2027 Race Entry Lottery Opens December 14

   

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run & 5K Walk/Run

5K

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 5K Presented by ASICS

Saturday, April 3, 2027
Time: 8 a.m.

For everyone’s safety, RUNNING WITH A STROLLER IS NOT PERMITTED.
Running with a dog is NOT permitted.
Running with headphones is strongly discouraged.

All 5K entrants receive the official 10Mile/5K cotton race t-shirt (5K-specific technical performance upgrade shirts and finisher medals may be purchased at registration), their overall times and places in the event, and post-race food and drink. All runners will be scored on net times.

Race Registration

THE FIELD FOR THE 5K WILL BE FILLED BY LOTTERY THIS YEAR! The Lottery procedures for the 10 Mile, 5K and Double Blossom will be the same for all races; registrants will simply fill out a registration form and indicate which race they are applying for. The lottery will open on December 14, 2026 at 10 a.m. and close at midnight on January 5, 2026.  

There are some other options for gaining entry into the 5K besides the Lottery:

    • 100 Mile Club: 100 Mile Club members have completed at least 100 miles in any combination of the 10 mile or the 5K results (i.e. 10 completions of the 10 mile equals 100 miles; 9 completions of the 10 mile and four completions of the 5K equals 102 miles, etc.), either in a row or non-consecutively. You can check your status in the 100 Mile Club by going to our All-Time Results Database, which has all results from 1973-2026, and will list all the times you have run the 10 Mile and/or 5K and how many miles you have accumulated. 100 Mile Club Members should not enter the lottery; there will be a separate registration process for 100 Mile Club members. Full details on how to apply for a 100 Mile Club entry for the 5K, 10 Mile or Double Blossom will be posted here when they become available. If you feel you qualify and have not been contacted by early January, please send an email to info@cherryblossom.org. Click Here for info on the 100 Mile Club.
    • Two-Time Loser Entries: TTL entries (those who have entered the lottery in the last two consecutive years (2025 and 2026) and failed to be accepted in either year) but who wish to run in 2027 should not enter the lottery; there will be a separate registration process for TTLs. TTL entries can be used to enter the 10 Mile, Double Blossom or 5K. Full details on how to apply for a TTL entry for the 5K, 10 Mile or Double Blossom will be posted here when they become available. If you feel you qualify and have not been contacted by early January, please send an email to info@cherryblossom.org.
    • Charity Entries: If you miss lottery registration or do not get picked in the lottery, you can still gain entry into the 10 Mile, Double Blossom or 5K by signing up to become a Charity Race Entry Participant. To qualify as a Charity Race Entry Participant, you just have to raise $500 dollars for our official race charity, Children’s Miracle Network. Every dollar raised will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a network of 170 non-profit children’s hospitals located across North America. Information on becoming a Charity Entrant for 2027 will be posted here after the 2027 lottery has been held.
    • Seeded Runners: There is no special Seeded Runner corral in the 5K, but runners who meet the Qualifying Standards for the 10 Mile but who prefer to run the 5K will be allowed to enter the 5K through Seeded Runner status and do not have to enter the lottery. Registration for seeded runners will open in early November. The cut off date for requesting Seeded Runner status is February 15, 2027. If you submit by February 15 and are accepted as a seeded runner, you will be sent a one-time access code that you can use to enter the race at the prevailing entry fee. The access code will become inactive if it is not used by February 28, 2027. For details on how to request seeded runner status and the qualifying times in each age group, Click Here.
    • Volunteer: All volunteers receive a guaranteed entry into the race (at the prevailing entry fee) for the next year’s race. So if you volunteer for the 2027 race, you will receive a guaranteed entry (at the prevailing entry fee) for the 2028 race. This entry is transferable. Guaranteed entries for 2026 volunteers for the 2027 race will be sent out via email in late November. Click Here for information on volunteering.

Entry Fees

The entry fees for the 2027 races have not yet been determined but will be posted here when they become available.

Getting to the Race

Metrorail opens at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday. This makes taking Metro an option for getting to the 5K on Saturday since the 5K does not start until 8:00 a.m., as long as you are not coming from a long way out. Make sure you get on an early train, particularly if travelling from the more outlying stations.

Medals

In order to keep our race registration fees low, we do not give medals to all finishers. If you would like to receive a medal when you finish the race, you may purchase a standard medal when you register for $15. We also offer an iTab enhanced medal plate for an additional $10 (so a total of $25). The enhanced medal consists of the standard medal that you pick up after your race plus an iTab plate that we will mail to you in May with your finish time and place on it, which you can attach to the ribbon of your standard medal. NOTE: If you order a medal (whether standard or enhanced), you should pick it up at the finish line of whichever race you run. If you order the enhanced medal, your strip with your finish time and place will be mailed to you after the race. If you order a Double Blossom medal, you will pick that up in the infield near the 10 Mile finish line.

Stroller Policy and Athletes with Disabilities

As stated at the top of this page, no strollers are allowed in the 10 Mile or the 5K. Push-assist pairs (“duos” or “trios”) are categorized as wheelchairs and are permitted in the 10 Mile and the 5K. Passengers of duos and trios must be at least 12 years old. Athletes with disabilities do not need to enter the lottery. Click Here for more information on entries for Athletes with Disabilities.

Switching Races

In 2027 no switching between races is allowed, so be sure to sign up for the race that you actually want to run (10 Mile, 5K or Double Blossom). If you decide not to run the race you signed up for, if you use the Official Transfer Process between Feb. 2, 2027 and Feb. 28, 2027, you will be allowed to transfer your bib to someone else, but you cannot sign up for one race and then decide you want to do a different one. No one is permitted to sign up for the 10 Mile and then switch to the 5K, sign up for the 5K and switch to the 10 Mile, or sign up for the 10 Mile and the 5K separately and switch to the Double Blossom. You can of course sign up for the Double Blossom and then choose not to run one (or both) of the races, but there are no refunds for races you decide not to participate in.

You must wear the correct bib for whatever race you run. Anyone who runs the 5K race with a 10 Mile bib, or the 10 Mile race with a 5K bib, will be disqualified from both races and banned from the races for up to 5 years.

Time Limit

The time limit for the 5K is 75 minutes (about 24-minutes per mile pace). All 5K runners and walkers must be off the course by 9:15 a.m.

Amenities

Post-race refreshments following the race will be available in the 5K staging area.

Awards

Awards will be given to the top 5 overall men and women, as well as 3 deep in age groups 14-and-under through 80-84; 1 deep in 85-89 and in 90+. There are also awards for the top 3 non-binary runners. Click Here and scroll to the bottom to see the full listing of all 5K awards. All 5K runners must finish and be off the course no later than 10:30 a.m. No Age Group Awards Given Out on Race Day: Due to problems created by unauthorized number switching, we will not give out age-group awards at the race day awards ceremony. Age group awards will be mailed by approximately the end of May after the results are declared final.

Packet Pick-up

All 5K and Double Blossom entrants must pick up their packets at the Health & Fitness Expo on Friday, April 2 or at the 5K race start on Saturday, April 3 (or select to have their packets mailed to them when they register for the race). There will be 5K Packet Pick-up at the 5K staging area on 5K race morning (April 3). 

Wave Start

The 5K will use a wave start this year. Runners will be asked to go to the corral color that matches their bib number to ensure a safe and orderly start. Click Here for details on the Wave Start.

Bag Check

We will be using tents for bag check this year. Details on the bag check process for the 2027 race will be posted here when they become available.

Please understand that any items left at bag check are left at your own risk. The race assumes no liability for lost bags or the contents of lost bags. Unclaimed bags will be returned to the race office, held for 10 days and then disposed of. Under no circumstances should any items of value be left in bag check bags.