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Lilac Bloomsday Run facts for kids

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Lilac Bloomsday Run
Bloomsday Run Finish Line 2010.jpg
2010 finish line at Monroe Street Bridge
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
Spokane is located in the United States
Spokane
Spokane
Location in the United States
Bloomsday 2008 - Fort George Wright Drive 20080504
Runners going down Fort George Wright Drive in 2008

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!

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

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
2025 May 4 32,926 30,029 Patrick Kiprop  Kenya 34:08 Veronica Loleo  Kenya 38:00.02
2024 May 5 32,000+ 27,889 Tebello Ramakongoana  Lesotho 34:40 Sarah Naibei  Kenya 39:00
2023 May 7 30,000+ 25,882 Jemal Yimer (2)  Ethiopia 33:58 Yeshi Kalayu  Ethiopia 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  Kenya 35:08 Biruktayit Degefa  Ethiopia 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  Tanzania 34:50 Rosemary Wanjiru  Kenya 39:06
2018 May 6 41,702 38,210 Jemal Yimer  Ethiopia 34:18 Buze Diriba (2)  Ethiopia 39:27
2017 May 7 42,986 39,371 Gabriel Geay  Tanzania 34:31 Buze Diriba  Ethiopia 40:19
2016 May 1 46,566 43,018 Philip Langat  Kenya 34:26 Cynthia Limo (2)  Kenya 38:03
2015 May 3 46,914 43,026 Lani Rutto  Kenya 34:22 Cynthia Limo  Kenya 39:27
2014 May 4 49,094 44,681 Allan Kiprono (2)  Kenya 34:11 Mary Wacera  Kenya 39:36
2013 May 5 51,613 47,298 Belete Assefa  Ethiopia 34:21 Buzunesh Deba  Ethiopia 39:53
2012 May 6 53,296 48,229 Allan Kiprono  Kenya 34:29 Mamitu Daska  Ethiopia 38:26
2011 May 1 56,652 51,303 Simon Ndirangu  Kenya 33:58 Misiker Mekonnen  Ethiopia 40:25
2010 May 2 55,090 50,721 Peter Kirui  Kenya 34:15 Lineth Chepkurui (3)  Kenya 38:10
2009 May 3 51,259 45,477 John Yuda  Tanzania 34:36 Lineth Chepkurui  Kenya 38:37
2008 May 4 47,528 43,640 Micah Kogo  Kenya 33:51 Lineth Chepkurui  Kenya 39:47
2007 May 6 44,180 40,362 John Korir (3)  Kenya 34:18 Edna Kiplagat  Kenya 38:52
2006 May 7 44,756 40,809 Gilbert Okari  Kenya 34:14 Isabella Ochichi  Kenya 38:38
2005 May 1 43,842 40,012 John Korir  Kenya 34:16 Asmae Leghzaoui  Morocco 39:33
2004 May 2 43,514 39,695 Simon Wangai  Kenya 34:59 Albina Ivanova  Russia 39:22
2003 May 4 44,641 40,027 John Korir  Kenya 34:16 Lyudmila Biktasheva  Russia 40:01
2002 May 5 51,282 45,775 James Koskei  Kenya 34:25 Colleen De Reuck  United States 38:53
2001 May 6 49,532 45,346 Dominic Kirui  Kenya 34:30 Elana Meyer  South Africa 39:24
2000 May 7 50,401 45,538 Reuben Cheruiyot  Kenya 34:10 Jane Omoro (3)  Kenya 40:08
1999 May 2 53,898 47,215 Joshua Chelanga  Kenya 34:18 Jane Omoro  Kenya 39:37
1998 May 3 53,389 48,453 Hezron Otwori  Kenya 34:23 Jane Omoro  Kenya 40:14
1997 May 4 55,270 49,467 Lazarus Nyakeraka (2)  Kenya 34:19 Kim Jones  United States
 Washington
40:34
1996 May 5 61,298 56,156 Lazarus Nyakeraka  Kenya 34:07 Colleen De Reuck  South Africa 38:48
1995 May 7 59,100 54,154 Josphat Machuka (2)  Kenya 33:52 Delillah Asiago  Kenya 38:31
1994 May 1 60,037 55,195 Josphat Machuka  Kenya 34:10 Olga Appell  United States
 New Mexico
38:57
1993 May 2 57,680 53,206 Arturo Barrios  Mexico 33:55 Anne Marie Letko  United States
 New Jersey
39:19
1992 May 3 57,651 53,303 Yobes Ondieki  Kenya 33:55 Lisa Ondieki  Australia 39:02
1991 May 5 60,104 55,794 Steve Moneghetti  Australia 34:52 Lisa Weidenbach  United States
 Washington
40:03
1990 May 6 54,869 51,122 Germán Silva  Mexico 34:42 Anne Audain (7)  New Zealand 39:40
1989 May 7 56,280 52,457 John Halvorsen  Norway 34:21 Lynn Williams  Canada
 Saskatchewan
39:30
1988 May 1 57,298 53,155 Peter Koech  Kenya 34:22 Anne Audain  New Zealand 39:35
1987 May 3 54,261 50,946 Steve Binns  United Kingdom 34:38 Lesley Welch  United States
 Massachusetts
39:22
1986 May 4 48,406 45,541 Jon Sinclair  United States
 Colorado
34:25 Anne Audain  New Zealand 38:48
1985 May 5 39,662 37,736 Paul Davies-Hale  United Kingdom 34:27 Anne Audain  New Zealand 39:20
1984 May 6 33,312 30,463 Ibrahim Hussein  Kenya 34:33 Regina Joyce  Ireland 40:28
1983 May 1 28,173 25,932 Jon Sinclair  United States
 Colorado
34:55 Anne Audain  New Zealand 39:29
1982 May 2 22,210 20,540 Henry Rono  Kenya 35:49 Anne Audain  New Zealand 40:02
1981 May 3 17,000 15,546 Duncan McDonald  United States
 California
35:34 Anne Audain  New Zealand 41:54
1980 May 4 13,576 11,962 Mark Anderson  United States
 Colorado
36:22 Gail Volk  United States
 Washington
46:27
1979 May 6 10,082 10,070 Ric Rojas  United States
 Colorado
37:07 Cathy Twomey  United States
 Oregon
43:56
1978 May 7 5,460 5,024 Bill Rodgers  United States
 Massachusetts
37:07 Marty Cooksey  United States
 California
43:24
1977 May 1 1,400 1,198 Frank Shorter  United States
 Colorado
38:26 Joan Ullyot  United States
 California
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
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