Arlington Wins 3rd Annual Metropolitan Cup Award
May 23, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Marin 703-228-3333 (voice), 703-228-4611 (TTY)
Arlington Wins 3rd Annual Metropolitan Cup Award
County vs. county competition declares Arlington the fittest local jurisdiction
ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington runners emerged from a field of 10,000 to win the designation of Fittest Community in the Washington area for Arlington County. With some help from Alexandria, the runners claimed the 3rd Annual Metropolitan Cup for Arlington at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run.
Phil Stewart, Event Director for the race, presented the Metropolitan Cup to Arlington County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman at the County Board meeting on May 23.
'All one has to do is look out on the sidewalks, bike paths and roadways of Arlington County and it should not be a surprise that Arlington won the 2006 Metropolitan Cup at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run,' Stewart said. 'Fitness runs deep in this county and it certainly showed in our annual inter-jurisdictional competition among all the counties and cities in the Washington Metropolitan area. I offer my congratulations to Arlington.'
Scoring for the Metropolitan Cup is determined by averaging the combined times of the top 90 runners from each jurisdiction (40 men, 40 women, and the next 10 fastest regardless of gender). Runners representing Washington D.C.; Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Howard County, Maryland; and Arlington, Fairfax County, Prince William County and Loudoun County, Virginia, were included in the scoring. Because Alexandria did not meet the minimum requirement of 90 runners, Alexandria runners were included with the Arlington runners.
Washington, D.C., winner of the Metropolitan Cup in 2004 and 2005, took second place, followed by Montgomery County in third. The 2006 times for participating jurisdictions are:
- Arlington County, 1:05:48
- Washington, DC, 1:05:53
- Montgomery County, 1:07:15
- Fairfax County, 1:07:56
- Loudoun County, 1:19:10
- Prince William County, 1:23:25
- Prince Georges County, 1:23:28
Mary Kate Bailey of Arlington was the top local female finisher at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run, held April 2 at West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. Bailey was the winner of the 2004 Marine Corps Marathon and the first active-duty marine to win the MCM in 25 years. She has qualified for the 2008 Olympic Marathon trials.
Arlington has a long-standing commitment to promoting healthy and active lifestyles through sports, fitness and recreation for all ages and abilities in our parks and recreational facilities. Arlington's trail system provides 36 miles of shared-use and off street trails for biking, running, and walking enthusiasts. Additional trails, such at the Mount Vernon Trail provided by the National Park Service, further extend the trail network. The Arlington running community is exemplary in promoting the sport and is a model for healthy, active living.
For more information about the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run, please visit www.cherryblossom.org. For more information about Arlington's parks and running trails, please go to www.arlingtonva.us/prcr.
###Arlington, Va., is a world-class urban community that was originally part of the "10-mile square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Known for its urban villages and transit-oriented development, Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use. In 2002, the county was the first recipient of the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth." Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world -- including the Pentagon -- Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
The Official Date and Time of this Release is: 5/23/2006 5:03:05 PM
