Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

So continuing on my quest to volunteer and cheer on runners in races, I volunteered yesterday to man the pre-race packet pickup for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Ok, ok, you got me...there's something in it for me too. If you volunteer you are guaranteed a spot in next year's race. Duh, I'm not getting up at 5am on a Sunday for nothing!!!! So I had to get up at 5 in order to make it to the city by 6 for my shift from 6-9 am...let me tell you it was FAH-REEEZING! I wore my Underarmor, thick turtleneck sweater, a sweatshirt, a coat, long john pants, jeans, and 2 pairs of socks and I was STILL freezing! It was so so so cold and I can just imagine how cold the runners were in their shorts and short sleeves (hey, runners aren't always smart when it comes to clothes ;)

But at least I got to see two Phi Mus who also volunteered to man the sign up booths too. They are also runners and wanted to jump on the chance of guaranteeing a coveted spot in the 10 miler.

A little background on the race from the ever trusty Wikipedia:

The Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is an annual 10-mile (16 km) road race in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1973 originally as a precursor training run for elite runners planning to compete in the Boston Marathon, the race has evolved over the years into a local race for runners of all abilities. Nevertheless, it still attracts international running stars such as Catherine Ndereba, Bill Rodgers, John Korir, and Olga Romanova.

The race is scheduled for the first Sunday of each April, meant to coincide with the bloom of the cherry blossoms given as a gift in 1912 from the mayor of Tokyo. The race is part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival of late March and early April in the city.The race course covers many historic and memorable sights in Washington, D.C. Among the landmarks along the route are the Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, the Watergate complex, Rock Creek Park, and the Tidal Basin.