Lilac Bloomsday Run

Last updated
Lilac Bloomsday Run
Bloomsday Run Finish Line 2010.jpg
2010 finish line at Monroe Street Bridge
DateFirst Sunday in May
Location Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Event typeRoad
Distance7.456 miles (12 km)
Established1977, 46 years ago
Course records33:51 (2008); Micah Kogo
Women: 38:03 (2016)
Cynthia Limo
Official site bloomsdayrun.org
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Spokane
USA Washington relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Spokane

The Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in the northwest United States, held on the first Sunday of May since 1977 in Spokane, Washington. [1] [2] [3] [4] The course length is 12 km (7.456 mi).

Contents

The run has had over 38,000 participants every year since 1986, [5] and peaked 27 years ago in 1996 with 61,298 registered. [6] The number of finishers in 2015 was 43,206. [7] Lineth Chepkurui set an unofficial 12 km world record in the 2010 women's race. [8] [nb 1]

The course record of 33:51 was set 15 years ago in 2008 by Micah Kogo, a pace of 4:32.4 per mile and an average speed of 13.217 mph (21.3 km/h). The women's record of 38:03 was set in 2016 by Cynthia Limo, a 5:06.2 per mile pace and an average speed of 11.758 mph (18.9 km/h).

Don Kardong, who founded the race, explained the name as "a starting event for the Lilac Festival … you know, lilacs blooming. And of course, I like it because it rhymes with doomsday." [1] The shortened name Bloomsday is usually associated instead with James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses and celebrations of June 16, the day in the life of Leopold Bloom that the novel chronicles.

Kardong had hoped for five hundred participants for the inaugural edition in 1977, [1] and got nearly triple that. [3] The second edition had over five thousand, [12] and the third in 1979 was over ten thousand, with fifty thousand spectators lining the streets. [13] The sixth edition in 1982 had over 22,000, [14] and despite rain and some snow, there were over 30,000 in 1984. [15]

The early editions were around eight miles (12.9 km) in length. [3] [12] [13] [16] A new course was introduced in 1980. [17]

Course

The course starts in Downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft. Wright Institute and Spokane Falls Community College before heading up "Doomsday Hill" and back downtown past the Spokane County Courthouse and ending at the Monroe Street Bridge. Every finisher of the race receives a Bloomsday T-shirt.

Course map of the Lilac Bloomsday Run LilacBloomsdayRun-Course-Map.png
Course map of the Lilac Bloomsday Run

Results

Descending Fort George Wright Drive in 2008 Bloomsday 2008 - Fort George Wright Drive 20080504.jpg
Descending Fort George Wright Drive in 2008
YearMen's WinnerCountryTimeWomen's winnerCountryTime
2022Charles WanjikuFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 35:08Biruktayit DegefaFlag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 38:47
2019 Gabriel Geay Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 34:50Rosemary WanjiruFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 39:06
2018 Jemal Yimer Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 34:18 Buze Diriba (2)Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 39:27
2017 Gabriel Geay Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 34:31Buze DiribaFlag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 40:19
2016 Philip Langat Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:26 Cynthia Limo (2)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:03
2015 Lani Rutto Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:22Cynthia LimoFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 39:27
2014 Allan Kiprono (2)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:11 Mary Wacera Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 39:36
2013 Belete Assefa Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 34:21 Buzunesh Deba Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 39:53
2012Allan KipronoFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:29 Mamitu Daska Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 38:26
2011 Simon Ndirangu Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:58 Misiker Mekonnen Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 40:25
2010 Peter Kirui Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:15 Lineth Chepkurui (3)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:10
2009 John Yuda Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 34:36Lineth ChepkuruiFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:37
2008 Micah Kogo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:51Lineth ChepkuruiFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 39:47
2007 John Korir (3)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:18 Edna Kiplagat Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:52
2006 Gilbert Okari Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:14 Isabella Ochichi Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:38
2005John KorirFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:16 Asmae Leghzaoui Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 39:33
2004 Simon Wangai Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:59 Albina Ivanova Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 39:22
2003John KorirFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:16 Lyudmila Biktasheva Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 40:01
2002 James Koskei Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:25 Colleen De Reuck Flag of the United States.svg  United States 38:53
2001 Dominic Kirui Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:30 Elana Meyer Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 39:24
2000 Reuben Cheruiyot Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:10 Jane Omoro (3)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 40:08
1999 Joshua Chelanga Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:18Jane OmoroFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 39:37
1998Hezron OtworiFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:23Jane OmoroFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 40:14
1997 Lazarus Nyakeraka (2)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:19 Kim Jones Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington
40:34
1996Lazarus NyakerakaFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:07 Colleen De Reuck Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 38:48
1995 Josphat Machuka (2)Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:52 Delillah Asiago Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 38:31
1994Josphat MachukaFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:10 Olga Appell Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of New Mexico.svg  New Mexico
38:57
1993 Arturo Barrios Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 33:55 Anne Marie Letko Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of New Jersey.svg  New Jersey
39:19
1992 Yobes Ondieki Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 33:55 Lisa Ondieki Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 39:02
1991 Steve Moneghetti Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 34:52 Lisa Weidenbach Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington
40:03
1990 Germán Silva Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 34:42 Anne Audain (7)Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 39:40
1989 John Halvorsen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 34:21 Lynn Williams Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Saskatchewan.svg  Saskatchewan
39:30
1988 Peter Koech Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:22Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 39:35
1987 Steve Binns Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 34:38 Lesley Welch Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts
39:22
1986 Jon Sinclair Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
34:25Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 38:48
1985 Paul Davies-Hale Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 34:27Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 39:20
1984 Ibrahim Hussein Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 34:33 Regina Joyce Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 40:28
1983 Jon Sinclair Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
34:55Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 39:29
1982 Henry Rono Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 35:49Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 40:02
1981 Duncan McDonald Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of California.svg  California
35:34Anne AudainFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 41:54
1980 Mark Anderson Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
36:22 Gail Volk Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Washington.svg  Washington
46:27
1979 Ric Rojas Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
37:07 Cathy Twomey Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Oregon.svg  Oregon
43:56
1978 Bill Rodgers Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Massachusetts.svg  Massachusetts
37:07 Marty Cooksey Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of California.svg  California
43:24
1977 Frank Shorter Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
38:26 Joan Ullyot Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of California.svg  California
53:26
Key:  Course record

Notes

  1. The International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics/track and field, does not recognize world records or world bests in either an indoor or outdoor 12 km. [9] The Association of Road Racing Statisticians does recognize a world record in the outdoor 12 km, however, their record keeping rules state: "A record quality course is defined as having not more than 1 m/km net drop between the start and finish and not more than 30 percent of the race distance separation between that start and finish, e.g. not more than a 3 km separation for a 10 km race [or 3.6 km for a 12 km race]. Records will only be accepted for record quality courses." [10] [11] Per ARRS standards, the course for the Lilac Bloomsday Run fulfills these conditions. Although Chepkurui ran a 38:07 two weeks later on May 16, 2010 at the Bay to Breakers (presumably the fastest 12 km ever for a woman), the course is not considered a "record quality course" in that the start and finish are separated by approximately 10.5 linear kilometers.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Payne, Bob (March 15, 1977). "Lilac Bloomsday Run - Kardong creation". Spokesman-Review. p. 17.
  2. Payne, Bob (May 1, 1977). "It's 'Bloomsday' – and Spokane's ready to run". Spokesman-Review. p. D1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Payne, Bob (May 2, 1977). "Horde of runners captures Spokane". Spokesman-Review. p. 1.
  4. "Lilac Bloomsday 12 km Race Winners (41 runnings)". ARRS. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  5. Morgan, Kelsie (7 May 2019). "35,233 people cross Bloomsday finish line, lowest turnout in 35 years". KXLY. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  6. Reang, Putsata (May 6, 1996). "Harmonious convergence". Spokesman-Review. p. A1.
  7. "Lilac Bloomsday Run". Bloomsday. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
  8. Richardson, Jared (2 May 2010). "Chepkurui sets world record on Bloomsday course - News Story - KXLY Spokane". kxly.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. "100 Metres - men - senior - outdoor - 2014". iaaf.org. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  10. "ARRS ROAD RECORDS". ARRS. 26 March 2000. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  11. "Association of Road Racing Statisticians". ARRS. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  12. 1 2 3 Payne, Bob (May 8, 1978). "Spokane streets jammed with mass of humanity". Spokesman-Review. p. 1.
  13. 1 2 3 Gerheim, Earl (May 7, 1979). "10,000 runners cram the streets of Spokane". Spokesman-Review. p. 1.
  14. Mills, Judy (May 3, 1982). "'Twas bloomin' beauty of a run for over 22,000". Spokesman-Review. p. 1.
  15. Morlin, Bill (May 7, 1984). "Bloomsday's 30,465 sets record". Spokesman-Review. p. 1.
  16. 1 2 "Rodgers wins Spokane run". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. May 8, 1978. p. 6C.
  17. "New course for Bloomsday Run". Spokesman-Review. February 26, 1980. p. 20.