photo by Gary House
“Cherry Blossom
10 MILE & 5K
5K: April 11, 2026
10M: April 12, 2026”
Race Map:
Road closures from MPD:
“On Sunday, April 12, 2026, the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run will take place in the District of Columbia. In conjunction with this event, there will be street closures that motorists should take into consideration:
On Sunday, April 12, 2026, from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic by the Metropolitan Police Department in conjunction with the United States Park Police:
1200 block of Maine Avenue, SW
Maine Avenue from I-395 westbound to Independence Avenue, SW
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge Ramp to Ohio Drive, NW
9th Street Tunnel ramp to Maine Avenue, SW
Virginia Avenue from 27th Street to Rock Creek Parkway, NW
I Street from 27th Street to Rock Creek Parkway, NW
Ohio Drive from 23rd Street to East Basin Drive, SW
Independence Avenue from 14th Street to 23rd Street, SW
Rock Creek Parkway from Ohio Drive to Virginia Avenue, NW
East and West Potomac Parks
East Basin Drive, SW
Raoul Wallenberg Place from 15th Street to Maine Avenue, SW
Ramp from Memorial Circle to Ohio Drive, SW
Homefront Drive, SW
Daniel Chester French Drive from Independence Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Circle, SW
Maine Avenue at the ramp from East Basin Drive to Independence Avenue, SW
17th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
Parkway Drive, NW from Lincoln Memorial Circle to Rock Creek Parkway
15th Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
Madison Drive from 14th Street to 15th Street, NW
Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 15th Street, SW”
“Since 1973, for runners in Washington D.C., the true beginning of spring is marked not by a date on the calendar but by the running of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom (CUCB) 10 Mile Run, also known as The Runner’s Rite of Spring.® (See the Runner’s Rite of Spring section toward the end of this guide for a synopsis of every one of the 50 10 Mile runs.) Elite competitors have used the race as a final competitive tune-up for the Boston Marathon, which runs two weeks later. Bill Rodgers, Greg Meyer and Lisa Larsen Weidenbach all went on to win Boston after their victories at the CUCB.
For lesser mortals, Cherry Blossom typically means a chance to doff the warm-up suits, turtlenecks, caps and gloves of winter and join other runners in a celebration of the season. Here in Washington D.C., the race has been as fixed a rite of spring as the Easter Egg Roll at the White House or the lighting of the Japanese lanterns on the Tidal Basin — at least until Covid-19 came along and caused the cancelation of the 2020 in-person race, and the postponement of the 2021 race to a one-time only post-Labor Day race date of September 12.
Things returned more or less to normal in 2022, with the race returning to its usual early April slot on the road racing calendar. In 2023, the 50th Anniversary was well celebrated by tens of thousands of runners and saw the American 10 mile record get broken by Hillary Bor with a time of 46:11. Bor broke his own record in 2024, running a blistering 45:56.
The excitement returned in 2025 as records once again fell to blistering speeds, when Taylor Roe set the new women’s World Best, and a new women’s American record, in a time of 49:53 and Alex Maier set the men’s American Record in 45:15. Both record-setting performances were accompanied by another tens of thousands runners also crossing the finish line.
In 2026, the 10 Mile lo ttery was robust once again, with entrants numbers rivaling the past couple of years. The staging area for the 10 Mile is on the Washington Monument Grounds, and the course passes in sight of all the major Washington D.C. Memorials. While there have been numerous iterations of the 10 Mile course over the years, one element has been constant – The Runner’s Rite of Spring has always been the only truly elite running race to be held in the Nation’s Capital.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network, a consortium of 170 premier children’s hospitals across the United States. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DC’s own Children’s National Medical Center. To date, over $12 million, including $460,000 in 2025, has been raised for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across the United States. The event also provides a $6,000 purse for recent “graduates” of the Road Runners Club of America’s “RunPro Camp,” Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Double Blossom, 5K and Kids Run. Presenting sponsors include ASICS and Wegmans; supporting sponsors include Visa, Velera, TruStage, Outside, Potomac River Running, Gatorade Endurance, Suburban Solutions Moving, the Embassy of Japan, Runna by Strava, Select Event Group, United Lifestyle Brands, and Cogent Steps, LLC.
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom run is committed to environmental and social responsibility. The event believes in inclusion, respect and tolerance. These beliefs guide our actions in conducting our events. The Credit Union Cherry Blossom run has been awarded Gold Level Inspire Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport since 2017 in recognition of its legacy of certified responsible performance as well as its commitment to mentor other events interested in becoming more sustainable (www.councilforresponsiblesport.org).”