SPOKANE, Wash. — 43,670 runners participated in Spokane’s 50th annual Bloomsday race, tackling the challenging 7.46-mile course that has become a community tradition.
The milestone anniversary drew runners of all ages and abilities, from seasoned athletes to first-time participants, but what was truly inspiring, was the support that ‘bloomies’ received from the sidelines.
Groups of friends and family members positioned themselves at various points along the seven-mile route to motivate the runners.
Several groups created special signs to support their friends who had been training for months. Jordyn and Hannah explained their motivation for cheering on the sidelines.
“We’ve got to support our runner. She puts in so much effort into her running that we had to come out to watch her. She runs every single day….without fail,” they said.
Camille Brumbaugh was another fan supporting her friend who had missed the previous year’s race.
“We love our Laura. And she has been training so hard for this…..We’re so excited to finally got to do it. I had to be supportive,” Brumbaugh said.
Mari Luengas-Maya came to support her husband, who was running alongside childhood friends.
“It’s about feeling accomplished and maintaining health and, you know, making sure that he knows somebody is proud of what he’s doing,” Luengas-Maya said.
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