'The miracle of it all': Several dozen earn the unique distinction of participating in all 50 Bloomsday races

May 3-The 50th running of Bloomsday Sunday kicked off with a swell of music, the crack of a starting pistol and the hooting and hollering of more than 40,000 participants.

Among the crowd were nearly 70 individuals who've participated in every iteration of the Lilac City's marquee street race since its inception in 1976. Known as the Perennials, the group stood toward the front of the crowd, easily identifiable by their matching shirts.

It's a scene the group is used to, and that they've come to love over the decades. Sylvia Quinn, one of just eight women to earn the distinction, said the congenial nature of the race participants is part of what's brought her back year after year.

"Behind us are 40,000," Quinn said. "That's the miracle of it all."

Like nearly every year, Quinn finished first in her age group, women ages 85-89, with a pace just under 14-minute miles.

Each Perennial has covered around 370 miles on the course since the sound of the first Bloomsday starting pistol rang out all those years ago. The group ranges in age from 61 to 89.

These days, some are just hoping to keep their streaks alive, said Bob Barbero, one half of a Perennial sibling-duo alongside his younger brother Rick Barbero.

The elder Barbero sibling, 74, said ahead of the race that he planned to walk it. He spent some time in the hospital last week, and while he didn't want to overexert himself, he needed to get the 50th under his belt one way or another.

"It's the one time of year you just kind of get to check in with yourself," said Bob Barbero, who finished in just under 2 hours, 30 minutes (a second faster than Rick). "A benchmark of what kind of shape you're at, physically, mentally, that whole thing."

Like Quinn, the camaraderie shared by the Perennials, and getting to check in with one another each year, keeps Barbero coming back. That, and racing his brother, he said.

"Getting to see these guys every year is pretty fun," he added.

Some have traveled great lengths to keep the streak alive. Perennial Brian Kenna, 63, first participated as a 13-year-old ninth -grader at Bowdish Junior High School. After attending Washington State University, Kenna enlisted in the U.S. Army, spending six years in active duty and 16 in the Reserves.

While on active duty, Kenna managed to use four-day leave passes to keep running Bloomsday. His streak wasn't put in jeopardy till his days in the Reserves, when his then-activated unit was in Iraq from 2004-05 and in Afghanistan from 2008-09. Both times, Kenna managed to persuade his commanders to allow him to use a midtour leave to participate.

"I made it back from Iraq and Afghanistan to run it, so it's pretty important to me, getting another one in the books," said Kenna, who finished in 1:04:05. " It's always such a relief just to get to the starting line."

Bob Barbero, one of his former coaches, played a large role in getting Kenna first hooked on being a Bloomie. Kenna echoed his Perennial peers; their shared bonds forged through the 49 previous races are a treasure, and something he looks forward to every year.

Chewelah resident Jack Charbonneau, 78, had never gone on a nearly 8-mile run until the first Bloomsday, he said. Ahead of the 50th, he said he was proud to have reached a significant milestone alongside all the other Perennials.

"I never thought I'd make it this far," Charbonneau said. "My goal has always been to do it until I'm 90 years old."

Charbonneau, who finished the race in 2:14:20, loves seeing the community aspects of Bloomsday: the volunteers spending their morning passing out water, the groups of friends cheering and jeering on the sidelines and the now time-tested relationships between racers. While he's on the course , he always looks forward to hearing the "Rocky" theme song during the final stretch, he said.

"That tradition is always the coolest thing," Charbonneau said.

Quinn, 89, said the Lilac Bloomsday Association has done well to keep the Perennial group engaged with the tradition. Every year, the group meets for a luncheon in the days leading up to the race, they're granted a special starting section and details of their exploits are shared widely. She said she's grateful for all of the volunteers and race organizers who make Bloomsday possible.

"Every part of what they do is beautiful, honoring the Perennials," Quinn said. "They make it available, and you can tell it's something they really care about."

Quinn said she plans to keep participating as long as possible. She was grateful for the sunny weather the 50th running of Bloomsday benefited from.

"I love this race," Quinn said. "I've done them all, but it gets a little harder every year."

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 7:12 PM.