Today was a gorgeous day for the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler in D.C. Congrats to all of the Cruisers who completed it! Bill and I have run it many times in the past, but didn’t today. Here I am in my second Cherry Blossom race back in 1999. You can see that there is scaffolding around the Washington Monument while it was undergoing restoration. There’s scaffolding around it again because of repairs required as a result of the earth quake in 2011.
Deb, 1999 Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler
Bill and I used to cross-train together on our hybrid bikes when our sons were little. Bill really got a good workout pulling Joseph and Daniel behind him in a Burley trailer. Even with that extra weight, I had trouble keeping up with him! One year we rode down to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms. We laughed because most people were more interested in seeing the boys in the trailer than the cherry blossoms! Bike trailers were a relatively new thing at the time, so many people had never seen one.
Daniel and Joseph, 1992
One year my friend Miles suggested we join him for a cherry blossom run in Maryland during peak bloom weekend (something that can’t be guaranteed for the race). We started in Bethesda and ran through the Kenwood neighborhood where there are cherry trees planted along most of the streets. It was absolutely gorgeous!
Cruisers and Miles Runs in 2009
We then followed the Crescent Trail into Georgetown and on to the Tidal Basin. Once we got to there, we had to stop and take a touristy photo in front of the Washington Monument!
2009 Tourists Cruisers and Miles Runs
Enough history… Now on to today’s race. The next picture is of the world’s cutest running couple, my son Joseph and his girlfriend Julie. BTW, he’s the little guy on the right in the bike trailer. Today was J & J’s second Cherry Blossom race. They ran it with Julie’s mom and her twin sister (it was their birthday). Happy birthday Janet and Pat! Janet was beating the two “young ones” until Joseph kicked it up a notch and paced Julie to a two minute win over the birthday girl. I’ll have to have a talk with him about being a gentleman and allowing ladies to go first… 🙂
Julie and Joseph
Vamshi, Amit, and Amanda all ran their first Cherry Blossom Ten-Milers today and were kind enough to send me pictures for my post. Congrats to you all! This was Amanda’s first ten-mile race, so technically she set a PR! 🙂
Vamshi
Amit
Amanda’s Cool Collage
Here’s a little teaser for you… My really good friend and fellow Cruiser, Beth, ran in the Paris Marathon today. She’s going to do a guest post for me about her race sometime in the next few weeks. Here’s a picture she sent us from the finish line.
Beth, 2013 Paris Marathon
- Questions:
- Do you have a local race that you run every year because it’s so convenient?
- How many people in your family run?
- Have you ever run in an international marathon?
My first marathon ever was the Beijing Marathon. It was kind of boring…and maybe a little polluted, too. I survived and have run many more to talk about!
Wow, that’s cool! I haven’t done an international marathon…
I am looking forward to hearing about the Paris Marathon!
Cherry Blossoms are beautiful and all of those race photos are just perfect. I especially like the one you ran in Maryland in 2009. So pretty!
I know, I’m excited to hear about Beth’s experience at the Paris Marathon as well! One other Cruiser and my friend Miles have run it, too. I’m curious about the crowds. I just read in another blog, that the crowd is very subdued. That would be a bummer!
When I lived in Rochester, I think all the races I did were local…the one with the greatest history was probably in association with a Lilac Festival held ever year (which corresponded with the lilac bloom about as reliably as the Cherry Blossom Run doe!). I did it a few times, but found the crowds, organization, and pomp to be sorta “meh”. (Plus, there’s a brutal, unforgiving, 1.5 mile climb to the finish.) I like the smaller races, I guess! But in Singapore, all the races are ‘local’ (within 30 minutes of us), and most are BIG. Still coming to grips with this!
But definitely hoping to use this relocation as an opportunity to run in some new places – considering Perth later this year! 🙂
Love looking at all the pictures! The half I am doing next month will be my 3rd time running it. It is very close (60+ miles) but i enjoy the route. I am the only one that runs on my side of the family. My brother always threatens that he wants to train in Colorado and then come to Cali to try to bet me in a race, it won’t happen. My husband does run, we used to run together until Z came along.
Little ones do that to you! 🙂 After they come along you have to start doing the tag-team running thing until they’re old enough to be left alone.
Looks like a beautiful day for the race! I can’t wait to read about the Paris Marathon!! I would love to get to run a race in another country. Maybe some day…
I’m starting to become a repeat visitor at a few “local” races. My definition of local is less than an hour drive, since its more rural here.
In my family its just me that runs. My husband also runs and on his side of the family he’s the only one as well. My Dad bikes, though.
This is a MUST do race for me, I really want to do it!! fingers crossed that works out 🙂 Love the throw back photo!!
Fingers are crossed that the year you do it, the blooms will be at peak so you can enjoy the beauty! 🙂
I would LOVE to run an international marathon!! Someday. My sister is a big runner and my mom used to be. We’ve recently got her back in the game and she’s training for her first half marathon in July! I did the Cherry Blossom race for the first time this year and I really enjoyed it!