A seventh-grade female student whose parent requested anonymity runs during a training session at Bruce Randolph School as part of the Colfax Fly Feet program. In its first year, this program was created by the Denver Colfax Marathon to introduce at-risk youth to running. The girls will be running the Colfax 5K on May 18th, and there is no cost to enter. (Daniel Brenner/Denver Post Special)
For most of his adult life, Patrick Rizzo has been a professional runner pursuing his dream of running the marathon in the Olympics. He competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials four times and finished in the top 10 in numerous U.S. Championship races.
But there was another reason why he ran away.
“Life takes you through what I call the rolling hills of life,” said Rizzo, who retired from professional running in 2020. Them. Running keeps you balanced. I went through some really low points in my life and running got me through them. ”
That's why Rizzo, 40, is running the Colfax Half Marathon on May 19th as a fundraiser to support a new running program for at-risk youth in the Denver area. He wants young people to learn that what running did for him can also help them.
This year, Denver Colfax Marathon officials are launching the Colfax Fly Feet to give at-risk youth and people with chronic illnesses or physical or mental disabilities a chance to experience the sport. He created a program called. They help kids get started training and running with his 5K, which is part of the Colfax Marathon weekend. Participants can run the race for free.
More than 100 people have registered. Colfax Marathon officials hope to expand the program in the future, which is part of the reason Rizzo is running the Colfax Half Marathon. To promote the Fly Feet program, Rizzo will start at the back of the pack. For every time he passes, race officials donate his $1 to Fly His Feet. This will earn him more than $5,000 to expand the program next year. Rizzo is an officer at his Marathon in Colfax.
Colfax Marathon partners participating in the Fly Feet program include Denver Kids, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Colorado, Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, and Boys on the Right Track.
“This program aligns with Denver Kids’ (mission) to provide support and guidance, to open up opportunities, and to help (young people) understand how to get into a field that may not initially interest them. It’s a perfect fit,” said Denver Kids board member Michael Macias. “They provide a community to do (racing). There's great energy, excitement, and it brings people together.”
Before a recent training session at Bruce Randolph School, five seventh-grade girls shared their thoughts about their upcoming race. The parents asked that their names be withheld, but their enthusiasm was palpable. They spoke through an interpreter.
- “This is my first time participating in a race and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
- “This event will be a lot of fun and I think it will be a unique experience.”
- “This is a new opportunity for me in this country. I'm really looking forward to participating and having fun with my friends.”
- “I know it’s something I’ll remember forever.”
Macias doesn't like the word “at-risk” applied to young people.
“We like to call our students 'students of potential' because we believe they have the opportunity to dream and that they can achieve anything they dream of. ,” Macias said.
Colfax Marathon CEO Andrea Dowdy said the goal is to expand the Fly Feet program to thousands of children in the future.
“We can provide these kids with opportunities that might not otherwise be open to them,” Dowdy said. “They can walk, run, jog, do whatever they want. For us, it's about how do we get them into this sport that's so easy and low-cost. Our hope is that they will come home and run around the block with their parents or use it to prepare for their fall soccer program. We just want them to start running and doing outdoor activities. is.”
The Colfax Marathon has a long-standing partnership with Girls on the Run, a national running and mentoring program for elementary school girls. This year more than 2,000 Girls on the Run participants will run her Colfax 5K.
“'Girls on the Run' was a big step for us,” Dowdy said. “But what about the rest of the kids? What about Denver's at-risk youth who aren't participating in Girls on the Run? What about boys? I'm going to continue my relationship with The Run. It's an amazing organization. They train every week to prepare for the race. But if it works, what else can I do? I thought, who was left behind?”
Lizzo was a wrestler in high school, but after getting braces on her teeth, she lost hearing in both ears. He had to quit wrestling because his sense of balance was impaired. He was shunned by his classmates and his grades suffered. He devoted all his energy to running.
“I knew that even if I couldn't hear for the rest of my life, I could always run,” Rizzo said before running the 2016 Colfax Marathon, which she won. “I focused on being the best runner I could be.”
Later, after the brace was removed, hearing in one ear returned, and the cause of the hearing loss became clear. He was allergic to surgical steel.
“Getting more kids involved in positive activities like running is a really great way to share what we feel are life-changing experiences with the next generation,” Rizzo said. “Now more than ever, I think it's absolutely necessary to teach young people how to cope positively, how to deal with adversity. It's absolutely necessary to share that with the younger generation.”
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