Fans On The Field! Denver Run Lets You Feel Like A Pro
This annual Denver 10k and 5k race takes runners to the actual playing fields of Denver’s pro sports franchises. The 5k course takes runners through the Pepsi Center, home of our Denver Nuggets, and on the home field of the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field. Those in the 10k will be also race through the grounds of Coors Field, home of the (hopefully) playoff-bound Colorado Rockies.
This is actually a rare opportunity for fans to gain access to these pro sports venues, normally off limits to the public. Now, you have a chance to win on the same grounds as your favorite sports team.
The race package is pretty sweet too. It not only includes the shirt, but also a post-race BBQ, beer, and … wait for it…. NUGGETS TICKETS!
This October 10 race is not just your ordinary run, and is becoming an annual favorite for Colorado runners and sports fans alike. Visit Fans On The Field for details and check out some scenes from the race in this video.
A Fun Bolder Boulder Alternative For Colorado Runners
No doubt about it, the Bolder Boulder 10K road race is a highlight for Colorado runners. For many, it’s an annual Memorial Day tradition. Others use it as a personal fitness goal, and may have never run or walked a full 6.2 miles. And for countless active Coloradoans who will run only one race the entire year, Bolder Boulder gets the nod. It’s an opportunity to run with tens of thousands of other runners and finish like a world-class athlete in the Folsom Field Stadium.
So with all the spectacle and notoriety that is Bolder Boulder, what running event could possibly offer on the same date a great Bolder Boulder alternative? That would be the Houska Houska, naturally.
Houska Houska is a 5K race in Fort Collins that is a tradition in it’s own right. It actually started with LJ Houska and his family 18 years ago. They couldn’t get in Bolder Boulder, so they mocked up their own “Houska Houska†race shirts and ran their own race near their home in Fort Collins. They attracted the attention of neighbors, and the race turned into an annual pot luck, getting bigger every year.
Ultimately the Houska’s decided to “formalize†the race, brought it to their business location at Houska Automotive, and started raising funds for bone marrow programs in Colorado. The cause attracts support from several Fort Collins businesses, and with over 600 runners, last year’s race generated nearly $21,000.
So what’s this Bolder Boulder alternative got to offer? Well, nearly everything Bolder Boulder doesn’t. Smaller, but no less a party. Each year is a different theme – this year is Las Vegas – and costumes abound. Food and live swing music of course, but also games, a petting zoo, a bungee trampoline, costume contests… even easy parking! Bolder Boulder is no place for dogs, bikes or strollers, but all these are welcomed at the laid back Houska Houska. The course itself is run on the bike path along the scenic Poudre River.
The race is so laid back that in accordance with this year’s Vegas theme, top prize goes to not the fastest time, but the best poker hand from cards collected along the course. Other fun prizes are awarded, including one for the best dog costume.
So for a great Bolder Boulder alternative, check out the Houska Houska in Fort Collins for a 5K and family fun.
$120 For Running Shoes Or Carefree & Barefoot?
Our friends at Nike surely have a fast answer to this question, along with stacks of supporting studies. But recently there is more talk of the benefits of barefoot running, including lower impact and reduced injuries.
A Harvard study on barefoot running looked at types of foot strike associated with different types of running. Sprinters and the habitually barefoot seem to use mainly Forefoot or mid0foot strike, while hoe-wearing endurance runners (and the majority of joggers) use rear-foot strike. By using a force platform look at forces of impact for each step type it was easy to see that rear-foot strike, either in shoes or barefoot, has a large spike of applied force just at the time of landing, while forefoot running produces a smoother wave, with little or no sudden impact forces – essentially a much smoother ride. This step also helps to lower the body’s centre of mass relative to the vertical force, and as such reduces the mean force acting on the feet.
The study discusses how fore-foot- and mid-foot-strike gaits were probably more common when humans ran barefoot or in shoes such as moccasins, and how they may protect the feet and lower limbs from some of the impact-related injuries now experienced by a high percentage of runners.
Given that the incidence of running injuries remains significant despite advances in footwear technology, is it reasonable to suggest that even the best shoes may not be as good for you as no shoes at all? Indeed, many high-level athletes include some barefoot running on grass in their training regimen.
Colorado even has a barefoot 5K race in June, The Naked Foot, where barefoot running is required. The terrain even includes a significant amount of pavement, as well as grass.
So… are you afraid of barefoot running? Have you been injured by it? Do you swear by it? All comments are welcome!
Men Chasing Women… In A Race? For Money?
The battle of the sexes takes a unique twist on this Denver 5k run. Embracing both the physiological and primal hormonal differences between men and women, the Skirtchaser 5K in Denver has $500 up for grabs in a winner-take-all race to the finish line. When the starting gun sounds, the men must wait 3 minutes while hundreds of skirts take off running. Then it’s a full on race to the finish in a winner-take-all competition, with the first across the finish line – regardless of gender – taking home $500.
The Skirtchaser 5k race brings up numerous questions of fairness. Is it fair to give women a 3 minute head start in a 5k run? Is it wrong to make (let) women run well while being chased by a bunch of sweaty, panting men? As a male, is it not the ultimate cruelty to be placed in the position of chasing what he desires (dolled up in an athletic skirt, no less) yet knowing he’ll never catch her? Talk about living the perspective of those dogs at the race tack!
Actually, this one will be more of a flirty affair. An environment where you’re more likely to hear, “Oops, you caught me – here’s my phone number… call me!†and less likely to hear, “I caught you! Wait! Don’t taze me!!†Regardless of your libido level, it’s a rare chance for both genders to experience the thrill of the chase.
With a post-race block party that includes happy-hour style food and drinks, dating games, music and a fashion show, this unique Colorado race the evening of August 29th is sure to be a memorable one. Visit www.skirtchaser5k.com for details.
Loveland Classic 10K, 5K Shows Promise
Kids & parents testing their mettle
With the exception of a mismarked 5k route, the Loveland Classic at Centerra is turning into a solid race in northern Colorado. With over 320 finishers between the 5K and 10K, the race is building on its previous success. Held at the autoplex at Centerra, the course was good, and the clear weather at an early 7:30 start helped make it a nice summertime race. There were also a .5 mile and 1 mile run for the kids as part of the Healthy Kids Series (check out our Facebook page to see some pictures). With a very family-friendly post race expo with food, and some kind of non-dairy frozen non-ice cream – it really was tasty – , it’s a great family event.
Race organizers did commit that ultimate (and unforgivable to some) sin of a mis-marked 5K course, causing some to run off course before being rerouted back on track. The organizers responded as appropriately as they could in a situation like that, adjusting the times of all affected. While they may lose some fans for the error, the field would not be considered one of the fastest (take note, age groupers looking for a podium spot!). An errant course is something that most races don’t repeat more than once (don’t bring up Colfax Marathon here…), and assuming course markings will be double and triple checked next year, the race will continue to grow and become a highlight on the northern Colorado runner’s annual calendar.
Upcoming Colorado Events- Ralston Creek Half Marathon
- Valentine`s Day 5K
- 3W Heart Throb Run 5K
- Cupid`s Undie Run
- Love `em or Leave `em Valentine`s Day 5K Run/Walk
- Dick`s Sporting Goods Loveland Sweetheart Classic
- Dick`s Sporting Goods Loveland Sweetheart Classic
- HRCA Sunday Bloody Sunday 5k Challenge
- Super Bowl 5K
- Gold Rush Nordic Race Series
- Super Sunday Fun Run 5K
- SnowDash Extreme 5K / Echo Mnt. Colorado
- 5 k Moonlight Snowshoe
Oakley Offer