A pair of 5K races — one part of a program teaching life skills, the other fundraising for economically vulnerable mothers — are taking place in Arlington this weekend.
The 11th annual Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation Memorial 5K, happening across the Yorktown, Rock Spring and Williamsburg neighborhoods on Saturday morning, will be accompanied by a kids’ fun run and a “Fun Day” with moon bounces, laser tag and a mechanical bull.
The following day will bring the Girls on the Run 5K to Pentagon City, capping off the fall season.
Both events will bring road closures.
The 5K in North Arlington
The 5K and “family carnival” on Saturday will be based at the Columbus Club of Arlington (5115 Little Falls Road) from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., raising funds for high-quality maternal care and infant care.
“This event carries on the legacy of Jenn Lawson, a dedicated mom and runner who was passionate about making available to all mothers the same level of care she received for her own complicated pregnancies,” the event’s website says.
Celebrations will include balloon animals, face painting and community performances. A kids’ fun run will take place around 10 a.m., after the 5K course is cleared, and will have two waves.
The following road closures will be in place from approximately 8:45-10:30 a.m. to accommodate runners, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
- Yorktown Blvd, from Little Falls Road/N. Greenbrier Street to N. Kensington Street
- Little Falls Road, from N. Edison Street to Yorktown Blvd and from Yorktown Blvd/N. Kensington Street to N. Ohio Street
- N. Lexington Street, from Yorktown Blvd to 27th Street N.
- 27th Road N., from the dead end to N. Lexington Street
- 27th Street N., from N. Lexington Street to N. Ohio Street
- John Marshall Drive at 27th Street N.
- N. Ohio Street, from 27th Street N. to Little Falls Road
The 5K in Pentagon City
The race in Pentagon City, meanwhile, is hosted by Girls on the Run Northern Virginia, which runs programs for girls in elementary and middle school.
“Each season comes to an end with a celebratory 5K,” the organization’s website says. “This closing event gives program participants of all abilities a tangible sense of accomplishment. Crossing the finish line instills confidence through completion and is a joyful moment program participants always remember!”
The following closures will be in place from 8-10:30 a.m.
- S. Joyce Street from 16th Street S. to Army Navy Drive
- Army Navy Drive from S. Joyce Street to 23rd Street S.
Law enforcement may close additional roads at their own discretion “and in the interest of public safety.” An increased police presence will be on hand at both events, according to the ACPD.
Photo via Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation/Facebook
