A Run Through
the Blossoms

             The arrival of spring means many things in Washington D.C.; cherry blossoms, picnics, sports on the mall, and most of all, a very welcome thawing of the cold and wet conditions that persist through February and March. But it also means the annual running of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, a race loved and longed for by the many runners of the city, and despised by anyone required to operate a motor vehicle within the Beltway on the day of the event.

A near constant stream of riders depart from the Smithsonian Metro Station. As in previous years, WMATA opened the metro 2 hours early in order to support all of the participants making their way to the start line.

First held on April 1st 1973 and run by fewer than 200 participants, the race was the idea of Gar Williams of the DC Road Runners club and Ralph Reynolds of the YMCA, and was intended to celebrate the arrival of the many types of blossoms that appear in the city. The ten mile distance was selected so that it would be a significant length, but not so long as to cause burnout prior to the Boston Marathon which would be held about two weeks after.

Racers explode out of the starting line at breakneck pace.

The race only grew more popular, with the number of runners doubling each year for the next three years, until a cap of 2,230 participants had to be instated in 1977. Each year the race continued to grow in size and prestige with participants from farther and farther away making the trek to the District to run the course, so much so that in 1980 the infamous lottery system was introduced.

Runners just after they cross the halfway point, still going strong with five miles down, and five to go.

The years have thrown many challenges at the race, like the War of the Winds in 1982 when runners were battered by gusts of up to 50 miles per hour, or in 2015, when a car crash on the course 90 minutes before the start time threatened to shut down the event. But despite weather, traffic and security issues, the race managed to run annually without interruption… that is until 2020 when the outbreak of COVID-19 shuttered the race. A virtual run was offered in its place, but for the first time in almost 50 years, the race was not run. 2021 saw the return of the 10 miler, however due to the recent availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, the event was delayed until September in order to allow more time for participants to be inoculated.

While most runners come kitted out in athletic gear, others choose more unconventional attire. The banana suit is a staple of race day costumes.

Spectators bearing signs and slogans lined the length of the course cheering on family, friends and complete strangers alike.

All of this history culminates in the present running of the 10 Miler on April 6, 2025. A bright and sunny morning, the temperature was a comfortable 58 degrees, literally the perfect weather for a road race; conditions that were undoubtedly welcomed by the 19,660 finishers of the 10 mile course. As if completing all of those miles was not already enough of an accomplishment, 1,829 of these finishers had run the 5K the day before as well, thus completing the Double Blossom challenge. To support the multitude of runners, thousands of spectators lined the course holding signs, shouting encouragement, ringing cowbells and blowing bubbles. The women's first place finisher was Taylor Roe of North Carolina running the 10 mile course in 49:53, averaging a 5:00 minute per mile pace and for the men, Charles Hicks of Oregon took the gold, with a 45:14 finish, averaging a 4 minute, 32 second per mile pace.

Participants gather under the Washington Monument after the race and celebrate their accomplishments.

The herculean efforts demonstrated by the top finishers are an incredible source of inspiration, but the real magic of an event like this is found in the spirit and determination of the average everyday person running it. As you wander the course you will inevitably encounter the same runners at different points of the race and often you can see noticable changes in them. Some will will be exhausted, some emotional after finding their supporters in the crowd, and others will be fighting through pain, but you will rarely see anyone stop. It seems no matter what they keep going.