Women and children crossed the finish line Saturday morning wearing temporary mustache tattoos and fake facial hair in solidarity with mustachioed men.
Roughly 1,100 people completed the Mustache Dache 5-kilometer race, which started at 7 a.m. at Stapleton Central Park amid freezing temperatures.
Mustaches and costumes were highly encouraged at the event, which raised money to fight testicular and prostate cancer.
Ten percent of the $30 to $40 registration fees benefited , a charity organization operating in 21 countries that promotes awareness of men’s health issues by encouraging the growth of mustaches during November. Movember, which has held previous Mustache Dache races in Seattle, expanded this year into a 10-race series in the U.S.
Denver participants outraised each of the other cities by a few hundred dollars, said Jillian Becker, whose employer, CooperWynn Events, organized four of this year’s races.
Becker expects that the series, which makes its final stop in Las Vegas next Sunday, will raise at least $20,000.
Sarah Pizzo, who finished first among the women with a time of 18 minutes, 15 seconds, had never participated in a costumed race. She was one of a few dozen competitive runners who wore a costume Saturday. Pizzo and her friend Elizabeth Carey dressed as 1980s Jazzercisers.
Unlike most recreational 5Ks, the Dache was timed.
“It’s important to know your time if you’re trying to run fast,” Carey said.
But Ginnie Rotter and Zack Hollis — with giant slices of foam bread strapped to their backs — weren’t planning to run the race in record time.
When the two hugged at the end of the course, they formed a complete peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“It’s a fun way to support a good cause,” Rotter said.
Alison Noon: 303-954-1223, anoon@denverpost.com
