This weekend I ran my third race of 2017–the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. It’s my 6th year in a row running this race (I think my 7th time altogether), and I’ve almost figured out how to conquer Hains Point. Maybe next time?
I was so happy to see trees still in bloom around Hains Point!
It’s also my 5th year working behind the scenes for the Cherry Blossom Blog and fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals–a big thank you to everyone who donated and helped me exceed my goal!
Cherry Blossom Expo & VIP Dinner
Before I get to my race recap, I have to mention a few things about the Cherry Blossom expo and VIP dinner. The expo is held at the National Building Museum, which has a huge atrium that was filled with vendors.
Walking through is like a checklist of my favorite running gear–love my Racedots, love my compression socks, love my RUSeen vest, love my bondi bands, love The Stick–so I wasn’t tempted to buy anything.
I also wasn’t in the mood to take a selfie, but loved the backdrop they had set up–with a rack of selfie sticks you could borrow–brilliant!
Because of the work I do behind the scenes at the Cherry Blossom blog I am invited to the Saturday night VIP dinner, and it’s such an honor to be there with the elite athletes and race organizers. They are so dedicated to putting on a premiere running event and raising money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
How cute are these petit-fours?
It’s also fun to catch up with the other members of the social media team in person, and enjoy a nutritious meal and cherry blossom-themed dessert!
Cherry Blossom Race Recap
After nailing my goal at the NYC Half, I did not have specific time goal for this race, but was hoping to average about an 8:10 pace. The conditions were perfect. No extreme wind like last year. No car vs. pedestrian accident forcing a shorter course like the year before. No excessive tourist crowds like the year of my all-time PR.
I didn’t have a specific racing plan, but somewhere around mile 3 I thought to break the race into three 3-mile segments, plus the last mile at the end. Since I already was at mile 3, I was 1/3 done! I decided to maintain what felt like a comfortably hard pace for miles 3-6, cut myself some slack through miles 6-9 (my nemesis, Hains Point), and then push it to the end after mile 9–which still is a meaningful milestone.
Thing went pretty well until right around mile 8. At that point, I felt like my abdominal muscles were cramping up–not GI cramps, but muscle cramps. I think I’ve trained myself to run with a tight core, and my core was exhausted! I decided to ease up on my pace until mile 9 so I would have something left for a to push to the finish. Looking at my Garmin, I didn’t have that much left, but I’ll blame that on that crazy pace for mile 4!
I have no idea if I was smiling as a I crossed the finish line, but I was smiling when I saw that I nailed my goal and ran my second-fast time!
[Tweet “My #CUCB2017 #RaceRecap #runchat”]
If you participated in one of the the Cherry Blossom races (the ten miler or the 5k) please link up your recap over on the Cherry Blossom Blog!
Of course, I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap!
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
Way to go!!
So glad the blossoms survived the rain and the weather was perfect for you all today!
I ran CB in 2015 (the year it was cut short) loved every minute of it.
I actually don’t mind Hains Point but know that many can’t stand it… lol.
Thanks! I know that battle on Hains Point is mental, but it’s still real!
Congratulations on another great race, that’s awesome! I’ve heard that this race is so pretty as well so I’m sure the scenery was stunning as well 🙂
Congrats on your race! This one is definitely on my bucket list. I entered one year but didnt get in, and since then I have seemed to be injured in the spring. Looks like such a great race!
Oh, no! I hope you break your string of spring injuries soon. If you’re local you can volunteer one year for a guaranteed entry the next.
Congrats on nailin your goal! I love your shirt, so appropriate for the race!
Thanks! I had this race in mind when I got it a few months ago!
Nice job on that finish time! 10 miles is definitely your sweet spot!
Congrats on your race! It’s fun to be behind the scene of a race. I’ve been organizing a kids run for 9 years and love it!
Thanks! You really do become attached to an organization / event. I’m sure they are lucky to have you!
Great job on nailing your goal and crossing that finish line with a smile!! I hope to do CUCB some day 🙂
It’s really a lovely race!
Congrats. You did awesome. Someday I hope to run this one.
Wow that is fantastic! What a great pace you seriously impress me with your 10 miler times
Thanks! I figured it had feel a bit easier compared to the Half!
Wow congrats! You nailed another 10 miler! This sounds like a great one.
Awesome job!!!!! You totally spanked those 10 miles! I’d LOVE to do this race…can you give me heads-up when the registration/lottery opens? Maybe I can swing this in 2018….maybe (fingers crossed)!
That would be so fun — watch this space in mid-December for a reminder. 😉
I love that they provided selfie sticks – even if you didn’t use one. 🙂 Congrats on a great race! You’re sure to get a PR next year.
Congratulations! I’m glad the weather was a lot better this year – the last 2 years were both such a challenge!
Awesome job and congrats on a great race! That is a pretty cool backdrop that Under Armour put together. I’d love to run the Cherry Blossom 10 miler again sometime.
Well done!! And I love that you do work behind the scenes too! I have only ever run in races and it’s easy to forget that there are always people working full time in various ways to actually make our races successful.
It takes a lot of people to make a race go off smoothly! Volunteering is a great way to get even more involved in the running community and make more running friends. 🙂
Great job! I don’t know the course at all, but keep hearing about Hains Point. Is that a hill?
Hains Point is flat as could be, but it’s a 3 mile stretch that plays games with your head. 🙂
congrats on a meeting your goal!!! somehow I was faster last year. maybe the wind actually HELPED!
There were a lot of PRs in that wind last year!
Congratulations Coco! It was really awesome meeting you and working with you this year. Hains Point really killed me this year – and knowing that my half this fall covers basically the same route as Cherry Blossom makes me think I’m going to need to spend some time on Hains Point this summer.
Fantastic job, especially just coming off of your half marathon victory! I would love the scenery at this race. But I’d be really disappointed if the cherry trees were not in bloom. I’m guessing you were smiling when you crossed that finish line! Thanks for linking, Coco! PS…petit-fours are my favorite. I can’t pass one up!
Congrats on hitting your goal! What a gorgeous race!!
Great race, and it looks like the blossoms were beautiful!
I thought they would be all gone, but it was still pretty!
It was great sharing so much of race weekend with you!
Thanks! You too!
Your ability to show up and kick butt is awesome!
It’s that starting line energy!
Congrats!
I’ve never done long distance running in a big city.
Do you also practice running around NYC?