PHOTOS: 2022 Tyler Azalea Run

Published 10:00 am Saturday, March 26, 2022

Nearly 600 racers participated in the Tyler Azalea Run on Saturday.

The Tyler Azalea Run was created in 1984 and features a 10K and 5K route through the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail.

RJ Cowan, 36, placed first in the 5K male category with a time of 17:57 while Abby Rodseth, 28, came in first in the female 5K category at 19:13. In the 10K, Clay Emge, 37, was the top male finisher with a time of 33:17 while 38-year-old Mallory Meredith’s 39:46 time earned her first place in the female 10K category. See full results in Sunday’s sports section.

Over 100,000 people from all over the United States visit Tyler each spring to attend the azalea trail.

The first azaleas were planted in Tyler in 1929 by Maurice Shamburger, in the Lindsey Lane area. Other neighbors soon followed, and the area became well known for its springtime beauty. Over the years the word spread across East Texas and beyond about Tyler azaleas. In 1960, the first marked tour routes were established to help guide tourists.