Evan Fallor is a member of the Northern Virginia Running Club.
I’ve logged hundreds of miles running laps around East Potomac Park’s five-kilometer pizza-slice-shaped loop, and I challenge you to find a better urban running loop in the DMV.
To the west of the Southwest Washington park, planes lift off from Reagan National Airport every few minutes, while the Wharf frames the horizon to the east. The route is flat, largely uninterrupted by traffic and easily accessible from downtown. On any weekend morning, the banks of the Potomac there come alive long before most Washingtonians have finished their first cup of coffee. Walkers enjoy the sunrise. Parents push jogging strollers. Cyclists ride in organized groups. Runners training for marathons grind through workouts.
That cross section of the D.C. community is why President Donald Trump’s plans to dramatically overhaul the municipal golf course nestled within East Potomac Park’s treasured riverside running trail deserve much more scrutiny than they’ve received.
It remains unclear what the president is planning. The blueprints that Trump carried during his recent tour suggest a far more sweeping transformation than simply improving the golf course. As The Post reported, the plans appear to expand the existing course toward the perimeter of the peninsula.
While not yet publicly confirmed, such a shift would put the fate of the paved loop in serious doubt, along with the miniature golf course there and the city’s oldest cherry tree grove. The president has said that work on the course will begin on Sept. 1, a shocking timeline that prompted a sharp rebuke last week from the U.S. district judge hearing a case challenging the redevelopment.
Unilateral action on a plan like the one shown on Trump’s blueprints would be a devastating blow not only for runners, but also for cyclists who rely on the park’s wide roads and low traffic to train safely, and for walkers who come simply to enjoy one of the city’s most beautiful public spaces.
Much of the discussion around the White House’s plans has centered on golf, and rightly so. The century-old municipal course may well need renovation. But any redesign should improve the golfing experience within its existing footprint without encroaching on recreation spaces that others depend on.
In addition to its daily local community offerings, the trail hosts part of two of the nation’s most recognizable road races — the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile and the Marine Corps Marathon — where runners from across the world experience a stretch of course that shows Washington at its best. During cherry blossom season, it’s a walkable, welcome alternative to the jam-packed Tidal Basin.
Like much of the rest of the stubborn DMV running community, I insist on referring to the peninsula loop as Hains Point, even though that’s really just the southern end of it. And, like other regulars who run there, I’ve learned that enduring the inevitable headwind — and grumbling about it afterward — is simply part of the park’s charm.
Cities across America are searching for ways to encourage healthier lifestyles, reduce barriers to outdoor recreation and expand access to green space. East Potomac Park already accomplishes all three. It doesn’t require a membership, and it welcomes anyone willing to lace up a pair of shoes or hop on a bicycle. That kind of public asset is increasingly rare.
The value of East Potomac Park extends far beyond its fairways. Let’s keep it that way.
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