Fairlington 5K: A Cure for Ellie

Register here.
Make a donation to: A Cure for Ellie.

I started running the Fairlington 5K in 2015 and now it’s a race that I make a point of running every year. The 2018 Fairlington 5K is just a few weeks away on April 28th and it’s not too late to register!

The race is a community event that raises money and awareness of A Cure for Ellie, Abingdon’s Physical Education Program, and Abingdon’s Literacy Program.

Ellie McGinn is a third-grader at Abingdon Elementary and a Fairlington resident who was diagnosed with Leukodystrophy-LBSL in September 2011. LBSL is a uniquely rare degenerative brain and spinal cord  disease. Due to the rare genetic disorder, Ellie’s body does not produce a protein essential for the production of myelin. Myelin is a critical substance for the brain and nervous system, provides insulation, and helps transmit signals from the brain to the rest of the body.

I learned about this event through a co-worker who has a personal connection to the McGinn family. This event, which I have participated in twice (I unfortunately had to miss the event in 2016) is one of my favorite races in the D.C. area because of how the Fairlington community comes together to put it on. It’s also the first race I participated in after moving to D.C. and deserves credit for getting me to run other races during the year.

The course isn’t too difficult so it’s a great race to pace your 5K or to just run/walk. Most importantly, the proceeds go to support a good cause.

Register here.