Pikes Peak Ascent - RunHalf Marathon

Started off feeling good, but nervous. I was really concerned about making the cutoffs. Ran through the town and then joined the crowds that started walking at Hydro Hill. Managed to get away from an obnoxious guy dressed as a beer bottle who wouldn't shut up. The crowds down low were ridiculous, but I was doing okay at slipping through them to get a better position. Once on the Barr trail there was none of this, so I just had to join the conga line. A few sections it opened up, people would run really fast and then walk again, I just held it to a steady slow hill-climbing trot. Could have probably gone faster. Ran the flat and rolling portion before Barr camp, and was surprised at how fast the miles went and how good I felt. People were already starting to breathe really heavily just a few miles in and not far above starting altitude.

I didn't really stop at any of the rest stations, just refilled my hand bottle or topped it up when necessary and grabbed some food. Not much in the way of choices, I had a few m&m's at one stop and three grapes at another. I made the cutoff at Barr camp with 1/2 hour to spare and then the A-Frame with 45 minutes to spare. I hated that trail section above Barr camp to treeline when I hiked this route previously, and I hated it now. Hot and crowded, with interminably long switchbacks. Ughs.

Things got much more pleasant above treeline, but I just kept trudging along even though I knew I wouldn't have a problem finishing within the allotted time. I should have really gotten some running in up there and passed some people, but instead I kept getting stuck behind folks that were I guess what you'd call 'zombies' and it was difficult to pass in some sections and I just wasn't being aggressive enough.

Got some water at the last aid station without really stopping and kept going, managed to pass some people who were lagging. Towards the middle of the Golden Stairs where there is a short rolling section I ran a bit to stretch out the legs, but then walked it in for a 5 hour finish.

Push myself to get ahead of more people early when I had the chance, as I underestimated how much of a difference jockeying for position early on could make. I would have liked to have been able to run more above treeline because this was where the course really opened up, and I think I could have, I just was in the 'trudge along with the groups' mentality. Next year, I will try harder and maybe train on running some high altitude trails because I think I could drop a lot off of this time.

Got some calories in me, since I hadn't eaten that much during the run (just a few grapes, some m&m's, a gel and one bite of a Lara bar). Pizza and beer. Yum. Vegged on the grass for a bit and realized just how good I felt and how that meant I hadn't pushed myself nearly hard enough.


I had a lot of family stuff going on that limited my ability to train for running, but I had been doing a lot of high altitude hiking and that really did help me to keep a steady (if slow) pace the entire time without stopping. I also think my mentality for this race really didn't help me get the best time, since I went into it not even thinking I would make the cutoffs and then once I did I lost all drive to really push for time and was just content to make the finish whenever I rolled in. On the other hand that made for a very non-stressful, enjoyable race day. :)


A really great race put on by great people. I wish it was a little less logjammed during the first 5 miles, but there's not much to help that.