SPOKANE, Wash. — Picture this: you're running up Doomsday Hill during the annual Bloomsday race. You're tired, sweaty and probably ready for a nap as you climb the hardest part of the course.
But then you see it. The feathered-constant every Bloomsday racer looks to for an extra boost of encouragement as they make their way to the finish line.
It's the Doomsday Hill Vulture.
The big, tall Bloomsday bird has been perching himself on the hardest part of the course for the last 36 years. This year, Bill Robinson, the man behind the costume, was inducted into the Bloomsday Hall of Fame, something he says he needs to work on understanding.
Robinson built the vulture costume for a Halloween party in 1986. The following year, Robinson found himself in Spokane wanting to wear the costume more than once. It's that desire that led him to mark his spot on the Bloomsday course.
This year, Mead High School senior Luke Tedro will have the honor of wearing the vulture costume and cheering on runners. He and Robinson chatted with KREM 2 about the costume's history, influence and the excitement they have for Sunday's race.
Watch the interview using the player below:
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