People looking for group exercise without being in close proximity to fellow athletes can take part in an upcoming “virtual race.”

Organized by the Reston Association and Reston Camps, the event encourages people to stay fit on their own time. Anyone from around the area can participate — not just Restonians.

Participants are expected to pick a distance goal and complete their challenge either on a treadmill at home or around their neighborhood.

“The gyms are closed but the sidewalks and trails are open and there is no better way to get some exercise than by using your own in-home equipment or by walking, running, or jogging,” the event page said.

People can track their distance using a walk-run distance tracking log, which can be found online. Runners, walkers or joggers must submit their log for April 24-May 22, the Facebook page said.

The challenge is free and open to people of all ages and abilities, the event page said.

People who want to support the cause can post on social media accounts using the hashtag #FlattenTheCurve, while wearing their own printable race bib.

Photo via Reston Association/Facebook

COVID-19 has prompted a lot of closures, but there are still certain recreational activities in the Reston area to help people stay healthy while social distancing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that people take care of their bodies through tactics like deep breathing, stretching and meditation during the recent outbreak.

Reston Now compiled a list of resources from around the area and websites offering fitness opportunities that support social-isolation.

Parks and Outdoor Activities 

The NOVA Parks website said that most parks will remain open for the time being, but with specific changes made to staffing.

Visitors should note that things like the visitor center are closed, but people are free to come and go, according to the website.

While Fairfax County has closed its indoor park facilities and recreation, nature and community centers through March 29, people can still use the county’s outdoor parks and trails.

Lake Fairfax Park in Reston (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive) is open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., according to google.

Though the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) is closed, according to its Facebook page, its trails are still open for public use.

The Town of Herndon also created a map of area parks for visitors.

Apps and Fitness Resources 

Though it isn’t necessarily a new trend, fitness classes are going digital so that people can still exercise at home.

Core Power Yoga closed its studios but offers digital classes so people can take guided classes on-demand from the comfort of their own home, its website said.

FitOn offers a large variety of fitness classes for clients and there is even a free version that people can take advantage of.

Digital Fitness Assessment on major app stores is yet another option for home fitness. It lets people record their goals and helps keep them on track, according to the app description.

Mental Wellbeing

For people feeling isolated, experts also suggest touching base with friends and family using digital tools such as Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts. All these software allow people to video chat and see each other without coming into close proximity.

For mental health issues, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Series Administration has a hotline where people can reach out if they are becoming concerned. People can chat with someone for free at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

The CDC also directly suggests avoiding substances like alcohol and drugs while in self-isolation.

Runners can take part in a Halloween-themed triathlon in Reston in late October.

YMCA Reston and CORE Foundation are hosting a Trick-or- Tri triathlon on Oct. 27 beginning around 9 a.m. at the YMCA Reston (12196 Sunset Hills Road).

Participants will be tasked with a 10-minute indoor swim, a 30-minute ride on a stationary bike and a 20 minute run on a treadmill. Everyone is encouraged to dress up in a costume, though event organizers ask that people do not wear makeup in the pool.

Registration is $35 for YMCA members and $50 for the public and includes a swag bag full of gear and snacks as well as a free massage and stretch.

Participants will be awarded based on distance in each category, and all categories will be considered equally. There will also be a prize for the best costume.

Those wishing to participate can pick up their packets at the YMCA on Friday (Oct. 25) from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday (Oct. 26) from 9-11 a.m.

Event organizers are also looking for volunteers. Those interested can sign up online.

Image via Google Maps

The yearly Susco charity races are around the corner.

On Saturday (Sept. 21), the Susco family will host their 12th annual 8k and 2k in remembrance of their son, Tim, who died of a brain aneurysm in 2007.

All proceeds will go toward brain aneurysm research and organ donation awareness. The event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the cause so far alongside the Washington Regional Transplant Community, according to a press release.

The races will begin at South Lakes High School (Gate 1, Seahawks Drive) around 8:30 a.m., regardless of weather conditions.

Registration for the event is $20 for participants doing a 2K and $45 for people who want to run the full 8K.

Anyone who cannot attend the event but wants to support the cause can donate online.

Photo via Susco 8K and 2K: Running With Tim/Facebook

Lululemon, a Canadian athletic apparel retailer, is launching a weekly fitness program in Reston Town Center next week.

Participants in the program, which is called Run RTC, will meet every Thursday at 6 a.m. outside its RTC location (11957 Market Street).

Each run will be between 25 to 45 minutes in the area.

The event is free and open to all. Registration is open online.

Photo via lululemon

Registration is now open for kids interested in participating in the CORE Foundation’s second annual Reston Youth Superhero Splash and Dash.

The event, which is set for Sunday, Aug. 18, gives kids a chance to show off their swimming and running skills. Registration is open for children between age 6 and 15.

The pool swim takes place at the Lake Audubon pool and the run course takes place on a nearby section of Reston pathways.

Organizers say the event focuses on “participation rather than competition and making every athlete feel like a superhero.” All participants will receive a medal, goodie bag and other swag. Athletes can also enjoy snow cones and finish line snacks.

Volunteers will be dressed like superheroes. The event is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and made possible through a partnership with the Reston Association.

Registration is $30 and a $10 USAT membership fee. Online registration opened late last week.

Photo via CORE Foundation

Mark your calendars for April 13 if you plan to break a sweat in the Nature Center 5K Run and Walk.

Registration for the annual run — now in its 16th year — recently opened. The price increases by $5 for kids and adults on Monday, April 1. (Currently, it is $25 for adults and $15 for kids.)

Online registration closes on Wednesday, April 10, but participants can still sign up at the 7 a.m. walk-in registration on race day. While walkers are welcome, pets and strollers are not.

The race, which begins and ends at the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive), is set to start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 13.

The course spans paved paths and woodchipped trails through the forest and neighborhoods. Runners will be greeted at the finish line with refreshments, music and prizes.

Awards will be given to overall finishers and men’s and women’s categories in 10-year increments, according to a press release. Three team categories — “Corporate,” “Friends” and “Family” — were added this year.

Racers will also have the chance to win prizes in random drawings. Kids under the age of 13 will receive a participation prize.

The funds raised by the race will help support the Walker Nature Center’s facility enhancements, educational exhibits and programming, the press release says.

Photo courtesy Ken Plum

As the weather continues to slowly warm up, the Herndon 5K Walk/Run is set to place on Saturday (March 23).

The proceeds from the 5K will go toward the Herndon High School’s All-Night Grad, prom and the Paige Saucedo Memorial ESOL Scholarship Fund.

Prospective participants can register online for $35 until 8 p.m. on Thursday (March 21). After that, the price increases to $45.

People can pick up their packets at the Potomac River Running store at 11911 Democracy Drive from 4-7 p.m. on Friday (March 22) or at the Herndon High School (700 Bennett Street) at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The 5K starts at 9 a.m. starts and ends at the high school. The course makes a loop from Kingstream Circle to Coat Ridge Road and then to Kingstream Drive.

Runners can expect food and prizes by the finish line.

Awards will go to the overall male and female finishers and the top male and female finishers in each of the following age groups: 13 and under, 14-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-65 and finally 66 and older.

Image via Potomac River Running 

Reston-Herndon Toastmasters — The communication skills-building group will host an open house from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight at the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center (1086 Elden Street). [District 29 Toastmasters]

Candid candidates — The candidates running unopposed for five seats on the Reston Association’s Board of Directors will take part in a candidates’ forum tonight at 7 p.m. Restonians who can’t make it to the RA’s headquarters can stream the debate online. [Reston Association on YouTube]

Run roundup — The Reston 10-Miler, which is coming up this Sunday (March 3), was featured in a list of six D.C.-area races this spring. [DCist]

Public input on PRC — The Reston Association is urging Restonians to stay involved in the PRC zoning ordinance debate. The Fairfax County Planning Commission recently recommended that the county’s board deny the proposal. [Reston Association on YouTube]

The yearly triathlon just for kids is back.

The ninth annual Reston Youth Triathlon will take place Sunday, May 12, at the South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive).

The triathlon includes athletes swimming in the heated Ridge Heights pool, biking near South Lakes High School and then running on Reston Association paths before finishing at the school’s stadium.

The triathlon is open to kids ages 6 to 15 with different distances for the triathlon’s three parts based on age groups. Registration opened on Jan. 16.

The fundraising “Be Amyazing!” triathlon began three years after “Amy’s Amigos” was founded in 2008 to honor Amy Boyle, who was battling brain cancer.

In past years, the triathlon has raised $125,000 for the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation, which helps social entrepreneurs and small organizations.

The event is coordinated in conjunction with the CORE Foundation.

Photo via Core Foundation

W&OD run — The Reston Runners will be enjoying the warmer weather with a 50-minute run or walk at 6:30 p.m. tonight. They plan to meet at the OneLife Fitness Gym in Isaac Newton Square. [Reston Runners]

Tai Chi — Instructor Jeffery Edwards teaches a class once a week for six weeks on Tai Chi, an ancient “internal” martial art and mind-body discipline rooted in Chinese tradition. Participants can try out the weight-bearing callisthenic from 7-8 p.m. at the Glade Recreation Area for $70 for Reston Association members and $90 for nonmembers. [WebTrac]

Reston startup expansion — Reston-based software company GoCanvas was recently acquired by private equity firm K1 Investment Management for more than $100 million. Currently headquartered at Reston Town Center, the acquisition is meant to help GoCanvas double in size. [Washington Busines Journal]

Spring registration for Girls on the Run, a national organization that promotes self-confidence and healthy habits for elementary school girls, is now open for Lake Anne Elementary School.

Girls on the Run provides a physical activity-based youth development program. In Fairfax County, it is available for girls from third grade to sixth grade.

Starting the week of March 4, the Lake Anne Elementary School team will meet every Monday and Wednesday from 4-5:30 p.m. A 5k on the weekend of May 18 will celebrate the end of the season.

Registration opened today (Jan. 28) on the Girls on the Run NOVA. The standard program fee is $175, which includes 20 lessons and practices, a t-shirt, water bottle, entry into the 5k, a 5k medal and more. Financial assistance is available for anyone who needs it.

Girls on the Run NOVA received the 2018 FCPS Community Partner of the Year award in November.

Photo via Girls on the Run

The food pantry at South Lakes High School is moving beyond the typical scope of community pantries that give students in need a chance to discreetely shop for food and toiletries. In the coming weeks, the pantry, which currently caters to students in the SLHS pyramid and is run by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association, will begin offering cooking skills classes.

The after-school cooking workshops will give students a chance to learn more about healthy eating. Through eight sessions during the school year on Wednesday afternoons, students will learn how to make one recipe using healthy ingredients and meal kits that do not rely on processed ingredients, according to Roberta Gosling, one of the founders of the pantry.  The initiative is made possible by a $7,000 grant from the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation.

The idea began to take root when Alana Pudner, a Girl Scout, approached pantry organizers with a three-meal pack she prepared to earn her Silver Award. Students began ordering the meal kit, which includes ingredients for veggie chili, lentil stew, and a tuna pasta casserole, as part of their weekly orders.

“To take that further, we also looked at some of the broader trends and felt that if we could help students learn to cook healthy, budget-friendly recipes that it would equip a broad group of people with life skills and take students a step closer to nutritious choices,” Gosling said.

Recipes will contain ingredients available in the pantry and through SNAP and WIC benefits. At the end of each session, students will get bags with recipes and ingredients, including a kitchen starter kit with basic tools like a cutting board, measuring cup, a pan, and spices used in multiple cuisines. Although the classes are open to all students at the school, organizers plan to market the class through the pantry to reach students most in need.  Each session will accommodate about 20 students.

Organizers are also making an effort to focus on foods from around the world. Shopping lists are available in English, Spanish and Arabic and participants will get a chance to try different cuisines in the classes.

Roughly 30 percent of all SLHS students experience food insecurity, according to pantry organizers and volunteers. Every Thursday, students in need turn in their shopping list for the week. Volunteers pack shopping bags and distribute them to students as they head out on Fridays. Students can also shop at the pantry on Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. and on Friday from noon to 3 p.m. The pantry is also open in the summer on Thursdays from 3-6 p.m.

Since April 2017, the pantry has filled more than 2,500 orders and weekly order averages are also increasing.

Now, pantry organizers and volunteers are looking for new ways to make the initiative more sustainable and comprehensive. On September 30, the school’s PTSA will partner with Lake Anne Brew House to present the “Do It Your Way 0.5K.” All proceeds from the event, which is set for 4-6 p.m. at Lake Anne Brew House, will go to the food pantry.

The pantry is led by Gosling, Abbe Pascal, Andy Sigle, Amy Shaw, and Sherri Pudner. Items in high demand include rice, beans, jelly, canned fruit, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Monetary donations are also accepted online.

Photos via Roberta Gosling

The results of the 35th annual Reston Triathlon are in the books. The community race, which happened on Sunday, drew contestants and participants despite the rain.

A harmful algae bloom on Lake Audubon, discovered on Thursday, forced Reston Association to cancel the swim portion of the triathlon. As of Monday (September 10), RA advises against touching the water, which has algae that can produce toxins that are lethal to livestock, fish, and people.

The overall winners in the male division were:

1. Sean Pinkney, 34: 2 hours, 3 minutes, 16 seconds
2. Jacob Gilden, 30: 2:07:25
3. Noah Kennedy, 21: 2:07:30

In the female division, overall winners were:

1. Raquel Torres, 37: 2 hours, 10 minutes, 17 seconds
2. Ekaterina Pinkney, 34: 2:23:26
3. Kristine Wooten, 30: 2:28:18

In the individual age groups, the winners were:

1. Sean Pinkney, 34, Male: 2 hours, 3 minutes, 16 seconds
2. Jacob Gilden, 30, Male: 2:07:25
3. Noah Kennedy, 21, Male: 2:07:30
4. Bryan Rivera, 34, Male: 2:08:25
5. Andrew Gyenis, 24, Male: 2:08:54
6. Raquel Torres, 37, Female: 2:10:17
7. Kevin Wright, 29, Male: 2:11:33
8. Wiehan Peyper, 32, Male: 2:16:52
9. Paul Cutler, 50, Male: 2:18:31
10. Ryan Luczak, 17, Male: 2:18:31

Neil Medoff and Rich Uhrig also received an award for perfect attendance. They attended every Reston Triathlon for the last 35 years.

Photos via Reston Triathlon/Facebook and Brian Kent