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2009 Community Cinco de Mayo Events

Each year, the Cinco-Cinco 5K Run/Walk, and Children's Fun Run is held at Colorado State University to raise money for scholarships for deserving students. The event is held in memory of Gil Gutierrez, the Ombudsman at Colorado State, who was killed by a drunk driver while he was jogging in August of 1993.

Gilbert Gutierrez was the Ombudsman at CSU from 1990 to August, 1993, when he was killed while jogging on a pathway near Laporte. A drunk driver swerved off the road and hit him on August 2nd and he died four days later. In order to honor Gil and to encourage young people to make better decisions, the Cinco-Cinco run was established in 1994, in conjunction with the Old Town Cinco de Mayo festivities. The event has been held each year since that time. On the average, approximately 300 people participate from serious runners and walkers (including many "names" from around town) to the everyday athlete. A highlight of the race is the Children's Fun Run where kids age 8 and under zoom around the Oval.

The Event: This year the 16th annual event will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2009 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The run and walk starts at the Oval on the CSU campus and winds around the edge of the main campus, ending up just south of the 'E' wing of the Engineering building near the water plaza.

The fun run is a lap round the Oval and begins following the end of the run/walk. After the run, names of participants are drawn for additional "goodies" (such as gift certificates for meals or services, and other great items, making it fun for the participants who didn't win a trophy). Winners and sponsors of the event are recognized at the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Old Town.

Everyone who works on Cinco-Cinco does so as a volunteer. The core group of about 8 people establishes the parameters of the event and provides guidance. Approximately 50 additional people are involved to assist with fundraising, marking the course, furnishing police assistance, registering people, providing the person power for the refreshment tables, designing the race t-shirt, encouraging participants along the course, writing the publicity, collecting the funds, collecting "goodies" for the race-day packets, handing out the race packets, collecting bib numbers at the end of the run/walk/fun run, educating people about "driving sober", putting up banners, getting the trophies and other awards, and even picking up the trash after the event.

Organized by: Friends of Gil Gutierrez Committee and CSU Campus Recreation