Hopefully you are not tired of all of my Cherry Blossom 10 Miler posts yet. I promise this is the last one at least until next year! I have to say that this whole race weekend was planned many months ago and was packed full of fun and friends. So packed, that I almost forgot about the running part.
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Race Weekend
Friday- Friends, Food and Champagne
With both Linda and Kim coming in for the weekend to run the race, I thought why not make it a party. I decided to throw a big one with all of my besties from my running group and a couple of local DC fitness bloggers as well. The more the merrier right? Thankfully, Erika, Coco and Deb were all available to attend.
It was so much fun to see everyone together. Great food and fabulous friends is the best way to kick off a girls weekend. And of course the cookies were just amazing.
Saturday- Packet Pickup
We woke up to a gorgeous day! After brunch outside at Northside Social, we headed downtown to packet pickup at The National Building Museum. Pick up was a breeze and we had no problems picking up a bunch of bibs and t shirts for friends as well. Linda and I found the perfect race day t shirts to wear. See below. We had some fun posing for photos at the expo and outside under the cherry blossoms.
After dinner and a few glasses of wine, we arranged our “flat mamas” and put out our race day gear. I was having so much all weekend that I almost forgot that we were waking up at zero dark thirty to run 10 miles.
Race day
Up at 5 am for a 6:15 departure downtown. Easily found parking 3 blocks away and made it to the start in front of the Washington Monument. Grabbed a few photos before heading into our corral. There are about 20,0000 runners so it’s a busy one!
Given my recent ankle tendonitis and low mileage leading up to the race, I decided to use 6:1 intervals for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler. For me, it is more psychologically appealing to have set walk breaks than feeling defeated if I needed to walk. I was glad to have the walk breaks especially with miles 8-10. Even got a few mid race photos on the walk breaks.
This was my 9th? time running the Cherry Blossom and my slowest by far. I was so happy to make it to the finish line without my ankle hurting that I really did not care. It was a gorgeous day with temps in the 50’s and the blossoms at full bloom. Quite a difference from previous years where we froze our butts off. Could not ask for a better race day. Finish lines and friends made this year’s race day extra special to me. I definitely hope to be back next year for a redo.
Thanks for sticking with the long recap!
Linking up
Kim and Zenaida
Debbie and Marc
Hooray – lovely race report and so glad the ankle held out!
Thanks I think I am on the way to a healthy ankle!
Looks absolutely fabulous! Glad the weather (and your ankle) cooperated!
Me too! I hope this ankle issue is on the way out
Those cookies are gorgeous! I really need to sign up for this race next year. The pictures are just beautiful and who wouldn’t want to run around the nation’s capital?
Yes you should! The lottery is beginning of December
Sounds like such a fun girls weekend! I am glad that your ankle was okay during the race and that you had really good weather too!
So glad that my a ankle is feeling better! I am hoping after some rest this week it will be ready to go again
Such a fun race and made all the better by being able to meet up with running friends old and new. Thanks for being such a gracious host!
I had a blast with you all! Miss you already 🙂
Looks like such an awesome race – it’s on my bucket list for sure! Glad you had a fun weekend 🙂
Hope you have the chance to run it one of these years it’s a good one
As you eluded, it wasn’t just a race, but an entire weekend of fun! Maybe that’s why I’m still feeling groggy LOL Thanks for your hospitality, I give you five stars!!! Hope to do another girls weekend sometime;-)
Ahh thanks! I am finally feeling back to normal today
Sounds like it was such a fun weekend! The race was just the icing on the cake. Hopefully, you and I can plan a girls weekend sometime. Congrats!
I would love that!
I don’t think I would ever get sick of these pictures – wow!! So gorgeous and I’m so glad you made the decision to take walk breaks – seems like it paid off with a happy ankle at the finish! That is a big WIN, not to mention all the fun and friendship you had leading up to the race. Awesome!
Congratulations! Very smart to do run/walk intervals for your ankle – yay for being pain free! I am seriously thinking about shooting for the lottery in 2020, but knowing my luck, we’ll have horrible weather! Still, to hang out with some fun running friends would be worth it!
I love your Cherry Blossom Gear! So cute. Especially the t-shirt-Run all the miles see all the blossoms. What a fun race weekend with friends. Congrats!
So glad your ankle held out! those pictures are so gorgeous! On my bucket list for sure!
Nope, I’m enjoying reading all the recaps! We have to live vicariously through you guys, after all.
Walk breaks are great for photos. 🙂 My race Sunday truly isn’t terribly scenic so I never bothered to try to take photos (good thing, since it was during the race that my battery decided to die — as in completely dead, need a new one).
That’s great that you ankle cooperated! Sometimes we just need to back off for a while so we can really heal up.
Yes unfortunately we do have to back off sometimes to comeback. Definitely ready for a comeback soon
Looks like the weather was fantastic over the weekend! Glad you had a great time!
We sure did thanks!
New commenter here! OK I’m still stuck on the fact that you easily found parking 3 blocks away! How is that possible? I know it was early but, 20,000 runners…
Great recap!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Really appreciate it. So honestly, drove right over Roosevelt bridge onto Constitution Ave and got a spot right away 3 blocks away. 3rd year in a row with time to spare!
Sounds like a lot of fun! The weather and the blossoms really cooperated this year.
Best weather we have ever had for this race!
Sounds like you ladies had a great time together and those cookies look amazing! I would love to do that race at some point!!
It’s a fun one hope you have the chance to run it one of these years
It really was a fantastic weekend! The shirts you picked up are fantastic. Glad your 6:1 intervals let you finish strong!
I am happy I was able to finish and my ankle is feeling better. Ready to start my comeback 🙂 and get ready for Ragnar
I’ve always wanted to visit DC during the cherry blossom season. Looks like you had such a fun time here!
I hope you have the chance to visit sometime soon
How fun that so many wonderful women joined you on Friday! It definitely looks like a fun weekend. The medal is simply beautiful.
It was such a fun weekend!
Easily found parking even though there were 20000 runners?! Ummmmm that’s just unheard of!!! CLEARLY the Universe was looking out for you! haha!
Yes honestly it was a piece of cake!
I have been loving all these posts! Makes me think back to the year I ran it!
SO much fun with running friends! Love y’all’s outfits!
Those cookies are too pretty to eat!
So glad you had a super fun girls running weekend!
Thanks we did have an amazing weekend all around. Think you will come run it again some time?
looks like a lot of fun! and those cookies! OMG
The cookies were amazing!
What a great race! So cool that you guys all got together. I’d love to run this race one year… I”m going to need the cherry blossom leggings though!
I hope you have the chance to run it one year. Yes you will certainly need the leggings 🙂