750 Runners Registered for Saturday 5K in McLean

Lace up those running shoes and load up on pasta: the McLean 5K Run with the Warriors kicks off early Saturday morning.

Event organizers say nearly 750 runners have already registered and they expect more than 1,000 to participate in the race, which starts at 8 a.m.

"More than 20 wounded warriors and hundreds of community members will participate in the 2012 McLean 5K Run with the Warriors to help provide injured veterans with a comfortable place to live during their recovery," a press release for the event reports.

"The race will benefit the Wounded Warrior Transitional Housing Project, an initiative to renovate apartments that will serve as transitional housing for injured service members discharged from inpatient care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

The apartments are located at Vinson Hall Retirement Community in McLean—home to more than 200 military officers and their spouses. Both the community and the project are supported by the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation.

The project’s goal is to make apartments ready to accommodate the unique needs of injured service men and women. Some improvements include adjusting counter heights, widening doors, and making bathrooms wheelchair accessible. The foundation must raise $575,000 per apartment to cover expenses for renovations. With funds raised so far, renovations of the first apartment are under way, and race proceeds will be used to redo more apartments in the next few years," the release says.

Runners can register starting at 6:45 a.m. the day of the event at McLean Square on 6629 Old Dominion Dr. For more information, visit www.mclean5k.com.