Last weekend Rob and I took a trip to DC to celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary a few weeks early. You would think that by living in Baltimore it would be pretty simple to get to DC which is only like 50 miles away or something, but the two cities’ ridiculous amounts of traffic make it rather difficult. I’ll skip all the travel details, but we ended up meeting at the metro stop near our hotel on Friday around 7:15. We stayed at the Key Bridge Marriott, which happened to be right near the MCM marathon start line! So we got to see lots of runners and even part of the race (more on that later).
We checked in to our hotel and immediately headed out for dinner. We chose Piola which was a casual Italian restaurant within walking distance from our hotel. We each started with a drink (sauvignon blanc for me, heineken for Rob) and ordered brushetta. We also shared a house salad, which didn’t get documented. I ordered a pizza with arugula and grilled chicken- which was a change from my usual pre-long run fuel but I figured I wanted to try something different!
We had a little issue at our hotel with a leaking bathroom sink that involved the maintenance guys in our room until after 10pm…but we were asleep immediately after that!
On Saturday morning we woke up and got ready for our long runs. I ate a banana and two honey stinger waffles, and drank coffee.
We headed out to a trail and ran an out and back for 20 miles total. We were definitely glad when that was over!
When we got back to the hotel it was around 10:30am so I drank a chocolate milk and ate a cliff bar to begin refueling before heading out to lunch.
We went to Georgetown (just on the other side of the bridge) and went to Thunder Burger thanks to Cori’s recommendation. It was the perfect post-long run meal!
Beers, sweet pita bread that was complimentary, and burgers with fries. My beer was the Rogue hazelnut brown nectar, which our waitress recommended (it wasn’t on the menu).
After lunch we walked around Georgetown and eventually ended up in the GW area. We stopped at a bar for another beer, and then went to the metro to head out to my friends’ house to visit with them for a bit.
They just had a baby in September, so we were excited to meet him for the first time!
We headed back to our hotel room for a quick change before going to dinner.
Our reservation was at BLT steakhouse. It was a great meal, and there was great service. The restaurant was a little dark which made it difficult to take pictures! I didn’t even get a picture of my steak, but it was really good. They knew we were celebrating our anniversary so brought up champagne and petit fours at the end!
We slept later than planned on Sunday, and when we woke up it was raining. We had planned to go out and watch some of the race, but didn’t make it out there in time. However, we did get to see some of it from our hotel window!
Before making the trek back to Baltimore we fueled up with breakfast (and coffee) at the hotel.
It was really nice to get away for the weekend. We both agreed that we could have easily accepted a weekend at home to relax and catch up on things, but sometimes you just need to force yourself to get away so you can relax a bit. Not that running 20 miles is “relaxing” but you know what I mean!
When was the last time you went away for the weekend?
Do you feel weird being around a big race when you are not actually running?
Do you always eat the same things before a long run?
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Weekends away are so fun! My son wants to go to DC, I haven’t been down there in forever.
You should plan a trip to DC and make a stop in Baltimore:)
Your weekend looks perfect, including the run! That’s really cool that you and Rob ran together, I think Adam and I have run maybe 4 miles together and it was years ago at this point. And I’d love to spectate a big race, not sure how I’d feel about not running it though!
We don’t run together very often, but when we are in a new area it always makes more sense. I was a little jealous of the MCM runners!
Look at that, we both had road trip eats and weekends. Great minds think alike.
I would kill for a slice of that pizza, not literally of course. 😉
Happy WIAW and thanks for linking up.
Yes!!
And I am practically always in the mood for (good) pizza.
Your weekend looks so perfect. I love DC but I’ve never been to Georgetown. I keep struggling deciding if I want to move to Baltimore or DC…I suppose the job search will decide that for me. While I don’t always eat the same things before a big run, I make sure to eat bland and avoid anything that may upset my finnicky stomach.
I think it would be awesome to live in DC! But Baltimore is a bit cheaper…I guess you would make more in DC though. Tough call! But Im sure you will figure it out:)
Yay for time away! and good eats to boot. I’m surprised you even got a hotel room, what with the marathon going on! And you all are champions for going out for that 20 miler–the couple that marathon trains together, right?
I was shocked we got a hotel room (with a decent rate) after I realized it was MCM weekend. Usually we struggle to find a hotel for the marathons we are actually running! It was a big hotel though, and packed with runners.
What a fun weekend! 🙂 I love that you guys did such an intense run on your weekend together–very impressive. Also that burger looks amazing.
We knew that we would have to do a long run if we went away during marathon training…I don’t think that when we picked out wedding date that we thought about how we would always be training for fall marathons around our anniversary:)
What a fun weekend with so many good eats! That’s so great that you and Rob ran the whole 20 miles together! I don’t always eat the same thing before a long run and that pizza would certainly tempt me – I love arugula.
The pizza worked out pretty well for a pre-run meal! Usually I got with pasta, but sometimes it can be a bit heavy.
I definitely feel weird being around a big race that I am not running. This year I’m cheering for NYCM on Sunday but I will also hopefully be just one race away from qualifying for next year!
Have so much fun spectating the NYCM!!
I’m taking note of a lot of these restaurants since I pretty much half live in DC these days. I slept in too late to catch the MCM too, but it’s cool that you could see it from your window!! It looks like a fun weekend in DC 🙂 Until Tim moved there, I never made it down even though it’s so close. I don’t know why, but it just felt like such a hassle. It’s a fun city to walk around in!
I really just wish DC was easier to get to because its a great city to visit! My friends live in Northern VA which can take 2 hours to get to from up near Towson during rush hour.
Happy Anniversary! I’m so glad you got away for the weekend. And it’s so nice to be able to run 20 miles together! Not a lot of couples can do that. The eats look amazing too! And the baby is soooo cuuuute.
Running 20 miles with a significant other can definitely test the relationship:) Luckily it went well and we were still happily married by the end of it.
Looks like a great getaway with a lot of fun and good food! The perfect combo 🙂
Yes, that was the goal and it turned out pretty well!
That looks like an awesome getaway weekend to me! Long run plus fueling up at all those restaurants. Often it’s hard to workout of trips and then enjoying lots of food but you mixed it perfectly!
Yep, it turned out well but can definitely be tricky!
A runcation! 🙂 Going out to eat for burgers is the BEST after a long run! Glad you got away. 🙂
I love a good burger after a long run, but usually its like 9 am and I am too tired to leave the house…so this was a nice treat:)
All that food looks amazing! Happy early anniversary. Your Honey Stinger picture reminds me that I need to stock up on those waffles. I was hangry after my run yesterday and didn’t have anything to munch on at home.
We stock pile the honey stingers from amazon! Such a good snack.
I’ve been dying for a good burger, and that one looks amazing. Also, sweet pita bread as a free app? So awesome!
I know, it was such a good treat and definitely appreciated when we got there starving after our runs!
I’m from outside of DC but I love visiting Baltimore, I love having them close. That pizza looks to die for!
Its nice that the 2 cities are so close together! And the pizza was really good:)
what a great way to spend your anniversary! Its nice to go somewhere every now and then to celebrate even if its pretty close to home. something special about not being at home 🙂
Exactly! We knew we would be happy to get away for the weekend.
Happy anniversary! Sounds like you had a great wkend. How nice that they brought over champagne for you at dinner. It’s funny how us runners would love to run 20 miles during a relaxing wkend away. Hey we are supposed to do what we enjoy when we go away right? And plus we don’t have to feel so bad when we indulge a bit.
I know, it sounds so funny when you tell non-runners about your trip and gradually mention that you ran 20 miles! But there were alot of benefits to getting it done there, so we were glad we did.
So glad you enjoyed DC! I’ve heard great things about BLT Steak but have never been. I typically eat the same thing before a long run: either a mint chocolate Clif bar, Picky bar, or a piece of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread with almond butter and cinnamon. And a shot of espresso!
The one thing I always have before a run is coffee! And usually a banana. Other stuff is negotiable:)
What a fun weekend! I love that you two can run together. My husband is not a runner but with kids it makes it easier that it’s just me trying to get out the door. 🙂 Happy anniversary!!
I would imagine it would be really tricky having both parents who are trying to get out for a run! When at home we rarely run together…Rob is more likely to run after work whereas I am always running in the morning before work.
miles 8+ on your long run is where I do a TON of running. Can you see why i’m always complaining about never being able to truly run easy? Damn hills. lol.
Happy anniversary!!! I agree, sometimes you’ve just got to force yourself to go away so you can really enjoy it!! 🙂 🙂 I love the area you live in. One of these days I’ll have to plan a trip down there to visit my cousin who lives there. And preferably around a race so we can meet up!! 🙂
I will be forever jealous that you can wake up and go for a 20 miler with your husband! I have always wished mine was a runner 🙂 OH well, he is pretty amazing as is so I shouldn’t complain! 🙂
There are definitely pros and cons to us both being runners! Like the day of or after a long run or race, neither of us has the energy to do anything!
Definitely plan a trip down to this area sometime! That would be so fun if you came for a race!
Ohh, I’ve never been to that burger place, looks so yummy!! Everyone needs a weekend away sometimes. I seem to get away for a weekend without my hubby but we very rarely get away for a weekend on our own 🙁 Happy Anniversary!
We used to go away together all the time when we were first dating, but since we have been married it seems like our trips are always around seeing other family members or races. So it was nice to plan something for just us, even if it did still include running:)