SPOKANE, Wash. — The inaugural class of Boulevard Race participants hit the pavement Sunday morning.
According to the Community Cancer Fund, more than 2,200 people took part in the first-ever race.
"Combining race day with the experience of raising awareness for cancer and what we do at the Community Cancer Fund, it was spectacular," Community Cancer Fund executive director Jon Neill shared.
All participants got their hearts pumping for a good cause, regardless of what inspired them to take part in the race.
For finisher Laurie Lancaster, she said it was the perfect way to bring in a new year of life. "I got up this morning and decided to take a walk downtown on my 67th birthday," Lancaster said. "It was fund. It was good day. Weather was perfect."
Finisher Pati Marcella said she ran the Boulevard Race just to say she did it at 82 years old. "I felt great," Marcella said. "My family's here, my husband, my daughters, everybody."
Charlotte Milling said she wanted to do the race for her mother, Kathy, who joined her for the first-ever four-mile run. "So I had my mom come out to run the Boulevard Race because she has chronic lymphocytic leukemia which is the most common type of adult leukemia," Charlotte explained. "And I thought it was really import to show cancer warriors are out being active. It's an invisible illness. And it's important to be aware of that in the people that are around you."
Kathy continued, "And with it being blood cancer awareness month, I thought this would be a good way for us to come out and tell people how important it is to get your annual blood work done, because that's how mine was discovered, just a regular doctor check up.”
Kathy said crossing the finish line proves what she likely already knew: her cancer doesn’t define her. “To be able to do it, without having to stop, without having to walk, let’s me know I’m stronger than blood cancer,” Kathy shared.
Kathy said she achieved a personal-best for distance in Sunday's race.
Neill said the success of the Boulevard Race’s first year goes to volunteers, operations teams, community partners and of course, all the participants. “I think it was a win-win for everyone involved, those who were running for a cause, those who were running for loved ones, those who were running for those who had passed, along with supporting the great organization, so today was an incredible day,” Neill said.
Neill said he and his team put together the Boulevard Race in four months.
"There's a lot of work to be done for what we do at Community Cancer Fund and, of course, this race is a spectacular vehicle for getting everyone involved," Neill said.
Neill hopes to bring back the Boulevard Race in 2024 and continue to grow the number of participants and overall impact.
"If we can do that again for next year, grow it to 5,000, 10,000, we can do incredible work," Neill said.
The Boulevard Race joins the Community Cancer Fund’s annual celebrity Showcase Golf Tournament, hosted in Coeur d’Alene every summer since 2014.
In less than a decade, the showcase has raised more than $28 million dollars for the fight against cancer.
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