Special Features

Prizes for Scenic Cherry Blossom Photos! Virtual Run participants are encouraged to run either 10 miles or 5K in their own neighborhoods, selecting their most scenic routes which highlight the cherry blossoms at their peak. (The 16 day window for the event insures that everyone can run on peak blossom day wherever they live.) After completing your run, upload your photos and/or videos. We will select our ten favorite cherry blossom photos and post them on our website and on social media for a public vote for the most scenic cherry blossom locale. Prizes will be awarded to the top three vote getters.

Build Your Participation Around Other National Cherry Blossom Festival Happenings: Registrants will be provided with details about opportunities to tie their Virtual Runs to activities that are part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, America’s Greatest Springtime Celebration.

Free Team Competition: We will have team competition in the Virtual Run in five divisions – Corporate/Non-profit, Government, Running Club, Credit Union and “Anything Goes” (this category is for any group of people who would like to create a team such as “The Wednesday Morning Runners,” or “American University Alumni,” or “Sam’s Friends,” etc.). (Each participant is limited to a single 10 mile or 5K Virtual Run.) Certificates will be given to all members of the top overall team and the top team in each division.There is no limit to the number of entrants on each team and there is no team entry fee. Registrants will have a chance to affiliate with any team they want at the time of registration. Teams can be created as individuals register for the event.

If you already registered and want to create a team, or if you want to change from one team to another team, Click Here.

Pin Your Blossom on a Virtual Cherry Tree. Everyone who submits their results will have a virtual cherry blossom appear on a cherry tree along with a host of other stats about their performances through our interactive RunPix graphic results page.

Virtual Run Participation counts toward Hundred Mile Club Membership and Consecutive Completion Streaks: Individuals who cannot run the Fall race on September 12, but who do participate in the Virtual Run will have their Virtual Run miles added into their accumulated lifetime miles towards the Hundred Mile Club. Club members with 100 miles or more in race completions receive guaranteed entries for life. (Individuals who participate in both events will only have one performance count.)

Help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network: Our official charity partner encourages participants to go to their website to set up your own personal fundraising page to raise funds to provide cutting edge health care for children in their own communities. The sponsoring credit unions, credit union partners and race participants have combined to raise nearly $10 million dollars for CMN since 2002. Online fundraising is  now open; Click Here for more information!