NoMa Run Club Newsletter: October Edition

Hi runners! Welcome to the October Edition of the NoMa Run Club (NRC) newsletter!

Fall is officially here! This season brings us pumpkin spices, the changing colors and falling leaves, the rain and fresh air. This was a big month for NoMa Run Club. We held our annual Beer Run, which was a massive success. A big congratulations to all who crushed the DC Half Marathon and took on the Rock ‘n the Knob Trail Challenge!

Some exciting things happening in DC: Capital Bikeshare added four e-bike charging stations, Metro will return to automated trains starting in December and will look to add a credit card tap payment system next year, funds were awarded to cleanup the Anacostia River, and Councilmember Allen introduced legislation that would ban common area utility fees in large apartment buildings.

NoMA MoMA: Monthly Member Awareness

I’ve known Adrian Vega since I started with NRC in Winter 2022, and he’s always been great to run with! I’ve known him to run lots of cool races and would love to know his inspiration and motivation for the extreme running! - Chris Baitinger

Why did you join NoMa Run Club?
The genuine smiles, the beers, the story telling, all with a side of running.

Favorite running route in DC?
Early morning runs on The Mall. It’s a privilege to live so close to these landmarks and to have them to yourself in the mornings is special.

What made you decide to sign up for a full Ironman?
I enjoy pushing myself. Traveling for work, I happened to be staying at a resort hosting Cambridge, MD’s first Ironman. I was sitting at the bar and I saw this group of athletes come in with their gear in tow when it just hit me, “I don’t know what they’re doing but I gotta do that too.” They looked serious and at the same time huge infectious smiles across their faces :)   

How was your experience?
Loved it. It truly is about the journey. I signed up in December 2023, bought a bike in February, fractured a metatarsal in March, fractured a phalange a week later. As soon as I was out of my boot, I started running races I wasn’t prepared for. Once I could grip again, jumped back on the bike and long rides to Leesburg became just a regular Saturday morning. These aren’t recommendations. Adapting, rebounding, and growing the whole way.

How did you get into doing trail races?
My first trail race was Moab Trail Marathon last year. I was invited by some friends at NRC. On my hikes, I’d see trail runners and always wanted to get into it, so I jumped at the chance when it came up!

How do you decide which trail race to do next?
I ask myself one simple question: would I want to hike there? If it’s worth hiking, it’s worth trail running.

What do you do when you’re not running?
Watching Liverpool FC at the Queen Vic or hiking. Give me a 15-17 mile trek through the mountains and my camera, LFG. A road trip to start, yes please.

Upcoming October Events

Altra Running Shoe Demo w/ NoMa Run Club - October 7
Note: please plan to arrive at REI around 6:20PM if interested in the shoe demo.

Join us for our usual Monday run starting at REI, and get an opportunity to try one of Altra Running’s newest shoes: the FWD Via. It has a brand-new nitrogen infused midsole, and it’s Altra’s first max cushion addition to the 4mm drop lineup. Several other shoes will be available to try as well, including classics like the Escalante and Torin.

Baltimore Running Festival - October 19
Run or cheer on club members during the Baltimore Running Festival! Let us know if you’re running!

Marine Corps Marathon - October 27
The Marine Corps Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the US and the world. Known as “the best marathon for beginners,” the MCM is the largest marathon in the world that doesn't offer prize money, earning its nickname, “The People's Marathon.”

September Events Recap

Rock ‘n the Knob Trail Challenge - September 14
On Saturday 9/14, August B., Allegra D., Liz S., Emily M., and Anthony S. drove to Claysburg, PA to take on the Rock ‘n the Knob Trail Half-Marathon. The runners dashed through lovely forests, scrambled up steep inclines, and descended tricky switchbacks as they wound their way around Blue Knob in the Allegheny Mountains. There were tumbles on the trail, cramping legs, and missed turns, but by the end of the day, they’d just had too much fun to worry about all that (the excellent free food and draft beer afterward helped a lot, too). This was Liz and August’s second time Rock ’n the Knob, the first time for everyone else, and it won’t be the last for any of them. 

DC Half Marathon - September 15
Congrats to those who participated and thanks to those who cheered. Carl B. volunteered his time at a water station. Here is what he had to say:

They say if you ever lost faith in humanity, go watch a marathon. I say if you ever need a boost of morale, go volunteer at one. I did not race the DC Half, but I knew I wanted to help. I was assigned to set up and hand out water and Gatorade at mile 6/10 near the Kennedy Center. It was inspiring to see so many of my running friends chasing their PRs or completing their first half. I was proud to be able to be a small part of helping people through a tough race. Volunteers are always needed at big races like that, and it’s a rewarding experience. I’d highly recommend it to anyone. Especially if you’re going to be there to cheer anyway!

NoMa Beer Run - September 21
Big thanks to Crooked Run, Andy’s Pizza, Lost Generation, City State, Best Day Brewing, and Right Proper Brewing. Thanks to event organizers Surya M. and Tucker B. And thank you all who joined us. Check out photos from the event at our website. We hope you had a blast, and we’ll see you again next year.

Run Club Advocacy

At the start of the Beer Run, a representative from Friends of the MBT spoke about the importance of advocacy. While bicyclists can be vocal about issues like obstructed bike lanes and dangerous drivers, runners tend to speak up less, even though these concerns impact the running community too.

An example of one of these concerns is the MBT trail narrowing near Lost Generation and Stable Arts, which has persisted for months without any progress or updates. As regulars on the MBT, this is something we can get involved with, as this pinch point is clearly dangerous for all users.

We encourage becoming involved in local issues and making your voice heard. The good news is that this trail narrowing will finally be fixed, with a short detour on the MBT through November 2024. The trail was temporarily closed for a few days, but it has since been reopened once it was discovered that the closure was carried out by a private contractor, not a DC agency, and without the required permits.

The best ways to reach out to DC agencies are:

• Tweet @311DCgov, @DDOTDC, @DC_DOB or your local ANC

• Use the 311 Mobile App to quickly make a report, upload photos, and check on the status of requests throughout the city

• Go online to 311.dc.gov to submit a request or ask for a timeline of next steps whenever there is an issue that does not seem to get resolved

Olympians, post-Olympics

Even after being at peak performance in Paris, the 2024 Olympians are still setting new records and pushing themselves even further. Mondo Duplantis jumped even higher at his next event. Then, he faced Karsten Warholm in a fun 100m challenge. The pole vaulter world record holder beat the 400m world record holder in a 100m race, with an incredible time of 10.37s. Separately, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the 5000m gold medalist, ran his longest run ever by competing in the Copenhagen Half Marathon, stopping a few times but still setting a time of 63 minutes. Perhaps inspired by the 100m race between Duplantis and Warholm, in the near future we may see Femke Bol, 400m hurdle world champion, race against Keely Hodgkinson, 800m Olympic champion, in a 600m race. Triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt talked a big game by stating he would target the 2028 Tour de France for the win, but in recent weeks said he would focus on the 2028 LA Olympics triathlon event instead.

Voter Registration 

Election season is approaching. Depending on where you're registered, local elections might be even more significant than the presidential election. Make sure to verify and update your voter registration if necessary, and stay aware of the relevant deadlines. Find more information on registering to vote in U.S. elections at Vote.gov.

Run Club Merchandise

Our merchandise site is live! We have shirts, tanks, race singlets, hats, and even sweatshirts and beanies to keep you warm as the weather cools down. Pick your favorites, and your order will be shipped straight to you. Also, 10% of the proceeds will go to the club, which we’ll use to help fund our fun runs, socials, and events throughout the year. Looking forward to seeing our runners in NoMa Run Club gear. Thank you for supporting us!

Newsletter Contributions

Do you have a running related story you would like to share with us? Did you participate in a race and want to send in a race report? Do you want to nominate someone as the member of the month?

Weekly NRC Runs Calendar

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to stretch 🙂