After much anticipation and a little training, October 1st, the day of the Skirt Sports Skirt Chaser 5k, finally arrived. The afternoon of the race was crisp and clear as women (and some men, apparently) all over Denver slipped on their running skirts, and the cool autumn breeze drifted through our windows while we hydrated and munched on protein bars.
Actually, I shouldn’t say we because I, dear readers, was not allowed to go to the race. That’s right. All these wiry runners booking it around Sports Authority Field at Mile High (formerly Invesco Field), chasing skirts, drinking beers, and I was stuck inside all day because I absolutely had to work.
Ugh.
Luckily, I was able to catch up with Veronica, one of the runners, and live vicariously through her for a few minutes. The race course was around the field and the runners crossed the finish line inside the stadium. I’m sure the course provided glorious cityscapes of little Denver, and Veronica agreed that it was lovely to look at.
“As a beginner runner, I didn’t think the course was that easy!” she said with a laugh.
I’m thinking maybe she wanted to close the three-minute gap between her and the fellas. Catch me if you can, indeed. She wasn’t the only one either. Everyone was dressed to impress in their favorite Skirt Sports garb and, to these lads and lasses, pink is always the new black. Some girls (and guys!) even dressed up in tutus and wigs to catch the eye of a future lovah.
The block party kicked off fifteen minutes after the start of the race with vendors like Mad Greens, EVOL burritos, White Girl Salsa, Door to Door Organics and Rudi’s Bakery sampling their products. Chantelle Dron crossed the finish line first with a time of 17:11, followed by Lori Walker at 17:34. The first Chaser to cross the line at 17: 52 was Ewen North.
“The best part was when we got to run in the stadium, around the football field, and the Jumbotron said stuff about Skirt Chaser on it,” said Veronica. “It was the last half mile so it was fun because everyone got energized!” I can only imagine “Chariots of Fire” playing in surround sound with I run in slow motion.
Veronica sipped on a couple free Avery beers while That Eighties Band rocked everyone’s running shoes off. The runners chatted, mingled and danced, which was exactly Skirt Sports founder Nicole DeBoom’s aim in her creation of the race. If I’ve learned anything in my somewhat limited years of being a runner, it’s that these kinds of athletes develop a kind of camaraderie that’s different from other sports relationships. It’s because people who don’t run just don’t GET it. But as new runner Veronica has found out, there’s always room for one more. And maybe if I can get off work next year, I can friggin’ be a part of it, too.