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 Advanced 10 Mile Training Program Presented by ASICS

February 20 – February 26, 2023

Overview: Week 5 continues with 5-7 days of running while maintaining the weekly long run.  Speed sessions change to anaerobic threshold training—one day of mile repeats and a 20-25 minute continuous anaerobic threshold run. Try to extend your long run by one mile.

Monday, February 20, 2023

• • Goal:    Rest day or optional easy recovery run of 4-6 miles.
  • Tip:      Check your shoes for wear. It might be time to think about getting a new pair of shoes. Many runners have two pairs and alternate running in them. They always have an old pair already broken in and a new pair they are breaking in. Most shoes wear out in the mid-sole after 300-500 miles, even though the bottom of the shoe may not appear worn. Start tracking the mileage on each shoe. You may also want to pick up a pair of racing flats for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom race. If you need new shoes, stop by REI or Potomac River Running, our official retail partners. They have an outstanding selection of performance running shoes by ASICS and others. Their knowledgeable staff will find the right shoe for you.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

• • Distance:     5-8 miles
  • Goal:     3-4 one-mile repeats between 10K and 10-mile race pace with a two-minute recovery between miles
  • Tip:      Warm up at least one mile. Your goal is to run a mile at your 15K or 10-mile race pace or 80-85% of Maximum Heart Rate if training with a heart monitor. Do a jog recovery for 2-3 minutes between repeats. If running on a track, jog 200 meters between repeats. If you have to stop and walk after the mile, you may be running the workout too fast. Run at least a one-mile cool down. This should be a hard but sustainable effort.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

• • Distance:     4-7 miles
  • Goal:     Easy recovery run at 60-70%
  • Tip:      You may feel stiff and sore from yesterday’s mile repeats. It should become easier next week.

Thursday February 23, 2023

• • Distance:     5-7 miles   
  • Goal:     20 to 25-minute anaerobic threshold run
  • Tip:       Start with at least a one-mile warm-up. This should be run at your current 15K or 10-mile race pace.  If running this workout with a heart monitor, start your watch when you hit 80% of maximum heart rate and stay between 80-85% for the entire 20-25 minutes. The effort should be somewhat hard – you should feel like you could keep up this effort for a long time but if you picked it up very much, you might feel like stopping. Be sure to run at least a one-mile cool down at the end of the workout.

Friday, February 24, 2023

• • Goal:    Rest day or optional easy recovery day of 4-7 miles.
  • Tip:      Don’t worry if your appetite is increasing. Your body needs more fuel because of increased mileage and intensity. You may need more complex carbohydrate, including whole grains and vegetables.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

• • Distance:     5-8 miles
  • Goal:    Easy recovery run.
  • Tip:      Remember to stretch after every run.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

• • Distance:     10-13 miles
  • Goal:    Long run.
  • Tip:      Try 2-3 miles at your Credit Union Cherry Blossom goal race pace at the end of the long run to see what the effort feels like. Keep the rest of the run at a conversational pace, 90-120 seconds slower than 10K race pace or 60-70% with a heart monitor.