Everything Happening at the Choice City Running Festival
Two Days. Countless Ways to Be Part of Fort Collins’ Biggest Running Celebration.
The Choice City Running Festival returns August 7-8 with something for everyone—from first-time walkers and kids racing their very first mile to elite athletes chasing fast times. Whether you’re running, walking, cheering, or just soaking in the atmosphere, downtown Fort Collins comes alive with music, spectators, local businesses, and thousands of people celebrating movement together.
Here’s what’s waiting for you:
FREE Kids Mile (12 & Under)
Running memories start here
For many kids, this will be their very first finish line. And for many more, a summer tradition that they look forward to running and collecting their finisher medal.
The FREE Kids Mile gives young runners the chance to experience the excitement of a real race—complete with race bibs, cheering crowds, an official finish line, finisher medals, and race photos capturing all the smiles that come with crossing it. Parents are welcome to run alongside younger children, making it a memorable family experience they’ll talk about long after race day.
Best part? It’s completely FREE.
Create a memory they’ll never forget.
And thanks to our community sponsor, Colleen Yoo of the Group, it’s FREE!
What’s Your Mile Time?
Everyone Should Know Their Number.
Ask a runner their marathon time…
Ask a triathlete their Ironman time…
But ask almost anyone their mile time, and you’ll probably get a blank stare.
The mile is one of the simplest—and most iconic—distances in running. It’s short enough that almost anyone can do it, yet challenging enough to leave you wanting another shot.
Whether your goal is:
- Break 5 minutes
- Break 7 minutes
- Run under 10
- Finish your very first mile without stopping
The Mountain Avenue Mile is your opportunity to discover your number.
Once you know it…You’ll want to beat it next year.
Bring your Mountain Ave Mile t-shirt to the Runners Roost tent to get your mile time printed on the sleeve of your t-shirt – FREE – and proudly sport your accomplishment and use it as motivation to get faster next year!
Invite Someone to Walk the Mile
One Mile Can Change Someone’s Day.
Help us include new participants. To share that feeling you have felt, starting the race, feeling the excitement, the sight of the finish line. The high fives with strangers, and the contribution to the community.
Not every finish line begins with a runner.
Sometimes it starts with an invitation.
Invite your spouse.
Invite your neighbor.
Invite your coworker.
Invite your parents.
The Walking Mile is designed for everyone—no training required.
Spend 20–30 minutes walking one of Fort Collins’ most beautiful streets alongside thousands of others celebrating health, community, and movement.
Sometimes the best conversations happen while walking.
Who could you invite to walk with you?
The Walk is a new and discounted category to invite any and all to join our community. Help us share the love of fitness – share this code (SAVE50) that gives 50% off the entry fee to anyone who wants to walk the Mountain Avenue Mile walking wave.
Volunteer & Be Part of the Magic
Help Create the Finish Line Moments Everyone Remembers.
Every high-five, every finish line celebration, every safe course crossing, and every smiling runner is made possible by an incredible team of volunteers. Whether you’re handing out medals, cheering at an intersection, helping at an aid station, or welcoming participants at registration, you’ll play a direct role in creating an unforgettable weekend for thousands of runners and walkers.
No experience is needed—just a positive attitude and a willingness to be part of something special. Grab a friend, family member, coworker, or team and volunteer together!
Plus, all volunteers receive a swag bag with event t-shirt, snacks, giveaways, and breakfast ticket (Saturday volunteers). Volunteer booth will also have cold drinks, coffee (Saturday), and snacks for you to enjoy during your shift.
Bonus: Everyone who signs up to be a course marshal will be entered to win an Altitude Running gift card (20 winners!), perfect for your next pair of running shoes or favorite gear.
Help make race weekend happen—and you just might leave with more than great memories.
🚋 Muscle vs. Machine 5K Challenge
Can Humans Beat a 110-Year-Old Streetcar?
One of Fort Collins’ favorite traditions is back.
In this unique downtown showdown, runners race Historic Birney Car 21 through the streets of Fort Collins in the annual Muscle vs. Machine 5k Challenge.
The trolley has over a century of history…
You have two legs.
Who wins?
More Than Just a Race
The Choice City Running Festival is more than miles and finish times.
Enjoy:
- Live announcers and music
- Downtown festival atmosphere
- Spectator-friendly racing
- Local sponsors and vendors
- Snooze Pancake breakfast
- Food Trucks
- Family activities
- Fast, scenic courses
- A community celebration unlike any other in Northern Colorado
Running Summit
Learn from the Best. Get Inspired. Run Smarter.
Take your running beyond race day at the Choice City Running Summit on Saturday, August 8. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or chasing a marathon PR, the summit brings together some of the sport’s most respected coaches, athletes, and experts for an afternoon of inspiration and practical advice.
Hear from Olympian Kara Goucher, trail running champion Brittany Charboneau, biomechanics expert Dr. Ray Browning, and veteran coach Craig Depperschmidt as they share training tips, race strategies, injury prevention, nutrition, and the mindset that fuels lifelong running.
Come for the races—leave with new knowledge, fresh motivation, and ideas that will make every mile ahead even better.
→ Reserve your seat before the summit sells out.
Don’t Miss It
The countdown is on.
Thousands of participants will fill downtown Fort Collins on August 7-8, and many races continue to fill as race weekend approaches.
Don’t be the one hearing everyone talk about it afterward.
Join the celebration. Find your mile. Bring a friend. Make a memory.
See you at the starting line.
