Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon

As you run or walk the second annual Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon, your journey will take you from the plains of Aurora through the heart of Denver to the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Lakewood.

Spectators will cheer, bands will play and Colfax will show you its newly
invigorated neighborhoods and historic roots, its cultural centers and business districts. Block by block, you'll see the dream of a new Colfax unfolding.

The Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon will include:
-Full marathon
-Half marathon
-Men's, women's and mixed five-person relay teams (individual
legs of 10k, 5k, 10k, 5k, 12k)

THE EVENT ALSO HOSTS TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
2007 Wheelchair Track and Field USA (WTFUSA) National Wheelchair Marathon Championships
Elite wheelchair athletes will compete for the national championship and prize money. Many are vying for a position on the 2008 U.S. Paralympic team. This event is sponsored by Craig Hospital.

2007 USA Track and Field Club Relay Marathon Championships
Join or form a USA Track and Field (USATF) club and compete for the
USATF National Club Marathon Relay Championships. Top men's and women's teams will compete for their national title and prize money.

Calling all Colorado Companies: Put down the Blackberry, lock up the board room and grab your running shoes!

This year, the Colorado Colfax Marathon is launching its first ever Corporate Relay Challenge. If you think you and your co-workers have the fastest feet on the street, then warn your competition and start your training.

Promote camaraderie and fitness throughout your organization while going head to head with industry counterparts to claim victory.

Not a speed demon already? For those wanting to gain the competitive edge, the Denver Athletic Club (DAC) is offering a FREE Corporate Relay training program designed to assist athletes at every level. As part of the program, the wellness staff of at the DAC will provide a running program, strength program, monthly seminars, and weekly group runs with opportunities for socializing and networking. Contact Scott Poston at sposton@denverathleticclub.org to sign up for this free training program.

The mayors of Aurora, Denver and Lakewood are once again challenging cities across the state to participate in the second annual Municipal Cup. Last year, the Aurora Fire Department brought home the inaugural Municipal Cup. This year we will be awarding winners in men's, women's and mixed flights.

The competition is open to all elected officials, city employees and their families. All you need to do to participate is form a five-person team to run the five legs of the 26.2-mile course along Colfax Avenue, starting at the Aurora Sports Park, traveling past the State Capitol Building in Denver and ending in Lakewood at Colorado Mills. The relay legs for the 26.2. miles are as follows: 10K, 5K, 10K, 5K, 12K. Participants will also be eligible for cash prizes awarded in the overall relay competition.

All races will begin at 6 a.m. Expect the temperature at the start to be
in the 50s to 60s.

Entry fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Sorry, no exceptions.

Packets must be picked up in advance of the race during the Post-News
Colorado Colfax Marathon Health and Fitness Expo at the Colorado
Convention Center. Stop by on Friday, May 18, noon to 7 PM, or
Saturday, May 19, 9 AM to 5 PM.

Registration will also be available on the days of the expo for the marathon ($110), half marathon ($70), and the marathon relay ($220).

With three events on a point to point course, a sophisticated transportation system is a must. Buses are available from the finish line to the start of the full marathon and each of the relay exchange zones. Buses from the relay exchange zones back to the finish are also provided. Participants running the half marathon are asked to park at the start line at City Park; transportation is available from the finish back to the half marathon start.

In addition to the excitement of the race, runners will enjoy:
- Pasta dinners with elite athlete spokespeople
- Free entrance to the Health and Fitness Expo
- Computer chip timing with split times throughout the course
- Transportation to the start line and relay exchange zones
- Baggage check at the starting line
- Marathon pace group leaders
- Fluid stations at 16 course locations
- Finish Line Festival: Live music, refreshments, food and massages

Every participant is a winner, which is why every participant will receive a T-shirt, medallion and certificate.

Awards will be given for the top men and women in 13 age divisions in the marathon and half marathon.

Awards and prize money will also go to the top men and women's finishers in the WTFUSA National Wheelchair Marathon Championships, the top men's and women's relay teams in the National USATF Club Marathon Relay Championships, and the top men's and women's relay teams in the open and masters divisions in the Post-News Colorado Colfax Marathon.

The Colorado Marathon Partnership is a nonprofit organization. Net proceeds from the marathon will go to Colorado Kids, a charity dedicated to preventing obesity and promoting fitness and health for schoolaged children. Colorado Kids will grant funds to school district foundations and other nonprofit organizations that support youth fitness.

You can help raise even more money for youth fitness by joining the Team for Colorado Kids. Team members will receive a complimentary race entry, coaching, race uniform, pre-event celebration dinner, one-night stay at the host hotel Saturday before the race, post-race massage, and lots of applause and personal satisfaction. To learn more, contact leslie@coloradocolfaxmarathon.org.

For training information, contact our official coaches at Runner's Edge
of the Rockies. You can call them at 303-320-EDGE or visit
www.runnersedgeoftherockies.com to learn more.

Not planning to run? Then, please celebrate race weekend as a volunteer. Thousands of volunteers are needed to work water stations, help at the Expo and support runners at the start and finish. All volunteers will receive a T-shirt and be honored guests at the volunteer appreciation party. To volunteer, contact tammy@coloradocolfaxmarathon.org.

With an elevation gain of roughly 280 feet, particularly in the last four miles, this unique course is a challenge waiting to be conquered. Although there is a climb at the end, the majority of the course is flat and fast, a straight shot down America's longest contiguous main street, Colfax Avenue.

Beginning at the Aurora Sports Park, your run or walk will take you through diverse neighborhoods, past the state Capitol Building in Denver to the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Lakewood where a celebration awaits.

This is a USATF certified and sanctioned course. The race serves as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.