The Rock N Roll USA Marathon released its course map today and since I have several friends running this race, I spent the evening putting together an awesome spectator plan.

My goal with this plan was to make sure I could see my friends in as many places as possible.

Assuming the metro cooperates this plan lets me see them at five spots on the course and again at the finish line.

I thought I'd share my awesome spectator plan in case anyone else is looking for an easy way to see your runners at a lot of different places.


Jess' Ultimate Spectator Plan for the Rock N Roll USA Marathon:

Cheer Point #1: Farragut West Metro Station between miles 5 and 6

From there walk to Farragut North Metro Station. Take the Red line in the direction of Glenmont. Metro to Union Station, walk quickly to cheer point #2 (about a 15 minute walk)

Cheer Point #2: Intersection of K and North Capitol Sts. NW between miles 10 and 11

Walk back to Union Station very, very fast (again about a 15 minute walk)

Optional Cheer Point #1: Union Station near mile 14 (This will depend on if the metro is majorly delayed and how fast the runners are going. If there are major delays on metro or your runners are moving fast, skip this cheer point and immediately move to either optional cheer point #2 or cheer point #3)

Take the Red line in the direction of Shady Grove from Union Station to Gallery Place. Switch to Green line in the direction of Branch Avenue. Metro to Waterfront- SEU. Walk to either Optional Cheer Point #2 (5 min walk) or Cheer Point #3 (10 min walk)

Optional Cheer Point #2: M and Maine Sts. SW. between miles 16 and 17 (This again depends on how fast the runners are going and how fast metro is going. If there's time for this cheer point, simply walk very quickly from here to cheer point three - 15 min walk)

Cheer Point #3: M and Sout Capitol Sts SE near mile 19

Walk to Waterfront-SEU metro station (10 min walk) or Navy Yard metro station (5 min walk). Take Green line in the direction of Greenbelt to L'Enfant Plaza. Transfer to Orange or Blue lines in the direction of New Carrollton or Largo to Stadium Armory. Walk to finish line. (15 min walk)

And just like that you will have had a chance to see your runners at a lot of different places and get back to the finish line in time to meet up with them.

If you're running the Rock N Roll USA Marathon or Half Marathon feel free to share this spectating plan with your friends and family. Trust me, they'll appreciate not having to put their own plan together.

And if you're running keep an eye out for me. I'll be at all the places listed here (except maybe the optional ones, though I'm going to try), and I'll be bringing back the "You Run Better Than Metro" sign that was such a hit at the Marine Corp Marathon!

When you live in one place for a long time, it's easy to fall into a pattern where you visit the same few places over and over again, whether it's a favorite restaurant, a favorite bar or even just a favorite running route that you repeat over and over.

That's the way I feel about D.C. sometimes. I live in this incredible city, with so much to do, but I only take advantage of a tiny portion of it.

This summer, I've been really trying to expand my D.C. horizons and explore areas I've never been to before.

Like this weekend, I tried a new running route down by the monuments, and after the run Megan and I met up with my coworker Emily at Eastern Market.

Eastern Market is one part farmers market, one part artisan stands and one part flea market.

Inside, you can buy fresh fish and meats and outside there's tons of produce. I was impressed with how many of the meat options were locally raised and free range.



Megan and I eyed up the cupcake counter


If I hadn't just finished running I would have gone with the choc/PB option

but opted to pick up some fresh produce instead.



I scored two squash and a huge red and yellow pepper and feasted on many of the fruit samples that the vendors had out.



Eastern Market is inconvenient for me to get to on a regular basis, so I will most likely stick to the farmers market that's closer to my house, but it was fun to try a new place and I was definitely impressed with the variety and the quality of foods available at Eastern Market. Part of me wishes I lived closer so I could go to Eastern Market every weekend.

Do you branch out and try new places or do you tend to stick to your usual spots?

Between bomb scares and random services outages the Metro has been working like crap this week, which makes my commute to and from work a real joy. I blame it on the sheer panic that has engulfed the city as a result of next week's Inauguration.

With estimates of millions and millions of people coming to town (some already starting to trickle in) to see Obama sworn in, people are freaking out. I'm waiting for the street corner preachers to show up and tell me the world is ending. D.C. has officially been declared in a state of emergency. The Metro is running some crazy schedule opening at like 4 a.m. on Tuesday and staying open til 2 a.m. Wednesday. My best friend's friend was able to rent out his D.C. townhouse for the week for $10,000!

Oh and my co-worker just got in with some pictures she snapped of the preparations on her walk to the office. Roads are already closed. Giant pictures of Obama and Biden are flying and ugly scaffolding on construction sites is being covered in some form of red, white and blue because god-forbid tourists see parts of the seeing under construction.

Seriously, I just want things to go back to the normal chaos of D.C. Not D.C. on Inauguration steroids.

Personally, I'm getting the hell out of Dodge. As a federal employee I have a nice four-day weekend coming up with MLK day and the Inauguration being federal holidays.

I'm planning to stay with the BF so I'm far, far away from the madness. I will be able to get my runs in easily without having to worry about dodging crazy people camping out on the National Mall or being stopped by 1 million tourists asking for directions. (Really is there anything more frustrating then having to explain how to get to XYZ just when you're hitting your stride?)

I just keep telling myself I've got to make it through two more days and then I can escape the madness.

I'm a dork because I have PT tonight and I specifically planned out an outfit to wear. Yes that's right I have a serious problem. You may all remember from my previous post that HMT went to one of my rival high schools. Well we just so happened to play them in football in our homecoming game during my sophomore year. For every homecoming game student council printed spirit t-shirts with some sort of catchy, but usually not so funny, "our team will beat your team" slogan.

I'm wearing it tonight. It's kelly green and rather bright. With black shorts.



Yes, I'm a huge dork. But if nothing else it will be a conversation starter.

In other news, my 4th of July was excellent. I went to Washington, D.C. to watch the concert and fireworks from the West Lawn of the Capitol building. It poured a lot and we got very, very wet, but we had a great time, and it wasn't so bad that they had to cancel the fireworks.

Really there's no better place to be on the 4th than D.C.

Also went to see Wall-E this weekend. Check here for my thoughts and to see the trailer. (Don't worry no spoilers).