Frequently Asked Questions for the 5K on April 11 and the 10 Mile on April 12, 2026

The following are questions people often have about the Credit Union Cherry Blossom:

Questions on Registration and Lottery Notification:

How Do I Enter the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Double Blossom, 5K or Kids Run?
How Can I Be Notified of the Opening of the 10 Mile Lottery?
Are There Other Ways to Be Accepted into the 10 Mile or Double Blossom Besides the Lottery?
How Can I Be Sure to Receive Your Emails?
What is a “Lottery Buddy”? Is This Different From a Team?
When is my credit card charged in the Lottery?
My credit card was stolen and I was issued a new credit card. How can I update the information so that I do not lose my registration?
My registration information (spelling of name, sex, address) is incorrect. How do I change that?
I just bettered the projected race time I submitted with my registration. How can I get my record updated?

T-Shirts and Medals

Can I change my t-shirt size?
Do all runners get medals?
I didn’t order a medal, can I get one?

Switching Races; Bib Transfers

Can I switch races if I decide I want to do a different race?
I was accepted in the lottery but cannot run in April. Can I get a refund?
Do I have to know a particular runner to transfer my bib?
How does the Transfer Process work?
What if I run with someone else’s number without going through the transfer process?

Packet Pickup

Is there packet pick-up on race day?
Where and when is packet pick-up?
What if I cannot pick-up my packet?
Can I pick up multiple race packets?

Race Day

How can I follow the race on social media?
Does the 10-Mile race have a minimum age?
Does the 10-Mile race have a time limit?
When does my race begin to be timed?
Can I wear ear pods?
Can I wear a camelback?
Are strollers allowed on the course?
How often are there water stations?
Will Metro be running on race day?
Is there a spot to leave a bicycle?
Where does the race start?
What neighborhoods are within walking distance of the 10 Mile race start?
Will I be able to leave a bag near the race start and retrieve it later?
Why Does My GPS Not Match the Course Measurements?

Questions on Registration and Lottery Notification

Q: How Do I Enter the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Double Blossom, 5K or Kids Run?

A: 10 Mile Run: The 10 Mile will be held on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The field will be filled by lottery. Prospective entrants will be able to register for the lottery starting on Monday, January 5, and extending through 11:59 P.M. on Monday, January 19 on the event website, cherryblossom.org. When registering, prospective entrants will complete and submit the entire entry form including the credit card information. However, credit cards will not be charged unless the applicant is selected. Any runner not accepted into the 10 Mile is welcome to sign up for the 5K as long as the 5K field is not filled. Click Here for Lottery Information.

The Double Blossom: If you wish to enter BOTH races – the 5K on Saturday, April 11, and the 10 Mile on Sunday, April 12, you will need to enter the Lottery and select Double Blossom as your event. You will then be entered into the lottery and if you are successful, you will be entered into each race at that time (and your credit card will be charged for both races, plus any ancillary items that you chose to purchase at the time of registration). If you are not successful in gaining entry into the lottery, your credit card will not be charged for either race or for any ancillary items. Any runner not accepted into the 10 Mile is welcome to sign up for the 5K as long as the 5K field is not filled. Click Here for Lottery Information.

We will have a special “Double Blossom” medal, as well as separate 5K and 10 Mile medals available for purchase during the registration process.

Note: If you are accepted into the lottery for the 10 Mile, you are allowed to register for the 5K if 5K registration is still open and run both races, but you will NOT be entered into the Double Blossom. So if you want to do the Double Blossom, be sure to sign up for that event when lottery registration opens. There is no way to switch into the Double Blossom later – if you want to do the Double Blossom, entering the lottery is your only opportunity to gain entry.

5K: The 5K will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Registration for those who wish to run only the 5K (not the Double Blossom) will be open – there will be no lottery. Registration for the 5K will open on Monday, January 26, 2026, and will remain open until the field limit of 8,000 participants is reached or until Monday, March 2, 2026, whichever comes first (the 5K race field has filled in just three weeks in the past, so we recommend entering early if you want to secure your spot).

Kids Run: Registration is required for the 2026 Kids Run, but it will be held on a first-come first-served basis and will open on January 26, 2026. The Kids Run is limited to 600 entrants.

The entry fees for the 2026 races have not yet been determined; they will be posted here as soon as they become available.

Q: How Can I Be Notified of the Opening of the Lottery?

A: Click Here to Sign up for the 2026 Lottery Notification List

 

Q: Are There Other Ways to Be Accepted into the 10 Mile or Double Blossom Besides the Lottery?

A: Yes, we have some categories of runners who do not need to go through the Lottery, or who will be automatically accepted into the Lottery:

• • 100 Mile Club: 100 Mile Club members have completed at least 100 miles in any combination of the 10 mile or the 5K results (i.e. 10 completions of the 10 mile equals 100 miles; 9 completions of the 10 mile and four completions of the 5K equals 102 miles, etc.), either in a row or non-consecutively. You can check your status in the 100 Mile Club by going to our All-Time Results Database, which has all results from 1973-2025, and will list all the times you have run the 10 Mile and/or 5K and how many miles you have accumulated. 100 Mile Club Members must still enter the lottery, but if you are a 100 Mile Club member and you do not get in through the lottery, you can gain a guaranteed “100 Mile Club” entry (at the prevailing entry fee), which will be accepted if submitted by February 15, 2026. If you are rejected in the lottery and feel you qualify, please send an email to searchable@cherryblossom.org. Remember, please do not apply for a 100 Mile Club guaranteed entry unless you are rejected in the lottery. 100 Mile Club requests received before the lottery results are posted will not be considered. Click Here for info on the 100 Mile Club.
  • Two-Time Loser Entries: TTL entries (those who have entered the lottery in the last two consecutive years (2024 and 2025) and failed to be accepted in either year) but who wish to run in 2026 must still enter the 2026 lottery, but if you are 2-time Lottery loser (2024 and 2025) and you do not get in through the lottery for the 2026 race, you can gain a guaranteed “Two-Time Loser” entry (at the prevailing entry fee), which will be accepted if submitted by February 15, 2026. If you are rejected in the lottery and feel you qualify, please send an email to info@cherryblossom.org.
  • Charity Entries: If you miss lottery registration or do not get picked in the lottery, you can still gain entry into the in-person race by signing up to become a Charity Race Entry Participant. To qualify as a Charity Race Entry Participant, you just have to raise $500 dollars for our official race charity, Children’s Miracle Network. Every dollar raised will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a network of 170 non-profit children’s hospitals located across North America. Charity Entries will open in late January 2026.
  • Seeded Runners: Top open and age-group runners are eligible for special seeded numbers. Seeded runners may be admitted after the lottery closes and will be allowed to start the race in the Yellow Corral immediately behind the elite athletes. Requests for seeded runner status will be accepted starting in the Fall of 2025. Seeded runners are encouraged to apply for seeded status in the late fall prior to the opening of the lottery (the lottery opens on January 5). The cut off date for requesting Seeded Runner status is February 15, 2026. For details on how to request seeded runner status and the qualifying times in age group, Click Here.
  • Volunteer: All volunteers receive a guaranteed entry into the race (at the prevailing entry fee) for the next year’s race. This entry is transferable. Guaranteed entries for 2025 volunteers for the 2026 race will be sent out via email in late November. Click Here for information on volunteering.

Q: How Can I Be Sure to Receive Your Emails?

Every year we receive emails and calls from a number of people indicating that they are not receiving the emails we send out regarding race information. Since most of our communication regarding the race is done by email, including the dissemination of lottery opening, race confirmation and instructions, we would like to be able to reach as many of you as possible. So if you have not been hearing from us, or if you recently joined our mailing list and want to make sure you do hear from us, please read the information below carefully:

1. Is It Being Treated As Spam?

The most likely reason for this is that your email program or ISP is filtering out our emails as spam. What to do?
Check your Junk or Spam folder for emails regarding the Credit Union Cherry Blossom.
Your email host may send the email to your Spam folder, or it may never deliver our emails at all. Add the following email addresses to your “white list” or “safe senders” list or however your particular email program allows you to indicate particular email addresses that you want to receive email from:

• • info@cherryblossom.org
  • therunner@raceroster.com
  • support@raceroster.com

2. Did You Ever Request Removal?

It might be that at some point in the past you were receiving emails from us, but decided that you no longer wanted to hear from us. If at any time you clicked the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of any email and requested removal, or if you sent us an email requesting removal, then you have been permanently removed from our database. We use Constant Contact for sending out most of our race emails, and they have very strict anti-spam rules. If you requested removal at any time, there is absolutely no way that we can add you back in. This can only be accomplished by you, the user. If you suspect that this might be the case with your email address, please Click Here to Sign up again.

3. Perhaps We Just Don’t Have Your Email Address.

If you think we don’t have your email address, don’t worry. Just Click Here to sign up. As long as our emails aren’t being filtered as spam (see #1 above), or you have never requested removal from our list (see #2 above), you should receive our future emails with no problem.

Q: What is a “Lottery Buddy”? Is This Different from a Team?

A: Yes, Lottery Buddies and Teams are different. Lottery Buddies are a way for you to make sure that if you are accepted into the 10 Mile or Double Blossom through the lottery, then your friends and/or family members will be accepted along with you. To make this happen have everyone in your circle (up to 10 people) enter the lottery as Lottery Buddies. Talk to your friends/family and decide which of you will be the first “buddy” to enter the lottery. That buddy should give your circle a Lottery Buddy Name when they register for the lottery, and then subsequent buddies can select that Lottery Buddy Name from the dropdown list on the registration form when they go to register.  Lottery Buddies do not all have to enter just the 10 Mile Lottery or just the Double Blossom Lottery – each Lottery Buddy can enter the event that they prefer to run, and the Buddies will either all be accepted into or all rejected from whichever event they applied for. Each circle of Lottery Buddies has exactly the same chance of getting in as each single individual. Please note that no additional Lottery Buddies can be added after the lottery period closes.

You are only Lottery Buddies for purposes of entering the Lottery. Of course we hope that you will all stay friends after the lottery, but for the purposes of the race itself you will be running as an individual.

Running with Your Lottery Buddies: Every accepted runner will be assigned a starting corral for the 10 Mile based on the estimated finish time that they enter on their registration form for the 10 Mile race. Because corral positions are allocated based on estimated finish times, even if you enter the race with your Lottery Buddies and are all accepted, you will not necessarily be placed in the same starting corral as your Buddies.

Once the lottery is held and a circle of Lottery Buddies is either all entered in the race or not entered into the race, the Lottery Buddy circle dissolves and everyone runs their individual race. If your circle wants to enter into the Team Competition and compete as a Team, they must go through the team registration process, which will open on Monday, January 26. 2026. Click Here for details on the Team Competition.

Q: When is my credit card charged in the Lottery?

A: We charge your credit card once you are accepted into the race via the lottery.

Q: My credit card was stolen and I was issued a new credit card. How can I update the information so that I do not lose my registration?

A: If you are selected in the lottery but your credit card is declined, you will receive an additional email telling you how to proceed to complete your payment. If the lottery is not closed, contact support@raceroster.com and let them know that you need to update your credit card information.

Q: My registration information (email address, mailing address, telephone number, etc.) is incorrect. How do I change that?

A: Much of your information can now be edited by you in your Race Roster account. Login to that account and see if you can make the edits yourself. If you are trying to edit a field that doesn’t allow self-editing, email info@cherryblossom.org with the correct information and we  will make the change in the database.

Q: I just bettered the projected race time I submitted with my registration. How can I get my record updated?

A: Email info@cherryblossom.org with the new information and we will make the change.

T-Shirts and Medals

Q: Can I change my t-shirt size?

A: Yes, but only until 11:59 P.M. on February 28. After that you will have to wait until the Expo and go to the t-shirt exchange there. We can’t guarantee the size that you want will be available. but it is the best place to try.

Q: Do all runners get medals?

A: No, our race does not give finisher medals. We want to keep our registration fee as low as possible, so we only offer medals to those who want them. Medals are available for purchase at registration and for a few weeks after registration ends. If we have leftover medals after the race, they are made available once again while supplies last.

Q: I didn’t order a medal, can I get one?

A: Yes, but only through 11:59 P.M. on March 6 (a link will be posted on the website after the lottery closes for those who wish to purchase additional items until March 6). After February 28, if we have unclaimed medals they will be offered for sale on the website after race day. No enhanced medals may be ordered after February 28, and none are available after race day.

Switching Races; Bib Transfers

Q: Can I switch races if I decide I want to do a different distance?

A: In 2026 no switching between races is allowed, so be sure to sign up for the race that you actually want to run. If you decide not to run the race you signed up for, if you use the Official Transfer Process between Feb. 2, 2026 and Feb. 28, 2026, you will be allowed to transfer your bib to someone else, but you cannot sign up for one race and then decide you want to run a different one. No one is permitted to sign up for the 10 Mile and then switch to the 5K, sign up for the 5K and switch to the 10 Mile, or sign up for the 10 Mile and the 5K separately and switch to the Double Blossom. You can of course sign up for the Double Blossom and then choose not to run one (or both) of the races, but there are no refunds for races you decide not to participate in.

You must wear the correct bib for whatever race you run. Anyone who runs the 5K race with a 10 Mile bib, or the 10 Mile race with a 5K bib, will be disqualified from both races and banned from the races for up to 5 years.

Q: I was accepted in the lottery but cannot run in April. Can I get a refund?

A: No, we do not offer refunds. However, All registrants are given the opportunity to purchase race protection to protect your entry fee if you find you are not able to run due to a qualifying event. If you purchased Race Protection when you registered for the race, you can submit a claim for a refund (the protection does not cover EVERY reason you can’t make the race). Click Here for more information on Race Protection.

If you did not purchase Race Protection, or if it does not cover your situation, you can transfer your entry in February during our Transfer Period. You can transfer your entry to someone you know, or if you don’t know anyone looking for a bib, you can transfer to the next person on the waitlist (as long as there is someone on the waitlist). 10 Mile registrants will transfer to people on the 10 Mile waitlist; Double Blossom registrants will transfer to people on the Double Blossom waitlist.

Q: Do I have to know a particular runner to transfer my bib?

A: No, you do not.

Q: How does the Transfer Process work?

A: When the Transfer Process opens on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, accepted runners who cannot participate will be able to transfer their bib to a friend or family member, or if they don’t know a person who wants their bib, they can transfer to the next person on the waitlist (as long as there is someone on the waitlist). 10 Mile registrants will transfer to people on the 10 Mile waitlist; Double Blossom registrants will transfer to people on the Double Blossom waitlist. This will only be allowed during the Transfer Period, February 2 – February 28, 2026. Click Here for more details on the Transfer process.

Q: What if I run with someone else’s number without going through the transfer process?

A: If someone runs the race with another’s bib number, that person will be banned from the race for 5 years, as will the person who provided the runner with the number. Unauthorized bib transfers represent a real scoring and safety issue for us.

 

Packet Pickup

Q: Is there 10 Mile packet pick-up on race day?

A: No, there is not.

Q: Where and when is packet pick-up?

A: Packet Pickup for the 10 Mile is at the National Building Museum on Friday, April 10 from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday, April 11 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Packet Pickup for the 5K is at the National Building Museum on Friday, April 10 from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., and at the 5K Staging Area on Saturday, April 11 from 7 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Double Blossom Packet Pickup – if you are running both races, you can either pick up both your 10 Mile/5K bib (you will receive one bib that is good for both races) and all t-shirts at packet pickup at the National Building Museum on Friday, April 10 from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., or you can pick up your 10 Mile/5K bib and your standard cotton 10 Mile/5K t-shirt, or your 5K upgrade shirt if you ordered one, at the 5K staging area on Saturday, April 11 from 7 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. If  you ordered a 10 Mile or Double Blossom upgrade t-shirt at registration, however, and you choose to pick up your packet on Saturday, April 5 at the 5K staging area, you will have to go to the National Building Museum by 4:45 p.m. on Saturday after the 5K to collect those upgrade t-shirts.

Q: What if I cannot pick up my packet?

A: You can have a friend get your packet. He/she will need a note from you (an email is fine) giving them permission to get your bib and shirt, and they should bring that note with them to packet pickup. Do not send the note to us here at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom; bring it with you to packet pickup.

Q: Can I pick up multiple race packets?

A: Yes, you can. You will need notes from each runner giving you permission to do so (see above).

Race Day

Q: How can I follow the race on Social Media?

A: The race posts loads of useful information on its Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Tiktok accounts:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreditUnionCherryBlossom 
  
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/CUCB
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cucb/
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cucbindc

Q: Does the 10-Mile race have a minimum age?

A: No.

Q: Does the 10-Mile race have a time limit?

A: Yes. You must maintain a 14-minute-per-mile pace (2:20:00 total for the race). If at the 5-mile mark you have not achieved that, you will be taken from the course. The National Park Service limits the time we can close the roads.

Q: When does my race begin to be timed?

A: Your race time begins when you cross the start line.

Q: Can I wear ear pods?

A: No, for safety reasons we request that runners do not so that they can be aware of all of their surroundings.

Q: Can I wear a camelback?

A: Yes, you may.

Q: Are strollers allowed on the course?

A: No strollers are allowed in the 10 Mile race. In the 5K race, you can bring one but you must start in the back.

Q: How often are there water stations?

A: Water and Gatorade Endurance Formula are available in the staging area and on the 10 Mile course at aid stations located at 2.5, 4.25, 6, 7.75 and 8.85 miles. Water is also available at the finish. Medical services are available at all these locations as well. There will be one water stop on the 5K course at Independence between 6th Street and 4th Street.

Q: Will Metro be running on race day?

A: Metro will open at 6 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, in time to take it to the 5K race start. The closest stops to the 5K staging area on Freedom Plaza are Metro Center (Red, Orange, Blue and Silver lines) and Federal Triangle (Orange, Blue and Silver Lines).

In 2025, Metrorail generously opened at 5:00 a.m. on 10 Mile race morning, which meant that everyone could use Metro to get to the race site. We don’t know if Metrorail will offer an early 5:00 a.m. opening in 2026, but we certainly hope so! We will post details here once we get the final word from Metro. The Smithsonian stop on the Orange, Silver and Blue lines is one block from the staging area on the Washington Monument Grounds. Customers can also consider using Federal Triangle nearby, which is also on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, or L’Enfant Plaza on the Green and Yellow lines just a short walk away.  

You will be able to use Metro for your return journey after both races.

Click Here for alternative transportation options.

Q: Is there a spot to leave a bicycle?

A: Bike Valet DMV will provide a secure bike and scooter valet service on Saturday, April 11 at the 5K staging area and Sunday, April 12 on the Washington Monument grounds. They will also provide extra bike racks at the Expo. This service is free to participants. You may NOT leave any belongings attached to your bike other than your helmet, which can be left hanging from the bike frame. If you want to leave any other belongings, you will need to place them in the clear plastic bag you will be given at packet pickup and then take it to the bag check area on race morning.

Q: Where does the 10 Mile Race start?

A: The 10 Mile starts on 15th Street between Constitution Ave. and Independence Ave. It is close to the Washington Monument.

Q: What neighborhoods are within walking distance of the 10 Mile race start?

A: Downtown, Foggy Bottom, West End, Farragut Square, Dupont Circle  and the eastern side of Georgetown.

Q: Will I be able to leave a bag near the 10 Mile race start and retrieve it later?

A: Yes, there will be a Bag Check tent on the Washington Monument Grounds for 10 Mile Bag Check, and a 5K Bag Check tent in the 5K staging area for 5K runners. The clear bag you get at packet pick-up is the one you should use for all bag check. Please understand that any items left at bag check are left at your own risk. The race assumes no liability for lost bags or the contents of lost bags. Unclaimed bags will be returned to the race office, held for 10 days and then disposed of. Under no circumstances should any items of value be left in bag check bags.

Q: Why Does My GPS Not Match the Course Measurements?

A: Satellites are the cause for much of the error. GPS units calculate distance based on triangulation of readings taken from a series of fixed orbiting units, but the degree of accuracy depends on several factors.

GPS watches typically worn by runners can’t achieve the results obtained by survey- or military-grade units, which sometimes use two base units that can read the satellite signals at a higher degree of precision. Even the best commercially-available GPS unit is only accurate to about 12 feet at any given time, and can be hundreds of feet off in accuracy. Most units will indicate what their current accuracy is, and it can vary from 12 feet to 350 feet or more.

GPS units must have a clear view of at least three satellites to get a reading, and the more they can acquire, the more accurate they are. However, trees, buildings, and even a runner’s body can interrupt the signal, making it less accurate at any time.

Further, they only check their position periodically, not constantly. Some units check every second, some every 20 seconds. The user can sometimes set the unit to check at certain time or distance intervals, but if it has lost contact with the satellites, it can’t tell where it is, so it misses that checkpoint. So, if someone is running quickly, they may make a few turns while the unit doesn’t have contact, so that section will be measured incorrectly.

The other part of the equation is the way the runner ran the course versus the way it was measured. A certified course is measured along the Shortest Possible Route (SPR), a line that cuts all the tangents just one foot from the curb or road edge. Very few elite runners, with an unimpeded road available to them, tend to run that tightly. For those farther back in the pack, the crowd of runners around them makes this almost impossible, and possibly not worth the extra effort it would require to weave through the field to follow the SPR. Also, runners may start their watches before reaching the actual starting line and stop them after the finish.

These two factors are the primary cause for readings that don’t agree with the actual course distance. Tests performed by members of USATF’s Road Running Technical Council have found that runners usually will get a reading indicating the course is 1 percent long. (Several threads on the topic are available on the RRTC Bulletin Board at http://measure.infopop.cc/eve).

Strictly speaking, all certified courses are long, since a 0.01 percent Short Course Prevention Factor is added to ensure they don’t come up short and fail validation in case of a record, but that is probably not enough to explain the longer readings obtained by runners’ GPS units. The RRTC’s statement on GPS measurements is available at http://www.usatf.org/Products-/-Services/Course-Certifications/USATF-Certified-Courses/Certify-Your-Course/Statement-on-GPS-Use-by-Runners.aspx.