We recently chatted with the Race Director of the new Boulderthon – debuting this October!
What is Boulderthon?
Set in the stunning foothills of the Rockies, Boulderthon™ is Boulder’s premier half and full marathons, with a first-ever downtown finish and post-race celebration for an inspiring and unforgettable experience. The race has been three years in the making but our goal from Day 1 has been to create Colorado’s signature fall marathon – this runner’s paradise deserves no less!
Boulderthon’s epic course begins at the Boulder Reservoir and provides sweeping views of the Flatirons. The finish line awaits runners in the heart of the city, on the famous bricks of Pearl Street Mall.
There, runners and spectators will be able to enjoy the after-party, surrounded by some of Boulder’s best-known shops, restaurants and bars. And since the city is a perfect destination for the entire family, plenty of family-friendly spots like Rayback Collective will also welcome spectators of all ages to watch and enjoy the race.
Our hope is that runners and spectators from around the world will come to Boulder to participate in the city’s marathon. The area, after all, is known as one of the great training grounds for Olympians, world-class athletes and leisure runners alike. With Boulderthon, everyone will be able to experience an exciting race in a setting where natural beauty meets metropolitan excitement at the foot of the Rockies.
How is Boulderthon being organized? What will the course be like?
The race is a half and full marathon course, designed to start at the Boulder Reservoir and incorporate amazing views of Boulder’s scenic Flatirons. Despite the city’s high altitude, the course is fairly flat overall, making Boulderthon a great event for both beginning marathoners and elite athletes. This race will also serve as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
Right now, we have two running challenges to encourage sign-ups, the Colorado College Challenge and the Corporate Challenge.
The Colorado College Challenge offers a great line-up of perks:
- Get 10 of your friends together and represent your school on the college leaderboard vs. other schools
- Enjoy easy online registration for your club or friends
- Run either race — the marathon or half marathon — with your college team
- Enjoy on-site registration for your college group (10+ runners required)
- Receive complimentary 12-week Boulderthon Marathon or Half Marathon online training programs
- Get exclusive back bibs for Boulderthon College Challenge participants (10+ runners required)
- Enjoy VIP post-race recovery massages, unlimited rehydration bar and coffee for all participants
- Earn bragging rights, plus recognition and awards given to the biggest participating college team and the “fastest” college team, based on best 10 finisher times
The perks of the Corporate Challenge include:
- Enjoy easy online registration for your employees
- Run either race — the marathon or half marathon — with your company
- Enjoy on-site registration for companies that meet requirements (10+ runners required)
- Receive complimentary 12-week Boulderthon Marathon or Half Marathon online training programs
- Get exclusive back bibs for Boulderthon Corporate Challenge participants (10+ runners required)
- Enjoy VIP post-race recovery massage, unlimited rehydration bar and coffee for all participants
- Earn recognition and awards for the biggest participating company team and the “fastest” company team, based on best 10 finisher times
What are the expectations for Boulderthon?
Based on the numbers for the Boulder Backroads race that we’ve acquired, we originally expected around 2,000 runners for our first year. But considering how our numbers are trending, we now anticipate around 3,000 runners for the half and full marathons.
What are the challenges of running — and organizing — a high altitude marathon event?
Running a high altitude marathon will definitely push you. At altitude, there are lower levels of oxygen and this forces the body to work harder to produce more red blood cells. The best way to acclimate to this is to give yourself extra time (come a few days early) and drink plenty of water.
Fair warning – on the flip side, when you return to lower altitudes, you may very well feel like Superman or Superwoman! Your muscles get a natural boost when additional oxygen is available.
From a race organization and production standpoint, the only challenge is to ensure ample amounts of hydration and we’re fully staffed to address this. We’ve partnered with Boulder-based Skratch Labs to provide the purest, most natural form of nutrition mix, and with Eldorado Springs, an award-winning local spring water source, for all our starting line, on-course, and post-race hydration stations.
What retail stores/sponsors are involved in the event?
We are currently partnering with Boulder Running Company, Frasca, Ozo Coffee, Cured, Hydrate IV, Purely Elizabeth, Skratch Labs, Eldorado Springs, Downtown Boulder Partnership, and expect to partner with Crunch Boulder, CYL Sauna Studio, Stretch Zone and Runners Roost, along with many other great local partners.
