Sunday marked the first Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run since 2019, and with it, a local became champion for the first time since 1983, according to race officials.
Susanna Sullivan of Reston, Virginia, won the elite women鈥檚 race on Sunday.
鈥淚t’s indescribable, I mean, I dreamed of this and it just kind of came together,鈥� Sullivan told 海角社区app shortly after crossing the finish line. 鈥淚 felt great coming into the race, training’s been going well, I run these roads every weekend. Crucial. The conditions were perfect. I had close friends and teammates out on the course. So it was just amazing.鈥�
Her official time clocked in at 52 minutes and 32 seconds, making it a personal record for the long distance athlete who is also a fifth grade teacher at Haycock Elementary School in Fairfax County.
鈥淚t’s almost a two-minute PR. And that doesn’t happen when you’re 31,鈥� said Sullivan 鈥淚 feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger in the last few years. I think the pandemic gave me time to really focus on not racing and building a really strong base. And they’re just doing more strength stuff. And that’s really helped.鈥�
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Nicolas Kosimbai of Mill Valley, Kenya, won the elite men鈥檚 race and tied the course record with a time of 45 minutes and 15 seconds.
Sullivan and Kosimbai were joined by 17,000 other eager runners on the chilly April morning. The course and weather made for a lot of personal best times for many of the amateur racers.
鈥淚 knew I did well, because I had nothing left when I crossed the finish line and I wanted to collapse,鈥� said Alex Crisafulli, who lives in D.C.
He said after two years of virtual runs, it was good to get back to the in-person spring race.
鈥淚f you’ve ever run this race, you know it’s super crowded. I think that actually saved me because it prevented me from starting off too fast,鈥� said Crisafulli.
Chris Pickett from Silver Spring, Maryland, also set a personal record for his 10-mile run.
鈥淭he course is fantastic, as it always is. The weather, whatever they did to get the weather today, I hope they keep doing it. It was great, and the crowd out there was great. The crowds were really motivating,鈥� Pickett told 海角社区app.
罢丑别听 also serves as a fundraiser for Children鈥檚 Miracle Network Hospitals. This year, runners raised around $323,000 for the hospital network.
