Weekend Roundup: Run, Walk in Loudoun

By Ryan Lytle

Thursday, August 6, 2009

As the dog days of summer show up in full force, enjoy the warm weather by spending your weekend in Loudoun outdoors. There are events to help you enjoy the beauty of nature and there is also the Leesburg 10K/20k run taking place Sunday.

Birding at Banshee

Start the weekend off bright and early Saturday morning at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve.

The nature preserve will be teaming up with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks for a family walk.

This monthly walk takes advantage of the rich and varied habitats living in Banshee Reeks.

Be sure to bring a set of binoculars so as to not miss out on the abundance of birds present within the preserve.

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is located at 21085 The Woods Road, in Leesburg.

The event takes place at 8 a.m. Saturday and admission is free of cost.

For more information on the walk, call 540-554-2542.

Frog Calls: An Evening at Bles Park

If more nature is what is desired, Bles Park is offering the chance to spend Saturday evening listening to a choir of frogs.

The event will start with an information session about the different types of frog species found within Bles Park. This session will include photographs of the different species as well as actual recordings of what each frog sounds like.

As the evening continues, the group will be escorted onto the trails to try to identify each species' sound.

The event takes place from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday, so be sure to bring a flashlight and a chair to sit on.

Bles Park is located at 44830 Riverside Parkway in Ashburn.

The event is free but registration is required, as they are limiting the group to 15 people.

To sign up, contact Nicole Hamilton at nhamilton@loudounwildlife.org.

Harris Teeter/YMCA Loudoun County Leesburg 10K & 20K

The Third Annual Loudoun County Race Series features the YMCA Leesburg 10K and 20K runs this Sunday at Tuscarora Mill, in Leesburg.

It is the fourth event in the series, but one of the most popular races because of the scenic, rolling course of the Washington and Old Dominion Trails.

The race begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday but, if planning on racing, you should arrive between 6:15 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. for the race-day registration packet.

The race is sponsored by Harris Teeter to benefit the Loudoun County YMCA.

If you are planning on running the 10K, the cost to run is $20. If you plan on running the 20K, the cost to run is $30.

Tuscarora Mill is located at 203 Harrison Street SE, in Leesburg.

Information on the race and advance registration can be found at www.runwashington.com or by calling 703-777-9622.

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