| as "the largest five mile race in the nation." The race was in it's 25th year in 2007 having a long and proud standing history with the city of Denver. The race starts on the East Side of the Cherry Creek Mall. The participant breakdown is as follows: Elite 5 Mile - 38 Participants (34 Male, 4 Female) 5 Mile Run/Walk - 4460 Participants (1947 Male, 2513 Female) 5K Run/Walk - 3114 Participants (1175 Male, 1939 Female) 1 Mile Student - 392 Participants (183 Male, 209 Female) Registration was $35 for early entry, and $40 for race day entry. The Race Packet included a long sleeve cotton T-shirt. The T-shirt receives a C in my opinion, nothing spectacular. The race packet also included a free Chipotle Burrito, which was an added bonus. I enjoyed the race. There was a great crowd and some good competition. However, there are some areas of improvement needed. The April 29, 2007 race day was hot! The problem was only amplified with the 9:15am race start. I realize that the 5k starts at 8am, but if most of the participants are in the 5 mile race then why not have those participants get the more desirable start time? Start the 5 mile race a 8am. I also see no reason for the "Elite" runners to start at 9:10am. The race attracts some good runners, but they are not "Elite" professional runners. I can understand if you are bringing in the type of pro-runners that run in the Bolder Boulder, but they are not pro-runners and there is also no prize money offered. I highly doubt anyone comes out just to watch this particular "Elite" group. The "Elite" group just adds to the confusion, as I ended up passing a few "Elite" runners with their five-minute head start over the "Citizens" race. This also makes it confusing for spectators to figure out who won the "Citizens" race when the "Elite" runners are getting passed. An idea is to have the "Elite" runners submit qualifying times, and pull them off the course if they are endangered of getting passed by the "Citizens" race. If the "Elite" can't beat all the "Citizen" runners with a five-minute head start then they shouldn't be in the "Elite" race. One last comment is that the race featured two U-turns which are never desirable in any race. U-turns slow runners down and cause bottle necks. At least one of the U-turns could be eliminated by circling a block. Overall, Cherry Creek Sneak is a solid race. However, I would expect a lot from a race that has been around for 25 years and one that also charges $35 for an entry fee. http://www.cherrycreeksneak.com/ |
Cherry Creek Sneak '07 Course Map:
Cherry Creak Sneak '07 Course Elevation:
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