News - RunWashington

Specialty running stores feeling the pain amid coronavirus response

Published March 31, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 31, 2020 at 1:10PM

Pacers Regional Manager Tara Landy demonstrates delivery of an order from the store's 14th Street location. Photo:Steve Laico

The response to COVID-19 has been wide reaching, affecting the lives of millions of Americans and shuttering businesses nationwide. The pandemic is affecting businesses in all sectors, and the running community is not exempt. D.C.-area specialty running stores are closing their sales floors, canceling events and working to find ways to virtually connect with patrons in an industry that thrives on face-to-face interactions.

Most specialty running stores rely on business in the spring to help set them up for a successful year. It’s when many runners hit the streets again and think of their apparel and footwear needs, said Potomac River Running Owner Ray Pugsley.

High school coaches tackle an unexpected offseason

By Andrew Gates

Published March 30, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 30, 2020 at 12:36PM

Georgetown Day School Coach Anthony Belber addresses his team after the 2015 D.C. state cross country meet. Photo: Charlie Ban

Motivating high school runners is not always easy, even without a global health crisis going on. But with the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world, preventing kids from coming to school-sponsored organized practices or attending track meets, keeping high school runners motivated becomes an even greater challenge.

Anthony Belber, head track and field coach at the Georgetown Day School, anticipates that it will be weeks until the team can reunite in person, something he acknowledges is going to be difficult.

Idled teacher uses time off to explore new trails

By Calesse Smith

Published March 24, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 24, 2020 at 1:11PM

Kerry O'Brien prepares to explore Maryland's Muddy Branch Trail. Photo: Kerry O'Brien

When Kerry O’Brien woke up on Friday, March 13, she hadn’t expected to have an entire day free, because she’d been planning to go in to school to teach her 6th grade special education class. When she got the memo that her school would be closed for at least the next several weeks due to COVID-19, she seized the opportunity to tackle her bucket list of local trails. O’Brien set a goal to run a new trail every weekday she is out of school, which Governor Northam just announced will now be until the end of the school year in June.

O’Brien has an inspirational notebook where she keeps lists of places she wants to travel, books she wants to read, and of course, trails she’d like to run. When she first moved to the DC area from upstate New York in 2012, she craved community, so she joined a Meet-Up group that met every Saturday morning at Teddy Roosevelt Island for long runs.

What running group is best for you during the coronavirus outbreak?

By Charlie Ban

Published March 22, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 25, 2020 at 12:56PM

A group runs together in East Potomac Park Feb. 7, 2014, when a global pandemic wasn't threatening people's health. Photo: Charlie Ban

No running group is good right now. Run alone for a while.

Most of the paved paths around here are barely six feet wide anyway.

Ainsley’s Angels give everyone a chance to race

By Jacqueline Feldscher

Published March 18, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 18, 2020 at 12:43PM

Alexandria's Amy Christensen (left) and Katy Reardon (right) push Virginia Beach's Stacia Wartmann in the 2019 Jingle all the Way 15k. Photo: Swim Bike Run Photography

The first time Tony Valenti got into a wheelchair meant to be pushed in races, he loved it so much that it took four people to get him out of the chair.

In October 2015, Valenti became the first rider in the National Capital Region ambassadorship of Ainsley’s Angels, a nonprofit group of volunteers that push those who can’t run in races. Valenti has cerebral palsy, a motor disability that prevents him from bearing weight on his legs, so can’t run races on his own. But with the help of a volunteer, Valenti gets to be part of two or three races a month, feeling the wind on his face as he tackles distances ranging from 5ks up to marathons.

NCAA cancelation could mean the end of the race for college seniors

By Charlie Ban

Published March 17, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 17, 2020 at 9:11PM

Diego Zarate was in Albuquerque for a job interview.

He was hoping that, as one of 16 men who qualified for the mile at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, he could make something good happen and bolster his chances at signing a professional contract this spring after graduating from Virginia Tech, a few years after winning the Maryland 4A title in the 1,600 meters while a junior at Northwest. But he never got his chance to show what he could do in the mile and 1,500 meters after both the indoor and outdoor championships were cancelled in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Preliminary rounds were due to start a day later.

New deadline: Check your ranking by March 19

By Charlie Ban

Published March 16, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 17, 2020 at 3:57PM

The Lawyers Have Heart 5k. Photo: Charlie Ban

At long last, data from the 2019 runner rankings is complete. You have until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 19 to review your data and make sure the races you ran are reflected. If you see a discrepency, contact [email protected]. This is the only email address that will accept flagged discrepencies.

These races were ranked

Coronavirus begins to affect D.C.-area races

By Dan DiFonzo

Published March 10, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 12, 2020 at 4:47PM

Runners at the 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile round the turn near the first mile mark. Photo: Dustin Whitlow/DWhit Photography

All over the world, the starting guns are standing down, high fives from the sidelines are falling silent and at the very least, water cups at aid stations are giving way to bottles. And now it’s happening here.

Nerdy guys in a nerdy sport keep TJ alumnus in running

By Charlie Ban

Published March 9, 2020 at 11:00AM | Updated March 9, 2020 at 12:04PM

Thomas Jefferson alumnus Jonathan Phillips runs the third loop of the Olympic Marathon Trials. Photo: Charlie Ban

Cross country at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology wasn’t a glamorous sport, but Jonathan Phillips didn’t care.

“Basically it’s a bunch of nerds doing the nerdiest sport,” he said. “I loved it, that’s what kept me on the team.”

Three women with local ties finish in top 20 at Olympic Trials

By Charlie Ban

Published March 1, 2020 at 4:00PM | Updated March 4, 2020 at 3:36PM

Three runners with D.C. area ties finished in the top 20 of the Olympic Marathon Trials on a brutally hilly and windy course in Atlanta.