SPOKANE, Wash.
– A year ago Spokane was reeling from one of the toughest winters in its history, but the harsh conditions actually seemed to encourage sign-ups for the 2008 Lilac Bloomsday Run, as the field increased by more than 3,000 over the previous year. With this year’s winter being even tougher, organizers are bracing for another surge of entries for the 33rd annual Lilac Bloomsday Run, which is scheduled for Sunday, May 3. “Discouraging winter weather seems to work in our favor,” said Bloomsday Association President Jerry O’Neal. “And while nothing is certain, early online registrations seem to suggest another growth spurt this year.” To help kick off the Bloomsday training season, the Lilac Bloomsday Association is hosting a talk by marathon star Dick Beardsley this Thursday, February 26th, at Lewis and Clark High School. Beardsley’s talk, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the school theater, will cover both Beardsley’s famous “Duel in the Sun” with Alberto Salazar at the 1982 Boston Marathon, and also his struggles to recover from addiction to pain medication after a series of horrific accidents. Most of the Bloomsday experience this year will be similar to what participants enjoyed in 2008, with everyone starting on Riverside Avenue and finishing at the north end of the Monroe Street Bridge, just above the Spokane River falls. An estimated two dozen performers will keep things lively along the 7-1/2 mile route, and computer chip timing will allow every entrant to be accurately timed from start to finish. Also on Bloomsday weekend, the Trade Show, which is held in conjunction with Check-In at the Spokane Convention Center, will once again have a variety of displays and activities for those interested in health and fitness. After the run participants can enjoy a variety of post-race festivities in Riverfront Park. Tickets for a post-race lunch can be purchased during online registration or at the Bloomsday Trade Show. For those looking for memorabilia of their Bloomsday experience, participants will once again be able to purchase personalized Bloomsday souvenir gear from VictoryStore.com. This means they can individualize apparel with a name, company, number of Bloomsdays run, and other information. They can also purchase environmentally friendly apparel during online registration and at the Trade Show. A variety of souvenir products will be available that are made of recycled polyester with bamboo charcoal to increase wicking properties. Offering products made of recycled and earth-friendly materials is part of this year’s “Getting Greener” initiative by Bloomsday organizers, an attempt to reduce the event’s environmental impact.
Along with supporting the “Getting Greener” initiative, this year’s Bloomsday entrants are also encouraged to support the YMCA/YWCA Capital Campaign-Your Y (you’re why)-the official 2009 Bloomsday charity.