I think the answer seems obvious. Change your route.

Bike to run. Or take the bus/metro to a different neighborhood?

I edit my Spotify list before almost every run, so I look forward to hearing my new tunes when I head out the door

Once a week on the weekend do a longer run at a nature type place?

Lots of trails inside the beltway: W&OD, Four Mike Run, Curtis, Mt Vernon, Rock Creek, C&O canal, Capital Crescent, Glover Archbold, Normanstone, Melvin Hazen. Switch up your runs every week so you're not doing the same one all the time. Save your neighborhood for days when you're time constrained and branch out a bit. You could also find a track and do some speed work every week or every other week.

This is exactly why I wanted to buy a house in Rock Creek Park.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Driving to a different neighborhood is weird and unsafe. And will make your car and driver's seat smelly from the sweat.

LOLwut?

Only if you're running while Black.

Check out Segments on Strava and see where people like to run in your area.

Rock Creek is such a great place for a long run. Beach Drive is closed to car traffic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Find a wooded trail to run on.

Not OP but where can one find a wooded (paved trail) inside the beltway? I’ve tried the old dominion trail running through Falls Church and it’s all highway overpasses and telephone poles.

You could run around Accotink in Fairfax: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/accotink. I am not sure if they finished the connector by now, but I imagine they did. It is part paved and part compacted dirt. Lots of tree cover.

Join a running club like MCRRC or whatever you have in your county.

It doesn’t matter if it’s normal - it means you personally are bored with jogging and should find an exercise you like

Anonymous wrote:Find a wooded trail to run on.

Not OP but where can one find a wooded (paved trail) inside the beltway? I’ve tried the old dominion trail running through Falls Church and it’s all highway overpasses and telephone poles.

Anonymous wrote:Does NOVA not have bike trails crisscrossing all neighborhoods and connecting into DC?

Yes but I don't like running on them because the cyclists go by very quickly and I can't wear headphones because I need to be listening for bikes.

--not op

Does NOVA not have bike trails crisscrossing all neighborhoods and connecting into DC?