The City of Manassas has a wonderful Farmers Market on Saturday mornings in the summer. I learned this last year when I participated in the Manassas Recreation and Parks “Stonewall Jackson 5k.” This year, my middle daughter, wife and I all participated. The course goes through the streets of “Old Manassas, and over 350 people ran this year. I managed to run a 19:54, which is 6:25 per mile average for 38th overall. More importantly, my daughter improved her 5k time an finished with a huge smile. We then bought veggies and a big watermelon to take home from the Farmers Market by the Amtrak Station.

The Recreation and Parks Department provides quality services and is committed to creating and maintaining a healthy, enjoyable and safe community while preserving our natural environment. Immediately following the Stonewall Jackson 5K Race/Walk, participants could get a mini-physical at no charge! Blood pressure checks, cholesterol checks, bone density, blood sugar, body fat index, and more. This was certainly a change from donuts and cookies post-race ! Please visit www.manassascity.org/recreation for more information.