 April 12, 2026, Washington, DC: Cool temperatures and sunny skies made for a beautiful spring race morning at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom (CUCB). For the fourth year in a row, the event also hosted the USA Track & Field (USATF) National 10 Mile Championships, bringing in elite American runners for a competitive race against top International athletes. In the women’s race — which started 12 minutes prior to the men’s start to avoid men pacing women and to ensure “women’s only” status for any records set — Asayech Ayichew from Ethiopia led a small group for a majority of the race, pulling away late to take the overall win in 50:37, the second-fastest women’s time at CUCB. Ayichew was pushed by second-place finisher Joy Cheptoyek from Uganda, who finished in 50:41. Emma Grace Hurley was the top American woman, finishing third overall and earning the title of 2026 USATF 10 Mile National Champion with a time of 50:42. “It feels really good to come away with the win [USATF National 10 Mile Women’s Championship],” said Hurley. This is one of my favorite courses. I love looking around at all the sights on the course and the crowd was awesome. I am really, really happy.” It was a close battle in the men’s competition as CUCB overall winner Mohammed El Youssfi from Morocco blazed across the line in 46:17. Hot on Youssfi’s heels was Graydon Morris from Chapel Hill, NC, who took second place overall and first in the USATF 10 Mile National Championships in 46:18. Third place overall went to Kieran Tuntivate of Thailand with a time of 46:32. The men’s field ran much of the race as a big group with late pushes by the top finishers, separating Youssfi and Morris from the rest toward the end. Morris credited this strategy for his championship win: “All you can do is make a cut and I decided to just make a break.” In addition to the open and National Championship prize money available, Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) prize money totaling $6,000 was available for the top three male and female RRCA RunPro Camp Alumni. Here’s a compilation of times, prize money and bonuses earned by the elite runners today, organized in order of top 10 overall, followed by the top Americans who also earned prize money: Top men: Mohammed El Youssfi 46:17, Morocco — $6,000 for the overall victoryGraydon Morris 46:18, Chapel Hill, NC — $3,000 for second place overall, $10,000 as first place American. Total earnings: $13,000Kieran Tuntivate 46:32, Thailand — $2,500 for third place overall.Cole Sprout 46:35, Eugene, OR – $1,500 for fourth place overall, $5,000 for second place American. Total earnings: $6,500Aidan Reed 46:38, Boulder, CO — $1,000 for fifth place overall, $2,500 for third place American, $1,500 for first place RunPro Camp Alumni. Total earnings: $5,000Mohammed Ahmed 46:39, Canada — $600 for placing sixth overall.Chandler Gibbens 46:40, Chicago, IL — $500 for seventh place overall, $1,000 for fourth American. Total earnings: $1,500Jack Aho 46:40, Charlotte, NC — $400 for eighth place overall, $800 for fifth American. Total earnings: $1,200Emad Bashir-Mohammed 46:42, Aurora, CO — $300 for ninth place overall, $600 for sixth American. Total earnings: $900Connor Winter 46:43, Frederick, CO — $200 for 10th place overall, $400 for seventh American. Total earnings: $600Benjamin Eidenschink 46:45, Niwot, CO — $300 for eighth place American.Jared Ward 46:49, Mapleton, UT — $200 for ninth place American. JP Flavin 46:51, Rochester Hills, MI — $200 for 10th place American.Merga Gemeda 46:57, Minnetonka, MN — $1,000 for second place RunPro Camp Alumni.Joseph Minor 51:00, Minneapolis, MN — $500 for third place RunPro Camp Alumni. Top women: Asayech Ayichew 50:37, Ethiopia — $6,000 for the overall victory, $1,000 time bonus. Total earnings: $7,000Joy Cheptoyek 50:41, Uganda— $3,000 for second place overall, $750 time bonus. Total earnings: $3,750Emma Grace Hurley 50:42, Indianapolis, IN — $2,500 for third place overall, $10,000 for first American. Total earnings: $12,500Weini Kelati 50:46, Flagstaff, AZ — $1,500 for fourth place overall, $5,000 for second American. Total earnings: $6,500Karissa Schweizer 50:55, Portland, OR — $1,000 for fifth place overall, $2,500 for third American. Total earnings: $3,500Everlyn Kemboi 51:21, Kenya —$600 for sixth place overall.Molly Born 51:36, Chapel Hill, NC — $500 for seventh place overall, $1,000 for fourth American. Total earnings: $1,500Kassie Parker 52:01, Waverly, IA — $400 for eighth place overall, $800 for fifth American. Total earnings: $1,200Norah Jeruto 52:02, Kazakhstan — $300 for ninth place overall.Katie Izzo 52:09, Boston, MA — $200 for 10th place overall, $600 for sixth American. Total earnings: $800Ednah Kurgat 52:18, Colorado Springs, CO — $400 for seventh American.Annamaria Kostarellis 52:30, Albuquerque, NM — $300 for eighth American.Rachel Smith 52:46, Flagstaff, AZ —$200 for ninth American.Callie Logue Hughes 52:53, Bloomington, MN — $200 for 10th American, $1,500 for first place RunPro Camp Alumni. Total earnings: $1,700Makenna Thurston 54:44, St. Paul, MN — $1,000 for second place RunPro Camp Alumni.Dana Feyen 56:02, Minneapolis, MN — $500 for third place RunPro Camp Alumni. The CUCB is traditionally run on the first weekend in April. However, this year’s event was pushed one weekend later due to Easter. The change in date did not affect the race’s popularity, as 20,618 finishers celebrated personal running achievements of their own, one of whom was Ben Beach, CUCB Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductee and the only person to have competed in and completed every Cherry Blossom 10 Mile. For the last three years, CUCB has incorporated the DMV Run Club Championships. The competition field included 800 participants representing 38 clubs from across the DC Metropolitan region. The top three teams from three categories – Men, Women and Mixed – will be engraved onto the new Monument Trophy. This new trophy showcases the Washington Monument, the site of the start and finish lines, with a pewter obelisk and a cherry wood base. The top teams in the men’s and women’s category receive prize money as well. The winning clubs are as follows: Men: Georgetown Running Club, 4:14:33 – $1,000 for first placeLight Horse Track Club, 4:19:53 – $500 for second placeNOVA Running Club, 4:29:46 – $250 for third place Women: Georgetown Running Club, 4:52:38 – $1,000 for first placeLight Horse Track Club, 5:06:27, $500 for second placeMontgomery County Road Runners Club, 5:12:43 – $250 for third place Mixed: Northeast Track Club, 4:53:00DC Road Runners, 5:16:04Endorphins Running, 5:37:05 The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 5K presented by ASICS kicked off the running events on Saturday morning. Over 6,600 finishers took to a new course in Arlington, VA, starting and finishing at Virginia Highlands Park. The change in race date required organizers to use a different course from the popular 5K Washington DC route used in prior years. Lucite awards were given to the top five men and women and the non-binary Master’s winner. Men: 1. Clark Otte, 15:04, Columbia, MD2. Ryan Witters, 15:23, Falls Church, VA3. William Stappert, 15:42, Baltimore, MD4. Ivan Rios Amick, 15:49, Washington, DC5. Andrew Zentgraf, 15:56, Oakmont, PA Women: 1. Jilane Petrie, 18:57, Washington, DC2. Michelle Navarro, 19:04, Red Bank, NJ3. Jordan Reed, 19:46, Raleigh, NC4. Curry Fisher, 19:52, New York, NY5. Cindy Lara, 19:54, Springfield, VA Non-binary Masters: 1. Mark-Christopher Adams, 21:26, Atlanta, GA The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Kids Run followed the 5K with 600 registered participants. Children, ranging in ages 4 to 10, raced with Stumpy the mascot along a fun down-and-back course. The final finisher of the 10 Mile symbolized the end of an era for Race Director Phil Stewart as he officially begins his transition into retirement after 36 years as the solo director. Throughout the next couple of months, Stewart will work closely with Rob Wolfe, his successor and the seventh CUCB Race Director. For the past 24 years, Credit Union Miracle Day has been the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile and 5K, adding the Kids Run to its portfolio when the event debuted in 2016. ASICS was the presenting sponsor of this year’s 5K and Wegmans has been the presenting sponsor of the Health and Fitness expo for four years. The Credit Union Miracle Day’s partnership with CUCB organizers and charitable runners has generated over $12.5 million for the Children’s Miracle Network. This year’s fundraising effort totaled $506,230, which included over $200,000 from runners. ### |
| About Credit Union Cherry Blossom: |
| The Credit Union Cherry Blossom, organized by Cherry Blossom, Inc., a 501(c)(3) chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, is known as “The Runner’s Rite of Spring®” in the Nation’s Capital. The staging area for the 10 Mile is on the Washington Monument Grounds and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, D.C. Memorials. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network, a consortium of 170 premier children’s hospitals across North America. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, D.C.’s own Children’s National (“Children’s Hospital”). Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Double Blossom, 5K and Kids Run. Presenting sponsors include ASICS and Wegmans; Supporting sponsors include Cogent Steps, LLC; Visa; Velera; TruStage; Outside; Potomac River Running; Gatorade Endurance; Suburban Solutions Moving; the Embassy of Japan; Runna by Strava; Shokz; Select Event Group; and United Lifestyle Brands. The 10 Mile is sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America and is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit, a series of this country’s classic road races with circuit stops in Jacksonville, FL; Washington, DC; Spokane, WA; Peoria, IL; Utica, NY; and Davenport, IA. The 5K was voted the Best 5K in the country by a 2026 USA Today poll. To learn more, visit https://www.cherryblossom.org. About Credit Union Miracle Day: Credit Union Miracle Day is a partnership of over 100 credit unions, CUSOs and partner organizations united to sponsor the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile & 5K benefitting Children’s Miracle Network nationwide and promoting the difference credit unions make in their communities. |