Jamie and I met a little over a year ago during Potomac River Running Distance Training, but she’s the kind of person that you feel like you’ve known your whole life. Now our kids run track together, she gives me mom advice (who knew elementary school would be so hard for me to navigate?!), and comes over to run on my basement treadmill when the winter weather makes an outdoor run treacherous. Everyone should have a friend like Jamie!
Training for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler is underway and I couldn’t be more excited! I can’t wait to be back in DC for my second Cherry Blossom Run on April 3!
If you’re running Cherry Blossom and live in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, you are so lucky to have the race course in your backyard! You also get to take advantage of signing up for =PR= Training, which includes a training plan, weekly group runs, track workouts, and so much more!
Living in Philadelphia, I don’t have that same convenience, but in order to have the best racing experience, I have to make a few slight adjustments in my training.
If you’re traveling to the race from out of town, state, or country, here are some tips that will help you train for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler no matter where you are!
Happy February! Before we know it, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler will be here! I thought this was a good time to talk through some training tips as we all prep for the big day.
This year will be my fourth year running the CUCB and each year, I’ve picked up a few more tips on how best to train for the race. I hope you all will find these helpful as you move forward with your training.
What are your tips for CUCB newbies?
If you’re in the Northeast United States, or at least the Mid-Atlantic, then like me you’ve spent much of the past week hiding from the cold and snow. Here in Washington DC, we reacted to #Snowzilla with our customary coolness under fire (just picture a ballroom of cats given enough catnip to power several zip codes’ worth of Christmas lights, and then setting a herd of Roombas upon them. Did I mention the ballroom was on the Titanic?).
This probably has resulted in you being cooped up, or stuck on your treadmill. Runners get a little crazy when they can’t Do That Thing They Do (that song is in your head now, you’re welcome). All of this snow, slush, and ice might have you feeling a little behind when it comes to training, especially if you’re new to running, or if the 10-mile distance is a new frontier. I suggest remembering this mantra:
You might well wonder what the heck volunteering has to do with training. You’re a long distance runner. You gotta think Long Term. Continue reading Keep Calm And Volunteer
Running in the winter can be tough, especially if you are in an area like the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic regions where we get hit with snow, ice, and even big blizzards (Hello, Storm Jonas!). Sometimes it’s tougher to convince yourself to suit up and get out the door to stay on track with training for spring races like the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. Here are some of my tips to make sure that I stay motivated and stick to my training plans through the winter months.
1.Buy the proper gear.
If you are going to be running outside in the winter make sure you have some warm-layering essentials and accessories including socks, gloves and a hat. I like to layer a tank top tucked into some cold weather long tights and layer a half zip plus a shell coat on top and finish it off with gloves and a hat or fleece headband. Keep everything by the door or laid out the night before so you aren’t scrambling to find what you need in the morning.
2. Join a local running group or make it a date.
One of my biggest motivators for getting out the door on cold, dark winter mornings is having someone to meet up with. Find a local running group that meets at specific times or make a date with a friend to go for a run. If you are meeting someone, you are far less likely to hit the snooze button and miss a run!
3. Keep your spring goals in mind.
If you have signed up for a race like the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run or have a spring racing goal in mind, mark your calendar or print out a countdown of how many days it is until the race. Also print out your training plan and mark off each run you complete. Keep in mind your target race or how it will feel when you accomplish your goal every run as motivation.
4. Have a backup plan.
Sometimes running outside in the winter may not be an option for you. If you belong to a local gym, be prepared to complete a treadmill workout. I also like to keep a bunch of at-home strength and cardio workout DVDs and Youtube videos on hand. If I can’t get a run in I can at least do some cross-training or just switch my training schedule around for the week.
5. Make your long runs an event.
Getting in my longer runs is the biggest challenge for me in the in winter so I like to create little rituals for myself to stay motivated. After my weekend long runs I like to treat myself to a coffee or hot chocolate and a breakfast snack. It seems silly but having that big mug of hot chocolate and a bagel is sometimes motivation enough to get my miles for the day done. Treat yourself to something small on your long run days, and it can be something to look forward to all week. It could also be getting a manicure or taking time to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie you’ve been wanting to see-only after you finish your run!
Are you ready to run your best race on April 3 and have fun while you are training? Did you miss out on the lottery but don’t want to miss out on The Runner’s Rite of Spring®? Read on to learn more about the Potomac River Running Training Programs presented by New Balance–including an option to get your very own Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run race bib!
The training programs kick-off in Reston and DC/Arlington on Sunday, January 24, and registration is still open. Continue reading Make Your Race Goal a Reality with =PR= Training
Welcome to the blog for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run! Between now and race day, we will be sharing our advice and insights with the aim of motivating you and getting you excited for “The Runner’s Rite of Spring”®
Continue reading Counting Down To The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run
The lottery for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is now open! As you sign up, please consider supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals–it’s a great way to observe Giving Tuesday. Click Here To Donate!
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is the signature event of Credit Union Miracle Day, which is a nonprofit collaboration of credit union organizations engaged in fundraising activities to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals).
If you live in the D.C. area, you probably are familiar with Children’s National Medical Center, which is the local CMN Hospital affiliate. There are 136 children’s hospitals affiliated with the CMNH in the United States, and they treat over 10 million children annually across the U.S., providing state-of-the-art care‚ cutting edge research and preventative health education. If you, a family member or friend has been cared for at a CMN Hospital, you know first hand the quality of care they provide.
Credit Unions For Kids is the umbrella brand through which credit unions and affiliated organizations support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. One hundred percent of every dollar donated by members of the credit union movement goes back to a community CMN Hospital. Each year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals:
As you prepare to celebrate this holiday season, and shower gifts on the children in your life, please remember children with serious health conditions who need the cutting-edge care provided by CMN Hospitals, and join us in celebrating Giving Tuesday by donating to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals here.
Have you entered the lottery for the 2016 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run?
Do you know anyone who was cared for at a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital?
Those cherry blossoms have a powerful effect on runners. One runner shared his special story with us!
My name is Pete Thomas, and I am happy to say that Victoria Davies agreed to my marriage proposal at the foot of the Washington Monument on the day of the Cherry Blossom race. We are both public charter school teachers in Northeast DC, and I live in Noma and Vic lives in Arlington. In terms of the proposal itself, I actually ran the 10 miler with the ring zipped into my runner’s belt/fanny pack that I typically use for energy gels- I hid it behind some GU packets to be extra inconspicuous.
Once I finished the race, I unzipped my pouch and made sure that the ring was secure (it was just a little bit sweaty) and then waited to cheer Victoria on near the finish line while I hid the ring in my hand. Once she finished the race, I walked up and gave her a big hug and made sure that she got a banana and some water (it’s important to be well-nourished and hydrated before making any big decisions) and then I asked her if she wanted to go up towards the monument so that we could get away from the port-a-potties and look at the cherry blossoms. She was at first a bit more intent on getting to the metro so that we could go get brunch, but I nervously managed to convince her that we should go check out the view of the Mall and the Tidal Basin before we left.
Once we got up close to the Monument on the Lincoln side from where we could get a pretty spectacular view of the city, I finally got down on one knee with the ring and asked her to marry me. She fortunately said yes, and after a few tears, selfies, and phone calls to our moms, we took a nice walk down the mall towards home. Since then, we’ve enjoyed our spring break from school by visiting Savannah and eating lots of delicious southern food that we’ll have to work off in future ten milers! We both had a great time running the race, and we are very happy to be able to look back at this awesome DC event as part of the beginning of our future together!
Happy Earth Day!
In honor of Earth Day we’d like to highlight some of the efforts that the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race is making to ensure that it is a sustainable road race.
Over the past few years the CUCB race committee has recognized the importance of being an environmentally friendly event and has formed a dedicated sub-committee to manage these efforts. This committee manages a certification process through the Council for Responsible Sport that recognizes athletic events that are going above and beyond to protect the environment in which they operate. For the CUCB 10 Mile Race, this means making sure that event venues are environmentally friendly and that the National Parks grounds that the race course is run on remains clean and preserved for the future.
We couldn’t do any of this without continued support from runners and volunteers. We had 22 amazing “Green Team” volunteers helping out on race day, to make sure that as much waste as possible was diverted from landfills and recycled or composted. These volunteers worked hard to make sure that water bottles were recycled, banana peels were composted and that heat sheets were collected for “upcycling.” We also collected 68 bags of clothing at the start line and donated them to Goodwill Industries.
The sustainability efforts of the CUCB 10 Mile race did not just happen on race day. At the 
Sustainability Booth at the Health and Fitness Expo, we collected 195 pairs of gently used athletic shoes to donate to MORE Foundation Group.
We also partnered with TapIt to make runners aware of local establishments who would refill a water bottle for free. This service makes it easier for runners and those out and about for the day to refill empty water bottles instead of throwing them away in purchasing water.
A free bike valet service was offered at both the Health and Fitness Expo and the race, and we arranged for Metro to open two hours early on race day.
While we’re happy with our progress, like any runner trying to beat a PR, we are continuing to plan to make the 2016 race an even greener and more sustainable race. We welcome ideas from our runners and appreciate your feedback.
About the Authors:
Kim Nemire is the lead team member of CUCB’s dedicated sustainability committee. She’s responsible for coordinating all the efforts of the sustainability of the race and affiliated events. Currently, Kim is working on a goat farm in rural Illinois helping make goat milk soaps and goat cheese.
Anna Dengler is a member of the sustainability team. She is responsible for coordinating outreach and communication efforts of the sustainability team’s mission. She currently works at a software company in Baltimore.