On Sunday, I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, one of my favorite local races, with Matt and a big group of friends!
I was really excited when my friends at Cabot, makers of my fave sharp cheddar cheese, reached out to me a few months ago about doing another partnership for the race this year, because I had a blast working with them for it last year!
A huge thank you to Cabot for hooking my team up with bibs and these really fun shirts (the back said #WillRunforCheddar) for the race. We were all so excited for the opportunity to be out there! They are also providing a great race-themed giveaway for you guys at home at the end of this post, so be sure to enter! 🙂
But first, my race recap! Unlike last year (recap: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 2016) when we had frigid temps and 50mph wind gusts on race day, this year we were all really excited to see the forecast was calling for perfect racing weather – 40’s/50’s and sunny. Glorious!
Matt and I took a cab down to the race and by the time we got there, the sun was rising and the city was looking gorgeous. I was so excited to see that not only were the cherry blossoms still out, but they were actually looking even more full than they did when I ran around the tidal basin last Saturday and Monday!
We were running a bit late due to some cab issues, and the bag check took a little longer than usual due to a new system that wasn’t exactly speedy, so I was worried we wouldn’t be able to find Kathleen, who I was planning to run the race with, in the corrals. Matt and I raced over towards the corrals with about 5 minutes to spare until the race start, and in an amazing stroke of luck, Fabio, my friend Chelsea’s fiance, spotted us walking by! YAY! We were so excited to find them and Kathleen, and quickly smushed into the corral to get ready to go. Whew!!
The others were planning to race, but Kathleen and I just wanted to get out and enjoy the miles, so we planned to run the whole thing together at a comfortable pace. Always nice to have a buddy!
And we’re off!
It’s always crowded at the start, and we lost the others right away, but Kathleen and I didn’t have much trouble sticking together and falling into a pace that allowed for us to chat on and off, too. 🙂
As usual, I enjoyed taking in the miles and snagging some photos as we went. This was actually the first time I’ve used my phone (I have the iphone 7) to take pictures during a race rather than a point and shoot. It worked out pretty well, actually, especially now that I know you can push the down volume button to take a picture rather than push the button on the screen! Much easier when in action.
For a lot of the race we both kept commenting how nice it was out! This was seriously perfect racing weather – what a treat. I was really glad I just wore my tank top on top, though – I was debating a light shirt underneath and so glad I didn’t do that! I had to remind myself how hot I was last year – always better to err on the side of less clothes for a race, because you will heat up fast!
I had a gel with me for the race (a Huma gel in lemonade flavor) which I broke into around mile 3.5ish and slowly ate until about mile 7 or 8. Easier on the stomach if you eat it slowly, plus you get more sustained fuel!
Fun action shot entering Hains Point:
Check out all these blossoms! The trees around the tidal basin are gorgeous, but there are also tons of cherry blossom trees lining Hains Point. It’s like a wonderland out there when they are all blooming!
By the time we exited Hains Point, we only had about 0.5 miles to go – hizzah! That went by fast! There’s a bit of uphill but then you get some slight downhill right before the finish. Made it!
This was Kathleen’s first race post-baby – she rocked it! 🙂
We were really consistent the whole race – did about 9:20/9:30 the whole time and finished in 1:34.
After finishing, we met back up with the rest of Team Cabot for some fun photos and brunch! Here I am below with my track buddies – from left: Paul, Diane, Hamid, me, Josh. So fun to have them on the team this year! These guys make running in circles at 6:30 a.m. way more fun than it should be.
We were all super jealous that Paul shelled out for the optional race medal. Totally buying one next time! 🙂
And below is the whole gang! So many of my favorites in one place. 🙂 In addition to my track buddies, also on the team we had my college friends Kathleen and Sarah, my blog buddy Chelsea, and my running buddy Sokphal! Plus Matt, of course! Such a great group. I’m lucky to have so many great running buddies and friends in my life!
Also, a huge congratulations to those on the team who set new PRs!
After the photo frenzy, we all walked over to Oyamel for brunch, which Cabot very kindly treated the team to. It was soooo delicious – I’d been there for dinner before, but not brunch, and it did not disappoint, especially the Huevos Rancheros! Loved that everything was small plates, too, so we could all try a few different things. Not pictured is the guac and chips that we started with and quickly demolished!
What a fun day! Thank you again from ALL of us to Cabot for making it possible. And now, as a thank you to you guys for following along with our adventures, Cabot is offering a giveaway!
One lucky fANNEtastic reader will receive the following:
- One (1) race-entry fee reimbursement up to $100 (winner must provide proof of purchase by Sept 30, 2017 for a race in 2017)
- Cabot Gift Bag featuring items from their partners Vermont Smoke & Cure, Darn Tough, and Vermont Peanut Butter as well as Cabot items including a $25 gift box of Cabot Cheeses, Cabot Cookbook, Whey Protein and more! (valued at $150)
- Cabot Fit running shirt
Winner must be in the continental U.S. (no PO Boxes). Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Good luck, and happy running and cheese eating! 🙂
