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 20 – March 26, 2023

Overview: Week 9 has you doing your longest run before the race. The longer runs are the most important ones of the training. Completing them should lead to a successful race. Feel free to move the long run up a day or two if you need to change your schedule, but only do the long run following a rest day. Keep in touch with the 5K Virtual Run  Facebook page.

Monday, March 20, 2023

• • Rest Day
  • Tip:  You may feel sore from yesterday’s run. That is normal. The stiffness should go away in a couple of days. Try stretching and go for an easy walk.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

• • Time:  30 minutes
  • Goal:   Easy run
  • Tip:  Keep your effort easy and at a conversational pace. Stop for water or Gatorade if you are thirsty. If you are still feeling tired from Sunday’s long run, take today off.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

• • Time:  Rest day or optional 15-minute easy run
  • Goal:   Easy run
  • Tip:     Don’t be surprised if you are still a bit sore from Sunday’s long run.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

• • Time:  30 minutes
  • Goal:   Easy run
  • Tip:   Your training is almost over. This is your last hard week.

Friday, March 24, 2023

• • Rest Day
  • Tip:  Try to stay off your feet in preparation for your longest training run.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

• • Time:  40 minutes
  • Goal:  Easy non-stop run
  • Tip:  This is your last long run before the race. Try to practice your pre-race routine—eat what you plan to eat on the morning of the race, empty your bladder and bowels and wear the running gear and shoes you plan to use on race day. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to complete a 3.1 miles training run to complete the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 5K. Thousands of beginning runners have followed this program and successfully completed past races.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

• • Rest Day
  • Tip:  One week to go. The taper period has started. Your main goal now should be to be rested by race day.