The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom this week, and while the weather wasn’t quite ready to commit to spring, we were graced with a few gorgeous days in between the grey ones.
I wanted to make sure I got to see the blossoms before the weekend, so I made myself go for a run after work.
Cherry Blossoms In Bloom
As the day wore on, I was reminded why I don’t usually workout after work. My motivation was waning by the minute, even as I could see the azure blue sky out my office window. I was so tempted to just go home, but I knew I’d be disappointed in myself if I went back on my plan.
Luckily cherry blossom FOMO got the best of me, and got me out the door in my running shoes instead of my car.
It was brisker than I expected, but I warmed up quickly. The paths around the Tidal Basin were busy, but with a bit of patience I was able to frame some good shots.
Friday night, Deborah hosted a pre-Cherry Blossom race gathering, and I finally got to meet Kim and Linda in person.
There was lots of good food, but I have to share pictures of the cherry blossom cookies and cupcakes–they take the cake. 🙂
The perfect way to carbo-load for the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, don’t you think?
Weekly Run Down
I’m going to keep my weekly rundown short, but I do want to share some thoughts from my CorePowerYoga class. Ann is leading us through a series of headstand class, and invited us to take the practice of looking at things from a different perspective off the mat.
On the mat, I learned that dolphin headstands are much harder than tripod headstands! While I can usually do a tripod headstand, I did not feel stable enough to do a dolphin headstand. I got my feet off the ground, but didn’t get my legs very far up in the air. It gave me a new perspective on a pose I can work towards.
Off the mat but on my bike , I joined the Arlington Conte’s Bike Shop group ride for the first time, and got a new perspective on the hills I usually encounter on the Falls Church Conte’s Bike Shop Hill Ride. The Arlington route overlapped with a lot of the Falls Church route, but in the opposite direction. If I do this route a few times and then join the Falls Church ride, my brain won’t know if I’m coming or going!
Off the mat but in my running shoes, I got a new perspective on finish times completing a survey for the Cherry Blossom race. One of the questions asked about previous finish times rounded to the nearest minute. Looking over the results listed on my Race Recaps page, I realized how many of my finish times rounded to 1:22, even though I felt my pace varied significantly. It made me realize how hard I am on myself when I set specific race goals. In the survey, I indicated a goal of 1:25 for this year’s race. If I get to round to the nearest minute, my 1:25:19 finish time met that goal.
Monday: 5 mile Cherry Blossom run
Tuesday: Strength Workout
Wednesday: Cyclebar
Thursday: CorePower Yoga
Friday: Orange Theory Fitness
Saturday: 18 mile bike ride with the Conte’s Arlington group
Sunday: Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run (<< recap in progress!)
Thanks to Deborah and Kim for hosting the Weekly Run Down link up for recapping our workouts and staying accountable and motivated. 
What have you seen from a different perspective?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
It was SOOOO great to finally meet you officially (even though I feel like I’ve known you forever LOL). Your CB finish time is awesome!!!!
I wish we had more time together! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts about the race.
So so glad that you were able to join us this weekend! Looks like you really crushed the race today. Look forward to the recap. Thanks for linking up!
It was so great to see everyone. And now I know where you live. 😉
Those blossoms are glorious! Are they super fragrant too? I do need to come see them one of these years. I’d hoped it’d be cherry blossom time in Japan when I was in Tokyo but not quite. What a great blogger meetup! I’m so bummed I missed it!
Hhmm, I don’t think I’ve noticed a fragrance — maybe a mild one? It’s hard to predict the timing, but they usually peak the very end of March or beginning of April.
Excellent job on the 10 miler! As much as I’m feeling the FOMO (and I am), I’m glad I opted out. I would have been so disappointed that I’m not running my best!
It would have been great to see you — we’ll do it some day. The warm weather was a shock to my system!
The medals from the race are very cool! I love those cupcakes & cookies too. Impressive creativity!
It’s all so pretty, isn’t it!
Congrats on another successful Cherry Blossom 10 Miler and I really love the medal – it’s unique!
So cool that you were able to meet up with Deborah and so many other blogging ladies over the weekend. I was so bummed to miss out on the Cherry Blossom fun!
Next year, Kim! I would love to host you. <3
I’m so jealous of your cherry blossoms, I’m glad that they were in all their beauty for the race this weekend. Congrats! Your blogger meetup looks so fun and I love the treats!
I have started seeing things from different perspectives a LOT lately, due to a work project. Lots of politics involved and unfortunately it’s a perspective that I do NOT enjoy. I haven’t done any inversions in yoga forever, I wonder how I’d fare with a headstand these days? lol
Ugh, work politics can be so stressful. I hope they blow over soon.
Loving the cakes, cookies & that medal! Who’s gonna host me if I enter the lottery? 😊
Nice perspectives! Yoga is about so much more than poses!
I don’t often really have a time goal, i’m more of a pace gal (don’t have elapsed time on my watch).
Oh, I definitely focus on pace during a race. I couldn’t do the math to be sure I was on track otherwise. Between Deboarh and I there are plenty of spare rooms, so come on down!
As I said to Kim, I lived in MD for a year when I graduated college (Laurel), and while I went into DC often — and had been several times as a kid — I’ve never been there at Cherry Blossom time. And I’ve never run a 10 mile race (it kind of sounds like the perfect distance, I know it’s about where I run out of steam in a lot of halfs).
Would love to run this race. Need a host…hint hint.
Love that medal. And of course, the perfect blooming of the cherry blossoms.
Congrats on your time goal.
It would be great to have you! I can’t make any promises on the blossoms, though.
Sounds like a great week! Beautiful photos from your post-work cherry blossom run. Though I agree, my motivation definitely wanes during the work day and post-work runs are a bit harder. I do them in Winter but I’ll probably transition back to the pre-work runs soon.
They are not bad at all once I get going, but I also hate showering twice a day, so there’s that obstacle too!
Oh gosh, those blooms are so stunning! I have been in DC twice around cherry blossom time, and both times we were too early for the actual blooms. Sad panda.
I am putting in for the lottery next year and I have all my fingers and toes crossed that I will be selected.
Sounds like you had an incredible time. 🙂
It’s really hard to time the blossoms right. Even once the park service has made a prediction for the season, the weather can impact it. This year we were lucky because we didn’t have any big rain storms once they bloomed, so they held on for a while.
Those cherry blossoms are so gorgeous! I am so jealous as today we had sleet and 32 degrees. Spring seems forever away. I would love to run that race some year!
It’s definitely worth putting on your running bucket list – plus we’ve got an awesome group of local bloggers here.
Wow are those cherry blossoms pretty! I’m so disappointed I couldn’t make this year work with my schedule – it looks like you all had a great time.
Congrats on your race – looking forward to reading your recap!
I know! You have got to down here! Family field trip?
It looks absolutely beautiful there. I’m so jealous you got to meet all those wonderful ladies. That race is on my bucket list.
It was a fun weekend for sure.
Because of the school run in the morning, it’s very rare that I get to run in the morning during the week. So many of my runs are when I get back from work. And every day, as the time draws closer to the run, my enthusiasm completely disappears! So I know exactly how you were feeling but well done on getting it done. Those views were worth it!
I love your blogger meet-up photo too! I think I recognise most (if not all) those faces!
After work is so hard for me. I just want to get home, fix dinner, and put my feet up!
so gorgeous, there! I hardly ever run in the morning during the week; most are in the evening. and even if I’m tired, when the weather is decent here, it’s simply fabulous to run. The later in spring and early summer it is, the later the sun goes down. I love it!
I guess a different perspective is like re-framing? I have been doing that a lot lately, trying to see things differently to put it in a more positive light. And Ron’s been struggling with the training sessions from our trainer and I’ve been trying to help him re-frame as well. I think it really helps any situation!
So nice you got to meet up with these amazing ladies! and YES to the carbloading cookies and cupcakes!!
Yes, reframing can be a good challenge/exercise. You are such a sweet “coach” for Ron. My husband is not a good coach at all. He has no desire to do hard things, but will tag along if I insist — so he’s a good spouse. 😉
Those cookies!
Cherry blossom FOMO is real. That was part of what led to this weekend’s ill advised three days in a row of running
Happy e-meetiversary. You reached out when you found my Cherry Blossom recap last year to join your race linkup
I’m so glad our paths crossed on the internet. If my business trip to NYC comes through, I may track you down IRL.
Yes please! Would love to have the chance to meet
let me know details when you have them
It looks so beautiful there! The Cherry blossom 10 miler is on my bucket list, I can’t wait to read your recap!!
Your cherry blossom pictures were well worth the run on a day you really wanted to go home instead of running. And yes, those cookies and cupcakes were so pretty! Heading over to read your race recap now.