Today I went for a run and completed my unofficial 40th marathon! I’m not going to lie – it was touch and go to get out of the car! Me and my friends committed to running on the original date and were happy earlier in the week when the weather looked great. Instead, here we are… rain, 40 degrees and wind. UGH. It’s funny because you think running a virtual marathon means you get to pick the time, place and day. Well this is what we picked and we gotta stick with it.

After struggling to gather courage and a rain jacket, we jumped out of the car and checked in at the Facebook MCM Training Group table located near the Iwo Jima Memorial. They had planned an out and back course that runners could complete twice and have access to a water stop. We checked in, hit the bathroom and got back in the car. After debating on our final clothing selections and whether or not we were really going to complete this, we got out of the car.

It was go time.

We hit the start button and took off towards Arlington Cemetery. Instead of a crazy start line with 25,000 runners we passed an empty road. We looped up the ramp and towards the Lincoln Memorial, something we normally would not have seen until a little after mile ten on the original course. We looped towards the Tidal Basin and then off towards Haines Point. Haines Point is always the half point and usually windy. Today it was only mile three and windy. We decided to loop the point twice in order to not have to repeat later on our course around mile eighteen. This was where we met our first informal water stop. We gained support from the lone volunteer and thanked him for being our cheerleader. I couldn’t help but think about the traditional Blue Mile located in this area that was not present this year. Last year I had worn my uncle’s name and rank on a bib as a tribute for his service during WWII and who had passed away last year. This race no doubt is know for its military support and tribute to those who serve our country. A strikingly missing element today in this stretch. As we made our second loop rain and wind continued to hit hard and I was instantly grateful I had brought my gloves along.

Next we moved along the Tidal Basin and turned west towards the Mall. As we hit the area near the area of the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler start/finish we began to see other virtual MCM runners looping the Mall. We hung a right towards the Smithsonian Castle and closed museums. The wind seemed to be hitting strong as we ventured up Capitol Hill and looped behind to see the Library of Congress and Supreme Court. Although we normally loop the Mall for the race, our impromptu visit behind the building allowed us a more scenic route through our political system. We turned back down the side of the Capitol building and back towards the mall. Once on the mall we took a quick pit stop at the bathrooms. Despite the rain, people were gathering for a Sunday service on the lawn.

Next we turned towards the White House going past the vistors spot on Pennsylvania Drive that has been closed off since the spring. Instead we turned on H Street and kept along side Lafayette Square made famous by political activism in June. A chain link fence with tributes and displays supporting voting rights and the BLM movement hung everywhere allowed. To the right of us was 16th Street which had been closed off and renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. Maybe it was just the combination of all factors, but with the rain and timeliness of the election our passage through this quiet street no doubt echoed the division in our country and voices that demand to be heard.  The wind changed as we looped back towards Constitution Ave and the Mall.

Continuing on, our route took us towards the WWII Memorial and we made our way along the Reflecting Pool. The rain had still not let up, but had lightened. As we hit the Lincoln Memorial a group hung on the steps singing. We ran along side the memorial and caught a quick glimpse of Arlington and our awaiting finish line. Where a Marine Corps band usually played for crowds and runners along the steps behind the memorial, instead steps filled with puddles. We came back around and made our way back to the Washington Monument. Loop one was done and so were fifteen miles.

Our next loop was the same; however, Washington was beginning to wake up. As we hit the Supreme Court where protestors had gathered to rally against the current justice nomination process. As we neared the White House, people were walking by reading, reflecting and adding to the fence. It was these moments that helped miles eighteen through twenty three fly by in no time. As we came back to the Washington Monument we rounded the Tidal Basin and made our way back to our original route and back to the start. The rain had almost stopped leaving a gray and misty day. We continued to pass other MCM runners and cheered their progress.

Finally we hit the bridge towards Arlington Cemetery, although each of us hit 26.2 at different times, we continued to cheer each time our watches beeped. To cool down, we walked along the cemetery and finally reached the final stretch of the original MCM course. We picked up the pace and ran up toward the MCM finish line and then made our way to the Iwo Jima Memorial. Instead of a Marine to greet us with a medal, satisfaction that we had conquered a virtual run, motivated ourselves throughout the run and made it safely back to the start – completing back to back marathons.

Done. My 40th unofficial marathon was complete. In 2010 I ran my first marathon on these streets and now I had just completed my 40th. So much has changed since that first run around me and within. I mean let’s be honest, who would have thought most races would be canceled in 2020!?

I ran a virtual, unofficial marathon for the love of running. For the adventure and excitement of pushing myself towards another challenge. With no crowds to support this run was not a typical run. Instead I had to look for the crowd support in different forms – the volunteers at the one water stop, the view of the monuments and museums, the political activism throughout the streets, the other virtual runners, the memories of previous runs on those streets, and finally within myself. Those aspects were cheering for me today and the memories of each and every adventure that had brought me to this moment. That is the love of running and why I run. And it was pretty poetic that my 40th marathon would be a virtual, unofficial race.