50,000 runners celebrate Memorial Day at Bolder Boulder

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Shortly after crossing the finish line, Louisville residents Mark and Vivian Johnson did what any father-daughter pair would do to memorialize their running of the Bolder Boulder — they took a selfie.

Mark Johnson, 48, and Vivian Johnson, 12, stayed together for the entire 10-kilometer race through Boulder.

Until Vivian challenged her dad to a little friendly competition, that is.

“She sprinted past me at the end,” Mark Johnson said, smiling. “Just to beat me. I can’t keep up with her.”

Runners of all ages, wearing all sorts of costumes, wigs, face paint and athletic gear, crossed the finish line at Folsom Field on Monday morning during the 38th running of Boulder’s annual Memorial Day race.

All told, race officials estimated that approximately 50,000 people registered for this year’s Bolder Boulder. They were still tabulating the number of runners who completed the race. Typically, roughly 90 percent of registered runners finish, according to historical data.

It was crisp and cool as runners warmed up at 30th and Walnut streets early in the day, but it didn’t take long for the sun to heat the course and the University of Colorado’s campus, where thousands of spectators and race participants milled around.

Entertaining race route

Outside the stadium, runners were entertained by a Blues Brothers cover band, amateur disc jockeys in their front yards, an Elvis impersonator, bagpipes and two sets of energetic belly dancers.

Residents who live along the race route sat in lawn chairs or stood on the sidewalk, yelling from bullhorns and holding signs, like one that read, “If Trump can run, so can you!” and, “Worst parade ever!”

They handed out bacon, offered runners beer and jello shots, and supervised slip-and-slides.

With temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s on Monday morning, there were “significantly” more medical transports and contacts with runners, according to Todd Dorfman, the race’s medical director.

Read more: ‘Boulder on fire’: 50,000 runners celebrate Memorial Day at Bolder Boulder | Daily Camera

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