- The National Park Service will keep Beach Drive closed to through traffic year-round in D.C.’s Rock Creek Park, following the traffic patterns that have been in place most of the last two and a half years.
- Northwood High School alumus Obsaa Feta, running for Miami University, won the Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championship.
- John Champe High School alumna Bethany Graham, running for Furman University, won the Southern Conference Cross Country Championship for the second year in a row.
- Loudon Valley High School alumna Ava Gordon was named Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year.
- Heritage High School alumuna Weiti Kelati won the USATF 5k road championship for the second year in a row, held at the Abbot Dash to the Finish Line 5k in New York City.
- More than four years after erosion forced its closure, the rebuilt half-mile “zoo loop” trail has reopened in Rock Creek Park, along with the new pedestrian bridge on the south side of the tunnel. The loop will be open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m, before and during National Zoo hours.
- Reston’s Susanna Sullivan became the 14th fastest U.S. woman in the marathon with her 2:25:14 time at the Chicago Marathon, which earned her a sixth place overall finish, second among Americans.
- Poolesville alumnus Chase Weaverling qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials at Chicago, running 2:16:03.
- So did brief Maryland Terrapin Tyler McCandless, who ran 2:15:50 in Chicago.
- A man stabbed a high school student while the student was running on the Custis Trail around 8 p.m. Aug. 27. WTOP reported that a man approached the boy as he crossed under the Washington Boulevard bridge, stabbed him and fled. The boy is recovering.
- Fairfax County and Herndon police are searching for a man who they think has exposed himself to or tried to grab six women on the W&OD trail in August, the Washington Post reported. Incidents were reporting Aug. 3, 15 and 18 near the Fairfax County Parkway, Aug. 26 in both Reston and near Ferndale Avenue in Herndon and Aug. 30 on Old Reston Avenue near the trail. In the last incident, he tried to abduct a teenager who was walking a dog.
- Beach Drive will remain closed to through traffic through Oct. 31 while the National Park Service deliberates long-term closure options.
- The transfer period for the Marine Corps Marathon will close at midnight tonight. Wearing someone else’s bib if you haven’t formally registered is bad form and grounds for lifetime bans for both the unregistered runner and the bib doner.
- The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority will build a pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the Potomac River between Long Bridge Park and East and West Potomac Parks.
- The District Department of Transportation will build a 3.8-mile extension of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, paralleling South Capitol Street SE and connecting to the Oxon Hill Farm Trail .
- Oakton and American alumna Keira D’Amato won the US 20k championships.
- Hayfield alumna Nikea Green was inducted into the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame
- George G. Marshall High School inducted its 2016 girls cross country team into the school’s hall of fame. The team won the VHSL 5A championship with team composed of Heather Holt, Ava Bir, Hannah Smith, Sophie Tedesco, Jenna Robbins, Natalie Bardach and Layan Qasem and coached by Darrell General and Clifford Wong.
- St. John’s College High School’s Desmond Dunham was named USTFCCCA National Girls Coach of the year.
- The “zoo loop” on the Rock Creek Trail is nearing completion, with work potentially being done by the end of July.
- The current plans for the pedestian expansion of the American Legion Bridge include a ramp to the C&O Canal Towpath but not MacArthur Boulevard.
- Oakton and American University alumna Keira D’Amato has been named to the U.S. marathon team for the World Track and Field Championships, following Molly Seidel’s injuray withdrawal. The women’s marathon is Monday, July 18 at 9:15 ET. She’s also opening a Potomac River Running store in Richmond.
- Arlington County is accepting feedback on the Arlington Boulevard Trail through Tuesday, July 5.
- Georgetown alumna Emly Infeld made the U.S. world championships team in the 5,000 meters with her third place finish at the USATF Championships.
- Laurel resident Juliette Whittaker, who sent the national high school record in the 800 meters in 1:59.04, winning the U.S. U20 championships and making the world team, was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Outdoor Track for Maryland.
- Georgetown’s Lucas Guerra made the U.S. U20 world championships team in the 3,000 meters.
- Washington Latin alumnus Luke Tewalt, racing for Wake Forest, made the U.S. U20 world championships team in the 1,500 meters.
- Aaron Yoder, world record backward mile holder, will compete in the U.S. Backward Running Track Championship July 9 at Edison High School.
- Arlington’s Mike Wardian finished his cross-country run to Delaware from San Francisco to raise money for World Vision.
- St. John’s junior Meredith Gotzman was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Outdoor Track for Washington, D.C.
- The Rock Ceek path has reopened between Shoreham Drive and P Street, and the tunnel through the I-66 bridge south of the Kennedy Center has opened.
- Three Trials Fever patients will experience relapses in 2024, thanks to their races at Grandma’s Marathon, which qualify them for the Olympic Trials. Reston resident and Falls Chuch native Susanna Sullivan was third in 2:26:56, Thomas Jefferson alumnus Johnny Phillips ran 2:14:10 and Centennial alumnus Brian Harvey ran 2:17:40.
- The Road Runners Club of America recognized Arlington County was recognized as a “Runner-Friendly Community.”
- A handful of local distance runners will be competing in the USATF Championships and the USATF U20 Championships this weekend in Eugene, Ore.
- In the 800 meters, the District Track Club’s Vincent Crisp and Georgetown alumna Sabrina Southerland.
- In the 1,500 meters, Georgetown’s Matthew Payamps and Jack Salisbury and Georgetown alumna Josette Norris.
- In the 5,000 meters, Chantilly alumnus Sean McGorty, the District Track Club’s Willy Fink, Heritage alumna Weini Kelati and along with Norris, Georgetown alumnae Emily Infeld and Katrina Coogan.
- In the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Tuscarora alumnus Fitsum Seyoum.
- In the U20 meet, Laurel resident Juliette Whittaker will run the 800 meters.
- Washington Latin alumnus Luke Tewalt will run the 1,500 meters, for Wake Forest.
- Georgetown’s Lucas Guerra will run the 3,000 meters.
- In the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Colgan alumnus Bryce Lentz, running for the Air Force Academcy, and Oakton alumnus Garrett Woodhoouse, running for Utah State.
- Georgetown’s Parker Stokes led local distance runners at the NCAA Championships with his third place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 8:18.88. Colgan alumnus Bryce Lentz ran 8:52.33 in the semifinals for the Air Force Academy.
- Georgetown had two women’s 10,000 meter finalists: Charlotte Dannatt finished eighth in 33:26.78 and Maggie Donohue finished 13th in 33:42.99.
- Patriot alumna Rachel McArthur ran 4:21.15 in the semifinals for Colorado.
- Howard’s 4×400 meter team of Jessika Gbai, Ameenah Saalih, Ozioma Scott and Jessica Wright finished sixth in 3:28.39.
- Our long, regional nightmare is over – the Riley’s Rumble Half Marathon will return to the Maryland Soccerplex after a year in exile to the C&O Canal Towpath, albeit its original course.
- Chantilly alumnus Sean McGorty made the U.S. 10k team for the upcoming world championships, running 28:29.57 to finish third at the U.S. championships. St. Albans alumnus Tai Dinger was 16th in 28:51.52. Georgetown alumna Emily Infeld narrowly missed making the team, finishing fourth in 31:30.04. Heritage alumna Weini Kelati was fifth in 31:39.90 and Reston’s Susanna Sullivan was 17th in 32:12.77.
- D.C.’s Gina McNamara won the RRCA National One Mile title at the Loudoun Street Mile in Winchester, Va., running 4:31.7. She also won the Collegiate Running Association national title. Loudoun Valley coach Kevin Shirk won the masters division in 4:26.5, as did Aldie’s Adrienne Glasheen in 5:19.1. Reston’s Terri Rath won the grandmaster’s title in 6:09.3.
- Brentsville alumnus Sam Llaneza (Lynchburg) finished fifth in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Division III Championships, running 3:48.60. Oakton alumnus Tor Hotung-Davidsen (Lynchburg) finished sixth in the 800 meters in 1:50.86.
- The strongest local distance runner representation at the NCAA Championships will come in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, where Georgetown’s Parker Stokes, Tuscarora alumnus Ben Nibbelink (Virginia Tech) and Colgan alumnus Bryce Lentz (Air Force Academy) all moved on to the semi finals. Georgetown’s Maggie Donahue and Charlotte Dannatt advanced to the 10,000 meter finals and Patriot alumna Rachel McArthur, running for Colorado, advanced to the 1,500 meter semifinals. The next rounds will take place June 8-11 at the University of Oregon.
- Herndon alumna Hiruni Wijayaratne will appear on the Today Show Wednesday, June 1 with Al Roker, whom she coached for the Brooklyn Half Marathon. She’s scheduled to be on close to 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
- The National Park Service is accepting comments on proposals for regulating traffic in East Potomac Park until 11:59 MT Thursday, May 19. Comment here through May 19 at 11:59 pm MT View detailed proposals
- The National Park Service will hold a virtual meeting 6:30-7:30 pm May 24 to present a proposed pedestrian and bicycle study along Military Road in Rock Creek Park. Register here
- Beach Drive in D.C.’s Rock Creek Park will remained closed to through traffic until at least Labor Day, pending the results of an environmental impact study.
- The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services is soliciting feedback on the Army Navy Country Club Trail Connector over I-395 through May 22.
- DC’s Recreational Trails Advisory Committee is looking for representatives, particularly from wards 1, 5 and 6. Email Kevin O’Brien at WABA or Steph Piperno at DDOT if you’re interested.
