Author: Charlie Ban

Charlie Ban is the Editor-in-Chief of RunWashington, the runner's source for the DC area.

DCXC

Hot week before Monroe Parker forces improvisation

By Charlie Ban
Julia Ghiselli leads Ava Hassebrock toward the end of the second mile of the Monroe Parker Invitational. Photo: Charlie Ban

After a week of being forced to call audibles on practices in the face of oppressive heat and humidity, runners were treated to a cooler day at the Monroe Parker Invitational Saturday at Burke Lake.

Stifling humidity on top of late-summer heat coupled with new school district policies to cancel outdoor practices in the week leading up to the race, with teams opting for morning, late-night or independent practices. When runners at Osbourn Park couldn’t do morning practices, the Yellow Jackets wound up running stairs or laps around the hallways.

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Celebrate Running

When the Parks Half Marathon becomes the Rachmaninoff ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon

By Charlie Ban
Shaun Tirrell. Photo: Tom Brennan

In the middle of mile six, the Parks Half Marathon went from sweaty brow to high brow.  It became the “Rachmaninoff ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.”

Heading into Ken-Gar Park, runners were greeted by George Gershwin as Shaun Tirrell tickled the ivories. In a tuxedo, paired with some Asics, seated at a concert grand piano.

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DCXC

Fall 2018 RunWashington

By Charlie Ban
Cover photo: Marleen Van den Neste

Our 2018 cross country issue includes stories about the historic Burke Lake course, schedule building, managing extracurriculars with running, West Springfield coach Chris Pellegrini and more! Click through to read the magazine online. This will, however, be our last print edition because we are going online only from here on!

(more…)

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News

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban
General area of the August Metropolitan Branch Trail attacks.

The Washington Post reports a runner was punched in the face Aug. 15 and surrounded by five suspects, who took the runner’s phone. On Aug. 11,  four robbers, one with a knife,  surrounded the victim, taking a phone and $30.

Both incidents occurred at the north end of the trail before it reaches Edgewood Street NE, near the Dew Drop Inn, and both happened around 8:45 p.m.

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News

Need 20 miles? Here are some options

By Charlie Ban
Beach Drive , looking north from Joyce Road.

Right when the meaty part of Fall marathon training starts, D.C.’s primary long run route continues to be a challenge. “The Big Loop,” the popular 20-mile route carrying runner around the Capital Crescent and Georgetown Branch trails to Rock Creek Park’s Beach Drive is still compromised, though in new ways.

The Georgetown Branch Trail remains closed during construction of the Purple Line. The Beach Drive rebuilding project has moved north, closing most of the 2.7 miles between the Maryland state line and Joyce Road. And now the Zoo loop, the roughly half-mile trail circumnavigating the Beach Drive tunnel, is apparently in danger of falling into the creek following heavy rains and erosion, so pedestrians and cyclists are forced to share a five-foot-wide sidewalk, feet from automobile traffic.

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