All Discussions Tagged 'Crown' - Pikes Peak Sports2024-03-29T11:41:51Zhttp://pikespeaksports.us/group/roadtrailrunning/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=Crown&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIt's 'game on' for runners in the 2018 Triple Crown of Runningtag:pikespeaksports.us,2018-03-09:5021591:Topic:7973722018-03-09T18:39:36.391ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432465?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432465?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Joe Gray on his way to winning the 2017 Pikes Peak Ascent. (Photo by Bryan Oller)</strong></p>
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<p>It’s early springtime at the foot of Pikes Peak and mountain runners are building base miles and burning their legs on the hills in preparation for a year of racing.</p>
<p>But the new running season will take on a sense of urgency at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 10, as…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432465?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432465?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Joe Gray on his way to winning the 2017 Pikes Peak Ascent. (Photo by Bryan Oller)</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>It’s early springtime at the foot of Pikes Peak and mountain runners are building base miles and burning their legs on the hills in preparation for a year of racing.</p>
<p>But the new running season will take on a sense of urgency at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 10, as <a href="http://pikespeakmarathon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online registration</a> begins for the Triple Crown of Running. Longtime participants know it’s “game on” when they enter these events, an historic series of races held on the Pikes Peak region’s world-famous running courses.</p>
<p>The 2018 Triple Crown lineup:</p>
<ul>
<li>June 10: The <a href="http://gardentenmile.com/">Garden of the Gods 10 Mile & 10K Run</a></li>
<li>July 8: <a href="http://summerroundup.com/">Summer Roundup Half Marathon & 10K</a></li>
<li>18-19: <a href="http://pikespeakmarathon.org/">Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Registration for the July 15 <a href="http://barrtrailmountainrace.com/">Barr Trail Mountain Race</a> also opens on March 10.</p>
<p>Here are the early headlines as the Pikes Peak Marathon office begins to simmer with activity.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432182?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432182?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280" class="align-right"/></a>Salomon’s Golden Trail Series comes to Pikes Peak</strong></p>
<p>The Pikes Peak Marathon has always attracted the top mountain runners in the world. But the international field promises to be extraordinary this year as the marathon will be part of the new <a href="http://email.fusesport.com/wf/click?upn=4NelNZwylj89yWF7YN7XYTauZ9SlcxYdXyqE-2FxZQrwX1pFS3ikX3lVF50lCKud7JetAgGOYu4xAp88-2FvAN8XRQecWnbgvNGaamQ8xQehdxhoy7WKzQKXY2fwlliPkjQB_VPE0mlgwbA4D55EVVStF3qTIfxEwkv3kGpDKs8kSjXWZNCcGvF8qPy5NVzQzt6XUCHVlZZqktL3aHAroanNJW5Z9cj20Wdd208GzxRqnZbiw3AeeFZtlxaJpIznFtDxuy559WzOJJxeaINE39gdDCvfFKLwxkq-2FqAX5dGvZSnkopjtydsBXmnkhUtKN-2Fw792bX3bRTajwj6U7WuAQTNtT-2BBZSIqZVAatSdWb1AS3W-2FY-3D">Salomon Golden Trail Series</a>.</p>
<p>Men and women mountain runners will compete for a Top-10 position in the series and an invitation to the Grand Finale, the Otter Trail in South Africa.</p>
<p>The series begins on May 27th with the Zegama – Aizkorri Marathon in Spain. Next stop is the Mont Blanc Marathon in France on July 1, followed by Sierre-Zinal, Aug. 12, in Switzerland. The Pikes Peak Marathon takes the stage on <span>Aug. 19</span>, with Scotland’s Ring of Steall Skyrace (Sept. 15) representing the last chance for runners to secure an invitation to the Oct. 20 Grand Finale.</p>
<p>The race on “America’s Mountain” will enjoy an historic moment as it captures the attention of the global mountain-running community. “We are proud to have been chosen as one of the five prestigious international races for Salomon’s Golden Trail Series,” says Ron Ilgen, Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc. President. “It shows that the Pikes Peak Marathon continues to be one of the top mountain races in world.”</p>
<p>The series is already attracting high-caliber U.S. runners. Salomon reports that Max King, Sage Canaday, Dakota Jones and Megan Kimmel have indicated they’ll take on Pikes Peak, and its unforgiving climb to 14,115 feet elevation and back down. An impressive number of world-class international runners, including Salomon’s Emelie Forsberg, the 2012 Pikes Peak Marathon women’s champion, are scheduled to race as well.</p>
<p>The Top 10 after five races (runners must run in at least three) will advance to the finale in October, with each finalist invited to bring a friend or partner. The Grand Finale will also present the twenty athletes with the opportunity to support a cause of their choosing, and share about $123,000 in prize money.</p>
<p>Sticking to its commitment to clean sport, Salomon is promising strict drug testing at all series races.</p>
<p>“We applaud Salomon’s desire to attract the best mountain runners to compete in a true world-championship finale event, while also ensuring drug-free competition,” Ilgen said.</p>
<p><strong>Qualify with an ultra:</strong> New this year, runners may use their time in an ultra race (50K or longer after Jan. 1, 2016) to enter Pikes Peak. Finishing times that are faster than twice the overall winner’s time will work as a qualifier.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656434986?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656434986?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-left"/></a>New range to run at the Summer Roundup</strong><br/> Big changes are coming for the 2018 Summer Roundup. The second leg of the Triple Crown of Running will feature a trail half marathon at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. With a gorgeous circuit of foothills trails and an accommodating start/finish area, event organizers hope the race has found its forever home on the slopes and ridges below Cheyenne Mountain.</p>
<p>The new course hits the park’s high points (1,900 feet elevation gain,) sweeping gently through dark pine forests and rambling across rocky ridgelines. The trails are smooth and runnable, with a few sections of rock-hoping. The start and finish are located near the Limekiln Trailhead, which has space for 400 cars. Carpooling is encouraged.</p>
<p>“We’ve talked for a long time about doing something big with the Summer Roundup,” says race director Tim Bergsten. “Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a popular place to run, and it fits the profile of the Triple Crown and its history of great events on beautiful race courses. The half marathon will be a challenge, same as the Garden 10 and the Pikes Peak races, but doable by any reasonably fit runner.”</p>
<p>And at $40 (through May) the race is one of the most affordable half marathons on the race calendar. There is a 10K option ($30) for veterans and newcomers looking for a challenge. Those using the Triple Crown as a Pikes Peak qualifier should be aware that the cutoff time for the Summer Roundup half marathon is 3 hours, 30 minutes.</p>
<p>Cheyenne Mountain State Park opened in June 2,000. It includes 2,701 acres at the base of Cheyenne Mountain and a 20-mile network of trails.</p>
<p>“There is a special bond between the runners and this unique landscape we call home,” Bergsten said. “Our roots are in these foothills. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a part of that connection. This is us.”</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656436230?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656436230?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280" class="align-right"/></a>The 42<sup>nd</sup> Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run & 10K</strong></p>
<p>Race organizers introduced a new course with a new finish line at Rock Ledge Ranch last year. Afterward, the verdict came quickly. Everyone loved the new format, the new course, and the Garden of the Gods Run Fest after party.</p>
<p>So we’re going to do it all again with some adjustments: Better traffic flow before the race, quicker pizza lines at the finish, and enough beer for everyone at the Run Fest.</p>
<p>“We think of this race as the ‘Perfect 10,’ and we’re working toward that,” Bergsten said. “There is no reason this event should not be one of the best – and most popular - road races in the game. The Garden of the Gods has been recognized as the top park in the country (by TripAdvisor,) we have an iconic course, and the finish at Rock Ledge Ranch with the barns, livestock, and beautiful grounds, is unique and fun.”</p>
<p>The Run Fest will bring running organizations and the outdoor community together to increase recognition and support for the Garden of the Gods Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing and protecting the park. The Garden of the Gods was donated to the city in 1909.</p>
<p>We’ve attempted to contact the black bear that meandered into the middle of the race last year. We’ll let you know if he has plans for an encore performance.</p> Warm up your keyboards, Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent registration opens Saturdaytag:pikespeaksports.us,2017-03-07:5021591:Topic:7544582017-03-07T22:18:07.290ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432639?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432639?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> Manitou Springs, Colo.</b> - Registration for the 62<sup>nd</sup> running of the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, the Triple Crown of Running Series, and the Barr Trail Mountain Race, will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 11.</p>
<p>Find more information and registration links at <a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/">PikesPeakMarathon.org</a>.</p>
<p>If Pikes Peak…</p>
<p><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432639?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432639?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a>Manitou Springs, Colo.</b> - Registration for the 62<sup>nd</sup> running of the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, the Triple Crown of Running Series, and the Barr Trail Mountain Race, will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 11.</p>
<p>Find more information and registration links at <a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/">PikesPeakMarathon.org</a>.</p>
<p>If Pikes Peak is your goal, it helps to be prepared, as the 800 spots in the Marathon often fill within a day. The Ascent is capped at 1,800 runners, with the field filling up in a few days.</p>
<p>To qualify for the Ascent, you must be a peak veteran who has completed the Pikes Peak Ascent, Pikes Peak Marathon, or Barr Trail Mountain Race in the past 3 years, or have completed a half-marathon in under 2:25 or a marathon in under 6:00 in the past 2 years.</p>
<p><strong>(Photo by Anya Inman)</strong></p>
<p>For the Marathon, runners must have completed the Pikes Peak Ascent or Pikes Peak Marathon in the past 3 years, or have completed a marathon in under 6:00 in the past 2 years.</p>
<p><b>Race dates and times</b></p>
<p><a href="http://gardentenmile.com/"><b>Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run and 10K</b></a> <b>(the first leg of the Triple Crown):</b> 7 a.m., June 11</p>
<p><a href="http://summerroundup.com/"><b>Summer Roundup Trail Run</b></a> <b>(the second leg of the Triple Crown):</b> 7 a.m., July 9</p>
<p><a href="http://barrtrailmountainrace.com/"><b>Barr Trail Mountain Race:</b></a> 7 a.m., July 16</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/"><b>Pikes Peak Ascent:</b></a> 7 a.m., Aug. 19</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/"><b>Pikes Peak Marathon:</b></a> 7 a.m., Aug. 20</p>
<p>There are lots of exciting changes coming to all of our races this summer! Stay tuned to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pikespeakmarathon/">Facebook page</a> as well as <a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/">PikesPeakMarathon.org</a>, and our online magazine <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/">PikesPeakSports.us</a>.</p>
<p>More handy Facebook links: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gardenofthegodstenmile/">Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run and 10K</a> and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/barrtrailmountainrace/">Barr Trail Mountain Race</a>.</p> George Zack and Jack: How they won the Triple Crown of burro racingtag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-09-10:5021591:Topic:6744342015-09-10T03:08:28.600ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425744?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425744?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></img></a> The goal in Pack Burro Racing is to win the Triple Crown, races in Fairplay, Buena Vista and Leadville. George Zack and his racing companion, Jack, had come close in 2012 and 2014, winning two out of the three races. But this year, Jack sprang to life at key moments and they dashed to victory in all three events. George is a 46-year-old MUT runner from Broomfield, longtime…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425744?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425744?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-left"/></a>The goal in Pack Burro Racing is to win the Triple Crown, races in Fairplay, Buena Vista and Leadville. George Zack and his racing companion, Jack, had come close in 2012 and 2014, winning two out of the three races. But this year, Jack sprang to life at key moments and they dashed to victory in all three events. George is a 46-year-old MUT runner from Broomfield, longtime Pikes Peak runner and friend of many in the Colorado Springs area. Jack, 18, or thereabouts, spends most of his days nibbling grass on the Laughing Valley Ranch near Idaho Springs.</p>
<p>We asked George about burro racing and his experience racing with Jack this summer. He responded with some great answers.</p>
<p><strong>What attracted you to the Burro Racing scene? </strong>I first heard of Pack Burro Racing in the 1990s. I went to a Boulder Road Runner seminar where road racing star Jon Sinclair was going to speak. We all thought he'd discuss his training, racing, and principles of physiology. He instead gave an entertaining talk on burro racing. He had won the World Championships in Fairplay in 1977. I think half of the crowd was disappointed in his presentation but the other half was entertained. I was entertained and the seed was planted.</p>
<p>My wife's parents moved to Fairplay in the mid 2000s. As the town was at altitude with big hills around it, I would look to get in good training for Pikes Peak whenever we visited. One of my favorite runs was on the Mosquito Pass Road - which the Fairplay Pack Burro Race runs on. One day I actually ran into the race without even knowing it was going on. It was intriguing to see these folks running at 6-something pace with a burro at 10,000 feet.</p>
<p>Of course with my in laws in Fairplay, they knew all about it and were encouraging me to do the race as they thought it would be a hoot.</p>
<p>Finally in 2010, Justin Mock, a local road runner in the Front Range area said he was doing it and that really lit the fire for me to get going. We had heard of Bill Lee and we made contact with him at Laughing Valley Ranch. He has several burros up there and so we made the trek to meet burros and Bill. That is what got us going in the sport. My first burro race was in Fairplay in 2010 with Jack and we placed fourth that year.</p>
<p>For some, they do it once and they never want to do it again, but I have always found it to be a unique challenge in that it requires some running skills but is different in that you are running with an animal - and one that you need to have a connection with to be successful. And my family always smiles and laughs at this race more than any other. All of it and the community keeps me coming back.</p>
<p><strong>You've tried for some time to win the Triple Crown, what went right for you this year?</strong> Jack and I had been a possibility for the Triple Crown two times before this year. The Triple Crown is three races over three consecutive weeks in the towns of Fairplay, Leadville and Buena Vista. To win the Triple Crown a runner and his burro (the same burro and runner) have to win all three of the races. In 2012 and 2014, Jack and I had won Fairplay and Leadville but came up short in the Buena Vista race. The Buena Vista race is different than Leadville and Fairplay. Those races are long climbs starting at 10,000 feet up to Mosquito Pass (13K plus) and then long descents back into town. Fairplay is 29 miles and Leadville is 22. Buena Vista is low, with its highest point being around 9,000 feet at the most and it only runs about 12 miles. In 2012 and 2014 Jack and I came up short (third and sixth). We just could not use the same tactics in the shorter faster race of Buena Vista.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426142?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="350" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426142?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350" class="align-right"/></a>Two things were different this year: Buena Vista was the second of the three races instead of the last (Boom Days in Leadville was on a different schedule) and we were able to win that race. In Buena Vista, Jack and I held on with a pack of six teams. With about four miles to go, Justin Mock and his burro Yukon Jack, and my Jack and I got away from the larger pack. I was able to get a little bit of daylight between them and us on the Whipple Trail. It was enough of a gap for us to hold on for the win when we came into town.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about Jack, how did you come to race with him and how long have you been running together? </strong>Jack is the only burro I have ever raced. I have trained with him since Bill connected us in 2010. I have trained with other burros, but I have only raced with Jack. After we lost a couple of races in 2013, I was considered running with another burro, but when I went up to train with others at Bill's place, Jack would just come over and hang out next to me. We clearly have a connection. He may not be the fastest burro on the course and I am not the fastest runner, but we have been able to connect pretty well to get solid results.</p>
<p><strong>Something about you and Jack seems to click on these long runs, can you tell us what it is ... are you the burro whisperer? </strong>I am no burro whisperer. There is an on-going joke that it is all about a relationship that the runner has with his ass. While it is a joke, there is some truth in it. The more you know what your burro will tolerate, what motivates them, what bugs them, what they like to avoid, and how to keep them moving, the better off you will perform as a team on race day. It is not a guarantee but it helps. </p>
<p>We think Jack is 18 years old. He is not a young burro anymore and like all of us aging, we have both lost a step in our speed. But he can still hang with the lead group on the climbs, and then gets moving well on the downs on the roads and single track. <br/> <br/> <strong>We've seen a lot of runners in these events trying to motivate their burros to move. Has there been a time when Jack motivated you to pick up the pace? </strong>Jack surprised me a couple times this year. At Buena Vista, just before we came onto the Whipple Trail, he started clipping off at 6-minute pace and breaking away from Justin and Yukon. Justin and I have shared a lot of miles together and we were both pretty surprised that he did that. It seemed that he was going to be content to run in the herd for a bit but then he just made the break that set us up to win the race.</p>
<p><strong>You ran in the Leadville Trail 100 and Jack made a surprise visit at the halfway point in Winfield. Tell us about that. </strong>That was pretty surprising and huge emotional boost for me. I came off the Sheep Gulch Trail and was feeling the effort that you feel after running 50 miles. And there Tim Johnson and Angela Romero had arranged with Bill to get Jack out there with a big sign saying "get your ass up the pass." It was great. Jack seemed to be enjoying the attention from the crowd and the grass that was there for the eating. Nonetheless, when he saw me he was ready to do the work. I took the rope on the way back for a few strides and Jack decided to break into 7-minute pace - well, because that is what we do when we get together. Of course, I could not handle that and I had to let it go.</p>
<p>It was a really nice touch to the summer. It really reflected how this burro racing community is a family and the friends we have in it. Bill Lee met me just before the finish. It was pretty emotional for me to see all these people at Leadville, my family, my crew, the burro racing community cheering for me and supporting me. Seeing Jack there was just an incredible touch to an amazing summer.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426349?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426349?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-left"/></a>Back to the Triple Crown. After winning in Fairplay and Buena Vista, Leadville must have been a little intense. Can you tell us how that race went down? </strong>I knew going into Leadville there were a handful of teams that were really able to win that race. I figured it would come down to Justin and Yukon (he was second in all the races) and Hal Walter and Full Tilt Boogie. Hal has won Fairplay like seven times, and Leadville probably another handful. He really knows how to run these courses, how to keep burros moving and he always comes to the line with his eye on a the win.</p>
<p>I knew that Jack and I would not get away from these teams on the climb up to Mosquito so I just wanted to keep contact with them. I figured if we lost contact, the race would be over at that point. I also knew that we'd probably not have a shot to get away until we got over to the last four miles, or the drop through California Gulch.</p>
<p>Sure enough, Hal and Boogie commanded the race and were first to the Pass. We kept in contact but it seemed that Jack and I, and Justin and Yukon were barely hanging onto Hal and Boogie most of the race. At one point, on one of the last climbs before California Gulch, Hal and Boogie had built a gap of about 200 yards. Jack and I were just standing going nowhere and I was convinced that we had probably lost the race right there.</p>
<p>But again, Jack surprised me and he started a steady trot and over the next five minutes we bridge the gap. All three teams were together at the top of the Gulch and we just knew it was going to be a question of who could keep moving best over the last four miles.</p>
<p>And Jack did what he has done there ever year I have run with him - he just started running well and steady with no breaks or mistakes. We got a 10-yard lead, then a bit more and then we got out of sight. It was amazing. It was exactly what I thought it would take for us to get the win, but it was pretty stressful in the race because we were trying to break each other for the first three hours of that event.</p>
<p>Of course, finishing with the win on our third try at the Triple Crown was awesome. I felt it showed what a great burro Jack was and how great his ranch, Laughing Valley Ranch was. LVR burros took first and second in each of the Triple Crown races.</p>
<p><strong>Looking back on the Triple Crown, what moment will always stand out for you? </strong>Tough question because each race really gave me its own surprise. In the first race in Fairplay I didn't think we'd get away from the faster runner in Justin and the younger burro in Yukon. But when we got off the Mosquito Pass road and onto the single track trails, Jack started running the path like he knew it like his back yard. And then to win the Buena Vista race after we had come up short there in the prior years was a huge surprise. I had in fact signed up to do the Pikes Peak Marathon and the LT100 because I was pretty certain I would not need to do all three Triple Crown races (because I'd lose one). But Jack showed me otherwise. The moment is really that realization over and over that Jack was a lot better than I gave him credit for. He is amazing.</p> Pikes Peak Ascent record holder Kim Dobson returning to run America's Mountain in 2015tag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-08-03:5021591:Topic:6679032015-08-03T18:01:07.773ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656417596?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656417596?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></img></a> With a perfect training regimen and ideal race conditions, Kim Dobson stormed to a new women's record in the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2012, covering the famous 13.32-mle course in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 58 seconds.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/kim-dobson-smashes-31-year-old-pikes-peak-ascent-record" target="_blank">Video of her…</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656417596?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656417596?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400" class="align-right"/></a>With a perfect training regimen and ideal race conditions, Kim Dobson stormed to a new women's record in the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2012, covering the famous 13.32-mle course in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 58 seconds.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/kim-dobson-smashes-31-year-old-pikes-peak-ascent-record" target="_blank">Video of her record finish on the summit of Pikes Peak.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Dobson had spent that summer running to the top of Colorado's highest mountains, and she threw in some half-mile repeats at altitude to boot. "<span>I’d always try to up the intensity and add one more interval,” Dobson said after the race. “I remember having to fall down a couple of times."</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="http://running.competitor.com/2012/08/news/how-kim-dobson-broke-the-pikes-peak-ascent-record_57567" target="_blank">Read more about her record run.</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>With three wins in five starts, Dobson has dominated the Pikes Peak Ascent like no other runner in recent memory. She first competed in the Ascent in 2009, when she entered "just for fun" and placed second.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/kim-dobson-talks-about-her-record-setting-day-in-the-pikes-peak" target="_blank">Video interview following her big win 2012</a>.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>After taking a year off to start a family with her husband, Corey - their baby son Bryce was born on July 1, 2014 - Dobson, 31, is coming home to the race that started her mountain running career. And she's going to make a splash. She'll toe the line at 7 a.m., Aug. 15 for the start of the 2015 Pikes Peak Ascent, and she plans to run the Marathon on Sunday! Dobson isn't predicting any new records, but her recent results - wins at the Black Canyon Ascent, the Mount Washington Road Race, and the Vertical K in Aspen - indicate a fast finish times.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">We tracked her down and she kindly answered a few questions.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Your record run in the Pikes Peak Ascent is truly an historic moment. What memories about that experience stand out for you?</strong> Among the many happy memories I have from 2012, two in particular stand out. The first memory I have of the race is when I glanced down at my watch when I arrived at Barr Camp. It read 1:12!! I vividly remember the excitement I felt at having run so fast for the first half of the race, immediately followed by fear of a huge bonk from going out too hard. It took some prayers and pep talks with myself to believe that I could maintain that pace to the summit.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The second memory I have is when I caught up to the legendary Simon Gutierrez with about one mile to go. Shortly after he let me pass, my heart rate soared and I had to slow down. I told him to pass me back but he insisted on letting me go first. What a gentleman! Running the last mile with such a nice person and a dear friend was a neat experience.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>You've made the brave decision to run the double, how did that come about, and what are you expecting in the round trip?</strong> I think I have gone crazy signing up for the double! Doubling has been on my bucket list for awhile now, but I didn't expect to do it for a few more years. A couple of days ago, my husband and I started discussing doubling this year. I'm healthy and not pregnant this year, so why not!? Although my training has been geared towards the Ascent, I decided I want to take advantage of this opportunity while I can. I hope to experience a great adventure, take on a new challenge, and have fun. Two days on the Peak is twice the fun, right? </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Your training that year was pointed at a fast Pikes Peak time, what has your prep been like this summer?</strong> </span>My training this summer has actually been fairly similar to 2012. I have been running about 60 to 70 miles per week, with a focus on high altitude and elevation gain. I try to fit in three quality workouts a week, usually in the form of an uphill tempo, long run, or a race. It sounds like torture, but I love the long, grueling climbs without oxygen! I have also run on the Peak a few times this summer which was really fun (and hard!). The main difference between this summer and 2012 is that 2012 was preceded by two years of uninterrupted, quality training. This summer was preceded by having a baby and an injury. I certainly can’t complain though as my fitness has come back much quicker than I ever expected. I am really just grateful to be running again. To be able to compete is an added blessing.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Straight up, do you think you can run that fast again, if not this year, perhaps sometime in the future?</strong> Great question! Honestly, I am not expecting a new PR. I’m still a bit stunned by my 2:24:58 ascent. My training, race day execution, and the conditions that day in 2012 went so well that it is hard to imagine all of the necessary factors lining up so perfectly again. My goals for the Ascent have also changed. In 2012, I was consumed by running as fast as I could up Pikes Peak. I feel that I got the best out of myself and I am content with my PR mission. Now my race day goal is to compete rather than to set a PR and really just enjoy the Peak. Pikes Peak will always be one of my favorite races, but I may not be able to prepare to the same extent as 2012 as I run other races and continue to expand our family in the future. Although I don’t expect to run sub 2:25 again, we should never put limits on ourselves so who knows what the future may bring!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>You seem to be back on track with wins at the Black Canyon Ascent, Mt. Washington, the Vertical K in Aspen. Do you have a goal time for Pikes Peak this year? And if so what would you like to do?</strong> Well, I predicted a 2:32 so let’s hope I can run that! If I have a good day on race day, my training indicates that I should be somewhere between my 2012 time (2:24:58) and my 2011 time (2:34:07). Unless I grow a second pair of lungs in the next two weeks, I don’t expect to run sub 2:25 again so I’m hoping for a second-best time there! It would be really neat to run under 2:30 this year, but some of that will be determined by factors outside of my control such as the weather, trail conditions, competition, etc. All that being said, however, my main goals are to stay positive, push myself to the limit, race smart, and have fun. I’m excited to see how it all plays out this year!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Since your last run at Pikes Peak, you and Corey have added a new member of the family, son Bryce. What was it like - mentally, physically, emotionally etc - returning to training after Bryce arrived?</strong> I must admit, having a baby took a greater physical toll on my body than I had anticipated prior to getting pregnant. Growing and delivering a baby is a miraculous, joyful, and challenging process. I ran until about 17 weeks into my pregnancy at which time I developed sudden, intense pubic symphysis pain. Although I was disappointed to stop running earlier than I had expected, I knew that continuing to run through the pain could create lasting damage. Looking back, I’m thankful I had the knowledge and advice from wise friends to take a break when I did. Had I continued to push through the pain I know it would have taken much longer to feel normal again. Getting back into running after 7 months off was a bumpy ride full of niggles. My first run back was only two miles but it left me sore for days! My body felt mostly back to normal and ready to train hard at the beginning of March, about 8 months after Bryce was born.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mentally and emotionally, it has been a slow and steady process of getting my confidence back, trusting my body again, and learning how to push 100 percent. I love to push hard, say 95 percent effort, but getting that last painful 5 percent out of myself again has taken some practice. The addition of our sweet Bryce obviously requires more logistical planning. I am fortunate to have such helpful and supportive parents, in-laws, and a husband who care for Bryce when I train and race. I owe a huge thank you to them! Bryce has added so much joy and meaning to life which has helped me not take running too seriously. It’s all about having fun, doing my best, and pushing hard while I can.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Trail and mountain running is exploding in popularity, and lots of runners are looking for advice. Can you tell us what a typical training week looks like as you prepare for Pikes Peak? </strong>My typical training for the Ascent focuses on elevation gain and high altitude. While every week looks a bit different, here’s an example of what I did during a peak training week (no pun intended!) in July:</p>
<p>Monday: mountain bike<br/> Tuesday: 1.5 hour run on trails, moderate effort, minimal elevation gain<br/>
Wednesday: 14 mile run total, including 5.6 miles of hard effort tempo running up the service road on Keystone Mountain<br/>
Thursday: Run up Grays and Torreys from the I-70 exit, 14 miles<br/>
Friday: 1 hour run, easy effort and flat<br/>
Saturday: Run up Pikes Peak from the start line to the finish, pushed the pace the second half.<br/>
Sunday: 1 hour easy run with 5x30 second strides This was a big week for me. If I can complete four or so weeks similar to this during the summer, I feel very prepared for the Ascent.</p>
<p><span><strong>You've said your first attempt at Pikes Peak (2009) was "just for fun" and you finished second. Within three years you had become the U.S. Mountain Running Champion. With that in mind, what does Pikes Peak mean to you?</strong> </span><span>Pikes Peak is a mountain of memories to me. It reminds me of Corey and our quest as newlyweds to climb all of Colorado’s 14ers. (Sidenote: I am still about five short from finishing due to being a wimp). It reminds me of all of the wonderful people (and the bear!) I have met throughout my years of preparing for and running on the Peak. It is also the race that first helped me to believe in myself and in my ability to compete in mountain running. I’m so grateful that Corey and I decided to run the Pikes Ascent on a whim in 2009, “just for fun”. I hope to compete and participate in the Pikes weekend for decades to come. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p> Barr Trail Mountain Race joins Triple Crown of Running familytag:pikespeaksports.us,2015-04-02:5021591:Topic:6419272015-04-02T17:09:30.406ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427949?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427949?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Brandy Erholtz of Evergreen won the 2014 Barr Trail Mountain Race. Erholtz set the race record of 1:47:57 in 2010.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653384967?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653384967?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"></img></a> One of the top mountain runs in the west, the Barr Trail Mountain Race (BTMR), will merge with the Triple Crown…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427949?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427949?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Brandy Erholtz of Evergreen won the 2014 Barr Trail Mountain Race. Erholtz set the race record of 1:47:57 in 2010.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653384967?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653384967?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-left"/></a>One of the top mountain runs in the west, the Barr Trail Mountain Race (BTMR), will merge with the Triple Crown of Running in 2015. The agreement will provide long term financial stability and proven race operations support for the BTMR, which is set to run for the 14<sup>th</sup> time on July 19.</p>
<p>“This is an obvious and natural fit between our two organizations, as both have provided many years of challenging and iconic mountain races,” said Ron Ilgen, president of Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc., which oversees the Triple Crown. “The synergies gained from a race organization perspective are many, but even more so for Pikes Peak runners.”</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656428090?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656428090?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-right"/></a>Team Colorado, a nonprofit organization of elite trail runners, inherited the management of the Barr Trail Mountain Race in 2014. Under the new agreement, Team Colorado will continue to produce the event, with team president Peter Maksimow serving as race director.</p>
<p>“Team Colorado is giddy with excitement with the merger of the Barr Trail Mountain Race and the Pikes Peak Marathon and the Triple Crown family of races,” Maksimow said. “The fit is perfect as these races share the same ideals, love of the sport, community and worldly following.”</p>
<p>The Barr Trail Mountain Race is capped at 400 entries and online registration opened today. Check <a href="http://barrtrailmountainrace.com/">barrtrailmountainrace.com</a> for more information. For more about the Triple Crown of Running, visit <a href="http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/">pikespeakmarathon.org</a>.</p>
<p>The Barr Trail Mountain Race was started in 2000 by Matt Carpenter, the 12-time winner of the Pikes Peak Marathon, and Nancy Hobbs, a longtime race promoter who currently serves as the executive director of the American Trail Running Association. The event gained popularity as a training race for the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon, and as a fundraiser for area nonprofits, an objective that remains with the merger.</p>
<p>“There are many similarities to the BTMR and the Pikes Peak Marathon,” Ilgen said. “One of particular importance is that we share the same goal of giving back financially to organizations that support running.”</p>
<p>Runners will see an immediate benefit. The overall men’s and women’s winners in the BTMR will earn a comp entry into this year’s Pikes Peak races. And all who finish within the race’s 3-hour and 30-minute cutoff will qualify for entry into the 2016 Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon.</p>
<p>Future plans call for the creation of a new race series that would complement the Triple Crown, which currently includes the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run, the Summer Roundup Trail Run, and the Pikes Peak Ascent, or the ascent portion of the Pikes Peak Marathon.</p>
<p>Held on Barr Trail, one of the world’s most famous mountain race courses, the 12.6-mile BTMR starts on Ruxton Ave. in front of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Manitou Springs. From there runners begin a tough 3,360-feet ascent to Barr Camp where they make the turn and charge back to Manitou Springs. Though the race is doable by any runner in reasonable condition, it is famous for burning the legs and lungs of those willing to push themselves.</p>
<p>“The first time I ran BTMR I couldn't walk normally for a week. It doesn't matter who you are, the mountain will make you hurt,” said Alex Nichols, 2013 BTMR winner.</p>
<p>The Barr Trail Mountain Race annually attracts some of the best trail runners in the country. Carpenter won multiple times, and Brandy Erholtz, a former two-time Pikes Peak Ascent champion and women’s overall record holder at BTMR (1:47:57), competes there nearly every year.</p>
<p>“I love the BTMR,” she said. “It’s a great excuse to train on Barr Trail for Pikes Peak. The aid stations are awesome, and if you do well, there is prize money! Not to mention you are downtown Manitou Springs where you can get good grub, craft beer and soak in the river. Fun for the entire family!”</p>
<p>With more races and expanding opportunities for runners coming online each year, managing running races and maintaining participation numbers has become a challenge. Race organizers are convinced the merger will make for a sustainable BTMR.</p>
<p>“Now we can back up our pretty face with the brawn and prestige of the Pikes Peak Marathon and make sure that the legacy of the BTMR lives a long and healthy life,” Maksimow said. “We can't think of a better big brother to adopt us.”</p>
<p>2014 BTMR winners: Joe Gray, Colorado Springs, 1:29:43; Brandy Erholtz, Evergreen, 1:55:08</p>
<p>BTMR course records: Ryan Hafer, Colorado Springs, 2010, 1:29:05; Brandy Erholtz, 2010, 1:47:57</p>
<p>History: The Waldo Canyon Fire forced the cancelation of the 2012 race.</p> Finish line chatter at the Pikes Peak Marathontag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-08-19:5021591:Topic:4903092013-08-19T17:25:58.836ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421280?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421280?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"></img></a> <strong>By Bob Stephens<br></br> PikesPeakSports.us</strong><br></br> Don Solberg jubilantly held up four fingers to friends and family, which signified the achievement of his goal – and the end of his frustration.</p>
<p>As the 44-year-old celebrated, other runners were still crossing the finish line of Sunday’s Pikes Peak Marathon, though it took them more than five hours to…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421280?profile=original"><img width="280" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421280?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"/></a><strong>By Bob Stephens<br/> PikesPeakSports.us</strong><br/>
Don Solberg jubilantly held up four fingers to friends and family, which signified the achievement of his goal – and the end of his frustration.</p>
<p>As the 44-year-old celebrated, other runners were still crossing the finish line of Sunday’s Pikes Peak Marathon, though it took them more than five hours to complete the mind-numbing, body-ravaging race up and down America’s mountain.</p>
<p>“I’ve been trying to break five hours since I started running this four years ago,” he said. “This is huge for me.”</p>
<p>Solberg crossed the finish line in 4:45:39, while setting personal bests for the uphill and downhill portions of the 26.2-mile race. He accomplished the ascent in 2:58:01, a full 19 minutes better than a year ago.</p>
<p>How did he improve so much? Solberg attributed his faster time to more speed training.<br/> “Last year I just worked on the mountain,” he said. “I did more flat work this year, more speed work. I felt the difference.”</p>
<p>He has a tattoo of Pikes Peak with “14,115” – the elevation of the mountain – on his upper back. Clearly, Solberg felt like he conquered the big hill Sunday.“It’s outstanding. I don’t know if I’ll ever repeat this,” he said.</p>
<p>Solberg is in the business of helping save lives. For 11 years, the last five at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital, he’s been a flight paramedic.</p>
<p>“I’ve been so nervous all week,” Solberg said. “My family’s been here all week from Arizona. This is just a great day. I beat a lot of good runners. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me.”</p>
<p><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423239?profile=original"><img width="200" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423239?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"/></a>HIGHER GOALS:</strong> As Peter Maksimow studied the times of top finishers in the Pikes Peak Marathon, he was congratulated for finishing second in his age group. That was small consolation for the charismatic 34-year-old, who battled injuries and a lack of training as much as the mountain and other runners while finishing 17th in 4:29:54.</p>
<p>“I wanted to be in the top five,” said Maksimow, who ran for Whittier College in his hometown in Southern California. “I aspire to be in the top tier of athletes.”</p>
<p>Maksimow has finished in the top 10 all four times he’s run the Pikes Peak Ascent (2003, 2010-2012) but knew it was an uphill battle to duplicate that success.“I’m not in shape; I’ve been injured for about a year-and-a-half,” Maksimow explained. “I started training again about three weeks ago after taking a month off.”</p>
<p>He developed plantar fasciitis in March 2012 and, while compensating for that problem, began suffering from Achilles tendinitis.</p>
<p>Despite the discomfort, Maksimow maintains his upbeat, friendly persona that helped him become president of Team Colorado, a USATF outfit that includes Alex Nichols, who was runner-up in the Marathon on Sunday.</p>
<p>“We all have a love for the sport, for the mountains,” said Maksimow, who sports a mustache worthy of Olympic gold.</p>
<p>Maksimow works at Colorado Running Company, and for Running USA, a Colorado Springs-based company. He also coaches individual runners.Maksimow has competed in the Ascent or Marathon since moving back to Colorado Springs from Vermont, where his wife Nora is from.</p>
<p>He knew the training for this weekend wasn’t what he wanted. “The hardest thing is not being prepared for it … mentally,” he said. “Physically, I knew I wasn’t ready. This is 15,000 feet of gain and loss. There are a lot of facets to this race.“It’s quite an experience. It’s a bucket list thing, for sure.”</p>
<p><strong>BLOODY FINISH:</strong> The nasty fall occurred about a mile before Barr Camp during Cameron Clayton’s descent down Pikes Peak.</p>
<p>“It was a clear place, the kind where you get complacent,” said the 25-year-old resident of Boulder. “I was thinking, ‘Churn and burn,’ and that’s when I caught a little pebble and went down.”</p>
<p>When Clayton crossed the finish line in Manitou Springs, there was blood on his face, both arms and both legs. Medical personnel were quick to converge on him and offer assistance, which he gladly accepted.</p>
<p>Clayton finished fifth in 4:00:46, after making the turnaround at the top of Pikes Peak in 2:33:35.</p>
<p>“Once I got in fifth place, I just stayed there,” he said. “I’m good at descending and I was hoping to make up some ground and move up when I went down.”</p>
<p>Blood and a nasty scrape were above his right eye, and he received treatment on both hands, elbows and knees.</p>
<p>“I got my hands out but not far enough,” he said. “I’m good at tucking and rolling, but not this time. That was a face plant. If this was a training run, it was something you’d take 10 to 15 minutes to recover from.”</p>
<p>Instead, he was up quickly and again headed down the mountain.</p>
<p>“I had a headache and lost a little bit of vision in my right eye for about 30 minutes,” he said. “It’s returned now. I’m OK, but I was worried a little about a concussion.”</p>
<p>It was Clayton’s first time to enter the race but he called it “fun” and said he’d return despite suffering the hardest fall he’d ever had.“It was an adventure,” he said with a smile. “It wasn’t a terrible first experience. I’m alive.”</p> Japan's Miyahara, Colorado Springs' Nichols sprint to Pikes Peak Marathon finishtag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-08-19:5021591:Topic:4894772013-08-19T01:44:27.406ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419642?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419642?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="325"></img></a> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Race results in Finish Line Index</a></strong><br></br> <strong>VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/jason-delaney-and-touru-miyahara-make-the-turn-in-14-115-feet-in" target="_blank">Jason Delaney, Touro Miyahara make the turn at the summit</a> **…</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419642?profile=original"><img width="325" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419642?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="325"/></a><strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Race results in Finish Line Index</a></strong><br/> <strong>VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/jason-delaney-and-touru-miyahara-make-the-turn-in-14-115-feet-in" target="_blank">Jason Delaney, Touro Miyahara make the turn at the summit</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/alex-nichols-talks-about-his-second-place-finish-in-the-pikes" target="_blank">Interview with Alex Nichols</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/jason-delaney-leads-at-summit-then-holds-on-to-place-third-in" target="_blank">Interview with Jason Delaney</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Bob Stephens</strong><br/> <strong>PikesPeakSports.us</strong></p>
<p>Touru Miyahara didn’t need an interpreter to express his joy after he won the Pikes Peak Marathon on Sunday. His beaming smile said it all.</p>
<p>Miyahara’s victory was in doubt, however, less than a mile from the finish line when Alex Nichols moved alongside him to create a dramatic conclusion.</p>
<p>“I caught him right as we hit Ruxton (Avenue), so with a half-mile to go, we were tied,” said Nichols, who finished second, matching his maiden effort in last year’s 26.2-mile race. “At first, I thought I had him, but he’d been conserving energy on the downhill and had too much left.”</p>
<p>Miyahara dug deep for extra strength and pulled away in the final 500 meters. It was an amazing finish, a rarity for a marathon to be decided in the stretch run after more than 25 grueling miles.</p>
<p>Miyahara’s time of 3:43:23 was well off Matt Carpenter’s course record of 3:16:39 (set in 1993), but his hard-charging finish put him 23 seconds ahead of Nichols.</p>
<p>Jason Delaney, who finished third in 3:53:45, reached the summit first in 2:16:21. Miyahara was 82 seconds behind, with Nichols more than six minutes behind the leader. Nichols caught Delaney at Barr Camp, but still trailed Miyahara by three minutes, 18 seconds.</p>
<p>Nichols shaved another minute off his deficit by No Name Creek and steadily stalked Miyahara through the final miles.</p>
<p>“I knew (Nichols) was closing in,” Miyahara, who is from Japan, said through interpreter Robin Lawrentz, a friend who met him in Japan before moving back to Colorado Springs. “I was going as fast as I could.”</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424196?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424196?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a>Despite the injury on the bottom of his right foot, and soreness in his legs, Miyahara figured he would prevail in his first effort on the mountain.</p>
<p>“I’m a road runner,” he said. “As long as I could race him on pavement, I thought I’d be champion.”<br/> The 30-year-old Miyahara lives in Gotemba City, Japan, at the base of Mt. Fuji. He has won the Mt. Fuji race, an ascent, and is ranked No. 1 among Japanese trail runners.</p>
<p>“I’m not a good descender, so I was worried how I’d do in this race,” Miyahara said. “The long descent (was the hardest part). I’m very happy to do so well.”</p>
<p>The champion wanted to be the first to the summit, and was disappointed Delaney beat him to the top. Delaney won the Ascent in 2012 but this was his first marathon on the famous mountain.</p>
<p>“I was hoping for more, but I’m satisfied,” said Delaney, 33, who lives in Polson, Mont., and has two children with another on the way.</p>
<p>Delaney won the Missoula (Mont.) marathon about five weeks ago, setting a course record. His training was a little compromised, he said, since buying his parents’ landscaping business.</p>
<p>“I was hoping for a couple minutes faster on the ascent,” he said. “(Miyahara) caught me a couple miles after we started down. I tweaked an ankle but tried to gear it up. By the time Alex caught me, I was feeling the burn.”</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425375?profile=original"><img width="280" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425375?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"/></a>Nichols, 27, has spent years looking at Pikes Peak and was thoroughly disappointed not to win. The former Colorado College runner is an assistant coach for the school and works at Colorado Running Company.</p>
<p>“It’s definitely heartbreaking,” said Nichols, who was five minutes faster than a year ago. “I’m getting better every year, but I came to win. I don’t want to make excuses, but I had a cold this week. I had a headache on the uphill, and just didn’t run the uphill like I wanted to.”</p>
<p>When Delaney and Miyahara – both rookies in the race – broke from the pack and led the ascent, Nichols said he “just tried to run my own race. (Miyahara) wasn’t really on my radar.”</p>
<p>Both Nichols and Miyahara run in the Skyrunner World Series, a 10-year-old organization that features five races in five countries. The Pikes Peak Marathon is third in the series, with the Matterhorn Ultraks – four kilometers longer than a marathon – scheduled just six days later in Switzerland, on Aug. 24.</p>
<p>“I’ll skip that one,” said Nichols, who was 13th in the Skyrunner World Series standings after running in France, but not Spain. “I should move into the top five after this race.”</p>
<p>The fifth, and final, race in the series is Oct. 13 in Italy.</p>
<p>Both Nichols and Delaney said they’ll definitely challenge Pikes Peak, themselves and their competitors again in 2014. Miyahara wasn’t quite so sure.</p>
<p>He simply smiled.</p> 40-year-old mother of five, Connilee Walter is fastest women's doubler on Pikes Peaktag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-08-19:5021591:Topic:4894712013-08-19T00:21:48.722ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424689?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424689?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>She's kind of a big deal. Connilee Walter, 40, of Colorado Springs, was greeted by family, friends, her husband and all five of their children at the finish of the Pikes Peak Marathon on Sunday.</strong><br></br> <br></br> <strong>By Bob Stephens<br></br>
PikesPeakSports.us</strong><br></br>
Connilee Walter experienced a rare moment of weakness prior to the start of the Pikes Peak…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424689?profile=original"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424689?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"/></a><strong>She's kind of a big deal. Connilee Walter, 40, of Colorado Springs, was greeted by family, friends, her husband and all five of their children at the finish of the Pikes Peak Marathon on Sunday.</strong><br/> <br/>
<strong>By Bob Stephens<br/>
PikesPeakSports.us</strong><br/>
Connilee Walter experienced a rare moment of weakness prior to the start of the Pikes Peak Marathon on Sunday. That’s when the promise she made to herself years ago came into question.</p>
<p>But the dedicated mother of five children isn’t accustomed to backing down from challenges, and resolved to fulfill her pledge.</p>
<p>“I had a moment there at the start line,” the 40-year-old Walter said with a smile after finishing the 26.2-mile race. “Once I pulled my bib yesterday, I knew I’d do it.”</p>
<p>Walter, who began running during her college days at Northern Arizona University, made the promise “when I was in my early 30s” to run the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon on the same weekend.</p>
<p>Whether that qualifies her as crazy or dedicated, it’s definitely a cool accomplishment.</p>
<p>Walter was seventh among women racers in the Marathon, after finishing fourth in the Ascent. Her combined time of 8 hours, 9 minutes, 16 seconds, was the best among those who “doubled” by competing in both events.</p>
<p>“I felt better (Sunday), but I was slower,” Walter said. “I didn’t stop (during the race). I had cramps in my calves but I was able to run through it.”</p>
<p>She drove through the final stretch to finish in 5 hours, 10 minutes, 31 seconds.</p>
<p>“You see the crowd and you feel way better,” she said. “It feels really good to do this.”</p>
<p>Walter, who grew up in the Phoenix area, went to college in Flagstaff, Ariz., at NAU.</p>
<p>“They joke about the ‘freshman 15,’” she said, referring to freshmen gaining 15 pounds during their first year of college. “Well, I gained about 30. By my junior year, I was sick of it and started going to the gym. After a while, I started jogging to the gym instead of taking the shuttle. Then I realized I liked running there better than being there.</p>
<p>“I never competed until I moved to Colorado Springs and heard about this crazy race.”</p>
<p>She’s run the Ascent 10 times and the Marathon four times, and completed about a dozen other marathons.</p>
<p>Walter, who works for the nonprofit Young Life, is married to Pat, whom she called a “super dad.”</p>
<p>Their children are Payton, 11; Ryleigh, 9; Casey, 9 (who celebrated his birthday as mom ran the Ascent); Tessa, 6; and Quinn, 3.</p>
<p>With a full-time job and a family, when does Walter find time to train so she can competitively run nearly 40 miles in two races, up and down America’s mountain?</p>
<p>“I sneak out super early in the morning, at 4 or 5 (a.m.), before they’re up,” she said.</p>
<p>When asked if she’ll double again and take on the Ascent and Marathon on back-to-back days, Walter said, “It’s too early to say.”</p>
<p>Her face cringed at the thought, but it seemed her mind was already gearing up for the challenge.</p>
<p>What’s next for the busy wife and mom? And how did she plan to celebrate her big accomplishment?</p>
<p>“I’ll go sit in the creek,” she said with a laugh. “I won’t run again for a couple of weeks. I’ll just do some biking.”</p> Hafer wins again, sets Summer Roundup recordtag:pikespeaksports.us,2012-07-09:5021591:Topic:3441622012-07-09T02:12:44.637ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653399658?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653399658?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> Ryan Hafer leads the charge up the first hill in the Summer Roundup Trail Run on Sunday, July 8, in Bear Creek Park<br></br> <br></br> <strong>RESULTS:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Check Finish Line Index</a> for your area running results, click the race link or enter your name in the search tool<br></br> <strong>PHOTOS:…</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653399658?profile=original"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653399658?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"/></a>Ryan Hafer leads the charge up the first hill in the Summer Roundup Trail Run on Sunday, July 8, in Bear Creek Park<br/> <br/> <strong>RESULTS:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Check Finish Line Index</a> for your area running results, click the race link or enter your name in the search tool<br/> <strong>PHOTOS:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/summer-roundup-gallery-1" target="_blank">Summer Roundup Gallery 1</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/summer-roundup-gallery-2" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a> <strong>**</strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/summer-roundup-trail-run-start-and-awards" target="_blank">Staring line and awards photos</a> <strong>**</strong><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/summer-roundup-trail-run-start-and-finish-line" target="_blank">Start and finish line photos</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>VIDEO:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-2012-summer-roundup-trail-run" target="_blank">Start of the Summer Roundup Trail Run</a> <strong>**</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/ryan-hafer-sets-summer-round-trail-run-record" target="_blank">Interview with men's race winner Ryan Hafer</a> <strong>**</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/2012-u-s-mountain-running-champion-sage-canaday-third-at-summer" target="_blank">Interview with Sage Canaday, 2012 U.S. Mountain Running Champion</a><br/> <strong>WOMEN'S RACE:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/group/roadtrailrunning/forum/topics/fort-collins-runner-wins-women-s-race-at-summer-roundup-pregnant-?xg_source=activity" target="_blank">Fort Collins runner wins, but 19-weeks-pregnant Rachel Cuellar stole the show</a><br/> <strong>MASTERS RACE:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/profiles/blogs/men-s-masters-champ-surprised-by-strong-finish" target="_blank">Neal Oseland, Louise Kriel roundup Masters titles</a><br/> <strong>RACE NOTES:</strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/profiles/blogs/roundup-runners-happy-to-be-back-in-familiar-groove?xg_source=activity" target="_blank">After Waldo Canyon Fire stress, runners pleased to be back in familiar groove ... and other interesting things to read</a><br/> <br/> Ryan Hafer put his lungs to work as he climbed the steepest parts of the tough Summer Roundup Trail Run course on Sunday. And when it came time to run downhill, he gave his legs all the reign they needed to charge to the win in record time.</p>
<p>"I knew I could use the downhill on the way back," Hafer said. "I like the downhills. They're easy and you don't have to breathe. You just have to move the legs and focus."</p>
<p>Hafer, 26, of Colorado Springs, loped through the tough 12K course in 41 minutes, 46 seconds, then lifted his arms skyward as he hit the finish line in Bear Creek Park. His broke the old record of 44:54, set in 2011 by Pete Maksimow, and set a standard for the 25-29 age group.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423757?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423757?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a>It was a big weekend for the Boulder Running Company/Adidas runner. On Saturday (July 7), he won the Vail Hill Climb (7.5 miles, 2,500 elevationgain) in 49:20, beating the likes of Glenn Randal, Justin Delaney and Simon Gutierrez.</p>
<p>On Sunday, he outran the 2012 Mountain Running Champion Sage Canaday of Boulder, and Geofrey Terer of Colorado Springs, the 2012 Mount Evans Ascent champion.</p>
<p>Hafer said he wasn't thinking about the race record. He just wanted to get a good workout.</p>
<p>"My coach wanted me to get in two hard efforts this weekend since Barr Trail (Mountain Race) is canceled next weekend," he said.</p>
<p>Canaday, 26, won the Mount Washington Hill Climb in New Hampshire in June and will lead the USA Mountain Running Team when it competes in the mountain running world championships this September in Italy. He said he, Hafer and Terer shared the lead for the first few miles before Hafer surged on High Drive, a swerving gravel road famous for its tough pitches.</p>
<p>"At the turnaround he came by us and I though, 'man, he really looks strong," Canaday said of Hafer.</p>
<p>Terer stayed in the hunt and managed to out-kick Canaday as they made their final strides to the finish. Terer clocked 42:55, with Canaday on his heels in 42:57. Jared Abuya, 35, of Colorado Springs was fourth in 44:40. All ran under the old race record.</p>
<p>There were 679 finishers in the Summer Roundup, the second leg of the Triple Crown of Running. And cooler weather along with recent rains made for a fast course. There were nine records set, including Hafer's new overall and age-group mark. Other new men's age group records included, Terer's finish in the 35-39 age group. And 60-year-old Ron Hendricks' 57:54 effort in the 60-64 age group.</p>
<p>Hafer and Canaday said the Pikes Peak Ascent is a high-priority target on their race schedule. Hafer was 19 in 2005 when he became the youngest runner to win the Ascent.</p> Fort Collins runner wins women's race at Summer Roundup, pregnant woman is secondtag:pikespeaksports.us,2012-07-08:5021591:Topic:3445692012-07-08T19:58:22.056ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656418349?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656418349?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"></img></a> <strong>By Monica Smith</strong><br></br> A much needed change in weather created perfect racing conditions on Sunday at the 13th Summer Roundup Trail Run, allowing for several record-breaking race efforts.</p>
<p>Kelly Ramirez, 26, of Fort Collins was the first woman to cross the finish line, clocking in at 53 minutes, 9 seconds – a mere 26 seconds off the women’s course record,…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656418349?profile=original"><img width="280" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656418349?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"/></a><strong>By Monica Smith</strong><br/> A much needed change in weather created perfect racing conditions on Sunday at the 13th Summer Roundup Trail Run, allowing for several record-breaking race efforts.</p>
<p>Kelly Ramirez, 26, of Fort Collins was the first woman to cross the finish line, clocking in at 53 minutes, 9 seconds – a mere 26 seconds off the women’s course record, 52:43.</p>
<p>“That was a really good race,” Ramirez said. “It was pretty straightforward (and) went out a little quick, (but I) got to first place by two miles and then just kind of stuck with some men that I was near.”</p>
<p>As pleased as Ramirez was with her race, she said she was more happy to have great weather for running - temperatures in the 60s and no wind. The cool morning was a contrast to the days leading up to the race, when record heat and smoke from devastating wildfires scorched Colorado's Front Range.</p>
<p>“It’s been really hard to train lately because of the smoke,” she said. “Everyone is affected just walking around breathing, but that just makes you appreciate being able to come out and run a race like this (with) a clear day and cool weather. It was perfect racing weather."</p>
<p>Ramirez, who placed second at the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run four weeks ago, said she plans to race the entire Triple Crown of Running series, taking on the Pikes Peak Ascent in August. After two series races, she is ranked first among the women.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419739?profile=original"><img width="250" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419739?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"/></a>Rachael Cuellar, 30, of Albuquerque, may have had the best day of all. She finished second in the women's race with a time of 54:40, shattering the old 30-34 age-group record of 55:13. And she is 19-weeks pregnant.</p>
<p>“My plan was just to go as fast as I could downhill because, I knew I wasn’t in any cardiovascular shape to be pushing it up,” Cuellar said.</p>
<p>As Cuellar approaches the end of her second trimester, she said the Roundup will likely be her last hard effort for the year. She placed fourth in the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run in June.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/group/roadtrailrunning/forum/topics/kleppin-wins-garden-10-miler-while-expecting-mother-places-fourth" target="_blank">Read more</a> about Cuellar's pregnancy and her Garden of the Gods race.</p>
<p>“I signed up for it (Summer Roundup) earlier in the year and I just wanted to do it,” she said. “I might just do some 5K’s around Albuquerque, but that’s about it.”</p>
<p>Cuellar said she had also registered for the Pikes Peak Ascent prior to her pregnancy, with an initial plan of doing the Triple Crown of Running. She said she hopes to return next year to compete in the entire series.</p>
<p>Third to cross the finish line for the women was Rochelle Persson, 44, of Colorado Springs. Persson finished in 55:02, breaking the 40-44 age division record (56:04).</p>
<p>Persson said this record was a stepping stone toward one of her 2012 goals.</p>
<p>“I’m trying to get the master’s record back for the Triple Crown races (from) Lisa Goldsmith, who got it last year from (my previous record),” Persson said.</p>
<p>Goldsmith set the master’s record in 5:02:55 in 2011, and was at 2:12:00 after two legs of the series. And after today’s race Persson is on track to reach her goal with a total time of 2:05:43 after two races.</p>
<p>Persson will have to run at least 2:56 in the Pikes Peak Ascent to do so.Cuellar and Persson’s records were just two of eight set at this year’s Summer Roundup.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/profiles/blogs/roundup-runners-happy-to-be-back-in-familiar-groove?xg_source=activity" target="_blank">Read about all of the new records here.</a></p>
<p>The race is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Running series, which finishes up with the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon races on August 18 and 19.</p>