Golden race edition draws top international field; race winners also secure automatic $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus qualification at 2026 PRRO Championship and 2-10 finishers score points for the Super Bonus standings
SPOKANE, WA – (April 30, 2026) – The 2025-26 PRRO Circuit returns to racing action at the 50th Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K on Sunday morning, May 3 in Spokane. This America’s Classic Road Race™ has again attracted a top international field, who will compete for $81,000 in prize money, including $20,000 U.S. prize money and $7000 to each Open race champion.
At the fourth stop on the 2025-26 PRRO Circuit, the Bloomsday champions will also earn automatic eligibility to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 29th PRRO Championship presented by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday, July 25, 2026 in Davenport, IA.
In addition, the 2-10 finishers at Bloomsday will earn points with the top 5 scorers overall before the PRRO Championship also qualifying to compete for the Super Bonus. The current PRRO Circuit points leaders are: for men, Graydon Morris (USA), Mezgebu Sime (ETH) & Wesley Kiptoo (KEN), and for women, Everlyn Kemboi (KEN), Molly Born (USA) & Fiona O’Keeffe (USA). Complete point standings can be found HERE.
The top runners expected at Bloomsday include:
MEN: Reuben Mosin Mosip (KEN), 4th 2025 Paris 20K (58:14); Simon Mwangi Waithira (KEN), 4th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K and 2025 Stramilano Half Marathon winner (1:00:54); Reid Buchanan (USA), 5th 2026 Gate River Run 15K; Ben Eidenschenk (USA), 5th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; Afewerki Zeru (USA), 8th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; Andy Wacker (USA), 9th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; and Athanas Kioko (KEN), 2025 Philadelphia Distance Run Half Marathon winner (1:01:01)
WOMEN: Betty Chepkwony (KEN), two-time Rome Marathon winner (2023, 2025); Emily Durgin (USA), 2024 USA 10 Mile champion at Credit Union Cherry Blossom; Kellyn Taylor (USA), 2026 Austin Marathon winner (2:33:29, course record); Joyline Chemutai (KEN), 7th 2023 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; Jessie Cardin (USA), 5th 2025 Boilermaker 15K; Hannah Branch (USA), 8th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; Kasandra Parker (USA), 7th 2025 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K; and Marisa Howard (USA), 2024 Olympic steeplechaser
The complete Bloomsday elite field, available by Friday, May 1, can be found HERE.
“At the fourth PRRO Circuit stop, we look forward to celebrating the 50th Lilac Bloomsday Run and witnessing some world class racing on the streets of Spokane,” said PRRO President and Bloomsday founder Don Kardong. “Each race champion will earn automatic qualification for the chance to win the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship contested at the Quad-City Times Bix 7 this July. In addition, the 2-10 Bloomsday finishers will earn valuable points for their Super Bonus standings.”
At the annual spring 7.46 mile road race, which fosters health, fitness and the community spirit of the Lilac City, more than 40,000 runners and walkers will celebrate the 50th edition on the iconic course that weaves across the Spokane River gorge before finishing above awe-inspiring falls in downtown Spokane.
The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at six of America’s Classic Road Races™, the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA, the Steamboat Classic 4 Mile in Peoria, IL, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY and the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in Davenport, IA. The 2025-26 PRRO Circuit offers more than $440,000 in guaranteed prize money overall with $148,100 for U.S. athletes. The PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events, is organized and promoted by the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO), an alliance of race directors.
Schedule and PRRO Super Bonus event qualifiers below:
THE PRRO CIRCUIT 2025-26 SCHEDULE
Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 26, 2025, Davenport, IA
$50,000 in prize money
WINNERS: Alex Maier*, USA, 32:02 and Vibian Chepkirui*, Kenya, 36:41
Gate River Run 15K, March 7, 2026, Jacksonville, FL
$72,000 in prize money ($23,000 U.S. prize money) plus $5000 Equalizer gender race and World, U.S. & course record bonus money
WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi*, Morocco, 43:26 and Chloe Herbiet*, Belgium, 47:58
Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 12, 2026, Washington, DC
$80,600 in prize money ($48,600 U.S. prize money) plus performance bonuses
WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi*, Morocco, 46:17 and Asayech Ayichew*, Ethiopia, 50:37
50th Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 3, 2026, Spokane, WA
$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)
Steamboat Classic 4 Mile, June 6, 2026, Peoria, IL
$43,200 in U.S. prize money
Boilermaker 15K, July 12, 2026, Utica, NY
$65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money)
THE 29th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP
Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 25, 2026, Davenport, IA
$50,000 in prize money as well as:
• $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus to male or female Bix winners who are either defending PRRO Champions, have won any of the PRRO Circuit 2025-26 races or finished top 5 in the points system (Super Bonus split if both eligible male and female win)
• $2500 to male or female Championship winners who have not won any races on the 2025-26 Circuit
• $1500 to eligible PRRO event champions, males and females, finishing in places 2-10
*Qualified to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2026 PRRO Championship.
With their 2025 PRRO Championship titles at Boilermaker, John Korir and Veronica Loleo were the first two athletes eligible to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2026 PRRO Championship hosted by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in July. In pursuit of the Super Bonus, the pair will join the winners of the 2025-26 Circuit events as well as the top 5 per gender in the PRRO Circuit points system (2-10 finishers score points at each current Circuit race; except, 2-5 finishers score at a U.S.-only Circuit race).
To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 18 world and 24 U.S. road records, awarded more than $9 million in prize money and seen more than 2.8 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.2 million including $218,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money.
PRRO Championship and Circuit Year
The PRRO Circuit, launched in 1995, starts and finishes the Circuit Year at the same event that will also host the season-ending PRRO Championship race. The reigning titlists of the PRRO Championship, the event winners on the current Circuit and the top 5 in the PRRO points system are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship.
Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history and past champions, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.