Marine Corps Marathon

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Romney Wins Va. Primary — Mitt Romney won Virginia’s Republican presidential primary yesterday, capturing 59.5 percent of the vote statewide. The only other candidate who qualified for the ballot, Ron Paul, received 40.5 percent of the vote. In Arlington, Romney received 64.6 percent of the vote to 35.4 percent for Ron Paul. Voter turnout was light, as expected. A total of 7,623 votes were cast in Arlington, representing 5 percent of registered voters and 6.3 percent of active voters.

County Board Candidates Square Off at Forum — The three candidates for County Board squared off last night at a candidates forum organized by the Arlington County Civic Federation. Democrat Libby Garvey was flanked by Republican Mark Kelly and Green Party candidate Audrey Clement, who together called for less spending and for the creation of an independent inspector general to monitor county spending. Kelly and Clement also took turns bashing the planned Columbia Pike streetcar. [Sun Gazette, Sun Gazette]

Republicans Blast Favola — Freshman state Senator Barbara Favola (D) has now been the subject of two critical press releases from the Republican Party of Virginia. The latest press release digs up an eight-year-old letter Favola signed, urging then-governor Mark Warner to avoid delays in adopting a budget. Favola is one of 20 Democrats who have voted against two Republican budget proposals in the state Senate. [Washington Post]

Clarendon: Hot Office Market — Bisnow says Clarendon is one of the region’s five hottest office submarkets. “If a company depends on young employees, it’s probably looking for space in Clarendon,” the online real estate publication wrote. [Bisnow]

Marine Corps Marathon Registration Opens Today — General registration for the 37th annual Marine Corps Marathon kicks off today at 3:00 p.m. Last year the marathon experienced a “record registration sell out” of 30,000 spots in a mere 28 hours. Registration costs $92 and includes a t-shirt and a finisher’s medal. [Marine Corps Marathon]

Marine Corps Marathon Active Duty Registration Opens

By Katie Pyzyk

Active Duty Registration has officially begun for the Marine Corps Marathon.

The special discount and early registration applies to all active duty and reserve service members. Military personnel from all branches of the armed forces will receive a 15 percent discount off the regular $92 entrance fee.

Military personnel have until March 6 to take advantage of the discount. Registration opens to the general public on March 7.

The Marine Corps Marathon, which takes place on October 28, is the fourth largest marathon in the United States and the ninth largest in the world. The race starts and ends in Arlington.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Army Reservist Finishes First at MCM — Army Reserve 1st Lt. Charles Ware was the fastest finisher at Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon. With an unofficial time of 2:19:16, Ware handily bested second-place runner and Arlington resident Michael Wardian, who finished at 2:23:46. Coast Guard Lt. Patrick Fernandez placed third. [Marine Corps Times]

VDOT Surveys Residents About I-66 — The Virginia Department of Transportation has sent mailers to Arlington residents who live near I-66, asking them to take an online survey. The survey is part of a multimodal study designed to find ways to reduce traffic congestion on I-66 inside the Beltway. [Washington Examiner]

School Board Wants More Autonomy — The Arlington County School Board is expected to ask the Virginia General Assembly for a degree of freedom from various state mandates. Among other items on its legislative wish list, the school board would like to have the option to start the school year before Labor Day — something that state law forbids in most cases. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Divaknevil

Tens of Thousands Prep for Marine Corps Marathon

By Katie Pyzyk

Tens of thousands of runners hit the streets on Sunday for the 36th Marine Corps Marathon and MCM 10K.  Both events start at 8:00 a.m. on Route 110 and take runners through Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.

This year the MCM sold out of all of its 30,000 spots in a record breaking 28 hours. There are an additional 10,000 people signed up for the MCM 10K.

In 2009, the MCM became the fourth largest marathon in the United States, and the eighth largest in the world. It’s currently the largest marathon not to offer prize money to winners.

More than 400 service members overseas will participate in “MCM Forward” during which they run the 26.2 miles in conjunction with Sunday’s race in Virginia and DC. This event began in 2006 in Iraq.

Preparations are going on now along the running course, particularly around the Marine Corps Memorial. One of the marines helping to set up near the memorial this morning said everything is very organized and on schedule, but there is still a fair amount of work to be done before Sunday.

“We’ll be out here today until the job is done,” he said. “Hopefully that means by mid-afternoon.”

Runners are encouraged to use Metro, which will open two hours early at 5:00 a.m. Many heavily traveled routes throughout Arlington will be affected, so drivers should take the following closures into consideration:

  • 4:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.: Eastbound Washington Boulevard will be closed at I-395 toward Memorial Bridge
  • 4:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: Route 110 will be closed in both directions to all traffic. North Meade Street will be closed from Fairfax Drive to Marshall Drive. There will be no access to Lynn Street or Meade Street from Route 50. North Lynn Street, from Route 50 to North 19th Street, will be closed. Ft. Myer Drive will be closed from 19th Street to Route 50. North Moore Street, from 19th Street to Wilson Boulevard, will be closed. Wilson Boulevard will be closed east of North Nash Street.
  • 4:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.: Westbound Washington Boulevard from Memorial Circle to I-395 will be closed.
  • 7:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m.: Eastbound Lee Highway, from Kirkwood Road to North Lynn Street, will be closed. Westbound Lee Highway, from North Scott street to Kirkwood Road will be closed to through traffic (local traffic will have egress by taking Scott Street to Veitch Street. Citizens leaving the area can use Westbound Lee Highway to Spout Run and exit the area via the George Washington Parkway).
  • 7:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: The Key Bridge will be closed.
  • 7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: The southbound I-395 HOV lanes from Washington, DC will be closed.
  •  7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.: 12th Street South from Eads Street to Crystal Drive will experience intermittent closures (local traffic is permitted in one lane from Eads Street to Army Navy Drive). Use South 15th Street to access hotels. Crystal Drive will be closed from 12th Street to 23rd Street. Rotary Road will be closed throughout Pentagon South parking. Columbia Pike will be closed at Joyce Street (access Pentagon via Boundary Channel).
  • 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Army Navy Drive will be closed from Fern Street to South 12th Street.
1/15

Arlington Marine Prepares for Marathon in Afghanistan

By ARLnow.com

Some 30,000 runners will descend on Arlington on Oct. 30 for the 36th annual Marine Corps Marathon.

On the same day, half a world away, Maj. Brian Mullery, an Arlington native and Marine plans officer, will participate in a Marine Corps Marathon-sponsored “satellite marathon” at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan.

Mullery, whose love of distance running began during his recruit training nearly 29 years ago, says he’s looking forward to what will be his lucky seventh marathon. It’s also the second marathon he’ll have run while deployed.

Running long distances — whether its during a marathon in Iraq or during morning jogs while stationed in Paris — has given Mullery time to get away from the daily stresses of work while keeping in shape, he says.

“I remember my lieutenant who was a physical fitness major when I was a sergeant with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment,” Mullery told military journalist Cpl. Jeff Drew. “He would say, ‘If you want to survive and you want to enjoy life when you retire, you need to have the mentality of fitness for life.’ That’s something he told me when I was 25, and almost 25 years later I still try to do that.”

As a bonus, Mullery says his rigorous running routine could save his life some day, should he ever find himself in a situation where his physical endurance is tested in a war zone.

“When the worst day of my life becomes a reality, I want to be able to talk about it the next day,” he said.

Read more about Mullery’s training regimen here.

Marine Corps Marathon Registration Starts Today

By ARLnow.com

The sign-up process for the Marine Corps Marathon is starting early this year.

Registration for the Oct. 30 race starts at noon today. As in years past, a total of 30,000 slots are available. Last year, when registration started in April, the race sold out within six days.

Early registration for active duty and reserve military service members ended last night.

The marathon is now in its 36th year.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Glebe Road Sewer Project Keeping Residents Up At Night — The county has started a new sewer project on South Glebe Road between 5th Street and 1st Road. The project will increase the capacity and reliability of the sewer system in the area. But the work of tearing up the road is being done at night, which has some residents complaining about the noise. More from the Washington Post.

Marine Corps Marathon Goes Off Without a Hitch — With stepped-up security in place, some 30,000 runners safely participated in the 35th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky won the 26.2 mile race, which winds through Rosslyn, Crystal City and the District, with a time of 2:23:30. Kenyan Janet Cherobon won the women’s field with a time of 2:42:38. More from the Washington Post.

IOTA Club Expands Beer List, Plans Renovations — Clarendon’s IOTA Club has expanded its draft beer list to 12 beers. The music venue’s current selection includes craft beers like Moonglow Weizenbock, Bear Republic Racer 5, Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere. The decision to upgrade the beer taps “is part of a larger improvement project at IOTA which includes an interior renovation/reconfiguration, a new outdoor front seating area, a new menu, coffee service, and many other things.” More from DC Beer.

Voter Turnout Could be Record — According to a projection by county treasurer Frank O’Leary, this year could be a record in turns of the number of voters voting in an off-year when the House of Representatives race is the marque race. But the percentage of active voter turnout will not be a record, O’Leary predicts. The dry weather predicted for tomorrow should help turnout. More from the Sun Gazette.

Flickr pool photo by philliefan99

Road Closures and Metro Changes for Marine Corps Marathon

By ARLnow.com

It’s going to be very hard to get around certain parts of Arlington on Sunday. The Marine Corps Marathon will shut down streets in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City. The Key Bridge and a stretch of Lee Highway will also be closed.

The good news is that Metro will be opening at 5:00 a.m., two hours earlier than usual, to accommodate marathon runners and spectators (the race starts at 8:15 a.m.). Metro will be running additional Blue Line trains for much of the day, but the agency says riders should expect the system to be especially busy.

“Customers can expect crowded conditions, especially after the race as people will have to wait in long lines to get back into the rail stations,” Metro said in a statement.

Also due to the marathon, buses that normally serve the Pentagon Transit Center will be relocated to the Pentagon City station until 4:00 p.m.

The Arlington County Police Department’s full road closure list, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Neighborhoods Host Marathon Events — A number of events are planning in Arlington in connection with Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon. Among them: Crystal City will be hosting a family-friendly race viewing festival, complete with music, face painting, a moon bounce and carnival-like food. After the race, Rosslyn will host the official MCM Finish Festival. Live music, food, a beer garden and a “recovery area” with free massages.

Dan Kain Trophies Closing Up Shop — Today is the last day for an Arlington original. Dan Kain Trophies (2207 North Pershing Drive) is packing up and moving to Merrifield, where the rent is considerably cheaper. The store is trying to sell its remaining trophy inventory, and they’re willing to make a deal for anybody who walks in before close of business today. More from TBD.

Arlington Man Sentenced for Threats — A 27-year-old Arlington man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for threatening to torture and kill his ex-girlfriend and her family. The man, Kyle McDonald, made the threatening phone calls while serving time in the Arlington County jail for stalking and violating a protection order. The phone calls were recorded by jail officials. More from the Washington Examiner.

Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

One Sign That It’s Almost Halloween — Around 5:00 yesterday evening, police were called to the ramp from northbound Washington Boulevard to Route 50 for a report of a severed human foot found in a bag in the middle of the roadway. Officers investigated and, as it turns out, the “foot” was made out of rubber. “A Halloween prank,” one officer concluded.

Pentagon Steps Up Security for Marine Corps Marathon — The Pentagon Force Protection Agency will provide more security than usual for Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon. That revelation comes in the wake of three middle-of-the-night shootings that targeted Marine Corps and military sites. USA Today reports that the beefed up security will focus on the Pentagon’s north parking lot, which serves as the pre-race staging area for MCM’s 30,000 runners.

Candidates Forum Tonight — Ten northwest Arlington civic associations are teaming up to host a non-partisan candidate’s night at Resurrection Lutheran Church (6201 N. Washington Blvd) tonight. The candidates for school board, county board and congress will debate each other and answer questions submitted by residents. The school board candidates will square off starting at 7:00 p.m., followed by the congressional candidates at 7:45 and the congressional candidates at 8:30.

Pentagon, Museum Shootings Linked; Extra Security Needed for Marathon?

By ARLnow.com

Local news outlets are reporting that the FBI has just confirmed that the same weapon was used to fire shots at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle on Oct. 17 and at the Pentagon on Oct. 19.

The FBI is also investigating a third shooting, which took place overnight at a Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Chantilly.

Each shooting is believed to have taken place at night, but one wonders whether the pattern of targeting Marine Corps-related sites could be worrisome to organizers of this weekend’s Marine Corps Marathon, which will take runners on a 26.2 mile course through Arlington and the District.

We’re awaiting comment from the Arlington County Police Department and the Marine Corps on whether extra security measures are being put into place.

Update on 10/27 — Citing law enforcement sources, ABC 7 reports that extra security will be in place at the marathon’s start and finish lines. Arlington police tell ABC 7 that they’re taking the recent shootings into consideration, and Pentagon police say they’ll deploy extra officers throughout the area.

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