WASHINGTON — The southern end of the George Washington Parkway, between Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria, will be closed on Sunday morning due to the Pacers Running Parkway Classic 10 mile run.
The race begins at 8 a.m. but closures will begin as early as 6:20 a.m. along the route from Mount Vernon to Franklin Street in Alexandria.
As runners clear the course, sections of the Parkway will be reopened. The entire Parkway will be reopened no later than 11 a.m., said Kayla Nicolay, a member of the race management team.
The run starts at George Washington’s home on the southern end of the Parkway and follows the Potomac northward to Old Town.
Runners are expected to maintain a 15-minute per mile pace, or else they will be picked up by a support vehicle.
It’s the 34th year of the event, and about 7,000 runners are expected to participate. The 10-mile course will draw 5,000 runners, while the remainder will do the 5-kilometer route, which goes from Belle Haven Park to Old Town.
Both events share the same finish line at Oronoco Street.
The race’s top 10-mile male and female finishers win $500 a piece.
The course records were set in 2007, with the male winner clocking 47 minutes, 30 seconds and the female winner covering 10 miles in 55 minutes, 39 seconds.
