Well, Mike and I did our first
Bloomsday Race. We did it right around 2 hours. The race course is 7.5 miles. That does not include the distance from where we got off the bus, walked to the start line, from the finish line to the shirt line, to the bus stop and from the bus to where we parked. I would say it was probably 10 miles total. My little legs kept up with Mike and we did not stop at all, stepped on a few heels every now and then, but did not stop, not even to use the "honey buckets" along the road way.
The first
Bloomsday Race was held on May 1, 1977 over a thousand participants. The year with the most entrants was May, 1996 with 61,298. This year they are
guesstimating at 52,000 with people from all over the world participating. The winner of the men's elite was a man from
Tanzania and the woman was from Kenya.
One of the girls that we passed on the course had a waist belt that said "in my dreams, I am Kenyan"...I thought it was appropriate for
Bloomsday!
Of course I had my camera out with me...good thing I have a little point and shoot that I love! We took some pictures on Friday when we went to pick up our packets at the convention center and of course on race day!
Riverfront park-from a different view, we usually come in from a different angle, not this day!
Spokane River with the "gates" open and it was flowing strong! Here is the "calms side" also.
Some tree's that are blooming on the path to the convention center with the sun peaking through
By the convention center there are some statues that I thought were wonderful and have to share.
OK, Sunday, May 3, 2009 BLOOMSDAY RACE DAY!
We getting ready to line up at our location. One of the nurses that we work with, Laura, and her daughter and grandchildren were there. Mike said "look for the short red-head in a parka!" He couldn't find her, I found her all huddled up! This was Laura's first Bloomsday and her daughter's 5th I believe she said.
To the start line! I heard someone state that the churches on the route had a "deal" with the city not to hold services on race day, but this pastor was out blessing the runners as we went by.
People who wore sweat shirts and got hot threw their shirts in the trees and after the last runner had started, they had volunteers come and pick them up and they were donated to different places in Spokane.
There were multiple, multiple viewers along the route. Many cheering people on, musicians playing at different areas, first aide stops and off course things to keep you going like these two mascots.
Crossing Spokane River just past Spokane Falls Community College and heading for
Bloomsday "Doomsday" hill...check out all the people! I would say there were 25,000 in front of us and 25,000 behind us.
There were multiple people in costumes also along the way... I loved this Miss
Pac-man. There was also a guy on a Wheaties cereal box. He said he got his costume off the
Internet.
This is one of the sculptures at Riverfront Park along the roadway...they had previous years shirts on some of them...just had to take a picture.
This is kind of washed out, but all these people were finished and waiting in line for their "finisher's T-Shirt"
Looking across the river, over Monroe Street Bridge, there are thousands of people behind us! I am SO GLAD we're finished and were not last! I don't think Mike would have let me be last. My little legs sure kept up with him!
Well, this Bloomsday is down in the books. It was a beautiful day and did not start to rain until we were on our way home. I am glad that I did compete/complete this 10K race (7 1/2 miles sounds better!). Believe it or not, Mike and I have been looking at doing other races...coming back to Bloomsday next year.
By the way, I sweated with this race! So did Mike!
Close up of Post Street Bridge
River splashing against the rock walls
Watching the mist rise into the cliffs and trees
Turbulent waters
Would be SO fun and EXCITING to raft down these falls!
Mike changed the setting on the camera to see the "flow" instead of the "splash"
Monroe Street Bridge-Isn't it pretty? Pretty Amazing that is~
Maple Street Bridge from afar.
A view from the Gondola-kids were doing street writing with chalk on Earth Day-The gondola's had dark tinted windows, so the picture is not as clear
Looking across the river, towards the north side
Close up of the cow skull on the Monroe Street Bridge. They have this on both sides of the pillar, facing the river and the street.
Monroe Street Bridge with Spokane River, can you see the cables for the Gondola's?
Love the sky in the background.
Different view of Monroe Street Bridge
At first when we were on the Gondola's I thought I would get claustrophobic and motion sick, but I did great! 
The gates of the river open-makes you wonder how many gallons of water come rushing through here per minute 
Looking up Monroe Street Bridge
Striking a pose
I was gazing into the water and relaxing when Mike took this shot.
