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July 4th festivities include inaugural Niwot Downhill Mile

Looking for a fun way to celebrate Independence Day this year? Now you can kick off the 4th with a celebratory run down Niwot Road.

Brand new for 2021, the Niwot Downhill Mile will feature a mostly downhill course starting at Niwot High School at 8 a.m. and finishing at Niwot Market. After the race, participants can enjoy a pancake breakfast at the Market until 10:30 a.m., along with local vendors before the motorcade kicks off at 11 a.m. Registration starts on the day of the race at Niwot Market at 6:45 a.m.

Proceeds from the race, which is being put on by 303 Running in conjunction with primary sponsors Niwot Market and Niwot Wheel Works, will go to the Niwot Youth Sports program and the effort to restore the tree carvings along Niwot Road.

Race director Henry Guzman said the idea for the mile race came from the recent Niwot Market-hosted fun runs. He credited Alison Steele of Niwot Market with the original idea, but noted that with COVID-19 last summer, they decided not to pursue putting on an event in 2020.

Guzman said that he started to feel optimistic about pulling off a 2021 race in early March when he put in an event application with the Niwot Business Association.

"Nobody knew where COVID was going to go and what was going to be open. I was putting faith in that everyone would be vaccinated. So when I submitted my application, I didn't want to do a virtual event," said Guzman.

With recent re-openings and reduced COVID-19 restrictions, the inaugural Niwot Mile is looking to go off without a hitch. Guzman, who has been attending local running events since they sporadically started back up in early February, said the running community seems eager to get back to in-person events.

"In all my years doing this, I've never seen a rebound, even in that first month after 9/11, of the running community as strong as it's been," said Guzman.

As to why he chose the mile distance, Guzman wanted to put on a community-focused event to give everyone a chance to celebrate not only the 4th of July, but also the comeback from a tough year.

"Everybody's just happy to be out. And a lot of the businesses, especially small businesses in Niwot and Boulder, struggled. A lot had a really hard time just staying afloat. And part of recognizing that is saying that was where we were, but where do we want to go? And part of that is a celebration," Guzman said.

"So for the celebration piece, I thought wouldn't it be cool if we did a mile. Everyone can do a mile, for the most part, so let's just make this more of a community event," he said.

Guzman said the downhill course, which averages around a 4% to 5% grade, should be great for runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.

"A mile downhill is hard. If you want to race it, you can run it hard. But you can also walk it and be done within half an hour and still be part of the event. We wanted to be inclusive, not exclusive," said Guzman.

For the competitive runners, the race is offering prize money with $300 for each of the first place male and female finishers and $100 for the top masters male and female finishers. Top high school runners and age group runners will also be recognized. And for all participants, there's the famous Niwot Market pancake breakfast to enjoy after the race, an event that regularly draws a large crowd of flapjack fans.

Other local sponsors include Niwot Real Estate, Hoka, Niwot Tavern, Porchfront Homes, Deborah Read Fowler-Colorado Landmark Realtors, Warren, Carlson & Moore Attorneys, Skratch Labs, Altitude Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, Niles Family Dentistry, Adam Robinson-Seven Wealth, Ultimate Direction, and Lovato Properties.

If you're new to the mile distance or perhaps dusting off your running shoes for the event, three-time Olympic Trials qualifier and professional coach at Get Running Coaching, Neely Spence-Gracey offers these tips:

Hydrate. It's summer in Colorado. Before you line up, be sure to focus on hydration. There's nothing worse than getting halfway through a race and realizing you're dehydrated.

Pace yourself. It's easy to get out hard, but when you're running a mile, especially at altitude, easing into the effort is best. I always strive to run my second half slightly faster than the first.

Find a friend. Running is way more fun with friends! If you didn't bring a friend or family member along, chat with other runners around you at the start. The road racing scene is a super fun and supportive community.

"The mile is the perfect length as an intro into road racing. Not too long, not too short, fun for all ages and abilities," said Spence-Gracey.

Plus, with pancakes waiting for you at the finish line, how can you go wrong?

For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://raceroster.com/events/2021/48143/the-niwot-mile

 

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