Run through Washington, D.C., an aesthetic delight

It’s been a busy month. That’s an understatement.

One week was spent in Washington D.C. One week was spent at spring training in Arizona. And one week was spent cursing the Oklahoma wind, histamine and feeling way under the weather back home. I took a lot of photos during my travels and shot my fair share of videos, and I wanted to take the time to document it all.

This post will focus on our nation’s capital, which I’ve always thought is the most underrated city in America in terms of aesthetics. The reason I believe that is that Washington D.C. feels European, and there’s good reason for that. It was designed by Frenchman Pierre L’Enfant, a civil engineer and architect, requisitioned by George Washington himself to build the city.

Cue Starship.

L’Enfant went for wide avenues and public spaces, and it was his vision to give the Capitol and mall areas the best views of the Potomac, as opposed to the leader’s palace, The White House. Even 241 years later, Washington D.C. still has that European feel and cosmopolitan landscape, second only to San Francisco, for me, for sheer architectural American beauty.

I was in town on business, but given that my work was bumped up against a weekend, I extended my stay, visited some friends and experienced the city. Not that I’m new to Washington D.C. This was my third trip here.

Runner’s Routine

The first thing I do when I visit a new location is plan a run. I’m a runner, and I want to write more about running in the future, documenting how this hobby has become a passion in helping me stay both physically and mentally fit. Given that I was in Washington and staying on 14th Street NW, I absolutely wanted to run in the area of our Capitol building.

The desk clerk at the Westin told me that it was 2.6 miles to the Capitol, and so I planned my route. It was a mild day by D.C. standards in early March with a chance of rain, and it did spit a bit that afternoon. I had a business dinner that night, so I went running right about rush hour, which you might have thought would be a mistake in a city like D.C.

It was no problemo. There’s plenty of room to run along the sidewalks, and it’s a city of walkers and runners.

I made it to the Capitol and shot this report, lol, I mean this video.

And here are a series of photos I snapped during my run. Enjoy. More on my trip to Washington later right here. I’d love it if you took a second and see what I’ve posted so far, follow me or just come find me on Twitter (@ryanwelton) or on Facebook (facebook.com/welton) or even on Instagram (@ryanwelton2013).

This is near my hotel in Washington, D.C., at New York Avenue and 14th Street NW.

Starting my run in Northwest Washington, D.C., right along Pennsylvania Avenue with the Capitol building in the distance.

One of the first things I noticed on my run through Washington, D.C., was the Trump hotel. To be honest, it looked a lot like every other structure in D.C., architecturally.

I believe this is along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., during the early part of my run through the city on March 1, 2017.

This statue and sign is near the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., on the city’s northwest side.

This is near my hotel somewhere in the vicinity of 14th Street NW in Washington, D.C., where I visited at the start of March 2017.

Don’t believe these are cherry blossoms, although they bloomed early this year in Washington, D.C.

I had to look this one up, but this appears to be the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., a beautiful building housing artifacts and information about other beautiful buildings.

A crowd of people are waiting on transportation after a visit to the U.S. Capitol on March 1, 2017.

This is the United States Capitol, where legislation is discussed, debated and made.

I kept looking for early-blooming Cherry Blossoms throughout my run across Washington, D.C., but I don’t think these are it although they’re beautiful. This is Franklin Square, where Democracy Dies in Darkness, or (well) where The Washington Post tries to prevent that from happening.

A peek at the Washington Monument as I started my afternoon run through Washington, D.C., on March 1, 2017.

The greatest off-Broadway Hamilton you’ll find, the original, right here at the Treasury Department, near The White House in Washington, D.C.

As I approached The White House, toward the end of my run through Washington D.C. on March 1, 2017, I spotted this gorgeous view, of the Washington Monument.

I took a shot of The White House from a bit further back with the tree blooms in view.

A photo of The White House, near the end of my run through Washington D.C.

I had to look this one up, too, but I believe this is the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Northwest Washington, D.C.

A photo snapped during my run through Washington D.C. during the late afternoon hours of March 1. I believe this shot was snapped along 14th Street NW near my hotel.