It was a dark and stormy night in 1978.
I had moved to Arlington VA in June that year to work at American Management Systems, and I was running regularly on C&O Canal Towpath for 10 miles each night after work.
It was the first Wednesday after the first Sunday in November. Back then, Marine Corps Marathon was the first Sunday in November, and I had just finished my first marathon there.
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I stood at the window next to my co-worker and fellow runner David Nelson, and I said, "I guess we don't get to run tonight."
David replied, "No, let's go to TJ."
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"TJ?" I asked, "What's that?"
"Come on. I'll show you," said David. We went down to his car and drove two miles west on Route 50, turned left at Irving Street, right on 2nd Street South, and right into a parking lot. We braved the rain, entered thru the main doors, and walked into ...
... a three-ring circus.
Not just a 200-meter indoor track, but in the middle of track, volleyball and basketball, and on the outside of the track, a weightlifting area and a separate fully-equipped gymnastics area, complete with a trampoline. We ran together for eight miles -- 64 laps -- then David left. So I jumped on the trampoline, hoisted myself up the climbing rope, and pumped about 1,000 pounds of iron. Then I ran another mile -- 8 laps + 9.344 meters -- as a time trial -- in 5:56.
I loved my new playground!
That was TJ -- Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2nd Street South, Arlington VA 22204 -- and I've been coming back to train there ever since.
That was exactly 40 years ago today!
