It’s back!
Organizers of the FORTitude and BOLDERBoulder have announced the return of the FORTitude 10K, which will be run in Fort Collins on Labor Day, Sept. 6.
“We are thrilled to be back in action for the fourth running of the FORTitude,” Race Director Cliff Bosley said. “We’ve been anticipating this announcement all year and have been busy planning after having to cancel last year’s race because of the pandemic.”
For many months, the team has been in regular contact with the City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University officials about the race. The 2021 event will be the first traditional, in- person race staged by the BOLDERBoulder team in Colorado since COVID-19 prompted the cancellation of all road running races in 2020 and the spring of 2021 in Colorado, including what would have been the 42nd running of the BOLDERBoulder.
“This is really exciting news,” Bosley said. “Race participants will remember the 2021 FORTitude 10K as the return to in-person races. Since 2017, ‘Go Fort and Conquer’ has been the battle cry of the race and continues to embody the spirit of Fort Collins. The event is a great way to observe Labor Day.”
Changes for 2021
This year’s race will have a new wave start specifically designed for the unique characteristics of FORTitude’s participants, featuring 26 waves. Participants will be placed in a wave with other participants who run the same pace, and the wave start will spread participants out over the entire course, effectively managing the race with a planned, even flow crossing the finish line.
The race will also run on a new course. The new start line is located on Laurel Avenue just east of South Washington Avenue, and the new route features an out-and-back scenic tour of Fort Collins’ picturesque historic neighborhoods – City Park, Lake Sheldon, downtown, Mountain Avenue and Colorado State University. As with previous years’ routes, it is a relatively flat course, producing one of the fastest 10K races at or above 5,000 feet.
Bosley also said the new course will have the added excitement of participants being able to view fellow runners, local bands and other musical entertainment on both the outbound and return sections of the course.
The finish line for the new route will be on Meridian Avenue, just outside of Canvas Stadium at CSU, with a new mini-festival in the finish line area. The festival will include live entertainment, food and beverages, and an expo featuring select sponsors and their food samples and goodies.
A community event
From the beginning, the race has been conceived and staged for the community, on behalf of the City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University.
“I’m very excited that the FORTitude 10K is coming back this year,” said Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry. “This event has become a Labor Day tradition that showcases our world-class community and brings together participants and fans alike. I’m grateful for the return and our partnership with the BOLDERBoulder team and Colorado State University.”
“The energy on the race course and the excitement at the finish line in the heart of the CSU campus is always a blast,” said Mike Hooker, director of media relations and Denver outreach at Colorado State University. “We’re extremely grateful to our partners at the City of Fort Collins and the FORTitude/BOLDERBoulder race organization for pulling together again for this great community event, and we can’t wait to see everybody out there.”
Race registration opens today, July 8, at www.bolderboulder.com.
The race packages include the official 2021 FORTitude race shirt; tickets for food, drink and other goodies; a bib number with electronic RFID timing to provide accurate finish and split times for every mile; plus special offers from race sponsors, including a $10 gift card from the Boulder Running Company.
For more information, visit www.bolderboulder.com
About the FORTitude 10K
Since its founding in 2017, the FORTitude 10K has attracted more than 15,000 runners, joggers and walkers. Hosted in Fort Collins, Colorado, the race is one of the fastest 10,000-meter courses at or above an elevation of 5,000 feet. The race starts near Colorado State University, winds through historic neighborhoods in Fort Collins, and finishes on the CSU campus. The FORTitude name and battle cry – “Go Fort and Conquer” – embody the spirit that invites seasoned and new runners to join the fun and show their toughness running at high altitude.
