Posted: May 17, 2005

Athletics: BolderBOULDER Navigates a New Course

BOULDER, Colo. - (May 16, 2005) - In an effort to avoid congestion on the course due to the traffic circles on downtown streets the BolderBOULDER has made a few changes to its race route.

"There would have been seven total traffic mitigation devices in the span of 3 kilometers of the course for our 2005 race if we had left the course the same. The added traffic circles and crosswalks plus our increasing numbers prompted the change," said Assistant Race Director, Matt Jenkins.

Navigating around the traffic circles is nothing new for race participants. Since 2001 the race has rounded the travel circles on Balsam and Pine. In 2004, when city officials announced they would be adding three more travel circles on race course streets and BolderBOULDER participation drew close to 48,000, race directors decided it was time to change the course.

At just past halfway, the new course travels west on Cedar from 17th to 13th and avoids the circles on west Balsam. It bypasses Pine Street to run on downtown streets surrounding the Pearl Street Mall. From there the course goes east on Pearl to 20th Street and rejoins the old course at mile 5. To recover some of the distance lost in these changes, a block was added in North Boulder at 4K. Now the race heads north on 20th street from Glenwood Drive, west on to Vista Drive and then south onto 19th street, adding another neighborhood to the scenic course.

While the race believes the course changes will ensure smooth race flow for years to come, it is not without some remorse that the changes were made.

"We still have guys who call every year - they want us to finish back in North Boulder Park, just like we did in 1979," explained Course Coordinator Carl Mohr, "Can you imagine trying to pack 50,000 runners into that park shelter nowadays? I think there might be a city ordinance or two against that kind of thing."

Race Director Cliff Bosley is excited about the change, "It is the first time in eleven years we have had to change the course. We want to ensure the smoothest race flow possible in a race this size, and the old course could not best accommodate it. Participants will move along a little faster and everyone will get to see some new communities and scenery along the way. It's going to be great!"

See the new course here: www.bolderboulder.com.

About BolderBOULDER
The Celestial Seasonings BolderBOULDER 10K, a Running USA Founding Member, is one of the largest road races in the world and the largest timed 10K in the world. The race attracts up to 50,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair racers and draws professional racing teams from all over the world to compete for the largest non-marathon prize purse in road racing. The race starts at the north end of 30th Street in Boulder near the First National Bank of Colorado, winds through neighborhoods with live music and entertainment at every corner, and finishes in the University of Colorado's Folsom Field. More than 100,000 spectators watch the festivities from inside the stadium and along the course. Every year, the race makes donations to local charities that provide volunteers to help stage the race. Over the years, beneficiaries have included the Boulder Humane Society, Attention Homes, Younglife, Boulder Optimists, local schools and church youth groups.

The BolderBOULDER is proud to be partnered with the following primary sponsors: Celestial Seasonings, Frontier Airlines and Millennium Hotel. The 27th BolderBOULDER will be held on Memorial Day, May 30, 2005.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.