Students run in what is left of their clothes to the finish of the Nearly Naked Mile clothing donation event Thursday night. The run began and ended at the Koenig Alumni Center. (CU Independent/Lee Pruitt)
One memorable night every year enthusiastic students come together in an effort to give to charity, enjoy some free food and music and compete in a one-mile race around CUs campus…nearly naked.
This year sparse clothing in the form of costumes seems to be the ornaments of choice. It looks as if the man-thong has suddenly become this seasons hot new item in fashion, and people are all about wearing the opposite genders underwear.
On top of this many students wore cowboy hats, superhero masks and more creative things like bras fashioned out of caution-tape and micro-skirts made of Saran Wrap.
A group of men dressed as The Smurfs wore literally nothing but shoes and condoms.
Were doing a theme every year, said Chris Martin, a 20-year-old sophomore environmental science major. This is Martins fourth year running the race, and this year the theme was the Smurfs.
Nearly naked runners near the end of the mile Thursday night. (CU Independent/Lee Pruitt)
We like to express ourselves so we lathered ourselves up in blue paint and threw on some socks and beanies, he said.
The crowd was buzzing with energy before the race. Students took pictures and sang the CU fight song as they anxiously waited in the long line to sign the release waiver.
I love nearly naked mile, said Grant Duffy, 19-year-old sophomore integrated physiology major. Its definitely on the top of my list of favorite things about college life at CU. I love being naked and running. I think this nearly naked mile needs to become the nude and naked mile.
Many people gave donations as well.
I have on six shirts and four layers of undergarments. I am donating all of them except one cause otherwise Id be totally naked, said Adam Winsor, a 22-year-old senior advertising major.
Winsor said he thinks that the winner of the race isnt as important as the cause behind it.
I think everybody wins, Winsor said. Its the people that get the clothes that win.
Recent CU graduate Cindy Santana tosses more clothing donated by runners into a pile. (CU Independent/Lee Pruitt)
Im really slow at running so Im just here to run naked, said Avalon Jacka, an 18-year-old freshman journalism major.
Also, those that donated five items or more received a free t-shirt until the shirts ran out.
Its ironic that we hand out t-shirts, said Marni Spott, a 20-year-old international affairs and German major and leader of this years run.
Last year they did water bottles to provide an incentive for donation, Spott said.
We have a lot of homeless people in Boulder, so its a good cause; it keeps people warm, Spott said.
Spott has been a leader of The Herd, the group that hosts the Nearly Naked Mile, since freshman year. She said she has always participated in the run, but that this year was the first time she was chosen to lead the race.
Usually we get around 300 people, Spott said. Hopefully this year well get more.
The pumpkin run didnt go down so this is the next best thing! said Andrew Safulko, a 19-year-old sophomore environmental engineering major.
When the race was over, many nearly naked and very sweaty runners returned for more free Qdoba, the restaurant catered the event.
It was wonderfulthe feel of cold wind against my body; the race was delicious, said Peter Driscoll, a 23-year-old recent graduate with a business degree.
Ive never seen that many drunk, naked, horny men so close to each other try so hard not to touch each other, said Brandon Griffin, a 22-year-old recent psychology alumni and a current faculty member.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Anna McIntosh at Anna.mcintosh@colorado.edu.
