The fast growing race series welcomes their new advisory board ahead of this year’s event
BOULDER, Colo. — Boulderthon has announced the creation of their Runner Experience Advisory Board, as well as the inaugural six members who will offer their expertise as part of the board. The creation of the board is rooted in Boulderthon’s mission to create a signature Boulder Marathon series in the community of Boulder, with a “for-runners, by-runners” focus on the participant experience, and to draw upon the depth of knowledge required to create a world-class marathon series.
The Runner Experience Advisory Board is made up of carefully selected elite athletes, recreational runners, business owners and key stakeholders in both the Boulder and wider running community. These members include:
● Latoya Shauntay Snell: Noted by The Root 100 as one of the most influential African Americans ages 25 to 45, Latoya Shauntay Snell is a sponsored multi-sport endurance athlete, body politics and inclusivity advocate, motivational speaker and content creator. She is the founder of Running Fat Chef® – a website dedicated to promoting movement without labels and challenging stereotypes of what athlete bodies should look like. She’s completed over 200 races including over 20 marathons and several ultramarathons.
● Nell Rojas: Rojas is an American Marathon Runner for Nike. She is ranked the 6th fastest female marathoner in the US and has finished as the top American at the 2021 and 2022 Boston Marathon, finishing in the top 10 at both races. She stands for inclusivity in the running space for people of color and for women’s empowerment. She also coaches athletes of all abilities to meet their running goals.
● Jenny Jurek: Jurek is an ultrarunner, apparel designer, small business owner and mother of two children with husband Scott Jurek. Jurek’s experience in product designing expands to notable brands like Patagonia, Salomon, Outdoor Research and Brooks, and she recently launched her own business “Always Up”, which offers performance products for pregnant women and new parents that she designs herself. She also is a co-author of the New York Times Best Seller, “NORTH” and is a graduate of CU Boulder. She and Scott have lived in Boulder since 2010.
● Ryan Van Duzer: Duzer is a Boulder native who wants to help make Boulderthon into a race that everyone feels comfortable participating in. His own running journey started by running in Kindergarten at Columbine Elementary’s Mile Marathon and has been running ever since. He is known for creating videos for his YouTube channel that are aimed at inspiring people to get out and challenge themselves.
● Scott Jurek: Named one of the greatest runners of all time, Scott Jurek has claimed victories in nearly all of ultrarunning’s elite trail and road events including the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which he’s won a record-breaking seven straight times. Off the trail, Jurek is a New York Times bestselling author for his memoir, “Eat & Run”, and co-author with his wife, Jenny Jurek, of New York Times Best Seller, “NORTH” about his record breaking run on the Appalachian Trail. Plant-based since 1999, Scott is a passionate chef and advocate for a plant-based lifestyle.
● Jonathan Levitt: Originally from Boston and now living in Boulder, Jonathan has spent a decade in sales, marketing and podcasting. His current role is Senior Sales Executive, Groups/Enterprise, at InsideTracker, and Podcast Host of “For The Long Run”. For The Long Run fuels his mission to explore how high-performing athletes and entrepreneurs are able to be successful, year after year. He has interviewed over 300 elite athletes and industry professionals, and has reached 1.5 million downloads.
Boulderthon’s Runner Experience Advisory Board will expand Boulderthon’s ability to ensure race routes, opportunities, prizes and overall experiences fit and exceed participants’ expectations. With the ever-changing nature of the endurance sports industry, Boulderthon strives to work proactively to continue to deliver a racing experience that is sought after by athletes of all kinds nationwide.
Registration for Boulderthon 2024 is open, and is expected to be a sell out year. The top-rated, fast-growing race series became the second-largest marathon series in Colorado in its first year of existence, and the largest fall running event in the state. In its second annual edition, Boulderthon drew runners from all 50 states as well as 15 countries, as the signature marathon showcased the world-class city of Boulder. In 2023, Active.com named Boulderthon one of the Top 5 Best Half Marathons in the United States.
The 2023 Boulderthon series saw an impressive turnout and incredible results. After the Twin Cities Marathon was canceled due to weather, Boulderthon’s race director, Phil Dumontet, generously offered free registration to all affected participants for the Boulderthon race a week later. This led to an additional 400 runners joining the event, including the men’s and women’s marathon champions, Ben Schneiderman and Hellen Jepkurgat, who were last-minute registrants.
The Boulderthon race series attracted nearly 7,000 participants of various ages and experience levels, with races starting and finishing in downtown Boulder. The event’s new locations aimed to highlight the town’s beauty and support local businesses. Visit Boulder estimated that Boulderthon generated around $7.6 million in direct impacts for the area, a substantial increase from the previous year, also benefiting over 5,000 jobs in retail, restaurant and hotel sectors.
For more information on Boulderthon, visit www.boulderthon.org.
About Boulderthon®
Boulderthon® was created in 2021 by avid New York Road Runner, Phil Dumontet, with the goal of bringing a world-class marathon to one of the great running hubs of the country. It is a Boston Marathon Qualifying (BQ), USATF Sanctioned Event, measured by a Level A USATF Course Measurer, representing the highest level of certification for a marathon race series. The race offers a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and children’s races. For more information, visit www.boulderthon.org.
