I was planning to run the 2026 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler but I completely forgot to pick up my race bib before the expo closed, smh! I’d been eyeing this route for about a month and decided this was a good opportunity to take a shot at my first FKT attempt. Overall, it went about as well as I could have hoped just 3 weeks after running Big Alta 100K.
I parked along the C&O Canal path near Chain Bridge and got a ride from a friend toward the trailhead in Bethesda. I carried a gel and a small flask in my belt and went fully self-supported with no fountains or on-course aid.
I ran it solo, and after finishing, did a cooldown run back to my car near Chain Bridge. The trail wasn’t overly crowded, and conditions were perfect around 48°F with 72% humidity.