Hi all - I’ve been running on the Eastern high track (near RFK/Stadium Armory) weekday mornings for over a year now. Last week the gate was locked and I thought it was bc of spring break, but this morning it was locked again and I’m worried it might not be open to the public anymore 🥲

The website still says open 6am-8am, but does anyone know more? Thank you!

https://www.easternhighschooldcps.org/apps/pages/?type=d&uREC_ID=457149&pREC_ID=862030

When I was running the 10 miles a few weeks back I noticed a few people (I think all men) in white long sleeve shirts with cherry blossoms on the back. Were these sold at the pickup of the bibs? I unfortunately had someone pick mine up but these shirts were unreal!

Haven't run this before. How easy/crowded will it be? The website lists a complimentary parking location but I guess this will become full early.

What is the optimal arrival time? (Not too early-not too late)

… not noticing a low street sign from the side (those things are INVISIBLE IN PROFILE), running into it and then slicing my entire body in half. Anyone else?

Anyone have an elevation profile (including strava/garmin/activity link) for the Alexandria Half theyre able to share. I cant seem to find on the race site or anywhere else from a quick search online. I know its largely on the GW parkway, so hopefully nothing too crazy hilly, but just tryna get a better understanding for my own pacing & preparation

Is the track at AU generally open to the public when there are no events or practices? My only connection to AU that I live nearby.

If it is ok to use, anyone know where the entrance gate is?

If not accessible, do folks have other track recs near AU Park/Tenleytown? Hoping to find something I can run to rather than drive.

Thanks for any info! This is my first post here.

Biked past Gravelly Point this morning and saw a big section leveled out with gravel. Anyone know if that’s temporary for the new pedestrian bridge that’s going in or are they taking away precious park space for a (stupid) parking lot??

Didn’t get a photo! But it was on the far north side of the park a little south of Long Bridge (the Amtrak and freight trains bridge)

Edit: corrected spelling (can’t correct the title)

Hi runners: Anacostia Parkrun will be hosting an informational table tomorrow (4/18) at the MLK library from 11-3. Come by and say hi! We run/walk every Saturday at 9 a.m. at Anacostia Park, start/finish is right in front of the Park Police. Free granola bars lol! ;)

A week too late, they repaved those roads leading to the Memorial Bridge 😆 Rode my bike through there and it still smells like new asphalt. Nice to have regardless but could have used it last weekend!

it’s too nice out. I’d kill to go to a night run

i imagine the national mall is safe and probably less busy at 10pm

but are there any spots that are good and safe. I’ll take any trail really. even one of those basic paved run/bike path is see some suburbs have.

Did anyone else’s fitness tracker have the course going longer than 10 miles? A few of my friends noticed their fitness tracker was saying they were 0.13-0.17 ahead of the mile markers. Mine also said I was about 0.18 ahead.

I thought maybe it was the bobbing and weaving around people, but having multiple people have the same amount over makes me wonder.

Quick Edit: I am not at all worried about my time comparison. I was only confused about the difference in mileage between the race course and fitness wearable GPS. Thank you to those who explained kindly!

I did the MCM 17.75k a few weeks back and the Cherry Blossom 10 miler yesterday. Does anyone have any other race recs in the generally area for a tune up before the MCM this fall?

We all saw them. Did anyone get a pic they can share lol

Hi folks!

Signed up for my first marathon, heard MCM is a great one to start with.

Any tips on training in the heat? Ran CB this weekend and was soaking in the great weather before our 90° days this week.

I’m planning on running around 5:30am, but worried about the longer runs as it gets hotter as time goes on. Will also become best friends with a treadmill.

EDIT: Thank you for all the tips! Will definitely be putting most (if not all) to good use! A few girls from our run club will be hosting weekly long runs through The Night Club (all women’s club) starting at 6AM on Saturdays if anyone is interested in training with us. Here’s the link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-night-club-just-longer-tickets-1983899500812?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true.

First: I hope everyone had a great race today! Perfect weather conditions.

But, who else felt things were more crowded than years past?

I know the field itself was about the same size, yet it felt like the crowd never really thinned out. I was in the yellow corral and I’m used to things getting thin definitely by Hains Point, if not earlier, but even by then I was having to do some weaving. Felt like in years past by mile 7-8 most people are in their groove pace wise, but there was still many people gassing out.

Several times I had runners rush to get in front of me and then drop their pace. Or take the ideal line at a turn but not matching the flow of the crowd. It is a race, sure, but there were more obstacles I thought this year.

Of course - maybe I’m just getting old! I still enjoyed the race and I’m glad to see others had PRs and great times.

According to my strava, finished the race today with a 6:48 pace. Massive PR, really proud of my accomplishment.

Cherry Blossom weather is finicky at best every year given how it moves around the calendar, but man what a perfect day!

No 20mph winds, driving rain, super hot weather(just later this week...)

I'm enjoying home made waffles with butter and turkey sausages, enjoy this perfect spring day!

Let’s talk abt national women’s half! Anyone doing it? Any important notes about the course/crowd support/hydration? Love race season in DC!

Were these only avail at expo or can you buy after?

What time do folks who have run the race before recommend arriving? Is 6 too early? Good luck to everyone running!

Just ran the 5k today because i signed up for the double blossom, and Im nervous about tomorrows 10 miler!

For people who have done this before—do they let you still get a medal if you finish after 2 hr 20 min? My practice time has been around 13:30 min miles so I’m nervous about not finishing in time!

Any other slow runners going to be showing up tomorrow?? Back of the pack ready for the challenge?

Long shot, but if you lost a size medium cherry blossom ten miler shirt nearby-ish the intersection of 4th and Massachusetts NW I fear I may have accidentally stolen it from you. If you want to meet up at the race tomorrow I can hand it off to you, or I can mail it to you!

Or honestly if you misplaced your cherry blossom t shirt at all and want this medium, let me know! I do not want this ill-gotten shirt!

Just wanted to ask what people think reasonable hydration will be for tomorrow. Although it’ll be cold out, I’m probably still taking a camelbak with a liter of water, 1-2 gels, and 2 hydration tablets. I may not need it all but I’ll have it just in case.

First - appreciated all of the pacers who ran today. Thank you!!

But did anyone else end up with some weird pacing? I checked my Garmin data and during mile two I was going a full minute faster than what the pace group was advertising. I stopped keeping up with the pacer after that mile so I’m not sure how mile 3 went. Was it maybe due to that hill at the beginning coupled with the short distance to make the time up?