The streets of south Reston will be filled with hundreds of runners early Sunday for the second annual Runners Marathon (and Half Marathon) of Reston.

Registration is now closed. If you are running the race, surely you have your logistics all mapped out. But if you live nearby or plan to watch, here are some things to know:

The race begins at 7:30 a.m. at South Lakes High School. The Half Marathon begins at 8 a.m.

Streets such as South Lake Drive, Ridge Heights Road, Sunrise Valley Drive and Glade Drive, among others, will be affected. Roads will not completely close, but lanes will be sectioned off and traffic will be slowed until the course is cleared at 1:30 p.m.

See a complete course map here.

Sunday’s weather: Rainy. Low of 32. High of 55.

Some of the best spectator locations:

• South Lakes Village Center: After miles 3 and 15.5. The shopping center is on South Lakes Drive, about 0.8 miles east of the high school. Park in the shopping center lot.
• Hunter Woods Pool:  Just before miles 7 and 20 (about 2.6 miles from the high school). The pool parking lot is at the end of Steeplechase Drive.
• Corner of Glade Drive and Colts Neck Road: Just after miles 8 and 20.5 for the full marathon or about 7.4 miles for the half marathon (about 2 miles from the high school).
• South Lakes Drive Park:  Just before miles 11.5 and 24. Runners will emerge from the south on a path just west of the park, and cross under South Lakes Drive (to the north side) using a tunnel.

By the numbers:

About 268 marathoners and 471 half marathoners are registered. They hail from 30 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Brazil. There are 366 men and 373 women in the
field. Over 146 participants are running their first full or half marathon.

Volunteers will be busy hauling 10,000 cups to the race site; driving a golf cart to mark six miles of
course with 250 pounds of lime; distributing 250 volunteer shirts; unloading 800 gallons of water at the aid stations; placing 750 cones on the road out the back of a truck; assembling 180 awards with labels and frames; and snapping, organizing, and posting 1,734 photos of the race.

For more information, visit the Runners Marathon of Reston Participant and Spectator Guide.

As the Fairfax County Park Authority continued its Baron Cameron Park Master Plan process with a public hearing on Thursday, the main takeaway was that public opinion has not changed very much from a year ago.

In early 2013, Reston Community Center began examining building an indoor recreation center and pool in the park and the FCPA started to plan for the 68-acre parcel’s future in general.

The park is home to 10 athletic fields, a playground, 32 community garden plots and Reston’s only off-leash dog area. Proposed changes include upgrading the athletic fields to full-size with synthetic turf and lights; increasing parking; adding a second park entrance; building a restroom and picnic pavilion; adding community garden plots and a fitness trail.

An alternative plan includes replacing athletic fields with the indoor recreation center and additional parking and relocating the existing dog park to a central location within the park.

In 2013, there were a series of sometimes-emotional meetings about RCC’s plans to build the pool, which consultants say would cost about $30 million. Swimmers made the case that the community definitely needs this amenity as RCC’s current pool is more than 35 years old and very outdated. But many community members said they were against the cost of a county facility being the responsibility of Reston residents in Small Tax District 5.

Thursday’s meeting was not much different. The swimmers still want to swim. Opponents are still opposed.

“This is great work built on faulty assumptions – one of them is that  Small Tax District 5 is the bank account of Fairfax County,” said Rick Beyer, representing a group of residents called Save Baron Cameron Park, said of the park authority’s proposed plans. “I challenge the [Fairfax County] Supervisors to support Reston like it supports the rest of the county.”

The re-imagining of Baron Cameron comes, in part, as the Reston is preparing for an influx of population after Metro’s Silver Line opens here later this year. The Reston Master Plan Amendment estimates the area will see and additional 22,000 residential units, and those tens of thousands of residents will need places to play.

Several speakers suggested the indoor pool be built in the North Town Center area, closer to housing and the future Reston Parkway Metro. That site is the only alternative still under consideration, RCC says.

Other top topics at the meeting:

The Dog Park — many dog owners said they do not want the off-leash area moved. With increased population, there is sure to be an influx in dogs, so some advocates say the dog park should be expanded.

“The current site has benches, trees and a water source,” said dog owner Martha Mason. “That would have to be relocated. The current site would be difficult to convert to playground. It is safer and cheaper to keep it at its current location.”

Tammi Petrine, co-chair of Reston 2020, suggested the dog park be moved to the more expansive Lake Fairfax Park.

Not speaking up on Thursday was the group of Longwood Grove residents who have filed an injunction against Reston Dogs Inc., the sponsor of the dog area, and the FCPA, to shut down the dog run due to excessive noise.

Reston’s Memorial Garden of Reflection — Reston lacks both a cemetery and a quiet spot for reflection and remembrance, said members of Initiative for Public Art Reston (IPAR).

They would like to see a memorial garden included in the plans for Baron Cameron Park. The idea has also been included in the recently approved Reston comprehensive plan amendment.

“Reston has no area for a special place for people to be remembered, where we can go and honor and celebrate Restonians who have passed,” said IPAR president Joe Ritchey.

FCPA will be accepting public comments on Baron Cameron Park for 30 days. There will be revisions to the master plan in the spring, and the park authority board hopes to take action on the plan by summer. Send comments to [email protected].

RCC will continue its own process about the indoor recreation center. That plan would eventually go to a referendum vote in Small Tax District 5, but executive director Leila Gordon says she does not think that will happen in 2014.

The Reston Citizens Association will hold its own Town Hall on Baron Cameron on April 7 at 7 p.m. at Buzz Aldrin Elementary School.

See all documents relating to the Baron Cameron Master Plan on Fairfax County’s website.

Metro Fares Will Rise — The Metro board voted Thursday to raise fares for Metrorail and Metrobus. The new fares, which will take effect July 1, increase the cost of riding Metrorail by an average of 3 percent. [Washington Post]

Big Night For Jensen —  South Lakes guard Caitlin Jensen scored a game-high 22 points and hit four three-pointers in the 10th Annual Suburban Classic on Sunday. The all-star game, held at Oakton High School and sponsored by the Northern Virginia Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association, featured 20 of the best seniors in the Northern Region from the 6A and 5A North regions. Jensen has committed to play at William & Mary next season. [Washington Post]

GRACE Exhibition Features High School Works — Young artists from area high schools, including South Lakes, Herndon and Oakton, have projects on display at Greater Reston Arts Center as part of the Emerging Visions: Complexities exhibition through April 5. [Fairfax Times]

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA 11th) has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to provide a 3.3 pay raise to federal workers.

The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, co-sponsored by Reps. Jim Moran (D-Va 8th), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), John Tierney (D-MA), would provide the pay hike to all federal employees in calendar year 2015.

“After a three-year wage freeze, wage-reducing work furloughs, sequester cuts, and a government shutdown, our nation’s dedicated federal employees deserve fair compensation,” Connolly says.  “Not only has our federal workforce been demonized and demoralized by the constant attacks from the House majority and the Tea Party, over the last four years federal wages have lagged far behind the private sector and have even failed to keep up with the rate of inflation.”

From Connolly’s office:

The FAIR Act recognizes the alarming rate of attrition among federal employees.  Since 2009, the attrition rate in the federal workforce has increased by 35 percent, with more college graduates turning away from a federal career and many federal managers questioning why they should remain in federal service, according to statistics from the non-partisan Partnership for Public Service.

The 1 percent federal wage adjustment granted last year to federal workers still lagged behind the country’s historically low average inflation rate of 1.5 percent for 2013, to say nothing of average private sector wages which rose by 6.5 percent over the last four years, according to the Employment Cost Index.  Nationwide, earnings grew in 2013 in every industry except the civilian federal government, which fell $6.7 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“Federal workers deserve to be compensated for the vital role they play in the lives of millions of Americans,” Moran said.  “These are the men and women finding lifesaving cures at NIH, catching criminals, supporting our troops, and protecting the environment. They have bills to pay and families to raise. After three years of a pay freeze and too many furloughs, they’ve earned a modest, decent raise.”

Federal employees have also done more than their fair share toward reducing the federal deficit.  Cummings stated that “they have endured a 3-year pay freeze and $140 billion in pay and benefits cuts.  A 3.3 percent pay increase in 2015 as called for in the FAIR Act would be a modest first step to help us retain and attract the best and brightest to our nation’s federal service.”

Connolly is ranking member of the House Government Operations Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.  Moran is the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment.  Cummings is the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Several members of the Reston Association Board of Directors are concerned that a write-in candidate may be leading the in the votes for the Apartment Owners seat.

Ellen Graves is the official candidate for the spot, but Kimberly Miller, a portfolio manager with developer The JBG Companies has received many votes, RA sources said.

The spot is open because current apartment owner rep Amanda Andere is not running for re-election. Graves is currently on the board representing Hunters Woods/Dogwood. She was appointed last summer to fill out the remaining months of the term after Cheryl Beamer resigned.

Graves would not comment and Miller did not return messages. Miller is not a Reston Association member, but RA bylaws allow a non-resident to be in that spot.

While there is nothing in the RA bylaws that prevents a write-in candidate from seeking election, it brings up a question of why Miller did not seek election the standard way — by filing with RA months ago and campaigning for the position. Reston officials said Miller did file, but her application came in late, sources said.

And while there is no rule against having an employee of a major developer on the board, it also brings up the question of potential conflicts of interest as JBG owns several developments in Reston and has filed plans for several more.

The Apartment Owners seat is a bit different than other RA board seats. In most RA board seats, candidates are elected to a three-year term by earning votes from the households in the neighborhood they represent. A winning candidate earns between several hundred to several thousand votes, depending on opponents that year.

For the apartment seats, though, candidates only need a majority of votes from a pool of 20 representatives of owners of Reston’s major apartment complexes. Among the voters are Fellowship Square Foundation, Cornerstones, Quantum Real Estate Management, Lerner Corporation, and The JBG Companies.

Meanwhile, RA Elections Chair Ed Robichaud says turnout has been pretty light in the 2014 board election. Ballots must be in by Monday at 5 p.m.

RA has fixed a glitch in which RA’s online voting was down for 48 hours last weekend. Robichaud told the board on Wednesday that they should look into a recovery procedure in case the same thing happens in the future.

“We have nothing place for an act of God or a weather emergency,” he said.

He also suggested incentives such as a pool pass discount for households that vote. Only a small portion of Reston’s 25,000 households take part in the annual election, he said.

“I take it as an embarrassment that we can only convince 3,000 people to vote,” he said.

Herndon High School alum Brandon Guyer will start the 2014 Major League Baseball season as part of the Tampa Bay Rays roster.

Guyer, a 2004 HHS grad who also played at University of Virginia, has made brief stops in the big leagues, most notably in a playoff push at the end of the 2011 season. After injuries in 2012, the outfielder spent 2013 season at Triple-A Durham, where he hit .301 with seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 22 steals. His .301 mark was fifth best in the International League.

Through Tuesday, Guyer was hitting .289 with three doubles and one RBI this spring.

“You haven’t seen a lot here, but we really like what [Guyer has] done in Triple-A, combination of skill and the metrics that are behind him indicate this guy should be a pretty good baseball player,” Rays Manager Joe Maddon told MLB.com. “So we decided to keep him.”

Guyer, 28, says making an Opening Day roster has been a dream of his.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity,” Guyer said. “I’ve worked my whole life to try and make an Opening Day roster and be up here. … Now the hard work starts. I have to keep grinding and doing everything I can to help the team win.”

Reston Association’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the proposal to allow Surf Reston Stand Up Paddleboarding to offer lessons on Lake Anne and Lake Audubon this spring and summer.

The schedule will have two days/evenings of paddleboard instruction on Lake Anne per week, and no more than three intermediate level classes per month at Lake Audubon. There will be no “rental fleet” of paddleboards at any Reston lake, says Larry Butler, RA’s Director of Parks and Recreation.

The plan for summer 2014 looks much different than it did in late summer of 2013, when the RA Board passed a a motion to allow to allow the company to do business at Lake Audubon.

That plan was met with complaints from many Lake Audubon residents, who said offering a commercial enterprise at the all-residential lake would lead to an influx of noise, garbage and non-resident use of the lakes.

Still, one Lake Audubon resident spoke up at Wednesday’s meeting against business at Lake Audubon.

“With commercialization, the lake becomes more crowded and noisy,” she told the board. “Blatant and crass commercialism defies everything that brought us to Reston. This plan is scaled down, but it is just the tip of the iceberg.”

While it is hard to police whether users of Reston’s lakes are Reston residents, some board members said it is important to remember that Reston lakes are for all residents, not just lakefront property owners.

“I am certainly sensitive to neighbors who are concerned about too much use,” said Lake Anne/Tall Oaks director Eve Thompson. “But I am also sensitive to lake residents vs. non residents. We cannot create an allusion that the lakes are not for all of Reston. The lake is large enough, people. We will figure it out.”

As part of the agreement between RA and Surf Reston, the paddleboard company will pay to RA 10 percent of its gross revenues per class season. RA says that will be between $500 and $1,000.

Meanwhile, a local yoga studio is working on purchasing space at Lake Anne Plaza. In addition to offering studio yoga, there would be about four classes per week of SUP-Asana — yoga on paddleboards — at Lake Anne. The board also voted in  favor of that on Thursday, pending SUP-Asana’s purchase of studio space.

Be A Volunteer — Looking to give back? The Fairfax County Park Authority is hosting a Venture into Volunteering Fair for adults today, 10 a.m. to noon at Frying Pan Park Visitor Center, 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon. Agency reps will be on hand to discuss a wide range of community outreach opportunities including helping kids with homework, meals on wheels and serving as a court-appointed advocate. [FCPA]

Bikeshare Aids Business — As Fairfax County looks into the feasibility and impact of a bikeshare here in Reston, here is a report that says a small but significant percentage of Capital Bikeshare users are spending their money at nearby businesses as a direct result of the bike ride to the neighborhood where they dock the bike. [WAMU]

Who Will Be George Mason’s New AD? — George Mason University Athletic Director Tom O’Connor says he will step down in June [George Mason]

FCPS Needs To Step Up Security — An audit for Fairfax County Public Schools’ recommends the system should improve security procedures after an employee was charged with stealing computers from the FCPS warehouse. The report recommends that the Fairfax County Department of Purchasing and Supply Management, which runs the county side of the warehouse, use an inventory tracking system that offers more control of user access and provides for an audit function. [Fairfax Times]

A grassroots movement is underway to try and get Fairfax County Public Schools to reconsider half-day Mondays.

For more than 40 years, FCPS elementary students have been dismissed about 2 1/2 hours early on Mondays so teachers could have a weekly planning time.

That is shortchanging the kids, advocates for a uniform school day throughout the week say.

“The members of the Fairfax County School Board need to face the reality that they have an obligation to set a schedule that meets the requirements in the Standards of Accreditation,” Virginia Fitz Shea, head of the Full Schooldays group, writes on her blog Fullschooldays.org.

“This is not a luxury or an extra that they can avoid implementing on the grounds that it is too expensive.  As previously mentioned, Fairfax could adopt the same elementary schedule seen in many other school districts at no additional cost whatsoever.”

Full Schooldays has also organized a petition to gather signatures of support to send to the FCPS school board.

“The elementary school schedule is too short,” says the petition. “Fairfax prides itself on being a leader in American public education, but it is stuck in the past in clinging to such a short schedule for elementary schools. Students are sent home 2 ½ or 2 hours early every Monday. The students should be allowed to stay in school for at least 6 hours and 40 minutes every single day of the week.”

The group also says half-days compromise children’s safety as some are home alone for longer. It also places an unfair burden on families with kids in day care who must pay for extra supervision.

The school board has been discussing the issue, but does not see how it can change as it is looking at a $130 million budget gap.

“If FCPS wishes to change Mondays to a six and a half hour day, there would be about a seven percent increase in teacher salary costs,” Dranesville school board rep Jane Strauss said last June.

“If the Tuesday through Friday schedule were shortened and the time added back to Monday, there might not be any cost,” she added. “However, elementary teachers would not get the block of planning time. Many teachers would likely have great concern about this. They already have an increased work load and struggle to complete the required planning and analysis within the current time structure.”

Baron Cameron Park, the 68-acre parcel owned by the Fairfax County Park Authority, could have a very different look in the future.

The park is home to 10 athletic fields, a playground, community garden plots and Reston’s only off-leash dog area.

The park is undergoing a master plan revision process, which could bring many more amenities  —  and, some say traffic and noise.

Among the proposed changes:

• Upgrade the athletic fields to full-size with synthetic turf and lights
• Increase the amount of parking spaces
• Add a second park entrance off Wiehle Avenue
• Add a picnic pavilion, restroom/support facility, multi-use court and outdoor fitness stations
• Expand the community garden area
• Create a trail network throughout the park and a pedestrian connection to the adjacent Reston Association Brown’s Chapel Park
• Establish Resource Protection Zones (RPZs) to manage and protect natural resources

Other possibilities include replacing athletic fields with an indoor recreation center and additional parking and relocating the existing dog park to a central location within the park.

Residents are invited to hear more about the proposed changes and offer feedback at a meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at Buzz Aldrin Elementary School.

The park master plan was last amended in 2001, and Park Authority Chair Bill Bouie says the park is long overdue for an upgrade. Baron Cameron is a district park , he said when the planning process kicked off nearly a year ago. That means it should have top-flight facilities to attract people from all over the western part of Fairfax County, not just Reston.

“A district park serves those in communities of Reston, Herndon, Vienna, Great Falls and surrounding areas,” he said. “All of those folks use the park, and we will be soliciting their input. We must consider future investments to transform it so it better serves Reston and surrounding communities.”

Several proposed additions have been met with mixed opinions since the planning process began in 2013.

The recreation center, which would feature a 50-meter indoor pool, would be built in partnership with Reston Community Center. It has the support of many swimmers. But a large number of people are opposed to building the estimated $30 million facility because residents of Small Tax District 5 would be left paying for a center used by non-residents. Others are opposed to the center because of predicted noise and traffic.

The dog park is a popular spot for dog owners in Reston. But a group of neighbors recently filed an injunction against Reston Dogs, the group that runs the park, and the FCPA. The five families say they are subject to excessive noise from the dog park and want the dog area closed.

There has been no resolution to the injunction, filed earlier this month. The defendants have 21 days to answer the complaint, Bouie said. 

See all documents relating to the Baron Cameron Master Plan on Fairfax County’s website.