Denver’s Race for the Cure, which annually attracted 54-65,000 runners and walkers over a six-year period a decade ago, will be replaced this year by a new event organizers are calling the More Than Pink Walk.
The Race for the Cure attracted 30,000 as recently as 2014, but numbers declined since then, ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 annually, according to Beth Dunham, director of marketing and communications for theSusan G. Komen Colorado Foundation.
The Race for the Cure, which dates back to 1993, was always more of a run/walk than a competitive race. Overall fundraising figures were unavailable, but it raised more than $2 million from 2015 to 2018, Dunham said.
“The vast majority of our participants over the years have been walkers,” Dunham said. “By focusing on a walk, we think we can create a better sense of community. And by eliminating some of the expenses associated with certifying and managing a timed race, we’re able to maximize the funds available to support our mission. People are more than welcome to run it, of course, but it won’t be timed.”
Many Komen affiliates around the country have made the switch from Race for the Cure to the More Than Pink Walk, Dunham said, but the Komen Colorado Springs Race for the Cure will take place as usual at the Garden of the Gods on Sept. 8. Denver’s More Than Pink Walk will take place Sept. 29 at the Auraria Campus.
