Bloomsday Perennial: Laurie Rhodes tapped into a potent runner’s high during ‘the glory days’

Laurie Rhodes was 14 when she ran the first Bloomsday in 1977 with her father, John Black. She was his shadow as he went on daily runs, and Bloomsday became something they did together for decades.

“At that time, I just jogged a lot with my dad,” she said. “We did the fun runs around Spokane and the Palouse. He got me into it. It’s in my blood.”

Rhodes was born and raised in Spokane, and given her father’s running history, it’s only natural that he would want to sign up for the race. She remembers the family gathering for a picnic in Riverfront Park after the race.

“I remember that so well,” she said. “Of course, the course was a little different.”

She played basketball and ran cross country in high school. At that time, Bloomsday was just another way to stay in shape. But around the 10th anniversary, running Bloomsday every year became more important.

“You’re part of an elite group,” she said. “I’m not an elite runner, by any means.”

She said her best time was around 48 minutes. One year, she felt so good after completing the race that she went home and ran another 6 miles.

“Those were the glory days,” she said.

She said she loves the atmosphere of Bloomsday and said hearing the “Rocky” theme song at the finish line always got to her.

“It can be emotional,” she said.

When her brothers and sister got older, they would occasionally do Bloomsday as well, something that continued after they left home.

“As many times as they could, they would come back for Bloomsday,” she said. “We would carbo -load the night before.”

But of all the family members on the Bloomsday course, her dad was the most important. He was the one who encouraged her, but he still didn’t let her beat him. “Even as I got older, I may have beaten my dad once or twice,” she said.

After 25 Bloomsdays together, Black told his daughter he wasn’t going to be able to do the race anymore. Rhodes resisted.

“I said, ‘But you have to. It’s Bloomsday,’ ” she said.

Her father died in 2017 at the age of 85.

Before he died, he asked her to keep doing the race they both loved. She said she would, and it’s a promise she has kept.

As a Perennial, Rhodes is allowed to start behind the elite runners at the start line. She said she loves all the people cheering the runners on.

“The start is just something,” she said. “It still just kind of gives me goosebumps.”

Rhodes said she never had a problem making it to the starting line on the first Sunday in May. She was lucky in that her son was born in September and her daughter was born in February, so her pregnancies didn’t interfere with the race.

“I lucked out that I was still able to make it,” she said.

She said she’ll keep doing Bloomsday as long as she can.

“I’ll try to continue, unless I’m in a wheelchair,” she said. “I can’t skip it.”

Rhodes has mostly maintained her health, though she has some meniscus issues in her knees that have not yet required surgery. She keeps in shape by walking a lot and going to the gym, but tries to take it easy. She was told by her doctors that she shouldn’t run any more. “I have to be careful,” she said.

She’s been preparing for the 50th race and is hoping to post a good time this year.

“I’ll be in better shape than last year,” Rhodes said. “My goal this year is to run as much as I can of it.”

Rhodes did not pass down her love of running to her children. Her daughter was never a runner, and her son only did Bloomsday a couple times. However, both her children and their partners plan to be in Spokane for the 50th Bloomsday, along with her brothers and a few nieces and nephews.

“They’re all going to be here,” she said. “We’ll make it a celebration.”

Rhodes said she believes her father will be there, too, cheering her on.

“I know he’ll be there in spirit,” she said.