running

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Local DJ Competing for World Championship — “Arlington resident Ross Volpe, known professionally as DJ Throdown, won the DMC U.S. Finals DJ Battle and will represent the U.S. on Sept. 28 in London at the DMC World DJ Championships.” [InsideNova]

Friday Fire Call at Ballston Harris Teeter — “ACFD on scene of the Ballston Harris Teeter for reports of flames coming from a seafood display. Firefighters on scene say it’s a malfunctioning refrigerator, per scanner. Expect emergency activity on N. Glebe Road.” [Twitter]

Broadband Provider Opens Office in Clarendon — “Boston-based Starry Internet, a new internet service provider deploying fixed wireless broadband, announced that it has expanded to Arlington, Virginia, with a new office space. The company’s 8,300-square-foot Virginia office is owned by Rooney Properties, and is located in the Clarendon neighborhood… Starry offers an internet-only product costing $50 a month with a 200Mbps download speed.” [Technically DC]

Employees Win Suit Against Fmr. Arlington Startup — “A group of former Trustify Inc. employees have been awarded $259,425.49 in back pay, lost wages and damages against the former Arlington private investigator company and its founder and former CEO, Danny Boice, according to a Sept. 4 order in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.” [Washington Business Journal]

Arlington Tech Company Raises $2.5 Million — “Shift5, Inc. a cybersecurity company that builds hardware and software products to defend weapon systems, air platforms, and commercial transportation systems raised an additional $2.5 million in venture funding.” [PRNewswire via Potomac Tech Wire]

Memorial Bridge Construction Update — “Arlington Memorial Bridge is getting a makeover and some much needed structural support during its repairs… Adam Tuss got an exclusive look at the construction project on the Potomac.” [NBC 4]

ACFD Welcomes Retired Firefighter on 1,000 Mile Run — “On Saturday, September 14th, retired firefighter Justin Rowe will completed his 1,000 mile run from Maine to the Iwo Jima site (USMC Memorial) in Arlington. Tower 104 flew a flag to help welcome and congratulate him on this amazing achievement.” [Twitter]

An Indoor Running Studio Is Coming to Clarendon

By Kalina Newman
1/2

Arlington’s first indoor running studio is coming soon to Clarendon.

Formula Running Center will feature coached treadmill workouts focusing on high-intensity intervals training and high performance recovery, with classes catered to runners of all fitness levels.

Additional features in the space include full-body cryotherapy, an infrared sauna, a cold water plunge pod, stretching classes, and more.

“Our comprehensive list of classes and recovery services is made to keep you hitting the tread, pounding the pavement, and crushing personal fitness goals,” the company wrote on its Facebook page.

Formula Running Center is slated to open this fall, according to owner Christopher Hoffman. It will be located on the first floor of the office building at 3101 Wilson Blvd, in the former American Tap Room Space.

The member-based running and fitness center was previously called “FootFire” in permit filings last year.

The studio applied for a construction permit in April, per county records. It will join the ranks of nearby boutique fitness studios SoulCycle and Barry’s Bootcamp, among others, and is also just steps from the Clarendon Metro station and running store Pacers.

The studio is sponsoring the upcoming Clarendon Day Run on Saturday, September 21.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New State Laws Take Effect Today — A number of laws intended to improve safety on Virginia’s roads and highways take effect today, July 1. [Press Release, Press Release]

Wardian Runs Around Beltway — “Michael Wardian has sat in traffic on the Capital Beltway and thought, ‘Wow; I wish I could just park my car here and take off and run home.’ This weekend, he ran the entire loop of the iconic highway. Wardian, of Arlington, Virginia, ran the 89.9 miles of the Beltway in 17 hours, 54 minutes and 59 seconds.” [WTOP, WUSA 9, RunWashington]

Organ Donation Info Session Today — “The Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) and an organ donor will join us to talk about organ donation and what we, as potential donors, need to know.” [Event Calendar]

Retired ACPD K9s Pass — “With great sadness, Arlington County Police announce the passing of retired K9 Charly and K9 Koda. Both K9s loyally served the Arlington community from 2007 to 2015. We kindly ask that you keep the K9s and their handlers in your thoughts.” [Twitter]

Police Help Find Lost Dog — “While on bike patrol [Friday], Detective Adams, Detective Olson and Detective Blow encountered a citizen who had lost her dog along Four Mile Run Trail. Shortly later, Detective Adams located Lucy further up and stayed with her until she could be reunited with her owner.” [Twitter]

DePoo Makes Giant Ship on Stage — “When [Arlington’s] Signature Theatre artistic director Eric Schaeffer commissioned the world premiere musical Blackbeard, he knew he wanted to push the boundaries of the Signature’s newly flexible space… Set entirely on the titular conqueror’s ship, every aspect of Paul Tate DePoo III’s set implies mystery, daring, and grandeur.” [Playbill]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Goldstein Fends Off Challenger — “Incumbent School Board Chair Reid Goldstein emerged as the victor Saturday night in the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s [School Board endorsement] caucus… Goldstein received 1,231 votes out of 1,999 ballots counted, or 61.6%… Challenger David Priddy received 763 votes.” [Arlington Democrats]

Car Runs Off Glebe Road Into Ditch — “At 1:54pm Sunday, units were called for a car off the road in 4500 blk of N Glebe Rd. Crews were able to walk 1 patient out with minor injuries. Patient was transported to local hospital while Hazmat team worked to contain leaking fluids. Please watch your speed on the wet roads.” [Twitter]

Del. Hope Not a PAC Man — Del. Patrick Hope (D) has joined a group of Democratic state Senators in announcing “their intention to introduce legislation in the 2020 General Assembly legislative session to limit excessive campaign contributions from influencing Virginia elections.” The proposed bill is in response to a PAC contributing nearly $1 million to the commonwealth’s attorney primaries in Arlington and Fairfax. [Blue Virginia]

New Additions to Amazon HQ2 Job Page — There are now 47 open jobs listed on Amazon’s HQ2 jobs page. Among the positions Amazon is hiring for in Arlington are hardware, system and software development engineers; recruiters; and numerous Alexa-related technical positions. [Amazon]

Middle School Project Running Behind — “It might be a little cramped for the first few months as students settle in at Arlington’s Dorothy Hamm Middle School… County school officials have known for months that the expansion of the school won’t be ready for occupancy when classes begin in September… On its website, the school system now pegs completion of the expansion at next March.” [InsideNova]

Wardian Places Third in Horse Race — “Mike Wardian, 45, of Arlington, Va. did not succeed at outrunning all the horses at the 40th anniversary of Whole Earth Man v. Horse Marathon in Wales yesterday, but he did pretty well nonetheless, placing third among the humans and finishing in 2:34:03.” [Trail Running]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington GOP Not As Interested in Local — “The Arlington County Republican Committee’s efforts to regain a toehold in local governance may continue to suffer from a general disinterest in local affairs from many within the party’s rank and file.” [InsideNova]

Housing Initiative Getting Underway — “Arlington County has a shortage of homes, and with Amazon moving in, that pressure is only increasing. Now the county is asking residents about their housing needs and their ideas to address the crunch as part of its Housing Arlington initiative announced earlier this year.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Women of Vision Winners — Arlington County has named the three honorees of its 2019 Arlington County Women of Vision awards: long-time Arlington County housing staffer Melodee Melin, Clarendon Childcare Center director Sandra Redmore, and Virginia Equal Rights Coalition founder Julia Tanner. [Arlington County]

Bike Theft Reminder — On Friday, two men were taken into custody after a foot pursuit and search on suspicion of stealing bicycles in the Clarendon area, according to Arlington County Police. It serves as a reminder for Arlington residents to register bikes for free with the police department. [Arlington County, Twitter]

Wardian Now Racing Horses — “Michael Wardian has finished the Boston Marathon 18 times. He holds the world record for fastest 50-kilometre run on a treadmill. This year he raced 631 miles across Israel in barely 10 days’ time… The Arlington, Virginia, runner will be one of 650 or so humans and five dozen horses racing against each other in the annual Man Versus Horse Marathon on Saturday.” [National Post]

Arlington Again Named Top Location for Runners

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is the “best city for runners” again, according to the results of an annual study.

The county was also the top-ranked place for runners in last year’s list, compiled by the number crunchers at the website SmartAsset.

“Arlington has more races per 10,000 residents than any other city in our study,” SmartAsset wrote. “And residents who want to participate in races have places to train. Almost all residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. If you prefer to run indoors, the city also offers the third-highest number of gyms per 10,000 residents.”

“Beyond being a great locale for running, Arlington is also a very livable city,” the website added. “It ranked ninth in the study for lowest housing costs as a percentage of income and 16th for walkability.”

Upcoming races in Arlington include Crystal City’s 5K Fridays, which take place during the month of April, and the Arlington Bunny Hop Charity 5K, which is set for next weekend.

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Family of Detained Arlington Man Seeks Answers — “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met privately with the families of Americans detained abroad Tuesday and urged them not to abandon hope. The State Department declined to share the names of those present but they included… the daughter of Majd Kamalmaz, a 61-year-old psychotherapist from Arlington, Virginia, who has been missing in Syria since 2017.” [NBC News]

Jury Duty Changes — “The verdict is in, and at least from the standpoint of Arlington officials, a two-year-long revamp of how local jurors are selected appears to be a success. ‘We have received positive feedback,’ said Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson.” [InsideNova]

Arlington is Near Top for Dog Owners — Arlington has ranked No. 14 among the most dog-friendly places in the U.S. in 2019, according to pet website Rover. The most popular breed in Arlington: mutts. [Zebra]

Va. to Implement Conversion Therapy Ban — Virginia’s Board of Psychology is a month away from potentially implementing a ban on conversion therapy on minors by licensed psychologists. “This has been a long, arduous process but make no mistake, Virginia is going to ban this ineffective, harmful practice on children,” Arlington’s Del. Patrick Hope (D) said via Twitter. “This is the first of many steps toward protecting Virginia’s children.” [Virginia Mercury, Twitter]

Nearby: Woman Runs All of Alexandria’s Streets — “For the last 19 weeks, Stephanie Lasure has been running every street in the City of Alexandria. She is weaving her way through every nook and cranny — down every block in Old Town, around every cul-de-sac in Seminary Hill and up every ascent in Rosemont.” [RunWashington]

Friday Races to Return to Crystal City in April

By Airey

Crystal City’s 5K Fridays are just around the corner for those looking for a “low key race” each week.

The race series returns to Crystal City for its 10th anniversary this year. Starting on April 5, runners can race each Friday starting 6:30 p.m. Billed as the area’s “fittest happy hour,” Crystal City 5K Fridays give race participants tickets for exclusive bars after they finish.

The race itself starts and ends at the Crystal City Courtyard Green (2121 Crystal Drive), looping along Crystal Drive and Long Bridge Drive.

Attendees can register here and pay $25 for one race, or $75 for all the races which comes with a free T-shirt.

Crystal City 5K Fridays is organized by Pacers Running store and sponsored by the Crystal City Business Improvement District and JBG Smith.

Runners can check their bags with race attendants before the 5K begins and will have access to restrooms in the Crystal City Shops (2100 Crystal Drive), per the organizer’s website.

Participants can use a water station at the start line to fill up water bottles and will be able to refill at another water station organizers say will be outside Long Bridge Park.

Current course records for the Friday race are 15 minutes, 10 seconds for men set by Bert Rodriguez in 2011, and 16 minutes, 22 seconds for women set by Susanna Sullivan in 2016, according to the Pacers website.

Photo via Pacers Running

Pacers Invites Runners to Pair Whiskey With Girl Scout Cookies at Event Next Week

By Alex Koma

An event in Clarendon next week invites runners to wash down Girl Scout cookies with whiskey.

Pacers Running, located at 3100 Clarendon Blvd, is hosting a social run around the neighborhood this coming Tuesday (March 5) with some special treats available at the end.

The attraction of the event is nominally a chance for runners to try out ON Running’s “CloudSwift” shoes. But the unusual twist comes after the run is over.

Representatives from Pittsburgh-based distillery Wigle Whiskey will be on hand after the event sampling some of its liquor offerings. And with each new spirit, they’ll recommend a Girl Scout cookie to pair with it.

“It’s an unbeatable combination,” promises a Facebook page describing the event.

The run will start at the Pacers shop at 7 p.m. All running paces are welcome.

File photo

Marine Corps Marathon Plans New ‘Ultramarathon’ Option for Runners This Fall

By Alex Koma

The Marine Corps Marathon is offering a new option for runners hoping to kick the intensity up a notch this year.

For the first time ever, the annual race’s backers are planning to put on a 50-kilometer “ultramarathon” alongside two other distance options this fall.

The ultramarathon will be held on the same day as the 44th iteration of the traditional marathon, Oct. 27, and kick off on the National Mall in D.C.

Some of the course will include portions of both the 10K race and regular, 26.2-mile marathon offered as part of the event.

“Runners must maintain an 11:30 minute pace-per-mile through mile 14 on Rock Creek Parkway,” the event’s organizers wrote in a release. “For the remaining 17 miles, MCM50K participants may run at a 14 minute pace-per-mile. Ultimately, the MCM50K will arrive at a joint finish at the iconic U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington.”

Registration for the ultramarathon will open on Feb. 27, but will be limited to 500 participants. The fee is $200 to participate.

Runners in the new event will earn a U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial themed medal, a quarter-zip and commemorative bib, organizers said.

Registration for the traditional marathon will open in March. The event generally brings more than 30,000 runners to Arlington each year.

File photo

Prolific Arlington Runner Michael Wardian Nears Goal of Running 10 Marathons in 10 Days

By Alex Koma

Fresh off running seven marathons on all seven continents in just seven days, Arlington resident Michael Wardian isn’t slowing down.

Wardian, one of the county’s most prolific athletes, says he’s planning to run three more marathons in D.C. this week. He’s planning to finish one each day, starting tonight (Thursday) and running through Saturday.

Wardian already managed to win the men’s side of the “World Marathon Challenge,” compiling the fastest total time across marathons in Miami; Santiago, Chile; Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Madrid, Spain; and Nova, Antarctica.

With the events this weekend, he’s trying to set a new world record for the fastest time across 10 marathons in 10 days.

He previously set a world record in the 2017 World Marathon Challenge, and has managed all manner of other impressive running feats over the years. The 44-year-old works as an international shipbroker for his day job.

Today’s marathon will start at 7 p.m., giving Wardian some much-needed time to rest, while the other two will each kick off at noon.

Anyone hoping to watch can gather at an event hosted by Pacer’s Running at the Hains Point Picnic Area in D.C.’s East Potomac Park.

Photo via Facebook

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