5.24.14 and 5.26.14: Memorial Day weekend featured a couple of good opportunities to get in a patriotic-themed run! On Saturday we found ourselves in Baltimore to catch my beloved Cleveland Indians facing off against the Orioles in Camden Yards. My husband and I decided to get in a ten-miler beforehand, running along the Inner Harbor and over to Fort McHenry, site of the battle that inspired our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” There is a multi-use path circling the Fort, allowing runners, walkers, and cyclists a chance to take in some harbor views and see the perimeter of the fort. A quick trip inside revealed some cannons as well as several buildings and hidden rooms. It seemed quite peaceful on a clear Saturday morning, in contrast to the battle fought here more than 200 years ago.

Since we only live a few miles from Arlington National Cemetery, we decided to take a run down there on Memorial Day to pay our respects to the many men and women who have died in defense of our nation. The cemetery is quite expansive, with plots organized by conflict. The pictures capture a few of these areas, include the gravestones of those who fought in the Civil War. The linear organization of the headstones is a sight to behold, made all the more interesting by the topography of the site.