Bloomsday Seeding
Elite Seeding
A special starting area near the front of the pack.
If you’re aged 13 or older and believe you have the potential to finish in the top 50 overall (maintaining a 5:00 pace for men or a 6:15 pace for women), you may qualify for Elite Seeding.
Runners who wish to be considered for this category should email information verifying their ability to Elite Seeding Coordinator Andy LeFriec.
Click the links below to jump to each section:
Second Seeding
For runners qualifying for Second Seeding at Bloomsday, the following instructions apply.
Runners who earned Second Seeding based on their 2025 Bloomsday finish time will be automatically approved when registering. No additional validation is required. Registration by March 19 is recommended.
Runners qualifying through age-group placing or another listed race must upload a validation URL showing official race results during registration. Accepted URLs include verified race result pages or timing platforms. If your qualifying race occurs in early spring and results are not yet available, email the Second Seed Coordinator to request re-seeding once official results are posted. Please include your date of birth and qualification details.
All Second Seed runners will receive a brown number for the Second Seed start. After registration, runners may purchase a $50 amenities package, which includes a Second Seed singlet, gear bag, race-day gear transport, and access to the post-race tent party. Amenities packages may also be purchased at Check-In, subject to availability.
Official numbers and amenities packages may be picked up at the Second Seed desk during Check-In on Friday or Saturday. Runners with the amenities package may drop off warm-up gear at the start line and retrieve it at the Corporate Cup Post-Race Party, which includes food, drinks, and massages. Access to the party requires wearing the official Second Seed singlet.
Out-of-town runners who do not meet Elite Seeding standards may inquire about Second Seeding eligibility. Second Seeding is limited, but accommodations may be made when possible. Direct all Second Seeding inquiries to the Second Seed Coordinator.
| 2nd Seed Qualifying Races | ||||
| Race | Date | Distance | Men | Women |
| Bloomsday | 05/04/25 | 12K | 48:00/6:24 | 58:00/7:45 |
| Spokane Dad’s Day Dash | 06/14/25 | 5K | 18:40/6:01 | 22:30/7:16 |
| Spokane Valleyfest 5K | 09/20/25 | 5K | 18:40/6:01 | 22:30/7:16 |
| Spokane Valleyfest 10K | 09/20/25 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
| Spokane Marathon 10K | 10/12/25 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
| Seattle Jingle Bell Run |
12/14/25 | 12K | 48:00/6:24 | 58:00/7:45 |
| Richland St. Patrick’s Day |
03/14/26 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
| Spokane St Paddy’s | 03/08/26 | 5 Mile | 31:00/6:12 | 37:00/7:24 |
| Spokane Rapid Rabbit Run | 03/22/26 | 5 Mile | 31:00/6:12 | 37:00/7:24 |
| Hauser Lake Ice Breaker |
04/18/26 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
| Wenatchee | 04/18/26 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
| Coeur d’Alene Spring Dash |
04/25/26 | 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 |
Qualifying Race Times (USATF Courses)
| Distance | Men | Women | Senior Men | Senior Women |
| 5K | 18:40/6:01 | 22:30/7:16 | 20:37/6:39 | 26:23/8:31 |
| 5M | 31:00/6:12 | 37:00/7:24 | 34:12/6:51 | 43:23/8:41 |
| 10K | 39:00/6:17 | 47:00/7:34 | 43:00/6:56 | 55:06/8:53 |
| 12K | 48:00/6:24 | 58:00/7:45 | 53:00/7:10 | 1:08/9:05 |
| 13.1 | 1:29/6:48 | 1:45/8:04 | 1:38/7:30 | 2:03/9:24 |
| 26.2 | 3:05/7:04 | 3:40/8:25 | 3:24/7:48 | 4:17/9:51 |
Senior Seeding
If you qualified for Senior Seeding based on your 2025 time, register online by the posted deadline, with an option to purchase a $50.00 amenities package. A brown number will be assigned for your Senior Seeding start, whether or not you choose the amenities. Pick up your number (and amenities if purchased) at the Second Seed desk during Check-In at the Trade Show Friday and Saturday before race day. Senior Seed runners with the amenities package can drop off warm-up gear at the start line and retrieve it at the Corporate Cup Post-Race Party, inclusive of free drinks, food, and massages, provided you wear your Second Seed singlet.
Out-of-town runners unable to qualify for Elite Seeding may inquire about Senior Seeding eligibility; check with the Second Seed Coordinator for details. While Senior Seeding is limited, efforts will be made to accommodate out-of-town runners. Questions about Senior Seeding should be directed to the Second Seed Coordinator, including relevant details about your qualification and date of birth.
Bloomsday, 2025: Senior Seeding (50 and older):
|
Men |
Women |
|
53:00 |
1:08:00 |
 Ages 50-69, top ten in Age Group. Age 70 and over, top five in Age Group
Yellow Seeding
To qualify for the Yellow starting area at Bloomsday, runners must meet one of the following standards.
Runners who have achieved a Bloomsday finish time of 1:12 or faster between 2022 and 2025 will be automatically approved for Yellow Seeding during registration by indicating an estimated finish time of 1:12 or faster. No additional validation is required.
Runners without a qualifying Bloomsday time may still qualify by completing a recent race (within the past two years) of 5 miles or longer at an average pace of 9:40 per mile or faster. These runners must upload a validation URL showing official race results during registration. Accepted URLs include verified race result pages or timing platforms.
If you are attempting to qualify using a race occurring in early spring and official results are not yet available at the time of registration, please email Bloomsday to request re-seeding once results are posted.
Runners who have already registered and believe they qualify for Yellow Seeding may also contact Bloomsday directlyÂ
