-area routes here). For Meg, it's the National Capitol Monument — an arrangement of 22 Corinthian columns, inside the National Arboretum, that were removed from the Capitol in 1958. It's fair to say that they've been the finish line for a lot of runs: Before they were deemed too fragile to support the Capitol's expansion and new white marble facade, they witnessed two-dozen presidential inaugurations. "It's a great place to set a goal run as the views are truly inspiring," Meg says.
Meg's immediate postrun celebration is drinking a chai latte under the grapevine leaves of Big Bear Cafe, a coffee shop and event space that preps orders ahead for pickup — which is one way to challenge your mile pace. "I love how I feel when I finish a run," she says. "Runner's high is truly the best. It's so satisfying to see my progress, and to know that the work I'm putting in for speed and distance is paying off."
With that attitude, the one thing Meg isn't going to need in this year's races is luck.
Credits: Photography: Zachary Kane; Art Direction: Shanna Greenberg; Production: Sasha Bar-Tur; HMU Art: Carrie LaMarca; Illustrations: Alessandra Olanow
