Scenes from the course

Two trailers were piled with an estimated 8,000 pounds apiece of discarded sweatshirts, flannel shirts, fleece hats and gloves after the chilly start to Sunday’s run.

Race participants annually strip off unneeded layers as they head out on their 12-kilometer quest. The left-behind clothing is typically donated to charity, said Anthony Scarano, work crew supervisor from the Geiger Corrections Center, whose inmates help with cleanup.

In previous years, the clothing has gone to the Union Gospel Mission, Scarano said. But this year, organizers there declined to accept it, mission director Randy Altmeyer said Sunday.

“Mainly it’s because we have to wash all those clothes,” he said. “When you get truckloads of that stuff, it’s a lot.”

That might surprise some. But Altmeyer said the time and expense of processing pounds and pounds of clothing isn’t worth the result.

“It’s good for running, but it might not be good for anything else,” he said.

Scarano said he didn’t know which charity will receive the 16,000 pounds of donations.

Clothing grows on trees

Not that all the discarded clothes went to waste, though. Marvin Lezard was one of many people who picked through the piles of garments on the sidewalks and in tree branches.

“When you don’t have money to pay for these things, why let ‘em waste?” Lezard said as he shoved sweatshirts, running pants and jackets into a large trash bag. “It’s like Christmas in May!”

‘Life is short. Run long.’

A dozen runners from Brooks Sports in Seattle donned pink shirts Sunday emblazoned with the image of a smiling young woman and the words: “Always running with Liz.”

Only four of them had planned to run Bloomsday. But on April 21, an out-of-control car driven by a 16-year-old girl careened onto a Seattle street corner, instantly killing their friend, co-worker and fellow runner, Elizabeth Duncan.

Duncan, who would have turned 27 on May 1, was training for the Chicago Marathon, said Kim Williams, 50, of Seattle. A standout athlete who grew up in the Tri-Cities area, Duncan’s desk at work sported the slogan: “Life is short. Run long.”

Williams and other Brooks employees decided to run Bloomsday as a tribute to Duncan. Even though the accident occurred well after the entry deadline, race director Don Kardong and others were quick to accommodate the group.

“It just shows how Spokane supports the running community,” Williams said.

When crazy is cool

Among the costumed runners this year were Tri-Cities residents Grace Newhouse, Rowdy Neuman and Dana Neuman. Their skin had been painted bright colors.

“Orange is my favorite color,” Newhouse said.

When it was pointed out that Newhouse was painted green, while her friends were bright orange, Newhouse explained, “We didn’t have enough orange paint left.”

Dana Neuman, 17, has run the race five times, but this year was the first she wore a costume. She was persuaded to do so after spotting Superman in the race last year. Dressing up or painting one’s skin is not a common practice in races in the Tri-Cities, she said. “People just think you’re crazy.”

Course as campaign trail

Bloomsday provided ideal campaigning conditions for Robert Provincio, a Spokane engineering firm employee trying to drum up support for the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

“I’m just trying to get people talking,” Provincio said. “They walk or run by and I see them mouth the word, ‘Obama,’ and then they turn and talk about it to the person next to them.”

Another volunteer standing nearby wore a shirt that read “Obama is my homeboy.”

Despite the concentration of 44,000 people, Provincio said he wasn’t aware of any other presidential campaigns working the race. “I heard rumors the (John) Edwards camp might also be here, but I didn’t see them,” he said.

T-shirt love

Deep forest green, this year’s T-shirt featured a blue river of runners flowing beneath the Monroe Street Bridge.

The runners “love it and I love it,” said Joseph Moisan, a volunteer who, despite a broken ankle, turned out to distribute the coveted trophy.

Greg Roberts has several previous Bloomsday shirts to his credit. After receiving his 2007 shirt he said: “I think it’s pretty nice. I kind of like it.”

Daughter Sydney, 13, earned her fourth T-shirt this time around. “I like the color,” she said, “and the design is cool.”

Making a statement

Among the slogans on runners’ T-shirts were:

“”I Hate Running. I Love Winning.”

“”Father Mows Best.”

“”Accounting the Miles.”

“”Butt Patrol.”

“”Psych Ward.”

“LAPDance.”