BOULDER, Colo. — It’s called “America’s all-time best 10k and it draws thousands every single year.
Monday marked the 36th annual BolderBOULDER Memorial Day race.
Under a blue sky and a blazing sun, close to 55,000 runners took to the track, donning tutus and costumes, some even carrying props.
“We`re going to finish this race strong just like every proud American would want us to,” said one dressed up runner as he crossed the starting line.
But of all the festive attire nothing stood stronger than that of the American flag.
“We`re celebrating life. Life and breath,” said race walker Stanley Grownek of Boulder.
It is a Memorial Day race so it`s only fitting that the citizen winners were a U.S. Air Force Pilot on the men’s side and a major in the Air Force on the women’s side.
But thousands of other runners had their very own reasons for competing in Monday`s race.
For two-time cancer survivor Rosemary Czuba it was about celebrating her father, a veteran. “Go Dad. I know you`re watching me,” she said as she looked up toward the sky.
It was also about showing off her renewed zest for life. “I feel energy. It just kept me going. It was just a swell of energy. I loved it,” she said. “All I can say is that I`m ecstatic. I love life. And if I ever thought I didn`t, I know now I love life. I`m going to flash mob every chance I get,” she said.
For race walker Karina Olivas, one of the last to walk across that finish line, completing the race was a message to herself and a lesson for others. “I wanted to prove that no matter what I look like, I could do this,” Olivas said.
“People look at me and they have a certain idea of what I do but they don`t know that I do things like this and I don`t just sit around on the couch. So this is a huge moment for me,” she said.
Back this year to conclude the 10K, an F-16 flyover by the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center from NAS Fallon, Nevada.