Greenbelt 2026

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Pete Van Riper

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Mar 9, 2026, 6:15:13 PM (16 hours ago) Mar 9

to MABRA-USCF

Hello, we're very pleased to announce that we will be racing in the park in a month or so, but maybe not exactly the way you're used to.

For starters, we are very stoked to host the series. We, and our teams, are dedicated to maintaining a great race.

A few changes for this year were instigated by the Park Service to adhere to safety standards. The Park Service and Park Police will work very closely with us to ensure the park rules are followed and we are able to host a safe event. As the season progresses we will have a clearer picture on how the new processes work in practice, but for the first week and maybe continuing through the season we will need to adhere to a strict procedure.

The first major changes are:

We will have access to the full road. No more center line rule. And also no car caravan.

The new parking lot and registration will be at Sweetgum. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/dhKdswh4rLRc9B8V9)

The start line will be at the entrance to Sweetgum.

The finish line will be across from the main entrance.

The parking lot at Holly will be completely off limits to cars at all times.

The most important aspect is the access to and from the park. The Park Police will close all vehicle access to the park ahead of the C and B race and again ahead of the A and Women's race. Late arriving vehicles will not be able to drive to Sweetgum, and all C and B racers who park in Sweetgum will only be able to leave the park between 6:45-6:55pm.

Open to cars before 5:55pm

Closed to cars between 5:55-6:45pm

Open to cars between 6:45-6:55pm

Closed to cars between 6:55-7:45pm

Open to cars after 7:45pm

The move to Sweetgum was due to the need for access to working restroom facilities. What we feel are big upsides is that the parking lot is larger with a nice loop for warming up, we expect easier staging, and we definitely feel the finish line is an improvement with more of an uphill finish.

We are in the process of revamping the event notes on bikereg. Proper procedure will be spelled out. Strict adherence to the procedures is critical for the continuation of the series. And maybe the language is harsh, but we called attention to the center line rule year after year to no avail, and sincerely hope there is better adherence to these new rules! The series is a MABRA institution. Please be good stewards.

The other major change is the new schedule, which reflects Park Service policies. Unfortunately, we are unable to run the series past Memorial Day.

The first date is April 29 and the series will continue through May 20, totaling four races pending cooperative weather.

And not least, we will be renaming the series to honor our friend Lisa Martin, who we lost to a hit and run in 2025. Lisa was very bullish on all things Greenbelt and was a fierce advocate for the full inclusion of women racers. We wanted to honor Lisa's memory and legacy with a new title as a very fitting memorial to Lisa. It will be an honor to pin a number on for the Lisa Mary Martin Memorial Greenbelt Park Training Race Series.