Ok, folks, this is getting REAL! We are only a few days away from The Runner’s Rite of Spring! Today we are sharing five things you need to know BEFORE heading to the Washington Monument grounds on Sunday morning.

1. The most important thing that runners need to know before the race is that there is NO RACE DAY PACKET PICK UP. That means you need to get yourself to the expo on Friday or Saturday. The good news is that this is a great expo with tons of vendors and a full slate of clinic speakers on both days of the expo. For more information on the schedule and how to pick up a friend’s bib, check out the expo page here.
2. The next most important thing that runners need to know is that parking around the race venue is very limited, so you should plan to walk, bike, carpool, or Metro on Sunday morning. The Metro system will be opening at 5:00 am. The Smithsonian Station is about 1/4 mile from the start–not even far enough for a warm-up. Click here for more information on getting to the starting line.  The 10 mile run lines up in front on the Washington Monument on 15th Street, parallel to 14th Street. The 5k lines up along the side of the Washington Monument, parallel to Independence Avenue.
3. Runners also will want to remember is that there is a wave start for the 10 mile run. The elite women’s start is at 7:20 am, with the first wave of the main race starting at 7:30 am, and the next waves going off every 3-5 minutes. Runners will be assigned to waves based on previous race times, and the color of your bib will match the color of your wave. (Expect six waves with about 2,500 runners each.) Read more about the wave start here.
4. If you run for bling, you will want to check your registration to confirm that you ordered a medal. If you did, you will be able to pick up your medal in the post-race staging area. If you didn’t but wish you did, watch your post-race emails and check the Cherry Blossom website to see if extra medals are for sale after the race–they usually are!
5. On race day, the most important thing to keep in mind is to RUN YOUR OWN RACE. Whether you trained for a PR or plan to take it easy and enjoy the scenery, YOU GOT THIS. 

If you have more questions, the Cherry Blossom website is chock-full of information! You also can download the app and watch for last-minute updates on the Facebook page.

Don’t forget that we will be hosting a race recap link up party again. Check out last year’s recaps here and plan to share your 2016 race story!