I’m going to be in DC area (mostly in Columbia MD but also in McLean VA) next week - any suggestions on where to swim or run? I’m pretty sure my hotel doesn’t have a decent pool for swimming (most don’t) and I hate treadmills.
Suggestions? Thx a bunch, hons.
AP
Check out dctriclub.net. I can’t think of anything in Columbia off of the top of my head, but someone will for sure.
Thanks man, much appreciated. Looks like few pools mear where I’ll be staying, better just pack the runners 
If you’re in columbia, you can run the wonderful, buckets o’ hilly fun Columbia Triathlon 10k course. You can download a map from www.tricolumbia.org.
In McLean, if you have a car and like trails, head to Great Falls. It’s close and very pretty. McLean itself isn’t too run friendly, except around neighborhoods. There is a little park in the middle of McLean, but it’s, well, little. There are high schools around with tracks. My grandparents lived there growing up, and the McLean/Tysons Corner area has exploded population wise in the past 10 years. Traffic sucks around Tysons. McLean itself is a nice community though.
For swimming in McLean, head to a Fairfax County Rec Center:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/shillrec.htm
Spring Hill is the one in McLean, it’s about $6.00 to get in for county residents, and 7 something for non-residents I think. That probably sounds outrageous to some people.
Enjoy your stay!
check out http://www.midmdtriclub.org/, they hold weekly RBR’s on Wed. nights (I think) at Centential Park
there’s also swim info on there
Chuck
For swimming you might want to try the Columbia Swim Center:
http://www.columbiaassociation.com/living_playing/sports_fitness/facilities/col_swim_center.htm
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i lived in columbia for 7 years and loved it for running. my parents still live less than a mile from centennial lake (used for columbia tri)–the trails around columbia are great. columbia was designed so that you could get from any spot to another on a paved bike/walking trail. if you’re there on a saturday, there is a long run that is marked and has water out–PM me and i’ll give ya the info on the group. for swimming, every neighborhood has a pool, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a pool. go to the columbia association website and find the one closest to where you are staying. shoot me a PM and i can give you some specific runs that are pretty/challenging. good luck and safe travels.
Awesome, thx all. I’m staying & working (mostly) near Waterloo & I95, but it sure sounds like I can at least get in a few good runs (hoping to not rent a car this trip).
For running in Northern VA, check out the Mt. Vernon trail or the W&OD trail, for swimming if your willing to drive about 20 minutes from McLean, George Mason University in Fairfax has by far the nicest pool in the region and its set up for 50 meters until August!
Dave in VA