Bloomsday perennial: Dr. Bill Peters runs the race and then races to help others

Dr. Bill Peters did not have any time to celebrate after crossing the finish line of the first Bloomsday in 1977. He didn’t even pause to pick up his finisher T-shirt. Instead, he gathered up IVs and other supplies and went back out on the course to help runners who had collapsed.

The race started at 1:30 p.m. that first year, and it was an unseasonably warm first Sunday in May. In a time when water stations and first aid tents were not nearly as plentiful as they are today, quite a few of the roughly 1,200 participants struggled in the heat.

“There were a lot of people down on the course,” Peters said.

Eventually, Peters would connect with the Jaycees, who helped sponsor the first race, to get his shirt. By that time, however, they only had shirts in a size small. He took one anyway.

Peters, who grew up in Olympia, came to Spokane in the early 1970s for his family practice residency. After he completed his medical training, he decided to stay.

“I just said, ‘Why go anywhere else?’ ” he said.

Peters was a runner at the time, and his wife, Becky, worked with Don Kardong, the founder of Bloomsday. It seemed natural to sign up for that first race, even though his wife could not run it because she was pregnant.

“It sounded like a fun run,” he said.

Attracted by the fun vibes and community feel, Peters kept coming back. He credits Kardong with creating a lasting community event.

“He’s a wonderful human being,” he said. “He deserves this town’s respect.”

After competing in 15 or 20 of the races, Bloomsday became something that was important for him to do.

“There’s a pin in the calendar every year on that day,” he said. “I was bound and determined to be a part of it. It really is a lot of fun.”

As a family practice physician, Peters sometimes had to run the race with a phone so his patients could reach him. Amazingly, he was never called off the course to attend a birth.

“I’ve had women go into labor and give birth right after the run,” he said. “And then some gave birth right before the race, so I thank them for that.”

Peters said he is grateful that his family, particularly his wife and daughter, are supportive of his dedication to Bloomsday. One year, his daughter went into labor in Colorado on Bloomsday weekend. Peters was there, but his wife and daughter insisted he fly home for Bloomsday. He caught a plane, did the race, and then hopped on another plane.

“I was back in Denver by 5 p.m.,” he said.

However, he did miss the birth of his grandchild that year.

Another year, there was a family crisis in Seattle on Bloomsday weekend. Again, his family insisted. He drove home, arriving at 3 a.m., and caught a nap before completing Bloomsday and immediately getting in his car to drive back to Seattle.

“They’ve had to make sacrifices for me to do this every year,” he said. “It’s been wonderful to have that support.”

Peters shows that love and support back when he can. There was one year when his wife had just had knee surgery and was being pushed through the course in a wheelchair. Peters finished his race but didn’t stop running.

“I ran back around and caught up to her and pushed her across the finish line,” he said.

Another close call happened two years ago, when Peters came down with COVID a week before Bloomsday. He called Kardong, explained what had happened, and switched his entry to virtual.

“I have a course I set up,” he said. “It’s one of my training runs. I did pretty good, actually. Then the next day I was down.”

Peters, who moved to Montana after he retired, still runs 4 to 5 miles every other day.

“Well, I call it running,” he said. “It’s jogging, one foot in front of the other, a little faster than a fast walk.”

Peters said he’s proud to be a Bloomsday Perennial.

“It’s just an honor to be a part of that group,” he said. “I haven’t done anything unique. I just got here.”

He will turn 81 before the next Bloomsday in May and is excited to participate in the 50th race, though he knows he is not as fast as he used to be. “There’s not a lot of people in their 80s who can still run,” he said.

He is not concerned about running for time in May, Peters said. He would much rather complete the race with his family, including his son, daughter and four grandchildren.

“Time won’t matter this year,” he said. “For the 50th, the whole family is coming to town.”

Peters said he is healthy and has absolutely no plans to stop participating in Bloomsday anytime soon.

“This is just a marker,” he said of the 50th race. “I don’t want to stop. I just like coming back here.”