42nd Annual Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane Sunday!
This Sunday is the 42nd Annual Lilac Bloomsday run is Spokane. I'll admit I'm not quite sure why but I signed up for this and will be walking the 12 kilometers (7.46 miles). I did some research and here's some of the interesting history of the event!
The Lilac Bloomsday Run was born during the running boom that swept the nation in the late 1970s. Local runner Don Kardong, who moved to Spokane in 1974, competed in several national class road races before and after his participation in the 1976 Olympic Marathon, and in the fall of 1976 he suggested to a local reporter that Spokane should have a downtown run of its own. The suggestion made its way into the newspaper's headlines.
May 1, 1977, over a thousand runners participated in the inaugural Bloomsday Run, which was billed "Run With the Stars" in posters announcing the event. Olympic gold and silver medalist Frank Shorter crossed the line first, followed by Herm Atkins of Seattle and founder Kardong.
Last Year 42,986 crossed the finish line....wow hope I make it!