That Time Again

Folks, it's that time of the year again! It's BLOOMSDAY time!

If you're reading this, you probably know me, and if you know me, you probably live around here, and if you live around here, you probably already know what Bloomsday is, so I won't tell you. BUT, do you know where the name "Lilac Bloomsday Run" comes from? You do? Crap. :-( I was going to post it, but you ruined it. Darn.
Founder Don Kardong chose the name, which is a joining of Spokane's favorite flower to the word James Joyce scholars use to describe the day events in the novel "Ulysses" take place. Confused? Intrigued? Read on...

According to Kardong, a road race is an odyssey, not unlike the one Ulysses endured in his return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, a journey described in great detail by the Greek poet Homer. In 1917 James Joyce wrote "Ulysses" about one day in the life of a man (Leopold Bloom) in Dublin, Ireland. Bloom spends the day wandering through the streets of Dublin in a rough parallel of his Greek counterpart Ulysses, and that day (June 16) has become known to Joyce scholars and aficionados as "Bloomsday."

The 7-1/2-mile odyssey through the streets of Spokane was dubbed The Lilac Bloomsday Run, combining Spokane's moniker "The Lilac City" with the premise of Joyce's novel, which is that ordinary people are involved in unassuming and yet heroic journeys every day of their lives. A citizen who travels 7-1/2 miles on the first Sunday of May encounters trials, hazards and monsters during his or her odyssey through the Lilac City before ending up back home.

Here's some general info (show/hide):
2009 Lilac Bloomsday Run

Where:   Spokane, Washington, USA
When:   Sunday, May 3, 2009
Distance:  12 kilometers (7.46 miles)
Entry Fee:  $15.00 (by mail, before deadline)
  $15.00 + $1.49 (online, before deadline)
  $30.00 (by mail, with late fee)
  $30.00 + $2.99 (online, with late fee)
Entry Deadline: April 14, 2009 for mailed entries
  April 19, 2009 for online entries
  April 26, 2009 LAST DAY FOR ONLINE ENTRIES
Eligibility:  Open to all runners, walkers, wheelchairs, assisted wheelchairs and strollers.
Race Start:  9:00 a.m.: Elite, Corporate Cup & Brown
  9:05-9:15 (approx.): Yellow & Green
  9:15-9:45 (approx.): Orange & Blue
  9:45-10:05 (approx.): Lilac
  10:10 (approx.): Red
Course Closes:  1:30 p.m.

Of course, if you don't want to run it, you can always volunteer. ^_^