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

January 30 – February 5, 2023

Overview: Week 2 is a continuation of Week 1, with 5-7 days of training with a long run and two speed sessions. Consider increasing your long run by a mile. If racing on the weekend, a Saturday race can be a substitute for Thursday’s fartlek run. A Sunday race can be combined with warm-up and cool-down miles to get in the necessary mileage for the long run.  Share your thoughts on our 10 Mile Intermediate/Advanced Virtual Training Facebook page. If you are finding this program too intense, consider switching to the Intermediate Program by sending an email to vtswitch@cherryblossom.org.

Monday, January 30, 2023

• • Goal:    Rest day or optional 4 to 6-mile easy recovery run
  • Tip:     Consider Yoga or Pilates to increase flexibility and core strength.

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

• •  Distance:     5-7 miles
  • Goal:    6-8 hill repeats
  • Tip:      Run at least a mile warm up before starting the hills. Find a moderate hill approximately 200-400 meters long. Try to surge up the hill keeping your arms relaxed. Jog down the hill and repeat. If running the workout on a treadmill, adjust the treadmill to 2.5 or 3.0 for the uphill portion and 0 for the downhill jog. After completing the workout, run at least a one-mile cool down.

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

• • Distance:     4-6 miles
  • Goal:    Recovery run    
  • Tip:      When running outdoors in cold weather, try to run into the wind at the start of your run. Wear light layers of clothes in cold weather instead of one heavy layer. You lose a lot of heat through your head and hands, so be sure to wear a hat and gloves. If you need new high-tech running gear, stop by or visit online REI or Potomac River Running ,our official retail partners. They have the latest running shoes and apparel from ASICS, our official shoe and apparel sponsor, and their staff can assist you in getting the right shoe.

Thursday February 2, 2023

• • Distance:     5-7 miles
  • Goal:    Fartlek
  • Tip:      First warm up for a mile and then do a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 fartlek run as follows: Pick up the pace to around 10K race pace (not a sprint) for one minute, jog one minute, pick up the pace for two minutes, jog one minute, pick up the pace for three minutes, jog one minute, etc., until you work up to seven minutes. Cool down for at least one mile.

Friday, February 3, 2023

• • Goal:    Rest day or optional easy recovery run of 4-6 miles
  • Tip:      Read a book on sports nutrition and think about some ways to improve your diet. Consider cutting back on junk food, sugar, and alcohol.

Saturday, February 4, 2023

• • Distance:     5-8 miles
  • Goal:    Easy recovery day
  • Tip:      Be careful if you are training in cold weather. When running on ice or snow, run short, choppy strides to maintain your balance and avoid slipping or falling.

Sunday February 5, 2023

• • Distance:     9-12 miles (60-70% effort)
  • Goal:    Increase last week’s long run by one mile
  • Tip:      Pace should be 90-120 seconds slower than 10K race pace. If you are running on a treadmill, adjust the elevation to 1.0 to equate the wind resistance you get when running outdoors. Otherwise, you may think you are running a faster pace than you would be if running in the elements.