Dean Siedlecki – Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run – Sunday, April 3, 2016

This is my 15th running of the (44th) Cherry Blossom 10miler, starting in 1993. I had trained more consistenly before this race in other years, but having just completed my 5th week after raditation/chemo treatment stopped, and still being on a primarily liquid diet, I have not felt as compelled to train consistently as I normally would. That is my story and I am sticking to it. However, I did run a 4+ mile run on Wednesday, March 30th.

I overslept and did not leave the house until 5:30 a.m., (about the time I wanted to be a the Washington Monument (race site)), downed a cold cup of coffee, and was still able to find relatively close parking anyway. With the “freezing” temperature and very high winds (50mph gusts), I dress in tights, 2 polypropelene shirts, a running jacket, gloves and MMTC ski hat. For the approximately 1 hour before race start, all the runners were looking for places to stand in “wind shadows”, to try to not be as cold! I stood near the medical tent.

After the Elete runners, and a few of the faster runners had started, I enter the start corral, and was glad to finally start running. I started at a very slow pace, knowing I would need the energy for later miles. I was acutally in a group that were taking it easy for the 1st mile. Brian Clark said hello at just past Mile 1, as we when over the Memorial Bridge. Normally, I will keep my splits, but because of 50mph wind gusts, the race organization decided to make the following adjustments:
 Elimination of all race signage and overhead structures at the start and finish lines of both races
 Elimination of all on-course signage including split time clocks
 Elimination of all tents on the Washington Monument Grounds except for the bag check tent and the main medical tent
 Elimination of pre-race warm-ups and post-race awards ceremony .

After mile 5, there seemed to be timing mats at every mile anyway.

At about mile 4, I took off my race jacket and held it in my hand. I did not want to through it off, not have it at the finish, and then have to try to find and retreve it.

I ran most of the way out to Hanes Point, but started walking after making the turn, and then walked/ran the remainder of the race.

My pace dropped but not by too much from various spots (averages): 5mile -11:01, 10k – 11:14, 9mile – 11:43, finish pace 12:01.

Prior finish times:
1993—1:09:10
1994—1:20:12
1995—1:10:26
2001—1:20:43
2003—1:28:09
2004—1:18:46
2005—1:21:57
2006—1:21:44
2008—1:23:08
2010—1:22:57
2011—122:42
2013—1:24:30
2014—1:38:33
2015—1:23:37
2016—2:00:12

I will continue to do this race every year, regardless of physical or weather conditions. It now one of my favorites, and I look forward to getting back to a more normal pace.