The 44th Annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run took place in Washington, DC this past Sunday, April 3rd. You know, that morning when the temps barely made it to the mid-30s, the wind gusted at 40-50 mph and made it feel like single-digits.
To sum it up, it was one awesome but challenging 10 Miler!
My race preparation started immediately after I received confirmation in mid-December that I had won a spot in the lottery. I had lofty goals of running a great race and setting a new PR all while enjoying the scenery and monuments in DC. The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC is a flat course but for a hill (the type that doesn't seem to end) shortly before the finish line... thus perfect for those lofty goals.
But then winter happened and snow days and a sore hip that had me contemplating at times whether or not I would even be able to start. I iced, foam-rolled, stretched for weeks and took it easy on my runs which meant I wasn't nearly as prepared as I would have liked.
A few days before the race I just made peace with the thought that I wouldn't be running a new PR but as long as I was able to start and finish, I would be happy. The adrenaline kicked in the minute I picked up my race packet (super smooth process at the National Building Museum) and held my bib with my name in my hand. It was happening!
Or maybe not? we were wondering until the next morning.
The weather took a turn for the worse, winds picked up and the forecast did not look good. The organizers behind the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler made the call to eliminate most of the signage which meant no START or FINISH banner and no mile markers.
The wind was howling all night, so much so that I got almost no sleep.. not a good start to race day! My friends and I had made parking reservations close to the start line (thank goodness) but that short walk was enough to make me shiver!
The potty lines were looong - of course - and we barely made it to our corrals before it was time to race ... read: we had no time to warm up properly! My legs were cramping for the first mile and a half and it took another half mile before I was able to find a comfortable pace.
The field was packed which makes the start a bit difficult, too. But after mile 2 I felt good .. all the way to about 7.5 miles.
Then the wind pushed from the front and my legs were screaming for me to stop.
The last 2.5 miles were tough. I had to dig deep to keep going and fight that mental battle, especially during that last hill that felt more like a steep mountain. But then, just like that, I crossed the finish line. And couldn't have been happier!
The 2016 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run in Washington, DC: one awesome but challenging race.
I can't wait to do it again .. April 2nd, 2017!
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