I’m not a morning person. I like to take my time getting up – drifting in and out of dreams for at least a half hour before getting out of bed. Yet, this past Wednesday, seeing a bright blue sky out my window, I got up right away, dressed in my running gear and was out the door by 8am. I carried my iPod in one hand, camera in the other. I had a very important mission – Mission Cherry Blossom.

Ever since moving to DC last September, I’ve heard so much about these famous blossoms, I was almost sick of them before laying eyes on any. I wasn’t sure what to expect, how could a bunch of flowering trees really be that great?

Run/walking down to the mall, I arrived along the Tidal Basin by 8:30am, and quickly fell under hypnosis. White and pink flower-laden branches hung heavy over the water’s edge. The morning’s yellow sun shown threw the blossoms, creating a majestic blotchy lighting affect along the pathway. The water glistened. A cool breeze moved the trees and flowers ever so slightly. I’d run along this path a few times before, but today was totally different. Today – the trees, flowers, and waves were more alive than ever – it was as if the whole scene was dancing.

I began snapping photos right away – desperate to capture the beauty of the flowering trees wrapped around the Tidal Basin. In between taking photos, I jogged along the pathway, looking for other appealing vantage points of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument. At this hour, I shared the path with only a few people – runners, bikers, walkers, and professional photographers with huge cameras strapped around their necks. I found myself smiling at every single person as they passed – in awkward recognition of the tranquil joy we experienced together in silence.

For those of you that haven’t made it to Washington DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival, here are a few of my favorite pictures.
   

With only two weeks to go before the marathon now, I’m enjoying my short run/walks in the beautiful spring weather. Hard to believe that only a few months ago, this city was white-washed in snow.