Author: Dave Facinoli

Dave Facinoli grew up in Prince George’s County, Md. and attended Friendly High School. After attending Prince’s George Community College and James Madison University, where he covered sports on both college papers, he launched a local newspaper career that included roles as the sports editor of the Alexandria Gazette, the Arlington Sun Gazette and GazetteLeader, and other local papers.

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Metro area includes multiple unique running events during the summer months

By Dave Facinoli
The Burke Lake Park running course is a scenic journey the parks various paths (photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington region offers a wide variety of running road races throughout the summer.

While traditional 5K, 10K and marathon events take place, other events are modified in unique ways, and attract significant interest as a result.

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High-school track standout finds joy, and success, with the javelin

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield High School's Olivia Barr competed at the Penn Relays event (courtesy Barr family)

Olivia Barr is something of a fish out of water a bit when it comes to high school track-and-field.

The rising senior at Arlington’s Wakefield High School is a standout in multiple girls sports, especially track. Yet, maybe her best individual field event — the javelin — isn’t offered in high-school track-and-field in Virginia.

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‘Relay for America’ to cross Md., Va. on its way to National Mall

By Dave Facinoli
Many individual runners are carrying the American flag as part of the Relay for America event (courtesy Relay for America)

A 3,000-mile event that includes the same single American flag carried across the nation by many different runners will conclude July 4 in the nation’s capital as part of the country’s 250th birthday celebration.

The Relay for America relay began at Rodeo Beach near San Francisco June 14. The 20-day trek continues east around the clock across the U.S. through at least 15 states before finishing on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

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Robinson girls win outdoor Class 6 Va. track-and-field championship

By Dave Facinoli
The Robinson Rams gather with the Class 6 state outdoor track-and-field championship banner and trophy (courtesy of Robinson athletics)

Led by some strong running performances, the Robinson Rams capped a standout girls high-school track-and-field 2026 campaign by winning a second state championship.

The Rams ended the spring season by capturing the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state title in Newport News. Robinson’s team point total was 56.5, just a half point more than runner-up North Stafford.

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Track-and-field athletes from area colleges earn all-conference honors

By Dave Facinoli
Georgetown University steeplechase runner Barrett Justema (courtesy of Georgetown athletics)

Athletes from local metro-area college outdoor track-and-field teams recently were singled out for their spring performances by earning 2026 all-conference honors.

Some of those athletes also are participating in various NCAA championship meets at different levels of competitions.

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High school track-and-field teams ready for postseason competition

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell and Paul VI runners placed high in relay races (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Track-and-field seasons are wrapping up in coming days across the metro area for the 2025-26 high-school year with outdoor championship meets on district, conference, region and state levels.

Starting this week, girls and boys teams will compete in district and conference events, with region and state championships to follow.

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Groundbreaking website made getting meet results much easier

By Dave Facinoli
Girls pole vault results from the recent Ramtastic meet and Robinson Secondary School were posted on Milestat.com (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Until some 26 years ago, obtaining official results of high-school cross country and track-and-field meets across the metro area could prove an annoying challenge.

Back then, results were tracked down by phone or fax.

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Fast friendships develop among running trio during four-day event

By Dave Facinoli
Michael Wardian, front, along with Chris Heydrick and Chris Wilde are welcomed at a MedStar Health location (courtesy of MedStar Health)

With only a slight prior awareness of each other, a trio of adventurists became fast friends after spending consecutive days together participating in a unique ultra-running event for a cause.

From April 13 to 16, Arlington Sports Hall of Famer and longtime world-renowned ultramarathoner Michael Wardian, along with MedStar Health employees Chris Heydrick and Chris Wilde, ran side-by-side for 47 1/2 hours.

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Ramtastic Invitational at Robinson Secondary has grown in popularity regionwide

By Dave Facinoli
One of many participates compete in the girls long jump competition (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A rhyming nickname of “fantastic” is used by some to describe what quickly has become a popular annual high-school track-and-field meet held at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax.

The large four-year-old girls and boys outdoor event called the Ramtastic Invitational recently was held all day on Saturday, April 11. There were athletes from 34 schools from throughout the metro area.

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Spring high school track-and-field season will be loaded with meets

By Dave Facinoli
Runners participate in the 2025 Legard relays at Woodson High School in Fairfax (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

On your mark, get set, go!

For those involved or interested in the springtime’s high school outdoor track-and-field seasons throughout the metro area, the campaign is about to explode with many big events in coming days and weeks.

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