For the first time in its 17-year race history, the Denver Colfax Marathon, presented by Cigna, has sold out the marathon (26.2 mile) race distance. The city’s only marathon weekend will take place May 19-21, 2023. While the marathon distance has reached its limit for registrants, people can still sign up for the half marathon, urban 10-miler, marathon relay and 5k.
More than 20,000 runners are expected to race in Denver’s largest running event of the year and the event will have more marathon runners than ever before.
“Year after year, we strive to make this race weekend better for runners,” said Andrea Dowdy, CEO of the Denver Colfax Marathon. “This might be one of the best marathon weekends to date and we are thrilled to welcome athletes to Denver’s favorite running weekend of the year.”
Race weekend events are spread over three days and begin on Friday with the Cigna Denver Colfax Marathon Expo at Empower Field at Mile High. The expo is on Friday and Saturday, and is expected to welcome 36,000 runners, family, friends, and the public.
The Denver Colfax Marathon race weekend features eight races over two days. The Saturday morning 5K kicks off all the races in City Park. Sunday races include the marathon, marathon relay (four divisions), half marathon and urban 10 miler.
Sunday races will end in City Park with an after-race party that is expected to welcome close to 50,000 people. Athletes, family, and friends are invited to a lakeside celebration party and live band.
The Denver Colfax Marathon welcomed back Cigna as the title sponsor for its 2023 race. Cigna has over 70,000 colleagues around the world, and almost 2,000 here in Colorado, with its Mountain States region headquartered in Denver.
As part of its partnership with the marathon, Cigna paid the registration fee for 2,000 Girls on the Run of the Rockies participants who will run a 5K in the marathon weekend. The Girls on the Run of the Rockies chapter is a nonprofit serving third to eighth grade girls all along the Front Range.
“Our recommitment to the Denver Colfax Marathon is a terrific way for us to support the vitality of our community through active lifestyles and good emotional health,” said Brett Winingham, the market growth leader for Cigna Healthcare of the Mountain States. “We look forward to supporting the race – as well as Girls on the Run.”
The marathon also welcomed REI and Casa Bonita to its sponsor line up this year, giving runners and volunteers more opportunities and incentives than ever before.
“We are extremely grateful to all our sponsors for supporting our race weekend,” Dowdy said. “The Denver Colfax Marathon is a nonprofit that gives back to Colorado, so these companies help make our race a reality.”
The Denver Colfax Marathon has one of the largest Charity Partner Programs in the nation, with 150 to 200 nonprofits using the marathon to raise money and awareness each year. Nonprofits get to keep all the money they raise through the marathon platform, and the marathon also awards $100,000 to local nonprofits every year.
To register for a race, volunteer or to learn more, please visit www.runcolfax.org.