Audio By Carbonatix
Denver’s public parks date back to the 1870s, when city planners and the state legislature had the foresight to pave the way — or, rather, not pave the way — for our current boom in outdoor activities nearly a century and a half later. So today you can run yourself ragged on the grand tour in the Aetna Park to Park 10-miler, which starts at 7 a.m. in City Park, near 23rd Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, and makes its way through Cheesman, Alamo Placita and Washington parks on its way to the finish line at the Denver Public Schools All City Stadium at 1450 South Franklin Street. There’s also a 5-miler option, new this year, that starts at Cheesman Park, Eighth Avenue and Franklin Street.
“We’re always amazed by how many locals come up to us at the finish line and tell us they’ve never seen some of these parks before,” says race director Maureen Roben. “I grew up living in Denver and had always assumed every runner trained in those parks. We thought it would be great to put on a race to connect them.”
Because it’s a point-to-point race, Roben says she’s encouraging runners to park a car near the finish line in the South High School parking lot, then carpool to the start. There’s no race-day registration, so be sure to sign up in advance at www.parktopark10miler.com. Registration is $70 for the 10-miler, $60 for the 5-miler; proceeds benefit the Pancreatica project of the Cancer Patients Alliance.
Mon., Sept. 5, 7 a.m., 2011
