It's the only race in the country that does this. Julie Leins of Lakewood, a serious recreational runner who has been running the Bolder Boulder since 1980, agrees that Folsom finish is one of the race's top attractions. Born during the first running boom, the Bolder Boulder continued to grow despite a flattening of running's popularity in the late 1980s and early '90s. Now it is riding a second running boom that is rolling across America, exceeding Bosley's greatest expectations. Boulder gave Bosley precious raw material to build a superior road race.
Boulder is a state of mind where physical activity is revered.
Shorter gets some of credit, because he was the first of the world-class runners to make Boulder home. Now Boulder probably has more world-class runners per capita than any town in America, and it has become a mecca for cyclists and triathletes as well. When Shorter moved here in 1970, the town was a magnet for rock climbers, but there wasn't much running going on. Two years later he became the first American man in 64 years to win the Olympic marathon. He still marvels that he was welcomed to use the CU track when no one knew who he was.