A huge thank you to everyone!

A huge thank you to the nearly 250 runners and walkers who participated in the 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater Fun Run, befitting the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs ! We had a record crowd, and are already on the books for next year!

Some of you who participated in last year's event asked for warmer weather. Well, you got it! Once again we were lucky enough to have Matt Meister of News Channel 13 join us,delivering us temperatures that neared 70 degrees, (compared to last year's zero degree temperatures) which probably felt a lot warmer, since everyone was wearing sweaters .Last year's run was too cold, this year's run was too hot. Maybe next year's run will be just right........

Another big thank you to the many local businesses who donated the gift cards, stuffed animals, bagels, ( I saw a few well fed squirrels running around with whole bagels in their mouths! Those Monument Valley Park squirrels can be pretty bold, so I am sorry to those of you whose bagels were stolen by squirrels) and other goodies that were used as citations given out by the "fashion police lady" (aka the race director and founder).

Thank you also to all our sponsors. Without you, this race couldn't happen. The Colorado Running Company was there helping us at packet pickup and did the timing, which is a good thing, because counting can be hard for a "creative type" like me. And your sweaters! They would have made it impossible to concentrate on counting anyway! clashing colors, fuzz balls and pills, stripes mixed with polka dots, polyester blends, strange elf skirts worn in conjunction with their sweater (yes, you know who you are)......... corsages, yes, corsages, apparently worn just to further flaunt your fashion disaster. Can you imagine a scene with everyone there at the finish doing the "Gangnam Style" dance in their sweaters?! just a thought......



The city of Colorado Springs is great to work with. A big thank you to the great people at Parks and Recreation who were always helpful and patient, and answered all my calls and emails (which were plentiful)  to get this event off the ground. American Medical Response and the off duty police officers who were helped at our event went above and beyond in their efforts. And based on how terrible some of those sweaters you all were wearing, I think they all should have been given hazard duty pay! Seriously people. Some of your sweaters were downright scary!

And to all our volunteers who selflessly and anonymously donated the hundreds of behind the scenes hours of time and effort, THANK YOU!

Results are posted on CPACS Ugly Christmas Sweater Fun Run's new website! We're still building it, but the initial results are up. (Some of you who entered the walk at packet pick up and on race day may not be listed yet.)

Please go to www.uglychristmassweaterrun.com

And please support CPACS  our event's official charity, which has been part of the local Pikes Peak Community for over 47 years.   For more information on this organization, please go to www.cpappr.org

PARKING UPDATE

The Colorado College has just offered all participants of the 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater Fun Run and Walk free parking at the visitors parking lot! it is a one mile walk to the start, but it saves the timely hassle of trying to find parking on side streets on a very busy weekend in Colorado Springs. Here is a map of the campus with the location of the parking lot.

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/campus/campusmap/CCcampusMap.pdf

Registering for the 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater Run

Important 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater Run Registration Update!!!!!

For anyone wishing to register for the 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater 5km Fun Run and 1 Mile walk, please either register via the link below, or go directly to www.active.com.  Online registration ends at midnight the 27th of Nov.  You can register in person at packet pickup at the Colorado Running Company on 833 N Tejon in Colorado Springs on November 30th from 2 PM to 7 PM, or starting at 10 AM at the race start.

TO REGISTER FOR THE 2012 UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER 5K FUN RUN & 1 MILE WALK, PLEASE GO TO http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2045619

The link on the event website, (www.jtp.com/uglysweaterrun/) had been taking people to the 2011 link, which said registration is closed. We've resolved this with the webmaster and Active. Registration for the 2012 event is open! We hope you'll come out and join us and support a very good cause! Once again, all proceeds go directly to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs. www.cpappr.org

Also, new this year, we have a t-shirt option! For an additional $7, you can purchase a 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater 5k Fun Run & 1 Mile Walk event shirt. The shirt is cotton. UPDATE! The deadline for ordering shirts is past.  There may be extras for purchase at packet pickup or the morning of the race.  These are going to be very special shirts, with the design created by the siblings of children with CP.

Prizes, prizes, prizes.......

This year we have some great prizes to those daring individuals  flaunting their ugliest of holiday sweaters. We have gift cards from local businesses such as Terra Verde, Zeezos, The Savory Spice Shop, Barracuda Bazaar, Phantom Canyon, Salsa Brave, Texas Road House, not to mention gift certificates from RoadID, a signed copy of the hilarious  new book by Brian Clark Howard, "Rock Your Ugly Christmas Sweater" (see link below), and a subscription to Trail Runner Magazine! A huge and grateful thank you to all these generous businesses and people! If it weren't for them, you'd be getting these ornaments I made last year:

I tried, people. I really, really tried.

           



Thanks to our latest sponsors, Savory Spice Shop, and Zeezo's!  Both of these unique shops are located in downtown, and graciously donated prizes for those cited for particularly offensive sweaters by the Fashion Policy lady.  Be sure to stop by their stores for some post race shopping!

Have you put off getting your ugly  sweater until the last minute? No problem! Zeezos has ugly holiday sweaters in stock for your fashion ( or lack thereof) needs! They also have all sorts of hilarious Christmas hats to wear with your ugly sweater! Zeezos is an awesome local business, and is always so much fun to look around in. Please support our local businesses and race sponsors!

And right next door to Zeezos is the Savory Spice Shop. This has to be one of the best smelling stores in town! The variety and quality of the different spices they sell is amazing, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. If you love to cook, ( or try to cook, like me) try adding their gourmet spices to your recipes. BTW, their Vanilla Bean Sugar is incredible.......

A big thank you once again to the Colorado Running Company for their continued support this year. They'll be out there helping us set-up, and with the finish line too. (yes, I had to promise them some of those awful looking ornaments I made last year, that I was too embarrassed to give away as prizes for you all at the last minute. If you want to see just how terrible they were, do stop by the downtown CRC after race day, and you'll find some of my latest "creations" hanging on their tree, or see the picture above. Honestly people, I was afraid last year's would scare away business, they were that bad. Fortunately the good folks at the CRC are still there, and are actually asking for more of my handiwork.) Please support this awesome local business, who tirelessly supports the local running community!

Thanks also to RoadID, who has also signed on to this year's event! Their contribution has saved this race a bundle, and again, all proceeds go directly to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs!

Prizes..... well, so far Barracuda Bazaar has donated a gift card for some lucky winner. I love Barracuda Bazaar! It is a really unique place and has great personality. No matter how lousy a day I am having, I can go in their store, look at the cards and magnets and get cheered up. They have great cloths, and helpful staff that can help you transition out of that ugly sweater! No doubt you'll find a great holiday present or stocking stuffer for someone there . ( I have a picture of the many magnets I bought there  on my other "off the record" blog) Thanks Barracuda Bazaar, for your support, and for being another awesome local business!

I guess those ugly sweaters didn't scare away Phantom Canyon. They supported this event last year, and are once again  offering up dinner coupons to some lucky recipients who get cited by the fashion police lady for their exceptionally ugly sweater. If it's one thing that will help you look better in that ugly sweater you ran in public in, it's beer! So please support this fine local business. Thanks Phantom Canyon!

A new supporter this year is our local American Furniture Warehouse! If your sweater is ugly enough, you mind find yourself the winning recipient of a special gift made possible from the kind people at American Furniture Warehouse. A big thank you to you all!

Awesome! Terra Verde has donated two gift cards that will be awarded to two people who get cited for being caught in public with an exceptionally ugly holiday sweater! Terra Verde is another unique local business that has unique gifts, cloths, shoes ( Poetic Licence, which rock) and home decor where I love to shop! (thanks Tim!) You'll love to shop there too!

Brian Clark Howard has written a book you will  love, "Rock Your Ugly Christmas Sweater" and has generously donated a new copy to our event! That means one lucky individual at the race will take home a copy personally signed by the author! That means one of you lucky people gets to go home, relax by the fireplace in your ugly Christmas sweater recovering from your strenuous run or walk, and read this hilarious new book. I'm jealous! A big thank you to Brian Howard!  Learn more at http://brianclarkhoward.com/ and http://rockyouruglychristmassweater.com/.

 

There's more to come! I promise!

The 2012 Event Will be on December 1st

It's On! The 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater 5km Fun Run and 1 Mile Walk will take place on December 1st, 2012, at 11:30 am, in beautiful Monument Valley Park, in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Last year's event was a huge success, and this year's event promises to be bigger and uglier than ever. All proceeds go directly to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs, CO. www.cpacs.org

We look forward to seeing you there!

More event information soon to come!