Fort Collins hoping new Fortitude 10k is Colorado's next big race

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Next Labor Day, thousands of runners are expected to hit the streets of Fort Collins for the new Fortitude 10k.

Starting near Moby Arena, the race will take runners through the streets of Fort Collins before they cross the finish line inside the new CSU stadium. In fact, the race will be the first event held at the new stadium.

“There was a lot of discussion, but at the end of the day, it was about how can we celebrate Fort Collins, celebrate CSU, the new stadium and do it in a collaborative way,” said Gary Ozzello, the executive director of community outreach for Colorado State University.

There is a reason why the premise of the race sounds a lot like the Bolder Boulder. Organizers of that race have agreed to help put together the Fort Collins run, the first time they have agreed to branch out since the Bolder Boulder launched back in 1979.

“We’ve been on and off having a conversation over the last three years,” Bolder Boulder race director Cliff Bosley said. “So I guess good things take time.”

Despite being put together by those who have worked on the Boulder run for years, organizers expect the Fortitude to have a unique personality all its own.

“One of the things we talk about here is a world class community and a world-class university and we're going to have a world-class event,” added Ozzello.

Registration for the first race will open up on November 1. The race itself is Labor Day of next year, September 4, 2017.