Runners from all walks of life participate in Bloomsday 2017
SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane was on display Sunday as tens of thousands of people from across the world descended on the Lilac City.
With the bang of a starting gun, the 41st running of Bloomsday got underway. More than 50,000 people raced through the streets of Spokane. The elites led the pack, quickly breaking away.
Exhilarated runners raced their way along Bloomsday’s nearly 7.5 mile course. Runners young and old enjoyed the race.
“It was great. I’m just happy to finish,” 95-year-old Sibyl Fliger of Spokane said.
Some runners were new, others seasoned and make Bloomsday an annual event.
“Fun fact: we’ve actually ran Bloomsday every year of our lives. Our parents pushed us in a stroller,” Connor Owen, Scottsdale, AZ, said.
Connor and his brother Alec’s dad is from Spokane. Coming back every year is now a family tradition.
“It’s just awesome to see how the city all comes together on a day like today, where we can all come and be together as one, as a city. It just shows the great community here in Spokane,” Alec said.
While every Bloomie pushes themselves, Isabel Marquez might be the most determined.
“Well, I wasn’t going to let this stop me, for one thing. And I’ve been doing [Bloomsday] 24 or 25 years, I can’t remember,” she said.
The 59-year-old was diagnosed with aggressive stage four uterine cancer. Despite the diagnosis, Marquez says she was going to run today.
“I felt great. I felt really great,” she said of finishing.
Tuesday is Marquez’s last chemo treatment and she promises she’ll be back next year.
If you missed out on this year’s Bloomsday, you have 365 days to train for Bloomsday 2018 on May 6.
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