Thank you for registering for Walter L. Mess W&OD Trail 5K, Sunday, March 27, at 4:00 PM in Falls Church VA, starting and finishing at American Legion Post 130, 400 North Oak Street, conducted by Friends of the W&OD and Marathon Charity Cooperation.
The day before the race, Saturday, March 26, at 2:00 PM, we assemble goodie bags at
Road Runner Sports
1120 West Broad Street
Falls Church VA 22046
(703-237-3636)
We invite you to help us at this volunteer activity.
We host packet pickup:
- Saturday, March 26, from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM, at
Road Runner Sports
1120 West Broad Street
Falls Church VA 22046
(703-237-3636)
Anyone who comes on Satuday for packet pickup gets 10% off any purchase at Road Runner Sports.
- Sunday, March 27, from 2:30 PM to 3:45 PM at
American Legion Post 130
400 North Oak Street
Falls Church VA
See www.mc-coop.org/wod/index.html for directions, but if you need help, you can call me at 703-927-4833.
We use lightweight, environmentally-friendly, easy-to-affix IPICO timing tags to score the race.
You can pick up your goodie bag, bib number, and t-shirt on Saturday at Road Runner Sports, but you can pick up your IPICO timing tag ONLY on Sunday before the race, so please allow time to go inside American Legion Post 130 to get your IPICO timing tag.
Your IPICO timing tag is the only way we know when you start and finish the race. Please don't pin it to your shirt or put it in your pocket or leave it in your car.
Please pin your bib number to the front of your shirt, and please fasten your IPICO tag to your shoe using the white plastic twist-tie that we provide. (Please don't use your shoelace to affix your IPICO tag. To unlace runners' shoes after a race is really hard for our volunteers.)
Please wear your bib number visibly on the front of your shirt. We record bib numbers as a back-up to the electronic timing tag system. Please do not remove the tear-off tag at the bottom of your bib number. We collect that tag after the race. We also use the bib number to identify you as you approach the finish line so we can announce your name.
The race starts and ends on the W&OD trail at Oak Street. Please gather away from the trail until five minutes before the race to allow other trail users to pass safely.
At 3:45 PM, with Falls Church City Mayor Nader Baroukh and members of the city council, we introduce our honoree, Walter L. Mess, chairman emeritus of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, leader of NVRPA's work to obtain the W&OD Trail for public usage, leader of the effort to build Citizens' Bridge over Route 7, and leader of many other environmental protection initiatives in Northern Virginia. Please take a moment to thank Mr. Mess for all he has done for us.
The course is entirely on the W&OD Trail. Starting at Oak Street westbound, you cross Spring Street, West Street, and Grove Street early in the race; run over Citizens' Bridge across Route 7 (Leesburg Pike); and turn around across from 7208 / 7210 Shreve Road near Hickory Street. On the return eastbound, you surmount Citizens' Bridge over Route 7 and cross Grove, West, Spring, Oak (passing the start / finish), and Great Falls Street. You turn around at Little Falls Street and return westbound across Great Falls Street and back to the finish at Oak Street.
As you pass Oak Street eastbound in mid-race, please stay to your right on the W&OD Trail, as far from the timing mats as possible. If you drop out at that point, please do not approach the timing mats, so we don't get an incorrect reading; then enter the IPICO tag recovery tent so we can retrieve your IPICO tag.
As you finish from the east, bear to your right and cross the timing mats. Watch for your time on the digital clock.
[Note to walkers and runners pushing baby strollers: you start at 3:59 PM, one minute before the mass start. Add one minute to the time on the clock to get your correct time.]
We thank Falls Church Police, under the leadership of Deputy Chief of Police Mary Gavin, for protecting us at the 5 road crossings, and we thank Boy Scout Troops 349, 681, and 895 for assisting the police.
The W&OD Trail is almost completely flat, except when you go over Route 7. After the start, please stay to your right and be courteous to all other trail users.
The trail is open to cyclists and other users during the race. Also, watch for rabbits, box turtles and snappers, dragonflies, cardinals, meadowlarks, and maybe even deer.
We host an aid station at Grove Street just east of Route 7 so you go by it twice in the race.
After you finish, please step into the cooling tent to take off your IPICO timing tag before you go to the post-race refreshments.
Outdoors, we offer athletic drink, DrinkMore Water, Honest Tea, Whole Foods bananas, Great Harvest bread, and Mario's pizza.
Indoors, for those over 21, American Legion Post 130 serves 11 brands of beer (Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Yuengling, Miller Lite, Rolling Rock, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Busch, Coors Lite, Select 55, Genuine 64) for $2, also canned soft drinks for $1.
We present awards as soon as possible after the race. We thank Georgetown Running Company, Road Runner Sports, and RedStar Worldwear Sunglasses for providing prizes.
We thank Tori McKinney (www.torirocksrealestate.com -- your GREEN realtor, providing ROCK STAR service) and POS Concepts Consulting LLC (www.posconceptsconsulting.com) for sponsoring our event, and we welcome other sponsors. Call me at 703-927-4833 if you want to sponsor our event.
We publish the results post-race at
www.mc-coop.org/results/20110327.html
as soon as we can after the race. We update that page as needed with any additions or corrections.
Thank you again for joining us. We look forward to seeing you on March 26 and 27.
-- Thank you for joining us!
-- Jay Jacob Wind, race director; secretary, MCC; secretary, Friends of the W&OD
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Environmental and Safety Information
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Throughout the race, we are diligent stewards of our environment. We clean up thoroughly post-race and recycle everything we possibly can. We welcome your assistance in this effort.
The conditions during this race may be hot and humid or cold and rainy. You should know your body and race according to your ability. Please read and understand this safety information. This information is also available at packet pickup.
Emergency Contact Information
On the back of your bib number, please write the name and phone number of a race-day emergency contact.
Water and Medical Aid
Water and medical aid are available before, during, and after the race. We encourage you to take water while you run, and to reduce your level of effort in case of extreme heat. If you experience any physical difficulties, please immediately seek assistance from a course marshal or volunteer. All course marshals have the authority and the responsibility to assist or to remove from the race anyone who is in danger. The course marshals at the street crossings, at Route 7, and at the turnaround have cars to take you back to the finish line if you are unable to complete the 5K.
Extreme Weather Conditions
In the event of extreme or unsafe weather conditions, the race director reserves the right to cancel the race. We can still have the post-race refreshments, weather permitting. In case we have to cancel, please be sure to return your IPICO timing tag.
W&OD Trail Etiquette
The W&OD Trail remains open to other trail users during this race. Please stay to your right at all times, please do not impede other trail users, and please be courteous. Be aware of your surroundings and to the presence of other trail users. Roller skates, bicycles, and unleashed pets are not allowed in the race, and we discourage the use of headphones.
Walkers and runners with baby strollers start one minute BEFORE the runners. Please protect your baby with small bike helmet -- see http://www.helmets.org/tiny.htm for advice.
-- Thank you for joining us!
-- Jay Jacob Wind, race director; secretary, MCC; secretary, Friends of the W&OD