The first-ever Denver Rock 'n' Roll Marathon features 30 bands on 26 stages. Illustration by Jeff Neumann, The Denver Post.
Runners often talk about the idea that a long race is nothing more than a series of shorter runs. It’s about climbing that hill or getting to that next signpost, about crossing the next intersection or making it past that landmark. It’s a mental game, sure, but it works.
With Sunday’s first-ever Denver Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, runners will have very different markers to aim for.
“Instead of being like, ‘I have to make it to that stop sign and that next light,’ it’s more like, ‘I can’t wait to see what band is playing on the next stage,’ ” said Shannon Davis, the marathon’s event manager. “It’s something to look forward to.”
For runners tackling the 26.2-mile course on Sunday, there’s a lot to look forward to. As the course winds through Civic Center and City, Cheesman, Washington and Lincoln parks, runners will pass 30 bands on 26 stages. Waiting for runners at the finish line at Civic Center will be headliners Semisonic, the Minneapolis group best known for the late-’90s FM hit “Closing Time,” playing from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
“People are going to be happy and triumphant to be at the finish line, I’m sure, and I’m glad that we get to serenade them and give them something at the point where they’ve made it all the way,” Semisonic drummer Jake Slichter said earlier this week.
“It’s really impressive to run a whole marathon, obviously. And while playing 90 minutes of rock music isn’t the equivalent of running a marathon, doing it at a mile altitude . . . wow. I remember the first time we played in Colorado, it was in Boulder, and we were all thinking, ‘Where did all the air go?’”
For non-runners, of course, Sunday’s event promises a different kind of entertainment — a chance to check out the shows, both by the musicians and the athletes. It will, no doubt, be a multifaceted spectacle.
The marathon is taking over central Denver all weekend. On Saturday, the Kids Rock Denver fun run will dominate the streets surrounding Civic Center. The noncompetitive run will take kids, in kindergarten through fifth grade, on a 1-mile course starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the park across from the Capitol.
Sunday’s main event includes the full marathon, the half-marathon and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Relay — all of which start and end at Civic Center. Registration for the event is closed, but it’s not too late to cheer on the runners and the bands — and the marathon’s website, denver .competitor.com, is full of tips for spectators who want to participate.
Some of the local bands playing the marathon route include Brethren Fast (mile 4), Potcheen (mile 11.2), Fierce Bad Rabbit and the Delta Sonics (both at mile 25.7). And it’s fair to say Sunday’s gigs will be among the groups’ most unusual live performances of the year.
The argument can be made that combining live music with a marathon environment is a natural link.
“The marriage of music and running gives people a natural soundtrack and keeps things fun,” event organizer Davis said. “My inaugural race was the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon, so I’m well aware of the entertainment and how it helps you forget that, ‘Oh my God, I’m only on mile 20?’ The energy that live bands give off is amazing, and some of them jump off and run with the runners and others cheer them on. For me as a runner, it helps me keep moving.”
'Driving time:' Semisonic will headline the Denver Rock 'n' Roll marathon on Sunday.
There are others who would argue that a marathon course is an incredibly strange place for a live rock concert — especially at 9 a.m. on a Sunday.
“There are certainly the people who are more focused on running, but there are also tons of people who stop at the stages and say thank you and give the bands high fives. And there are also the spectators surrounding each band site. It’s another avenue for the bands to reach a new base. And with some of the bands, they’re clearly pulling up from wherever they were the night before — from whatever gig they were playing. It’s their own little marathon.”
Semisonic’s Slichter is looking forward to the gig if only for the odd environment and unique audience.
“Part of the thrill of playing live is that every audience is different,” Slichter said. “You’re never playing the same place, and the songs feel like different songs, depending on who the audience is. It’s always exciting for us to get in front of a different crowd and take on the songs from a new angle.”
DENVER ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MARATHON
Running and rock. 26.2-miles, 30 bands on 26 stages — including headliner Semisonic. Sunday 7 a.m. Runner registration is closed, but fans are encouraged to see the music and cheer on the runners Schedules and more: denver.competitor.com
See a list of marathon-related road closures here.
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of Reverb and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post.
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