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SAFETY AND HEALTH FOUNDATION, INC.

 

 

Friends of the W&OD
7th annual Walter L. Mess
W&OD TRAIL 5K
Sunday, March 29, 2015 - 4:00 pm

On Washington & Old Dominion Trail
from Oak Street to Shreve Road to Little Falls Street and back

Start & finish at American Legion Post 130
400 North Oak Street, Falls Church, Virginia

In honor of Walter L. Mess, chairman emeritus
of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
www.SafetyAndHealthFoundation.org/wod

Thank you for entering W&OD Trail 5K, in memory of Walter L. Mess.

On-street parking near the start / finish is free on Sundays.

Packet pickup is Sunday, March 29, 2:30 PM to 3:45 PM, at American Legion Post 130, 400 North Oak Street, Falls Church VA 22046.

At packet pickup, you receive your bib number, safety pins you need them (bring your own if you have t hem), your t-shirt featuring a portrait of Walter L. Mess, and a goodie bag with a welcome letter and some product samples.

[In the goodie bag is sample packet of Emergen-C and a response form about Emergen-C that you may fill out and return to us. Oddly, the form does not have a return address or web site, so we'll have a collection envelope at packet pickup.]

Please pin your bib number to the front of you shirt, not obscured by a jacket, so we can read your bib number when you finish. Please leave the name-tag intact at the bottom of your bib number, so we can remove it at the end of the race to keep score. Please don't pin through the name tag.

Before the race, you can meet Walter L. Messs's lifelong friend Roger Neighborgall, now president of Friends of the W&OD; Karl Mohle and Andy Kaganowich, who manage W&OD Trail; David Garcia, roving naturalist from Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and his animal friends; Brian Rice, our sponsor, exhibiting Amway products; and Sol Schott, owner of Acme Pies. We also thank Falls Church police, W&OD Trail Patrol, and Boy Scout troops 349, 681, and 895.

Pre-race, we play the National Anthem at about 3:50 PM, then get a welcome from Roger Neighborgall, a safety briefing from Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin, and a race rules briefing from the race director (me) -- stay to the right except when passing, be courteous to other trail users, finish to your right in the corrdct order.

The race starts at 4:00 PM on the W&OD Trail at Oak Street. Stay right and run west across Spring Street, West Street, and Grove Street; run across Citizens Bridge over Route 7, dedicated to Walter L. Mess, who worked for 20 years to get the bridge funded and built; and continue west to a turnaround point near Hickory Street and Shreve Road.

Turn around left there and run back eastbound over Citizens Bridge, across Grove, West, Spring, and Oak Streets, passing the start / finish, where we will have water and Gatorade. Stay right and continue eastbound across Great Falls Street to a turnaround point near Veterans Common, before you get to Little Falls Street. Turn around left there and run back across Great Falls Street, then stay to your right to the finish line at Walter L. Mess Plaza, the small playground next to American Legion Post 130.

We hope our mostly-flat, relatively scenic course enables you to run your best 5K ever. We promise better weather than last year's slush-storm.

After you finish, we offer Acme Pies by the slice, Great Harvest bread, Mario's pizza (both with cheese and without cheese for vegans), Whole Foods bananas, plus water and Gatorade.

We offer whole Acme Pies for prizes, also Dunkin' Donuts berets and some gift certificates.

Let's talk about t-shirts for a moment. Three weeks ago, in the depth of winter, I ordered 72 t-shirts when we had 24 sign-ups. Now that spring has sprung, we have 90 sign-ups! So that nobody goes home empty-handed, we will bring nice t-shirts from our marathon last year, but also we will collect names / bib numbers from anyone who doesn't get a Walter Mess W&OD Trail 5K t-shirt tomorrow and wants us to send one by mail. Sorry about that! Thanks for understanding.

We look forward to welcoming you tomorrow, Sunday, March 29!

Links:

  • Our race: www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/wod
  • This year's t-shirt: www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/wod/2015Mess-WOD5K.jpg
  • Friends of the W&OD Trail: www.wodfriends.org
  • Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority: www.nvrpa.org
  • Great Harvest Bread: www.darngoodbread.com
  • Mario's Pizza House: www.mariospizzava.com
  • Whole Foods of Arlington: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/arlington
  • Brian Rice, independent Amway dealer: www.amway.com/ricemart
  • Acme Pie Company: www.acmepieco.com | To place a pie order for pick-up at the race, please call Sol at 202-215-3063 | The pies: Gluten-Free Key Lime; Baked Coconut Custard; Sour Cherry with Streusel Topping; Blackberry with a Hint of Lime (vegan); Scottish Apple with Whiskey plumped raisins; and Pecan-Maple-Belgian Chocolate

    See our web page at www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/wod for further information.

    Course maps:

  • First leg -- W&OD Trail westbound from Oak Street towards Shreve Road | MAP
  • Second leg -- W&OD Trail eastbound from Shreve Road toward Little Falls Street | MAP
  • Third leg -- W&OD Trail westbound from Little Falls Street back to Oak Street | MAP
  • We look forward to hosting you this weekend!

    -- Thank you
    -- Jay Jacob Wind
    -- Secretary, Friends of the W&OD Trail
    -- Director, Safety And Health Foundation


    Environmental and Safety Information
    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
    -- Secretary, Friends of the W&OD Trail
    -- Director, Safety And Health Foundation