Naked frivolity heats up the night

Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 1, 2006 at midnight

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It was hard to gauge what was more frightening to watch on the Pearl Street Mall on Halloween night - some of the outlandish and ghoulish costumes, or the dozens of naked men and women who took part in the Naked Pumpkin Run as their skin turned either ghostly white or ghastly red in Tuesday night's frosty temperatures.

Still, a crowd outside the Old Chicago restaurant managed to warm the runners with loud cheers and applause.

It helped that many of the streakers sported carved pumpkins on their heads to hide their identities.

Some lost their pumpkin heads. But most managed to keep their orange noggins with one hand while juggling a bag of their clothes brought to put on as soon as the eighth annual run was over.

The first wave of male and female runners, who numbered about 25, braved the cold and exposed their skin on the mall shortly after 10:30 p.m.

A second wave of about 80 runners hooted and hollered with mall crawlers. Rather than make a detour to a nearby alley like the first group, they returned to the mall, where they dodged in and out of pedestrian traffic.

Jazzmin Jenkins, 21, of Boulder, said she had nothing to fear.

"With the pumpkin on the head, it's anonymous," Jenkins reasoned. "What could be more gratifying than running around naked?"

Prior to the run, many of the participants huddled at two parties, chugging a few beers to help them build the courage to shed their clothes and run down the mall.

Aaron Dew, 32, of Longmont, has been running the Naked Pumpkin Run for five years. However, he said some of the runners sometimes don't realize what they're getting themselves into.

"To see some people running they're like, 'Oh my gosh. I'm out of shape,' " Dew said.

Dave Marvin, 24, of Boulder, ran for his very first time.

"It's hilarious," Marvin said prior to his run. "I mean, are you kidding? A pumpkin on my head and run around naked. A friend was telling me he may not do it because it was too cold. I said, 'You might regret it tonight, but you won't regret it tomorrow.' "

Marisa Hayes, 39, drove to Boulder to participate. One of Hayes' close friends is the mother of one of the event's organizers, and she told her about it.

Of course, it sounded a lot more fun - and warmer - when she told her about the run on Labor Day. Besides, Hayes said, she had experience.

"When I was a kid I used to streak," she said.

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