How the RiNo 5K Is Building Community, Funding Impact, and Proving a Neighborhood Race Can Be More Than Just a Race

John Gonzalez started the RiNo 5K in 2017 as a passion project while working full time in cybersecurity. Named after River North, one of Denver's most vibrant neighborhoods, it is a road race, a run club gathering, a fundraiser, and a community event all at once. Kristina Cripe is the Program Specialist at the Denver chapter of Back on My Feet, a national organization operating in 14 cities that uses the power of running to help people experiencing homelessness and addiction to transform their lives.

This episode is about what a neighborhood race can actually become when the organizer, the nonprofit, and the title sponsor all share the same vision. It is about free entries and donated shoes and stories that do not get told often enough. And it is about why the 5K might be the most underrated vehicle for community building in all of running.

Jon, John, and Kristina chat about: