Event

The National Capital 20 Miler is the DC area’s premier fall marathon tune-up race. Runners will have access to a flat and fast out-and-back course on the C&O Towpath with multiple water stations along the way. Runners also have the option to register for the Janet Braunstein 5 Miler, which also takes place on the Towpath. Register now to guarantee your race hoodie!

Both events start on the Towpath by the North Parking Lot at Carderock Recreation Area.


Event

Westminster School’s annual 5K ($45), 1K ($15), and Fun Run ($10) on Saturday, November 7th at 9:00am is a spirited community event open to students, families, and friends of all ages and fitness levels. With courses designed for everyone—from a fun 1K for beginners to a more challenging 5K—participants can walk, jog, or race their way through the beautiful campus.

We have amazing cash prizes and give aways, making it an ideal way to enjoy a day outdoors with loved ones. Join in to support school programs, meet new people, and celebrate wellness together!


DCXC

As a new high school cross country season begins, there are things parents of aspiring runners need to know to best support their child’s budding interest in this glorious sport. Cross country is its own unique (and painful) animal. And high school cross country, with its range of talent, experience, and intensity among athletes, parents, and coaches, requires some advance preparation and understanding before diving in.

First, the setting matters. Races can range from tri or quad meets with just a few teams lining up in a parking lot, to a massive invitational with colorful tents, banners flying and packs of kids running around in every possible shade of bright matching singlets. It can feel more like a medieval fair than a modern day sporting event.


Military Running

Rick Nealis made some choices on the fly while running the Marine Corps Marathon in 2020.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the race he has directed since 1993 to go virtual, he crafted his own course, though without his usual authority to close down roads he was accustomed to. He meandered the W&OD and Mount Vernon trails in Northern Virginia to get his 26.2 miles. With a course change after a mental remapping, a detour into Alexandria and a stop for refreshments in Old Town, he took what the day threw at him. It fit the perspective that has helped make his race a pillar of the American running community.


News

Beach Drive would reopen to through traffic after Labor Day under a proposed plan by the National Park Service, which has mostly closed the road since April 2020 to allow for more room for physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NPS is accepting comments until 11:59 p.m. Thursday Aug. 11 on its plan, which would formalize weekday closures between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That would increase the existing policy to close the 4.2-mile stretch on weekends and holidays, but rolls back what had been a nearly-2.5-year closure to allow for more physical distancing during the pandemic. That closure has allowed for a dramatic increase in daily use by runners, cyclists, walkers and more.


News

The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer — which can mean one big thing for the running community: more runners are taking to the region’s sidewalks, paths and trails.

As more runners ditch the treadmill in favor of running outside, there are health and safety reminders to consider. Chief among them is knowing the correlation between warmer temperatures and running risk, said Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, the medical director of MedStar Sports Medicine for the Washington region. Spring can yield some warm-but-not-too-warm running conditions, but “just because the air feels [cooler], you have to be careful,” he said.