Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon - Reflections

I never got around to writing race reports for the Pikes Peak Ascent and Pikes Peak Marathon, and with so much time having passed, it seems anti-climatic and dated to do so at this point.

Even though I haven't written race reports, it doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about the races and the lessons and learning gained by running them.  So, in no particular order, here are some post-Pikes Peakalooza thoughts.

The weekend's haul.

The Ascent:  I was very happy to break three hours on the Ascent. This was my #1 goal for the weekend.  I crossed the finish line in 2:56:30.  Frankly, though, I had hoped to break three hours more convincingly than I did. Still, I'm pleased with the result. This year was my fourth time running this race. My previous times looked like this:

• 2007 - 3:23 (just started mountain running)
• 2008 - 3:27 (injured...strained chest muscle, couldn't take deep breaths)
• 2009 - 3:06 (poorly executed run)
• 2010 - 2:56 

Like last year, I received a small trophy for getting fourth place in my age group.

Cramps:  I've never experience cramping on a run, let alone in a race, before. I started getting cramps in my right calf just before Barr Camp (Barr Cramp?). The first time was when I stepped up on a rock and my calf muscle seized for a second, then released. I remember thinking, "Uh-oh!" Things were OK, but tight, up through the two-to-go sign. After that, both calves started cramping, slowing me down and making my footfalls much more tentative. Several times, I had to stop to massage the calves to get them to release.

Through the 16 Golden Stairs, the cramping became more regular. If the calves weren't cramping, they were feeling on the verge of cramping. The worst of it was around the Fred Barr memorial sign. I had to stop (with JM, GZ, Homie and others yelling at me to get my ass moving!) to pound the right calf. Fortunately, I knocked it enough to get it to release and was able to sprint to the finish, passing a final runner in the last 50 meters. (Turned out that guy was in my age group.)

Those calf cramps hurt! - Photo J. Mock

I figure the cramping was the result of not enough race-specific training. I ran pretty much everything on the way up, which meant I was running longer uphill on my toes and forefoot than I typically do in training. I fueled well on the way up, so I don't think I was low on electrolytes. So, I just must have out-run my training a bit. Aside from the Barr Trail, it's tough to find a place where one can run three straight hours up 8,000 feet.

The Marathon:  As I was hanging out at the race starting line Sunday morning, I had no idea what the day would hold. My legs felt reasonably solid. I was in a good frame of mind. I was enjoying the relatively mellow vibe at the race start (compared to the more hectic and crowded Ascent start).  My plan was to just let the race unfold. I hadn't studied splits. I didn't know what a fast descent time was. I was just going to see how things felt and react accordingly. My only plan was to work hard and see what happens.

The climb was hard. I hit Barr Camp about six minutes slower than the previous day. My legs were tapped out. No pep. I pretty much walked it in from Barr, summiting 22 (!) minutes slower than the day before. Terrible.

I felt decent on the descent down to the A-Frame. I was chasing a solid descender in front of me and holding off anyone behind me. After A-Frame, the rock-laden trail and a brief pit stop above Barr Camp set me back a bit. I ran into Barr Camp feeling fair.

I quickly refilled my bottle, grabbed a handful of grapes and dashed out of there, leaving three runners grazing at the table. Suddenly it felt like a switch was flipped. I started feeling good...really good. I decided the race was starting over. No one was going to pass me. Over the remaining miles, I picked off about eight other runners, including two in the last 1.5 miles. Since I leapfrogged over the runners at Barr Camp, no one passed me (whom I didn't pass back) on the descent.  I finished strong. If I had run the ascent even 10-12 minutes faster, I would have picked up a bunch of spots in the overall finisher ranks, more, perhaps, if I'd had run the descent just a bit faster as well.

Chillin' out in Fountain Creek post-Marathon.

Makes me think I will run the Marathon next year (only).

The Double:  Running both the Ascent and the Marathon in the same weekend was a bucket list thing for me...just something I wanted to do for the hell of it. During the weeks leading up to the races, I had lost some enthusiasm for running both races. I was clear in my head that the Ascent was the priority. I would give that race my all and do the Marathon for kicks.

After the Ascent, it would have been wise to have gone back to our B&B and kicked back to aid recovery for the next day's 26,2 miles. Instead, the family and I spent a good two hours walking around Manitou Springs, seeking out food, visiting the race pavilion and goofing at the playgrounds. We had a great time, time I wouldn't trade for anything, but in terms of racing, it wasn't the best decision. I definitely learned about the importance of getting off one's feet, refueling and letting the body do it's thing in preparation for the next day's physical stress.

For the weekend, I had the sixth fastest double, or combined, time, behind the likes of Tim Parr, Keri Nelson, Megan Kimmel and Jim Mallory.

I doubt I'd do the double thing again.

The Training:  I've had the most consistent, highest-volume training year I've ever had. Still, I fell short in a number of key areas related to this race. I did a lot of uphill running, but I didn't do enough fast uphill running, nor did I run uphill as long as I should/could have. I ran at higher elevations a number of times, but far less than I should have. In the late spring, I mentally committed to getting up high at least two mornings a week. I don't think I ever made it more than once a week, and even once a week was rare. I also slacked off tempo and interval work after the San Juan Solstice (for which I was following a loosely prescribed plan courtesy of AJW). Still, I did enough of all of the above to meet my goal, but not enough to convincingly exceed the goal.

The Fun:  For my money, the Pikes Peak races are among the best-run, most enjoyable races around. The course is stunningly beautiful. The volunteers are first rate. The race is brilliantly executed. The course is challenging (to be sure!). The competition is fierce. It's a great race for meeting up with friends, acquaintances and other folks one may only know from their blogs. And, Manitou Springs is only 70 miles from the house! Everyone should run one of the races...at least once.

There's more to do in Manitou Springs than just run up large mountains.

Pikes Peak Ascent - Quick Update

Managed a Pikes Peak Ascent PR, summiting in 2:56:30 and knocking 10 minutes or so off my previous best.  Came in 66th overall. I achieved my 3-hour goal (although I had hopes of breaking 2:50, or at least coming closer to it...still, I'm very pleased to have the 3-hour monkey off my back). Had a lot of calf cramping the last two miles - both calves. Never had that problem before. Saw some pics that Justin M. took near the top (see pics #99-102). The grimace on my face said it all. The cramping hurt.

Just saw online that I will get an age group award at the awards banquet this evening. I think I got fourth in the 40-44 age group - the same place/award as last year. 

Really enjoying running into familiar faces today...including, so far, Jim M., GZ, Homie, JV.

More later...

Pikes Peak Goals & the Big Race Weekend

Tomorrow marks the first day of the two-day Pikes Peakalooza down Manitou way. I'm doubling-up on the weekend, running the Ascent on Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday. I've been thinking a fair bit about goals for each race. The Ascent is where I intend to work the hardest, just taking what comes with the Marathon. That said, I still will bust my a** to get down the mountain as fast as I can on Sunday.

The trail from Manitou Spring to the top of Pikes Peak is on the Barr Trail

For the Ascent, I want t break three hours. Missed it by seven minutes last year, after blowing up at Barr Camp. I hope I learned a few things from that experience and will ease up through the Ws and on the short, steep climb out of No Name Creek. Great post from GZ on Pikes Peak lessons learned here. I intend to take those lessons to heart and see what happens.

On the Marathon, I think I predicted a finishing time of 4:45 when I registered. I completely pulled that time out of thin air in the rush to register. I had never even thought about it. I ran up and down the mountain in July in 5:07, starting about a half-mile from the official start line (and jumped on the Barr Trail at the official trailhead, pausing a number of times to take pictures). So, we'll see how close to 4:45 I can get.

My most ambitious race-weekend goal is a bit more daunting, a challenge that may test my mettle in ways it has never before been tested. I want to have a least one of my Marathon Foto race pictures feature yours truly running with his mouth closed! I know this may sound daunting, but what the hell, goals should require pushing one's limits, eh?

The Weekend

This weekend is probably Colorado's biggest trailrunning race weekend all year. Between Leadville, the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon and the start of the three- and six-day TransRockies stage race, a lot of folks I know and follow will be running and putting it all out on the line. Good luck to all the runners testing their mettle in the glorious hills of Colorado.  Some of the folks I'll be following:

Leadville

Brandon F. - Pursuing the big buckle granted to sub-25 hour finishers at the Leadville 100. Got to be one of the most organized and mentally ready 100-mile rookies out there.

JT - He and Brandon have been trash-talking all summer on who will finish. A great bit of competitive drama to add to the drama of getting oneself across 100 miles of roads and trails at over 10K elevation.

Tim W. - The best trained guy around. Can he keep his head in the race and use that training to bust out an impressive finish in his debut 100-miler?  I say yes.

Tony K. - Back to Leadville, no doubt in pursuit of a course record. It should be cooler out this year.

Shad M. - Looking to complete his first 100-miler, after dropping at 76 miles at last year's Leadville 100.

And, there's a host of talented runners out pacing at Leadville this year, each also will have great stories to tell, including Todd G., Footfeathers and JP.

Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon

Nick C. - Big year. Now, off to the Pikes Peak Marathon. A strong race is assured. How high will he place?

GZ - No one better articulates the lure of Pikes Peak than George. He's taken a more Zen (for him) approach to the race this year. Will that translate to a PR and no trips to the medical tent?

JV - Remarkable mountain runner whose easy jogs up Boulder's Green Mountain's best my tongue-dragging PR by multiple minutes. Doesn't race too much. Will he exceed his own expectations?

Jim M. - He's doubling at Pikes again this year.  Great PR on the Ascent last year.  More to come this year.

Woody - a fellow newbie(ish) to the ultrarunner world. Been running well all summer and is looking to drop significant minutes from last years PPM time.

JM - Coming off a big year...top American at the London Marathon, pacing Nick C. to an amazing finish at Western States. There's a lot of competition in the PPM this year. Will all the road running translate again into a top-five finish at the PPM?

So many good stories...so little time. Good luck to everyone!

Pikes Peak - Up & Down

Got up way early to make the 95 mile drive from home down to Manitou Springs for a run up and down Pikes Peak. I had perfect weather and a decent, but not perfect, run.


Time:  5:07
Distance: 25 miles
Effort: Hard
Body: Average
Weather: Sunny & Warm


On the road by 4:15 a.m. and running by 6:10 a.m. I parked about .06 miles up Ruxton Avenue from the official Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon starting line. No interest in running any more of the roads than I had to. By the time I got to the area, the Barr Trail lot was full and Ruxton was filling quickly.


After a quick pit stop at the Barr Trail trailhead, I jumped onto Barr at its official starting spot, rather than heading back down to Ruxton and running the official race course. I'd never been on the first half-mile or so of Barr before. This section was just a continuation of the Ws above. The plan today was to run steady and take a few pictures along the way. There was a good amount of foot traffic coming down the Ws, presumably originating at the top of the Incline.

Looking east back down toward Manitou Springs from somewhere above No Name Creek

Pikes Peak from somewhere above No Name Creek

I made respectable, if not speedy, time through the Ws, over to No Name Creek and up to Barr Camp. One highlight was seeing a guy on a unicycle a bit below Barr Camp. The thing was equipped with a beefy mountain bike-type tire. I didn't see him riding, since he was paused to let me and some hikers go by. Still, it was quite a sight.


I was a bit worried that my wheels were coming off post-Barr Camp, but I pulled it together at the three-mile sign and ran pretty well up to the 16 Golden Stairs. Along the way, I was stopping to take pictures of all the key landmarks (Barr Camp, A-Frame, Three- Two- and One-to-go signs, etc...).  Somehow I ran right past the one-mile sign without seeing it. I kept thinking that it was taking forever to run from three- to two-to-go. Before I knew It, there was the sign for the 16 Golden Stairs - the last stretch before the summit.

After making my way through the Stairs, I cruised to the finish area and clicked the watch - 3:02. No idea what to make of the time given where I started, early course deviation and stopping to take pictures. Still, it felt like a solid effort.

Sign at the summit next to the Cog Railway tracks

After chatting with a few Cog Railway riders interested in how long it took me to run up, I headed into the visitors' center to refill the hydration pack. The place was packed with gift-buying masses. I couldn't wait to get out of there.


Just as I started heading down, the Garmin beeped - low battery warning. I only got 3:36 out of a fully-charged battery. Not good. I may need to send it in for a new battery. Frustrating.


I've never run down Pikes before, having only run the Ascent. I figured I'd be in for some hurtin', and I was. 


I took it relatively easy down from the summit, just focusing on not tripping (I never fell) and taking lines that would protect my quads as much as possible. Right around the Cirque sign, I passed Matt Carpenter heading up. He had a steely look of determination on his face as he flew by me. The look immediately reminded me of the look Lance Armstrong had on his face during a few of the mountain stage breakaways when he was in his prime. There will be some fast guys challenging Matt next month. I wonder if he's been thinking about 'em...

The rest of the descent was pretty uneventful. Just a lot of cruising, 3-4 stops along the way to dunk my hat in cold creeks and a whole bunch of "thank yous" to people stepping out of the way to let me by.


By the time I hit the Ws, my quads were hurting and I was eager to be done. This time I followed the course down Ruxton back to the car. The descent took me 2:05. 


Once back home, I spent the day pretty much laying around watching the Tour de France. Just didn't feel like doing much else. The run wore my ass out.  Made me wonder why in the hell I signed up for both the Ascent and the Marathon. Seemed like a good at the time...and it probably will seem like a good idea tomorrow. Today, though...no so much.


Elevation gain: 7,639.

Boulder Rez - South Valley Ranch - Steady

Time: 1:15
Distance: 10 miles
Effort: Easy
Body: Good
Weather: Clear & Warm


Easy 10 miles around the Boulder Reservoir and the South Valley Ranch loop.  Average pace 7:30.  Just 296 feet of elevation gain. Felt good to run on this relatively flat, low elevation dirt route.

Signed up today for the Pike Peak double...the ascent and marathon. I was on the fence right up to registration time as to whether or not to sign up for both races. I kept meaning to think more about what I wanted to do, but never got around to giving it much thought. At the last minute, I decided it would at least be an interesting challenge. The three times I have run the ascent, I had a great time. So, with the double, I guess it'll be twice the fun, with a healthy dose of suffering to go along with it. August sure seems like a long way off.


JM also is doing a double at Pikes.

Pikes Peak Ascent Race Report

I showed up at the race packet/bib pick-up around 5:45 Saturday morning in Memorial Park near downtown Manitou Springs, Colorado. I spent the night at a friends place in north Colorado Springs, so I had a short 20 minute drive to Manitou. After showing my ID and receiving my bib number (#281), I stuck out my wrist so the volunteer behind the check-in table could stick a blue band around my wrist, signifying that I was, indeed, an official registrant for Wave 1 of the 2009 Pikes Peak Ascent.

To get the blue band on, I realized I had to push up the white and orange band already on my wrist, where the admissions clerk at Children's Hospital had put it about 20 hours earlier. The hospital band had my son's name on it and served as proof that I was one of his parents and entitled to wander around his hospital room's floor at will. He and my wife were still at Children's. They spent the night there following Jack's tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy Friday afternoon.

I wandered around the race start area contemplating important stuff. How many gels should I carry? Should I carry a hand bottle? Should I bring a long-sleeve shirt in anticipation of colder temperatures above 11,000 feet (race director said it was windy and 40 degrees on the summit that morning...and last year's wind, rain and snow were never far from my mind)?

Decisions soon were made. I decided to run with a hand bottle, half filled with water, and three gels. I was going to gamble that the weather would hold and I would survive in just a short-sleeved tech shirt. Warm clothes were included in my sweat check bag and tossed in a van for transport to the summit, 8,000 feet above where I stood and 13.32 miles away.

At last, it was time to line up. Runners gathered beneath the banner spread across Mantiou's main drag. The announcer gave us last minute info and the traditional singing of "America the Beautiful," a song based on a poem by Katherine Lee Bates who reportedly was inspired by the beauty she encountered on a trip up Pikes Peak, commenced. Soon, the gun cracked and the runners were off.

My goal this year was to break three hours for the Ascent. I'd run the race twice before, in 2007 and 2008. My best time was 3:23 in 2007. In 2008 I ran with a torn muscle in my chest, which made every deep breath painful. I finished slower than 2007 in 3:27.

I'd been training more consistently and at a higher volume than in years past and felt ready to have a go at 3 hours. I had written down the splits (from MC's pace calculator) I'd need to hit in order to break three hours, but managed to leave the note card in my car. I was going to have to wing it.

I felt great as we made the turn onto Ruxton Avenue and then up Hydro Street. My plan was to run through the Ws, the initial set of switchbacks and the steepest part of the race course and keep up a steady, but measured pace to Barr Camp. The only split I remembered was the Top of the Ws. I'd need to get there in 36:11 to be on pace. I hit that split in 33:XX.

Soon after leaving the Ws, I was passed by Jim M., who was running strong and looked, at least from behind, like he was out for blood. As JM ran away, I focused on keeping that steady pace. So far, so good. I made it through the Rock Arch, past No Name Creek and through a nice stand of aspens and the switchbacks that follow - a place I had speed hiked in previous races.

The section between No Name Creek and Barr Camp has several downhill and relatively flat stretches that gives one a good opportunity to get the leg turn-over going. After the nice (but too short) downhills and a few flat sections, I soon was approaching Barr Camp.

About the time I saw the first Barr Camp sign I was feeling the first real twinges of fatigue in my legs. It wasn't the fatigue of "I just ran a short steep section," but more of the "You are burning the candle at both ends...you've been warned!"

I ran through the Barr Camp aid station, holding out my opened hand bottle for refilling. Not too far out of Barr, around seven miles into the race, the pre-Barr warning became a full-on alert. I remember seeing the seven mile sign and thinking seven really hard miles is about the distance of the Bergen Peak time trials I had been running all summer in Evergreen. And, I still had five miles to go!

The 2.6 mile section from Barr Camp to the A-Frame, a small camping shelter tucked into the last trees before treeline, is my least favorite section. The switchbacks are long and rocky, with step-up after step-up. The fatigue set in here and I was reduced to hiking through most of this section.

At last, I hit the A-Frame. From here, it's just over three miles to the summit. I knew well what to expect from these three miles. The altitude is, of course, a major factor, but there are many sections here that are very runnable. Fortunately, this year the weather was cooperating. The sun was out and the temperature was perfect. Here I switched from speed hiking to alternating between survival hiking and jogging the flatter sections without step-ups. I remembered that there were signs in this section: 3 to go; 2 to go; 1 to go. I hit my watch at each to see what my mile splits would be through this section. They ended up being 17:59, 16:28 and 18:41.

Through those three miles I was in survival mode. I'd figured my three hour goal was out of reach...I was thinking it was way out of reach. I had lost track of time, frustrated by the slow going from Barr to the A-Frame. I decided to just gut it out and get the best time I could.

At one of the last switchbacks before the 16 Golden Stairs, I watched as the runner before reached out and accepted an offer of a pre-summit plastic cup of Pabst Blue Ribbon. To my great surprise and sincere appreciation, he downed it as he ran. I remember wondering why someone would bother offering runners that close to the summit Pabst. After 7,250 feet of elevation gain, haven't we earned something a little more special? (Note: According to Shad, the high altitude bartender was Brownie, a runner/blogger from Colorado Springs.)

I managed to pass a few runners in the approach to the 16 Golden Stairs. Just before the stairs (actually a series of 32 short switchbacks...every two switchbacks = a stair), a spectator yelled out, "Just five minutes to the top!!" For some reason, that energized me and a started climbing as fast as I could, pausing after the especially high step-ups to settle down the heart rate. I powered through this section pretty well, running the flattish sections at the top and made a final push to get under the finish line banner looking, if not feeling, strong. I crossed the line in 3:06:35.

I was a little surprised by the time. I thought I had lost more time as a result of all the speed hiking after Barr Camp. Six minutes! I saw JM at the top just after a volunteer hung a finishers' medal around my neck. He asked if I was happy with my time. A lot of emotions flashed through my mind in about three seconds. My initial reaction there on the summit, and today, is that I was and am happy with that time. Despite not meeting my three hour goal, I knocked 17 or so minutes off my 2007 time. I had a lot of great mountain runs training this winter, spring and summer. I had a great time that morning running up the mountain. I felt breathless, but good. Solid. Happy. My next thought, though, was, "I can find six minutes somewhere on the Barr Trail. I'll get it next year."

JM crushed his previous Ascent times with a 2:53 personal record. A really impressive race! He was already looking ahead to running the Pikes Peak Marathon the next morning - 13 miles up and 13 miles down. Read his Ascent and Marathon race reports.

After hitting the feeding trough and loading up on Gatorade and assorted sweets and salty snacks, JM and I headed back down below the finish line to cheer on the runners as they made the last push to the 14,115-foot summit.

Following an uneventful van and bus ride back down to Manitou I walked over to the race pavilion area and checked the results, eager to know who won. (See results here.) As I scanned down to my name, I learned I finished 73rd (out of just over 1,600 runners) and I was an age-group award winner. I figured that had to be an error. I checked in with a couple of race volunteers and learned that I had, indeed, placed in my age group. Turns out, my time was good enough for fourth place in the 40-44 age group. Major caveat here, though. I was fourth in my age group after the overall and masters winners were taken out. You can only win in one category in the Pikes Peak races. Still, I was thrilled to be an award winner.

After calling my wife, Jeanine, to fill her in on how things went (and that I needed to stick around another four hours for the awards ceremony), I loaded up on free food, showered at the local municipal pool, laid in the shade and read and wandered around downtown Manitou Springs.

Turned out that the age group placing earned me a nice little trophy, complete with a wooden cut-out of Pikes Peak, a small plaque and a small rock in the foreground. I was elated to be heading out of town as an award winner...even with the caveat.

Once in my car, which was parked on Mantiou's main street facing Pikes Peak with a full windshield view of the summit, I put

my hands on the steering wheel and glanced at the orange and white hospital admissions bracelet and blue Ascent bracelet still on my wrist. With a feeling of accomplishment and a gnawing desire to get home and check on my recovering kid, I hit the road.

I love that race.

Ascent photo credits: Bethany Garner & Eden Davis - the Incline Club (Thanks!)