Bloomsday weekend begins--check-in, road closures, celebrities

Friday, April 30, 2010

Spokane, WA—Check-In for this Sunday’s Lilac Bloomsday Run has begun at the Spokane Convention Center, and volunteers are busy handing out packets and signing up late registrants. Check-in and late registration are available on Friday, April 30th, from 11:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, May 1st from 9:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Race entry is not available on Sunday, May 2nd, although out-of-town runners who have already entered can pick up their packets between 6:30 and 9:00 a.m. that day.

 

“The most common question we get is, ‘Can someone else pick up my packet for me?’” said Bloomsday Race Director Don Kardong. “The answer is yes, as long as the person picking up knows the exact name used to register, age and date of birth.”

 

Along with Check-In, the Bloomsday Trade Show is in full swing, with a variety of sports, fitness, and general interest exhibitors on site. The Trade Show is open during the same hours as Check-In.

 

As Sunday morning approaches, Bloomsday has also announced that participants will be treated to a live starting line performance by stellar vocalist John Keston of Sun River, Oregon. Keston will sing "O, Canada" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" for runners as they wait for the race to begin. The 85-year-old is not only an outstanding singer, but also a noted actor and world-class age-group runner who holds a number of Bloomsday age-group records. He has performed at the Bloomsday starting line for the past nine years.

 

Also among the Bloomsday crowd will be Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson. The 52-year-old running legend will be attempting to beat the Bloomsday record of 44:56 for the 50-54-year-old age group, which was set by Shirley Matson or Moraga, California in 1993.

 

Streets in downtown Spokane will begin to close around 5:00 a.m. on Sunday. Additional details about road closures are on the Bloomsday web site under Race Information, Transportation/Lodging.

 

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