CREEDE — The annual Runoff Runoff marathon registration is open and runners from across the US have already signed up for the event that takes place in early June.

The event has gone from a small fundraiser to one that brings in over 100 participants from all over the US to the small mountain town of Creede at the beginning of June. 

The event is an area favorite and was missed during the 2020 summer. Those who participate every year are pleased to have the event back and are ready to hit the road running. There will be some changes this year due to COVID, but the heart of the event will remain the same as will the marathon itself.  

The Runoff Runoff started as a way to educate the public on the importance of preserving the nation’s headwater rivers like the Rio Grande. In the early days, when Forrest Getz and Heather Dutton began the event, it was known to locals as the High Country Hustle and was the only fundraising event for the Willow Creek Reclamation Company (WCRC) for the year. The funds went directly to WCRC projects for the coming year and usually took place in April.

Now the race has gained speed and national attention from runners all over the globe. What began as a small local fundraiser has now become a large event for the education of water preservation and restoration throughout the region. All funds now go to preservation efforts through the Headwaters Alliance.

This year the event will take place on June 4 and early registration is open through the end of April. There is a new course that takes runners along the Rio Grande along Deep Creek Road. The marathon and half marathon runners will enjoy a picturesque route that keeps running along Highway 149 limited, allowing for a more enjoyable race. 

In addition to the new course, participants will have to run an additional 1.6 miles to complete the full marathon event.

“The Runoff Runoff started as a World Water Day event to raise awareness of local and global water issues. The distance of the 6K is the average distance that people have to walk to get clean water in developing countries according to USAID. In Creede, the distance to fresh water in the Rio Grande is 6.6K,” organizers stated.

Hence the change from 6K to 6.6K. The event is always well attended and the after-party is worth the run from one end of Mineral County to the other. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.runoffrunoff.com.