Arlington Cooperation Foundation proudly presents Friends of the W&OD 10K, a unique race on a unique course, Saturday evening, July 26, at 6:30 p.m. in Vienna, VA.

The 10K race (6.2 miles) runs on the pancake-flat Washington & Old Dominion Trail, one of the nation's best-known rails-to- trails parks, from Ayr Hill Road to Hunter Mill Road and back, with a short spur onto Clark's Crossing Road and Batten Ridge Road.

Registration is now open at www.marathoncharitypartners.org/friends.

From 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. the day of the race, ACF presents "College of the Environment -- Green University," at Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street SE in Vienna. Environmental organizations are welcome to sign up to exhibit their programs and products at the College.

In addition, the College features two panel discussions:

2:00 PM to 2:45 PM
-- "The Environmental Impacts of War and Peace"
3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
-- "The Environmental Impacts of Transportation Alternatives in and around Vienna, Virginia" -- panel discussion featuring Steve Monett, Marsha McAllister, and a representative from Fluor Construction

The event emphasizes how runners can work to improve the environment. The race announcements are printed back-to-back with another flyer on recycled paper, race organizers will facilitate car-pooling, the race will plant new trees along the W&OD Trail at 1:00 p.m. before the College of the Environment, and all trash from the race will be minimized and recycled.

Registration is $35 by July 13 and $45 by July 26 or at packet pick-up during the College of the Environment.

All participants receive a commemorative t-shirt printed by Sport Science of Vienna VA using a non-polluting ink fusion process that wastes no ink, unlike traditional screen printing.

The race offers cash prizes of totaling $1,000 -- $250 for 1st place - $150 for 2nd - $100 for 3rd - (male and female) -- plus gift certificates from sponsors including Pacers Running Store, Whole Foods Market of Vienna, Silver Diner, Great American Restaurants, for 1st/2nd/3rd in each 10-year age- group, male and female. The field is limited to the first 250 entrants.

"By organizing the unique race, we encourage runners to understand their impact on the environment and how they can choose to mitigate that impact," said race director Jay Jacob Wind. "Each of us has the tools to act to improve the environment -- our own hands, our feet, and our wisdom."

ACF is a co-op of charities whose mission is to work toward a sustainable future for our community by supporting, encouraging, educating, and disseminating information about good health, healthy nutritional choices, physical fitness, issues of public health, and the benefits of co-operative living.

The race is a benefit for Vienna-based Friends of the W&OD, working to maintain the trail and its bridges, and ACF's 11 Marathon Charity Partners:

AIMS for India
American Red Cross - Prince William Chapter
Asha for Education
Association for India's Development (AID)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of National Capital Area
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
High Cloud Foundation
Hope for Humanity
Iqraa (Read)
5th Pillar
Stop the Silence: Stop Child Sexual Abuse

who will staff the refreshment stations along the course. Roger Neighborgall of Falls Church is president of Friends of the W&OD.

To register, see www.marathoncharitypartners.org/friends.
For information, call 703-927-4833 or write racedirector@att.net.