ASICS Beginner Training
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Kids Run presented by Warner Bros. Discovery
BIG CHANGES THIS YEAR - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2024
New Starting Time for 2024: 11:00 am
New Location for 2024: The Kids Run will stage on Freedom Plaza and start and finish at the 5K starting line on Pennsylvania Ave. between 12th and 13th Sts. The event will take place after the conclusion of the 5K.
New Location for Packet Pick-up: Packet pick-up will take place on Friday at the National Building Museum (401 F St., NW) and on Saturday at Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW).
Registration for the 2024 Kids Run is now open! We will accept registrations for kids aged 4 - 10.
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 1/2 Mile Kids Run will start and finish at Freedom Plaza (the site of the Cherry Blossom 5K at 1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004).
The race is on an out-and-back course down Pennsylvania Ave. and is closely monitored by sentries. Parents are allowed to run with their children.
Limited to the first 500 to register.
Registration
Online registration will remain open until 11:59 pm on Monday, March 25, as long as the 500-runner maximum has not been reached. There will also be in-person registration (again as long as the 500-runner maximum has not been reached) at the Expo from 2 pm - 7:30 pm on Friday, April 5, and at Freedom Plaza (in the Kids Run Staging Area) on Saturday, April 6 from 9:30 am - 10:45 am.
Race Details
Ages: The Kids Run is for children ages 4-10.
Race Start Time: 11:00 am on Saturday, April 6, 2024
Fee: $10. Includes t-shirt.
Packet Pick-up: Packet pick-up for registered Kids Run participants will take place on Friday, April 5 inside the National Building Museum between 3:00 pm and 7:45 pm, and on Saturday, April 6, between 9:30 am and 10:45 am in the check-in tent at Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004).
Registration: Registration for the Kids Run has closed.
Awards: No times or places will be kept, but all finishers will receive a medal.
Course: CLICK HERE for the Kids Run Course Map and Staging Area Map
Kids Run Information:
- For security reasons as required by Metropolitan DC Police, every parent or guardian of a Kids Run entrant will need to locate and remove a detachable wrist band on the top of each child's bib number. The wrist band will be imprinted with the same number as each child's bib number. The responsible adult(s) will detach and wear the wrist band around their wrist. After the run, kids will be released from the secure Parent-Child Reunion Area only to adults with a wrist band matching the child's bib number.
- Every child on the race course must be registered and wear a bib number. Parents may choose to run with their child, but at least one parent must be wearing a wristband matching the bib number of their child.
- Accompanying adults may need to wear multiple wristbands as necessary for multiple child participants.
- Individual participants will run by age group, starting with 4-year olds and continuing by 1-year increments up to 10 years of age. It is likely there will be multiple heats in each age group, especially among the younger ages.
- Within each age group, heats will consist of approximately 25 participants. Each heat will take about 8 to 10 minutes. The four-year-olds will run first, followed by the five-year-olds and on up in ascending order.
- Each age group will be called into the pre-race staging area by the announcer. From the pre-race staging area, children will be organized into heats and moved on to the Kids Run course.
- Participants will finish and be directed to a secure post-race reunion area. Children will only be released to the appropriate responsible adult wearing the wristband that matches the child's bib number. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. Any children not matched with an adult in the secure parent-child reunion area will be referred to on-site security personnel.
Kirt West Beginner 5K Training Program Presented by ASICS
March 13 – March 19, 2023
Overview: Week 8 increases the distance of your non-stop runs. These runs are more important than the shorter 20-minute runs, so if you need to skip a day, it should be the shorter run. You can always adjust the days that you run as long as you do not do three long runs in a row. Don’t worry if you need to take a short break during the longest day—use the break to hydrate. This is essentially what you do when you stop at one of the water or Gatorade stations during the race. Keep in touch on the 5K Virtual Trainer Facebook page.
Monday, March 13, 2023
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- Rest Day
- Tip: Keep on stretching and stay hydrated with a sports drink such as Gatorade Endurance Formula, the Official Sports Fuel Provider of the Cherry Blossom race. This is the beverage that will be available on race day. For more information about Gatorade Endurance Formula, click here.
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
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- Time: 25 minutes
- Goal: Easy running
- Tip: Think how hard it was to run for even a few minutes at the beginning. Think how much easier running has become and how far you have come.
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
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- Time: Optional rest day or 15-minute easy run
- Goal: Non-stop run
- Tip: If doing the 15-minute run, make it very easy as the next few days will be harder.
Thursday, March 16, 2023
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- Time: 25 minutes
- Goal: Non-stop run
- Tip: Start visualizing how you will look and feel when you cross the finish line on April 2.
Friday, March 17, 2023
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- Rest Day
- Tip: Only two weeks to go. You should be feeling very strong by now. Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day!
Saturday, March 18, 2023
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- Time: 15 minutes
- Goal: Easy run
- Tip: This run should be a very easy effort because tomorrow you have a long run to complete.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
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- Time: 35 minutes
- Goal: Finish the long run without walking
- Tip: Try to stay relaxed during this run. It may seem very long, but if you have been doing the training you may be able to complete the run without stopping. If you must walk, try taking very, very short walking breaks – only a few seconds.