Lilac Bloomsday Run facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lilac Bloomsday Run |
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![]() 2010 finish line at Monroe Street Bridge
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Date | First Sunday in May |
Location | Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
Event type | Road |
Distance | 7.456 miles (12 km) |
Established | 1977, 48 years ago |
Course records | Men: 33:51 (2008); Micah Kogo Women: 38:03 (2016) Cynthia Limo |
Official site | bloomsdayrun.org |
The Lilac Bloomsday Run, often called Bloomsday, is a popular annual race in Spokane, Washington, USA. It's a timed road race that happens every year on the first Sunday of May. The race course is about 12 kilometers long, which is roughly 7.5 miles.
This exciting event started in 1977. Since 1986, over 38,000 people have joined the run each year, except for 2020. In 1996, a record 61,298 people signed up, and 56,156 finished the race!
The fastest time for the men's race was 33 minutes and 51 seconds. This record was set in 2008 by Micah Kogo. For the women's race, Veronica Loleo set a new record in 2025 with a time of 38 minutes and 0.02 seconds. She just barely beat the old record set by Cynthia Limo in 2016.
The person who started the race, Don Kardong, chose the name "Bloomsday" because it connects to the local Lilac Festival. Lilacs are flowers that bloom around the time of the race. He also liked that "Bloomsday" rhymes with "doomsday."
When the first race happened in 1977, Don Kardong hoped for 500 runners. But nearly three times that many people showed up! By the third race in 1979, over 10,000 people ran, and 50,000 spectators cheered them on. Even with rain and snow in 1984, more than 30,000 people participated.
The Race Course
The Bloomsday race starts in Downtown Spokane. Runners head northwest, passing by places like Mukogowa Ft. Wright Institute and Spokane Falls Community College. A famous part of the course is "Doomsday Hill," which is a big uphill climb!
After that, the course goes back downtown. It passes the Spokane County Courthouse and finishes at the Monroe Street Bridge. A cool tradition is that every person who finishes the race gets a special Bloomsday T-shirt!
Race Winners and Records
The Bloomsday Run attracts many top runners from around the world. Here's a look at some of the past winners and how many people participated.
Year | Date(s) | Registrants | Finishers | Men's winner | Country | Time | Women's winner | Country | Time |
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2025 | May 4 | 32,926 | 30,029 | Patrick Kiprop | ![]() |
34:08 | Veronica Loleo | ![]() |
38:00.02 |
2024 | May 5 | 32,000+ | 27,889 | Tebello Ramakongoana | ![]() |
34:40 | Sarah Naibei | ![]() |
39:00 |
2023 | May 7 | 30,000+ | 25,882 | Jemal Yimer (2) | ![]() |
33:58 | Yeshi Kalayu | ![]() |
38:49 |
April 27 - May 7 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||
2022 | May 1 | 24,096 | 21,088 | Charles Wanjiku | ![]() |
35:08 | Biruktayit Degefa | ![]() |
38:47 |
April 28 - May 8 | 5,448 | 5,276 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
2021 | April 30 - May 9 | 28,824 | 23,029 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2020 | September 18-20* | 21,149 | 20,999 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2019 | May 5 | 38,559 | 35,244 | Gabriel Geay | ![]() |
34:50 | Rosemary Wanjiru | ![]() |
39:06 |
2018 | May 6 | 41,702 | 38,210 | Jemal Yimer | ![]() |
34:18 | Buze Diriba (2) | ![]() |
39:27 |
2017 | May 7 | 42,986 | 39,371 | Gabriel Geay | ![]() |
34:31 | Buze Diriba | ![]() |
40:19 |
2016 | May 1 | 46,566 | 43,018 | Philip Langat | ![]() |
34:26 | Cynthia Limo (2) | ![]() |
38:03 |
2015 | May 3 | 46,914 | 43,026 | Lani Rutto | ![]() |
34:22 | Cynthia Limo | ![]() |
39:27 |
2014 | May 4 | 49,094 | 44,681 | Allan Kiprono (2) | ![]() |
34:11 | Mary Wacera | ![]() |
39:36 |
2013 | May 5 | 51,613 | 47,298 | Belete Assefa | ![]() |
34:21 | Buzunesh Deba | ![]() |
39:53 |
2012 | May 6 | 53,296 | 48,229 | Allan Kiprono | ![]() |
34:29 | Mamitu Daska | ![]() |
38:26 |
2011 | May 1 | 56,652 | 51,303 | Simon Ndirangu | ![]() |
33:58 | Misiker Mekonnen | ![]() |
40:25 |
2010 | May 2 | 55,090 | 50,721 | Peter Kirui | ![]() |
34:15 | Lineth Chepkurui (3) | ![]() |
38:10 |
2009 | May 3 | 51,259 | 45,477 | John Yuda | ![]() |
34:36 | Lineth Chepkurui | ![]() |
38:37 |
2008 | May 4 | 47,528 | 43,640 | Micah Kogo | ![]() |
33:51 | Lineth Chepkurui | ![]() |
39:47 |
2007 | May 6 | 44,180 | 40,362 | John Korir (3) | ![]() |
34:18 | Edna Kiplagat | ![]() |
38:52 |
2006 | May 7 | 44,756 | 40,809 | Gilbert Okari | ![]() |
34:14 | Isabella Ochichi | ![]() |
38:38 |
2005 | May 1 | 43,842 | 40,012 | John Korir | ![]() |
34:16 | Asmae Leghzaoui | ![]() |
39:33 |
2004 | May 2 | 43,514 | 39,695 | Simon Wangai | ![]() |
34:59 | Albina Ivanova | ![]() |
39:22 |
2003 | May 4 | 44,641 | 40,027 | John Korir | ![]() |
34:16 | Lyudmila Biktasheva | ![]() |
40:01 |
2002 | May 5 | 51,282 | 45,775 | James Koskei | ![]() |
34:25 | Colleen De Reuck | ![]() |
38:53 |
2001 | May 6 | 49,532 | 45,346 | Dominic Kirui | ![]() |
34:30 | Elana Meyer | ![]() |
39:24 |
2000 | May 7 | 50,401 | 45,538 | Reuben Cheruiyot | ![]() |
34:10 | Jane Omoro (3) | ![]() |
40:08 |
1999 | May 2 | 53,898 | 47,215 | Joshua Chelanga | ![]() |
34:18 | Jane Omoro | ![]() |
39:37 |
1998 | May 3 | 53,389 | 48,453 | Hezron Otwori | ![]() |
34:23 | Jane Omoro | ![]() |
40:14 |
1997 | May 4 | 55,270 | 49,467 | Lazarus Nyakeraka (2) | ![]() |
34:19 | Kim Jones | ![]() ![]() |
40:34 |
1996 | May 5 | 61,298 | 56,156 | Lazarus Nyakeraka | ![]() |
34:07 | Colleen De Reuck | ![]() |
38:48 |
1995 | May 7 | 59,100 | 54,154 | Josphat Machuka (2) | ![]() |
33:52 | Delillah Asiago | ![]() |
38:31 |
1994 | May 1 | 60,037 | 55,195 | Josphat Machuka | ![]() |
34:10 | Olga Appell | ![]() ![]() |
38:57 |
1993 | May 2 | 57,680 | 53,206 | Arturo Barrios | ![]() |
33:55 | Anne Marie Letko | ![]() ![]() |
39:19 |
1992 | May 3 | 57,651 | 53,303 | Yobes Ondieki | ![]() |
33:55 | Lisa Ondieki | ![]() |
39:02 |
1991 | May 5 | 60,104 | 55,794 | Steve Moneghetti | ![]() |
34:52 | Lisa Weidenbach | ![]() ![]() |
40:03 |
1990 | May 6 | 54,869 | 51,122 | Germán Silva | ![]() |
34:42 | Anne Audain (7) | ![]() |
39:40 |
1989 | May 7 | 56,280 | 52,457 | John Halvorsen | ![]() |
34:21 | Lynn Williams | ![]() ![]() |
39:30 |
1988 | May 1 | 57,298 | 53,155 | Peter Koech | ![]() |
34:22 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
39:35 |
1987 | May 3 | 54,261 | 50,946 | Steve Binns | ![]() |
34:38 | Lesley Welch | ![]() ![]() |
39:22 |
1986 | May 4 | 48,406 | 45,541 | Jon Sinclair | ![]() ![]() |
34:25 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
38:48 |
1985 | May 5 | 39,662 | 37,736 | Paul Davies-Hale | ![]() |
34:27 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
39:20 |
1984 | May 6 | 33,312 | 30,463 | Ibrahim Hussein | ![]() |
34:33 | Regina Joyce | ![]() |
40:28 |
1983 | May 1 | 28,173 | 25,932 | Jon Sinclair | ![]() ![]() |
34:55 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
39:29 |
1982 | May 2 | 22,210 | 20,540 | Henry Rono | ![]() |
35:49 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
40:02 |
1981 | May 3 | 17,000 | 15,546 | Duncan McDonald | ![]() ![]() |
35:34 | Anne Audain | ![]() |
41:54 |
1980 | May 4 | 13,576 | 11,962 | Mark Anderson | ![]() ![]() |
36:22 | Gail Volk | ![]() ![]() |
46:27 |
1979 | May 6 | 10,082 | 10,070 | Ric Rojas | ![]() ![]() |
37:07 | Cathy Twomey | ![]() ![]() |
43:56 |
1978 | May 7 | 5,460 | 5,024 | Bill Rodgers | ![]() ![]() |
37:07 | Marty Cooksey | ![]() ![]() |
43:24 |
1977 | May 1 | 1,400 | 1,198 | Frank Shorter | ![]() ![]() |
38:26 | Joan Ullyot | ![]() ![]() |
53:26 |
- The races in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (second row) were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Key: Course record Virtual race