DENVER (KDVR) — On Tuesday, registration for the 2024 Denver Colfax Marathon officially opened, and the race is expected to have over 20,000 participants.

The first people to sign up receive a discount, while the last ones may not even get a spot.

For the past 17 years in May, thousands of participants filled the streets of downtown Denver to run during the city’s only marathon weekend. The route takes runners through Empower Field at Mile High, downtown, around Sloan’s Lake Park and across Colfax Avenue.

And every year, it gets bigger. In 2023, the weekend race was the biggest running event in Denver’s history with over 21,000 people, according to the marathon.

2023 was the first year the marathon, half marathon and urban 10-miler sold out. This year is expected to be about the same.

If you sign up soon, the first 500 people get the lowest prices with around $80 off of registration fees.

“Whether it’s your first marathon weekend or you’ve been running with us for 18 years, this is the race you need to run to experience all the great landmarks in our city,” said Andrea Dowdy, CEO of the Denver Colfax Marathon.

With 20,000 expected participants, it’s one of the top 25 largest marathon weekends in the county, and it will bring around 50,000 people to Denver for the event, according to the Denver Colfax Marathon.

The race weekend starts on Friday, May 17, and goes until Sunday, May 19. There’s a marathon each day along with a marathon relay for corporate, government and public school teachers. There’s also a half marathon, urban 10-miler and 5K available.

“We have already started preparations for another incredible race in Denver and
encourage runners to secure a spot early on, so they can be a part of this iconic running weekend and festival,” said Dowdy.