All Discussions Tagged 'Series' - Pikes Peak Sports2024-03-29T09:54:26Zhttp://pikespeaksports.us/group/roadtrailrunning/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=Series&feed=yes&xn_auth=noLook out Pikes Peak, here comes the worldtag:pikespeaksports.us,2019-08-22:5021591:Topic:8423422019-08-22T17:17:17.704ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;"><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3441889175?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3441889175?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="650"></img></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><strong>Jordi Saragossa photo</strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>64th Pikes Peak Marathon fields are stacked</b></span></p>
<p><strong>From Tim Sweeney</strong>, Salomon Golden Trail World Series…</p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 500;"><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3441889175?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3441889175?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="650" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><strong>Jordi Saragossa photo</strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>64th Pikes Peak Marathon fields are stacked</b></span></p>
<p><strong>From Tim Sweeney</strong>, Salomon Golden Trail World Series</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">The fifth race of the 2019 Golden Trail World Series is perhaps the most famed trail race on American soil, and this year the Pikes Peak Mountain Marathon will play host to the elite athletes of the sport. Spain’s Kilian Jornet (Team Salomon) leads an all-star cast from around the globe that will take to the starting line on Sunday morning, August 25</span><span style="font-weight: 500;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 500;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">The 42km race is the highest in altitude on the Golden Trail World Series. It begins and ends in Manitou Springs, Colorado and climbs 2,382 meters to an elevation of 4,302 meters—the top of the famed Pikes Peak. It’s also a race with a seemingly unbreakable course record. The men’s record time of 3:16:39 has stood since 1991.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">With Jornet on hand, as well as a deep field of elite runners in the women’s race, what is “unbreakable” may be called into question this weekend. The Spaniard is coming off a legendary performance two weeks ago at the ultra-competitive Sierre-Zinal race in Switzerland, where he shattered the 16-year-old course record by three minutes and 37 seconds and left behind a field of elite athletes from a variety of running disciplines. Pikes Peak, however, is a different animal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">“Pikes Peak Marathon is one of the oldest mountain races,” said Jornet, ever a student of the sport. “The Ascent race dates from 1936 and the marathon from 1956. It was the third marathon in the US and the first one to allow women to participate. The race is very logical. Run up to the summit and down, and the history behind it is what attracted me to run there.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">The 2018 men’s race winner, Colorado native Dakota Jones (Team Salomon), will miss this year’s race due to injury, but a host of top talent will be there to throw their best effort at Jornet, who comes in as the clear favorite.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">Swiss star Rémi Bonnet (Team Salomon), who had strong races at Sierre-Zinal and the Marathon du Mont Blanc, will bring his considerable climbing skills to Pikes Peak. Two of Team Hoka’s top runners—Italy’s Francesco Puppi and Colorado resident Sage Canaday—will also look to crack the podium, and Mexico’s Juan Carlos Fererra (Team Buff) could also be heard from. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">France’s Thibaut Baronian (Team Salomon), who was 3</span><span style="font-weight: 500;">rd</span> <span style="font-weight: 500;">at Zegama, will also be in the hunt. Swiss athlete Marc Lauenstein (Team Salomon), a former winner at Pikes, is making a comeback from a foot injury and says he is full-go this weekend, while American trail veteran Max King (Team Salomon) will relish the rare chance to run on home soil against top European talent. Peruvian Jose Manuel Quispe (Team Lippi), who was the 2</span><span style="font-weight: 500;">nd</span> <span style="font-weight: 500;">runner to the top of the climb at the Dolomyth Runs in July, will also be looking for top result at Pikes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">“When I ran here in 2012, I remember it was a fun race and it was great to feel the ambiance,” Jornet added. “It is a very runnable race, but it’s hard. The ascent is not big and isn’t steep either, but the altitude is a huge factor. Probably the key to being successful in the race is to be well acclimatized and to not start to strong because after that the altitude really hits you.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">Last year, Salomon athlete and Colorado resident Megan Kimmel (Team Salomon) relied on her high altitude conditioning to break the women’s course record, winning in 4:15:04 to better the mark that had stood since 1981 by 14 seconds. Kimmel will not compete in this year’s race, but a top group of women will see if they can handle the altitude of Pikes and possibly challenge her record time. Maude Mathys (Team Salomon) is coming off a course record-breaking win on her home soil at Sierre-Zinal and her skills as a climber should send her to the front in the early going, and maybe to stay. Mathys was 3</span><span style="font-weight: 500;">rd</span> <span style="font-weight: 500;">at the Dolomyths Sky run in Italy as well.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">She will be challenged by a pair of Adidas TERREX runners in Great Britain’s Holy Page and Norway’s Yngvild Kasperson. Team Salomon athletes Eli Gordon (Spain) and Megan Mackenzie (South Africa) should also be in the chase for podium results, as will France’s Amandine Ferrato (Team Hoka One One).</span> <span style="font-weight: 500;"><br/></span><span style="font-weight: 500;"><br/></span><b>ABOUT THE GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES:</b><span style="font-weight: 500;"><br/></span><span style="font-weight: 500;">The elite runners of the Golden Trail World Series are trying to earn points in the season-long chase for a spot in the Grand Final, which will take place in Nepal in October. The athletes must participate in three of the six races during the series in order to be eligible for the final. The Top 10 men and women with the most points in their three best races will earn a trip for themselves and a person of their choice to the Grand Final. The overall final standings (and the men’s and women’s champions) of the Golden Trail World Series will be determined again by the runners’ three best finishes during the season, plus their result at the Grand Final. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 500;">For photos and more, visit</span> <a href="http://www.goldentrailseries.com"><span style="font-weight: 500;">www.goldentrailseries.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 500;">. </span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.goldentrailseries.com/results-2018/results-gtws-2019/"><span style="font-weight: 500;">For up-to-date Golden Trail World Series standings</span></a><span style="font-weight: 500;">. </span></p> Kilian Jornet: Nothing is unbreakable, but Pikes Peak Marathon record poses a challengetag:pikespeaksports.us,2019-08-21:5021591:Topic:8421742019-08-21T22:56:37.489ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3440529435?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3440529435?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300"></img></a> Kilian Jornet has covered a lot of ground since he last raced at Pikes Peak and won in 2012. He has captured championship titles in most of mountain running's major races - some of them multiple times. He dislocated his shoulder in the early miles of the the 2017 Hardrock 100, and then won with his arm in a sling. If mountain running has a household name,…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3440529435?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3440529435?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="300" class="align-left"/></a>Kilian Jornet has covered a lot of ground since he last raced at Pikes Peak and won in 2012. He has captured championship titles in most of mountain running's major races - some of them multiple times. He dislocated his shoulder in the early miles of the the 2017 Hardrock 100, and then won with his arm in a sling. If mountain running has a household name, it's his.</p>
<p>And now he's back at Pikes Peak, running in Salomon's Golden Trail World Series. And he is at the top of his game. Listen to the chatter among those who know him and there is an underlying vibe. Jornet wants to break Matt Carpenter's longstanding marathon race record of 3 hours, 16 minutes, 39 seconds, a mark that has been untouchable - as in no runner besides Carpenter has come close to it in 25 years.</p>
<p>Can the Spanish-born Jornet make history at Sunday's Pikes Peak Marathon? We caught up with him earlier this summer. Here are his thoughts about Pikes Peak, running in thin air, and his appreciation for Colorado's wide open spaces.</p>
<p><strong>What attracted you back to Pikes Peak?</strong></p>
<p>Pikes Peak Marathon is one of the oldest mountain races, the ascent dates from 1936 and the marathon from 1956. It was the third marathon, including road ones, in the US, and the first one to allow women to participate. The race is very logical. Run up to the summit and down, and the history behind are the facts that attract me.</p>
<p> <strong>When you think back on your 2012 win in the Pikes Peak Marathon, what memories stand out?</strong></p>
<p>It was a fun race, It wasn’t much exciting since since the first kilometers positions were kind of set but I remember all the time there was great, to feel the ambiance, and it’s hard, it is a very runnable race since is never steep or technical but the altitude factor makes difficult to run fast.</p>
<p> <strong>Some people think Matt Carpenter's record of 3 hours, 16 minutes 39 seconds is unbeatable. It is extremely fast, but what do you think? Can the record be broken and who could break it?</strong></p>
<p>Nothing is unbreakable, but Matt’s performance that day is one of the most incredible in mountain running. Conditions should be perfect, a race with fight with very talented runners.</p>
<p> <strong>Pikes Peak's altitude: 4,302 meters at the summit. The race includes about 2,382 meters ascending. How do you approach this challenge?</strong></p>
<p>The ascent is not big and isn’t steep either, but the altitude is a huge factor, probably the key to being successful in the race is to be well acclimatized, to not start to strong because after that the altitude really hits you!</p>
<p> <strong>The Golden Trail World Series includes some of the world's greatest mountain races, what would it mean to you to win the overall championship?</strong></p>
<p>I think what’s great about the circuit is that it joins the dream races, the ones that every mountain runner wants to run once in life. A victory in one of those is a life goal for any athlete. And being in a circuit the field level is even more impressive.</p>
<p> <strong>You have raced some of the bigger races in the US and particularly here in Colorado. What does Colorado symbolize to you as an outdoor playground and what do you like about coming here to race</strong>?</p>
<p>Colorado is a great place to play outdoors, it has everything; huge mountain surface, cold and snowy winters, and great weather. It is accessible from cities but still wild and remote some areas. From Front Range to San Juan’s, the possibilities are unlimited. From the Diamond in Long’s to climb or Eldorado, to the snow quality to ski during winters, to remote mountains to run and scramble in the south, it has everything!</p> Golden Trail Series: Colorado runners win at Pikes Peak Marathontag:pikespeaksports.us,2018-08-20:5021591:Topic:8068082018-08-20T05:04:07.899ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
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<p><strong>From Salomon's Tim Sweeney, <span>Senior Manager, Global Communications & PR</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A.</strong><span> </span>— The Pikes Peak Marathon, the fourth stop on the <a href="https://www.goldentrailseries.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Golden Trail Series</a>, may have featured…</p>
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<p><strong>From Salomon's Tim Sweeney, <span>Senior Manager, Global Communications & PR</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO, U.S.A.</strong><span> </span>— The Pikes Peak Marathon, the fourth stop on the <a href="https://www.goldentrailseries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden Trail Series</a>, may have featured another world-class field of trail runners from around the globe, but<span> </span><span>on Sunday</span><span> </span>it was a couple of Colorado locals who owned the day.</p>
<p>Dakota Jones and Megan Kimmel, both residents of the state that straddles the Rocky Mountains, relied on their high-altitude conditioning on a morning that was perfect for racing to the top of 14,115-foot (4,302-meter) Pikes Peak and back down to Manitou Springs. Kimmel (Team Salomon) set a new women’s course record, winning in<span> </span><span>4:15:04</span><span> </span>to break the mark that had stood since 1981 by 14 seconds.</p>
<p>“I did not expect this, but I didn’t rule it out either, and the main reason I didn’t rule it out was because it’s my home turf and if there is one thing I’m good at, it’s running at altitude,” said Kimmel, who lives about three hours away from the race. “I knew what the record was coming into the race, but I didn’t think it was at all possible with the splits I needed to have. I just kept a healthy pace because I didn’t know who was behind me and I was thinking the record might still be possible. Then, about a mile out, someone said that if I kicked it in, I could get it, so I went all-out.”</p>
<p>Jones, a Team Salomon athlete who has battled injuries for much of the last two seasons, got himself back to full health in recent months with an eye on Pikes Peak and proving he is still among the sport’s elite. The plan came to fruition<span> </span><span>on Sunday</span><span> </span>morning. He bested a strong field of international talent to win in<span> </span><span>3:32:19</span>. In doing so, Jones ran the fastest downhill time (<span>1:13:53</span>) in the race’s rich 63-year history, one minute and 40 seconds quicker than the previous best descent, recorded in 1993. He did all that after cycling 250 miles over four days from his hometown in Durango, Colorado to Colorado Springs for the race, all in an effort to raise funds for Protect Our Winters. </p>
<p>“It’s the first real competitive race I’ve done in a year and a half and I was curious to see how nervous I’d get before the race because I haven’t raced in a while,” Jones said. “There were a lot of guys capable of winning and I knew I was one of them, but everything has to go right. It always goes right for one person and you hope it’s you.”</p>
<p>Oriol Cardona Coll (Team Dynafit) was 2<sup>nd</sup><span> </span>in<span> </span><span>3:37:19</span>, Darren Beck Thomas was 3<sup>rd</sup><span> </span>in<span> </span><span>3:37:34</span><span> </span>and Team Salomon’s Stian Angermund-Vik continued his consistent season with a 4<sup>th</sup><span> </span>place finish in<span> </span><span>3:37:48</span>. With a solid effort in his first trip to the U.S., Angermund-Vik jumped to the top of the Golden Trail Series standings with 238 points in the four races this season. </p>
<p>Jones was with the other eventual top-10 finishers on the ascent and said he felt like he was “falling apart.”</p>
<p>“Running in front of Stian is nerve-wracking because I know what he is capable of and I was running outside of what I know I could do on the way up,” he said. “So I thought: Don’t blow it here and let’s see what I can do. Because it’s such an international field, I’m kind of a local boy even though I’m not from right here in this area. So it’s fun to come out here as a Colorado boy and represent.”</p>
<p>In the midst of what has been a solid but not outstanding season by her own lofty standards, Kimmel got the big result she was hoping for<span> </span><span>on Sunday</span>. She arrived at the race’s halfway point at the summit looking fresh and strong, and didn’t give the rest of the women a chance to get close from there. </p>
<p>“As far as how I was going to feel coming in, it was a wild card being that I ran (at Sierre-Zinal in Switzerland) last week,” she explained. “I wasn’t sure how to tackle the race itself, except I knew that for me it was important to stay centered and stay in control for the whole course, so I went out at a comfortable pace.”</p>
<p>Chasing Kimmel all morning were 2<sup>nd</sup><span> </span>place finisher Laura Orgue (Team Salomon) of Spain (<span>4:30:52</span>), Colorado Springs local and defending champion Kristina Marie Mascarenas (3<sup>rd</sup><span> </span>in<span> </span><span>4:37:00</span>), American Emily Elizabeth Schmitz (4<sup>th</sup><span> </span>in<span> </span><span>4:44:45</span>) and France’s Celine Lafaye (Team Merrell), who was 5<sup>th</sup><span> </span>in<span> </span><span>4:51:16</span>. With the win, Kimmel jumped into third place in the season-long Golden Trail Series standings. Mascarenas ran the fastest downhill time ever run by a woman on her way to her 3<sup>rd</sup><span> </span>place finish.</p>
<p>“I feel really happy with how I ran Sierre-Zinal and I’m happy with where I’m sitting in the Golden Trail Series and hoping to make the top-10 so I can get out to the Otter Trail (in South Africa),” Kimmel said. “It seems like that will be a really fun course.”</p>
<p>Both Kimmel and Jones used Salomon S/LAB Modular apparel on what was a warm day at the start/finish area and a clear, chilly one on top of Pikes Peak. Jones used the Salomon S/LAB Sense 7 Soft Ground shoes, while Kimmel used a prototype version of the Salomon S/Lab Ultra shoe.</p>
<p><strong>GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES STANDINGS (after 4 races)</strong><br/> <strong>MEN:</strong></p>
<p>Stian Angermund-Vik – 238 points</p>
<p>Kilian Jornet – 200 points</p>
<p>Aritz Egea Caceres – 171</p>
<p>Stephan Wenk – 165</p>
<p>Marc Lauenstein – 160</p>
<p><strong>WOMEN:</strong></p>
<p>Ruth Croft – 250 points</p>
<p>Ida Nilsson – 247</p>
<p>Megan Kimmel - 233</p>
<p>Laura Orgue – 232</p>
<p>Eli Gordon – 199</p>
<p><br/> <strong>ABOUT THE GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES</strong></p>
<p>The Golden Trail Series combines five of the most iconic “short-distance” trail races on the planet into a dream tour for both athletes and fans. A €100,000 prize pool will be shared equally among the overall top 10 men & women at a Grand Final at the Otter Trail in South Africa in October. Each of the top 10 will travel with a friend or partner of their choice for the trip of a lifetime to compete for their chosen cause or charity.</p>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;"><br/> MORE INFO:</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">For photos and more, visit<span> </span><a href="http://www.goldentrailseries.com/"><span>www.goldentrailseries.com</span></a></p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">To watch/follow the race online, visit these Salomon’s social media channels:</p>
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/salomonrunning/?hl=en">Salomon Running Instagram</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/salomonrunning/">Salomon Running Facebook Page</a></li>
</ul> It'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>
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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 <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> Young, Wurtz capture Fall Series titles; Herman makes history in Speedotag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-11-17:5021591:Topic:6197402014-11-17T03:24:21.171ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430311?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430311?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Joe Gray, Robby Young and Pete Maksimow sprinted off the starting line in the Fall Series IV race at Palmer Park.</strong><br></br></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Results!</a>** Video, …</strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430311?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430311?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Joe Gray, Robby Young and Pete Maksimow sprinted off the starting line in the Fall Series IV race at Palmer Park.</strong><br/></strong></p>
<p><strong><strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Results!</a>** Video, <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-snowy-fall-series-iv-in-palmer-park" target="_blank">Race Start</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/robby-young-wins-fall-series-overall-title" target="_blank">Interview with Robby Young</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/interview-with-nearly-naked-josh-herman-and-the-attack-pack" target="_blank">Interview with Josh "Speedo" Herman of the Attack Pack</a></strong><strong> ** Photos, <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/album/list" target="_blank">Multiple Photo Galleries</a></strong></strong></p>
<p><strong style="font-size: 13px;">By Mary Baldwin</strong><br/> <strong>PikesPeakSports.us</strong></p>
<p>Fresh snow and sub-freezing temperatures didn't keep runners away from Sunday's Fall Series Finale at Palmer Park.</p>
<p>The field of 283 runners was led by Joe Gray, a nine-time national champion, who danced through the snow-covered singletrack course in 35 minutes, 21 seconds. Robby Young and Peter Maksimow followed Gray in a sprint for second and third places respectively. Stephanie Wurtz, Connilee Walter, and Sarah Young finished on top in the women’s race.</p>
<p>Young’s time of 36:26 secured the Fall Series overall title. He finished with a cumulative time of 2:03:29 for the four challenging races. Maksimow was second in 2:06:05, followed by Dan Vega in 2:12:01.</p>
<p>Young, who now has two Fall Series titles on his resume, said the slippery course and cold temperatures added to the challenge of an already hilly Palmer Park. He says Fall Series is unique in that it’s not about pure speed.</p>
<p>"It’s all about just getting out there and competing,” he said.</p>
<p>Gray took the lead on the first hill, and ran away from the field. "We stopped seeing him at about halfway," Young said.</p>
<p>Wurtz not only won the day, she also took the overall Fall Series title among women with a cumulative time of 2:33:44. Sarah Young (Robby's wife) was second in 2:39:47. Shannon Meredith was third in 2:41:31.</p>
<p>A quick-moving storm the night before left about two inches of snow on the course, forcing race director Larry Miller to cut the course short by two miles. The best guess had the total distance at a little more than five miles.</p>
<p>Many veteran Fall Series runners reported it being the easiest of the notoriously perilous cross-county series, void of the trademark technical stretches and unforeseen obstacles. Others, because of the hills, potential for falls, and wintry weather, were glad the finish line came early this year.</p>
<p>Despite the cold and risk of snowy falls, Fall Series competitor Josh Herman continued to sport the pink Speedo that has made him the talk of the Colorado Springs running community. “I don’t know when to shut my big mouth,” says Herman, who dared his team to buy the Speedo. “I said ‘if you buy me one, I’ll wear it all four races.’”</p>
<p>His team, The Attack Pack, obliged, and Herman made Colorado Springs running history as the man who showed more skin in the four-race series than any before him.</p>
<p>To acknowledge the achievements of the individuals and teams who completed this series, join the Pikes Peak Road Runners for their Member Dinner at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22. For all those who feel they missed out on the fun of the Fall Series, don’t despair, registration is now open for the Pikes Peak Road Runners’ 2015 Winter Series.</p> 17-year-old Andy Boyle captures Winter Series Long-Course championshiptag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-02-23:5021591:Topic:5398222014-02-23T02:50:30.941ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653386786?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653386786?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Air Academy High School senior Andy Boyle had lots of support in the Winter Series IV 20K on Saturday.</strong><br></br> <br></br> <strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">RESULTS: Where did you finish?</a></strong><br></br> <strong>PHOTOS: …</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653386786?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653386786?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Air Academy High School senior Andy Boyle had lots of support in the Winter Series IV 20K on Saturday.</strong><br/> <br/> <strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">RESULTS: Where did you finish?</a></strong><br/> <strong>PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-iv-gallery-1-1" target="_blank">Gallery 1, start of the long- and short-series races</a></strong><strong> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-gallery-2" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a></strong><strong style="font-size: 13px;"> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-iv-gallery-3-1" target="_blank">Gallery 3</a></strong></p>
<p><strong style="font-size: 13px;">VIDEO:</strong><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><strong style="font-size: 13px;"><strong> <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-2014-winter-series-iv-long-series-20k-race" target="_blank">Start of the long-series race</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-winter-series-iv-short-course-10k-race" target="_blank">Start of the short-series race</a> **<a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/17-year-old-andy-boyle-wins-winter-series-long-course-title" target="_blank">Interview with 17-year-old long-series champ Andy Boyle</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/runner-close-to-raising-50-000-in-fight-against-cancer" target="_blank">Runner completes 50th 10K, raising $50,000 to fight cancer</a></strong></strong><br/> <br/> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426240?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426240?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"/></a><span style="font-size: 13px;">Andy Boyle powered around a muddy corner in the Black Forest on Saturday, pinned his eyes on the finish line and dashed through a cold wind to win the Winter Series IV Long-Course (20K) race and capture the</span><span style="font-size: 13px;"> overall series championship.</span></p>
<p>Boyle, a 17-year-old senior at Air Academy High School, finished in 1 hour, 19 minutes and 41 seconds, one tick ahead of Tyler Dimson.</p>
<p>The Winter Series includes four race dates, and runners have a choice to enter the long-course (four races of longer distances) or short-course runs. A senior at the Air Force Academy, Boyle never imagined he'd win the long-course series, he was just trying to get in shape for his spring track and field season. But he won the first race at Cheyenne Mountain State Park and held off a tough challenge from Dimson in the remaining three races.</p>
<p>"That's where I built most of my lead," Boyle said. "Without that, I wouldn't have won, Tyler would have won."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myjourneyracing.com/journey-5-mile-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423229?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p>To his credit, Dimson, an Air Force Academy sophomore who competes on the Air Force Marathon Team, battled through the race's final, painful strides.</p>
<p>"With about a half a mile to go we really picked up the pace and then I ended up just sprinting at the end," Boyle said. "I just barely got him."</p>
<p>A longtime member of the Pikes Peak Road Runners committee Stephanie Wurtz, 31, won again and swept the women's long series. Wurtz finished in 1:29:25, caught her breath and took over as race announcer. Shannon Meredith, 42, finished second in 1:32:27, setting an age-group (40-44) record in the process.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432198?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432198?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"/></a>In the short-course races, series leaders James Burns and Sheila Geere won easily. Geere, 50, who was undefeated in four Winter Series starts, finished in a new age-group-record time of 43:24. Burns, who finished 25th last week in the US Track and Field Cross Country National Championships, clocked 33:50, just 14 seconds off the race record to claim his second-consecutive series title.</p>
<p>"That hurt," he said between deep breaths. "The wind was really blowing and my legs were really struggling. But I love the Winter Series, this is just a great event."</p>
<p>Burns, 25, is known as an up-beat triathlete, but said he may turn his focus to trail and mountain running.</p>
<p>"I really feel like I'm loving running so much," he said. "I'm mixing it up on the trails. I think I'd like to try to earn on place on the U.S. Mountain Running Team."</p>
<p>Reid Bartels, 18, finished in 38:34 to place second in the 10K.</p>
<p><strong>Running to defeat cancer:</strong> <span>With friends and family cheering him to the finish line, Drew Robinson completed his 50th 10K in 11 months in the Winter Series IV race. But the special moment wasn't all about him. The Colorado Springs runner had completed all of the races to raise money for the American Cancer Society.</span></p>
<p><span>He began his journey on his 50th birthday, March 20, 2013. Following Saturday's Winter Series race he had raised about $44,000 and is on track to meet his goal of $50,000 in one year.</span></p>
<p><span>Robinson was not a runner when he made the decision to help battle cancer by joining in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life program. He said his first race was miserable, but after 50 of them he now feels "lighter and stronger."</span></p>
<p><span>For more info about Robinson and the Relay for Life, check out</span><a href="http://bit.ly/MjDqzp">http://bit.ly/MjDqzp</a><span>.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432643?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656432643?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a></span></p> Gray slips and slides to Winter Series III short-course wintag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-02-09:5021591:Topic:5368922014-02-09T00:57:12.341ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656420732?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656420732?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>The Air Force Marathon Team had a good day at the Winter Series III race.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Resutls in Finish Line Index</a></strong><br></br> <strong>PHOTOS:…</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656420732?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656420732?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>The Air Force Marathon Team had a good day at the Winter Series III race.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Resutls in Finish Line Index</a></strong><br/> <strong>PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-iii-gallery-1-start-of-the-short-and-long-series" target="_blank">Gallery 1</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-iii-gallery-2-1" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-iii-gallery-3-2" target="_blank">Gallery 3</a></strong><br/>
<strong>VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/joe-gray-wins-winter-series-iii-5-miler" target="_blank">Interview with short-course winner Joe Gray</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-winter-series-iii-long-course-10-mile-run" target="_blank">Start of the 10-miler</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-winter-series-iii-short-course-5-mile-race" target="_blank">Start of the 5-miler</a><br/>
</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423333?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="220" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423333?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="220" class="align-left"/></a>Mountain runner Joe Gray enjoys a technical course, but the snowy five miles in the Winter Series III race challenged him.</p>
<p>"I think there were some places where snowshoes would have worked pretty well," Gray said.</p>
<p>About 600 runners lined up on the Santa Fe Trail south of Monument for the third race in the Winter Series. The out-and-back course included a four-inch blanket of snow with the consistency of brown sugar.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myjourneyracing.com/journey-5-mile-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img width="200" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423229?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200" class="align-right"/></a>If the conditions weren’t tough enough, James Burns, the leader in the Winter Series short-course standings, provided some tough competition for Gray, a six-time member of the U.S. Mountain Running team and the reigning Club Cross Country National Champion.</p>
<p>The two battled shoulder-to-shoulder for four miles before Gray found solid footing in the slush and pulled away to win in 27 minutes, 52 seconds. Burns, the 2013 Winter Series short-course champion, galloped home just a few strides behind in 27:58.</p>
<p>“We were coming into the last mile and we were running a pretty good clip," Gray said. “I tried to get away from him a couple of times and I just couldn’t, I was slipping. There was one good route (through the slush) and James had a good eye for finding it. Eventually I was able to get a little bit of a gap with the wind at our face – it felt like we were running up hill in a sense. I just kind of held on to that lead until the finish and got away with the ‘W.’”</p>
<p>Gray will compete at the USA Track and Field Cross Country Nationals in Boulder next Saturday.</p>
<p>In the women’s 5-miler, Shiela Geere, 50, won for the third time in three starts. Geere finished in 35:52, setting a new age-group record (50-54) along the way. Hannah McIntyre, 18, was second in 38:51, followed by Thea Ramsey, 16, in 39:40.</p>
<p>In the 10-mile long-course race, Tyler Dimson broke through to take his first win in the Winter Series (he was second overall in the 2013 long-course series.) Dimson, an Air Force Academy sophomore who runs on the Air Force Marathon team, finished in 1:10:58.</p>
<p>“We knew the course was going to be tough,” Dimson said. “But we had to tough it out. “</p>
<p>Andy Boyle,17, the series leader, was second in 1:11:55, followed by Ryan Silva (30, 1:12:08.)</p>
<p>In the women's race, Stephanie Wurtz, 31, won for the third time in as many Winter Series starts. Wurtz finished in 1:18:47, followed by Melissa Bay (38, 1:20:24) and Shannon Meredith (43, 1:22:51).</p> Training for summer adventures, 50-year-old dominates Winter Series Short-Course racetag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-01-26:5021591:Topic:5330542014-01-26T01:37:02.872ZPikes Peak Sportshttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/PikesPeakSports
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653391960?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653391960?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Women's short-course (4 miles) winner Sheila Geere.</strong><br></br> <br></br> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Where did you finish? We have it in Finish Line Index</a><br></br> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-ii-gallery-1-2" target="_blank">Gallery 1</a> **…</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653391960?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653391960?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Women's short-course (4 miles) winner Sheila Geere.</strong><br/> <br/> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Where did you finish? We have it in Finish Line Index</a><br/> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-ii-gallery-1-2" target="_blank">Gallery 1</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/winter-series-ii-gallery-2-2" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a><br/> VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-the-winter-series-ii-long-course-race" target="_blank">Start of the long-course race</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/interview-with-sheila-geere-winner-of-the-winter-series-ii-race" target="_blank">Interview with Sheila Geere</a></strong><br/> <br/> Though she has the talent to compete in bigger races, 50-year-old Sheila Geere said she runs to stay in shape for summer fun.</p>
<p>"I kind of live for backpacking, so I do this just to get in shape," she said. "A couple of years ago I did a solo hike on the Colorado Trail. I think doing alternative things like that really keeps you fit. I really run so that I can go out and play in the summer in the woods."</p>
<p><span>Geere won for the second time in the Winter Series Short-Course races on Saturday, doesn't look a day over 25. Light and quick afoot, she pushes the men's lead pack every time she races. She finished in 26 minutes, 44 seconds, about a minute ahead of 18-year-old Hannah McIntyre (27:42.) Crystal Goecker, the 2013 Fall Series champion, was third in (27:55.)<a href="http://www.active.com/colorado-springs-co/running/super-half-marathon-and-game-day-5k-2014?keywords=na" target="_blank"><img width="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421637?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280" class="align-left"/></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653397125?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="270" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653397125?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="270" class="align-right"/></a>About 600 runners galloped in a bright January sun in the second race of the Winter Series. They tasted a tough new course in Bear Creek Park that included plenty of hills. Geere was familiar with the route and she expected it to be painful.</span></p>
<p>"I started off a lot slower than usual cause I live up the hill and I know the course. I actually had to stop and walk once to catch my breath," Geere said. "But I'm really happy with my time today. It was a little bit under 7-minute pace, and for as little as I run I'm happy about that."</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">James Burns won again in the men's short-course race, through he had reservations beforehand. He often catches a rest day before racing, but said he trained hard all week. But once the adrenaline started pumping, it was business as usual.</span></p>
<p><span>Burns, a lanky 25-year-old who won the short-course series in 2013, finished in 20:59. He enjoyed the new course.</span></p>
<p><span>"I like this better than the El Pomar course," he said. The hills are tough, but you have to have fun, enjoy it and push yourself."</span></p>
<p><span>Luke Dakin, 23, finished second in 21:53, a few strides ahead of Nick Baca.</span></p>
<p><span>In the 8-mile long-course race, Stephanie Wurtz won for the second time in as many starts. She clocked 53:28. Shannon Meredith was second in 54:06, followed by Amanda Ewing (53:34).</span></p>
<p><span>The men's long-course race turned out to be a bona fied youth movement with 18-year old Jared Hazen taking the win in 45:21, while Seth Kolosso, 19, charged home in 45:54. Corey Brown, 20, was third n 46:54.</span></p>
<p><span>The Winter Series continues on Feb. 8 on the Santa Fe Trail in Monument.</span></p> Nichols sweeps Fall Series; Goeckler wins women's titletag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-11-18:5021591:Topic:5207102013-11-18T00:02:26.079ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653385611?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653385611?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="290"></img></a> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Check out Finish Line Index for your results</a><br></br> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/fall-series-iv-gallery-1-2" target="_blank">Fall Series IV Gallery 1</a> ** …</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653385611?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="290" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2653385611?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="290" class="align-right"/></a><strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Check out Finish Line Index for your results</a><br/> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/fall-series-iv-gallery-1-2" target="_blank">Fall Series IV Gallery 1</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/fall-series-iv-gallery-2-2" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a><br/> VIDEO:<a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/crystal-goecker-captures-fall-series-title-with-win-in-series" target="_blank">Interview with women's series winner Crystal Goecker</a><br/></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Bob Stephens<br/> PikesPeakSports.us</strong></p>
<p>While Alex Nichols completed his business-as-usual sweep of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series, Crystal Goecker was ecstatic to win the finale and claim the series title at Palmer Park.</p>
<p>The talented Nichols, who competes internationally, comfortably won all four of the Fall Series races. He completed Sunday’s race in 45:25, a comfortable 31 seconds ahead of runner-up James Burns. Peter Maksimow was third in 47:53.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.active.com/colorado-springs-co/running/super-half-marathon-and-game-day-5k-2014?keywords=na" target="_blank"><img width="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421637?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280" class="align-left"/></a>“It was tough,” said Nichols, who ran for Colorado College and is now an assistant coach there. “It was a fast course – for Palmer Park, especially. At least one really big uphill was eliminated.”</p>
<p>That suited Nichols, who said he’s training for a 50-mile race Dec. 7 near San Francisco.<br/> “These are my speed workouts,” he said matter-of-factly.</p>
<p>The course, set up by Pikes Peak Road Runners Director Larry Miller, was approximately seven miles over the rough terrain of Palmer Park.</p>
<p>“Alex is extremely talented,” Maksimow said, “When he’s healthy, and he is now, he’s very good.”<br/> Nichols, 27, said it was great to complete the sweep – it had been his goal – of the four-race Fall Series.</p>
<p>“It came together and I stayed healthy enough to win them all,” he said. “Like James said, one wrong step and you could take a fall.”</p>
<p>Burns, 25, who ran collegiately for George Mason and is a professional triathlete, was competing in his second trail race and hurt his right ankle at about the halfway point.</p>
<p>“I tried staying with you, man,” Burns said to Nichols as they visited after the race. “I don’t know how you fly down those hills.”</p>
<p>“Lots of practice,” Nichols said with a smile.</p>
<p>Nichols finished all four races with a total time of 2:07:42. Maksimow was second at 2:13:04, followed by Carlos Ruibal at 2:15:54.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424814?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="280" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424814?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280" class="align-left"/></a>Practice – and study time – is exactly what Goecker put in during recent weeks, and she was proud to be the first female finisher. She won the series with an overall time of 2:45:09, followed by Elizabeth Schultz in 2:46:51 and Connilee Walter, 2:47:27.</p>
<p>“I’ve been reading and researching how to run trails,” she said. “I just started running trails. My goal was to win today, so it was great to achieve that.”</p>
<p>Goecker clocked 59:31, with Walter 36 seconds behind her. Schultz was the third female finisher in 1:00:15, just ahead of April Luu in 1:00:32.</p>
<p>Goecker, who grew up in Colorado Springs and ran for St. Mary’s in high school, ran all four races in the Fall Series and said she received quite an education.</p>
<p>“It’s the first time I’ve done the whole series,” said the 34-year-old mother of two. “I’ve always been a track runner but learned you need to conserve energy for the uphills in trail racing. This was a really hard race, but overall, I did a lot better. I wasn’t as strained on the hills today.”</p>
<p>Goecker resumed her running career at age 27 and sounded like she’d also compete in the upcoming Winter Series. Luu was encouraging her to do so, and was perhaps her biggest fan before Sunday’s race began. Goecker had her eye on Schultz, who won the second race in the series just a couple of months after moving to Colorado Springs, and Walter, who is one of the area’s top female runners.</p>
<p>“I told her it was her day," Luu said. "She killed it; she positioned herself well during the race and picked them off one by one.”</p> Nichols and Schultz claim Fall Series II winstag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-10-20:5021591:Topic:5079632013-10-20T23:28:08.541ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419847?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419847?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Alex Nichols skipped across Bear Creek on his way to the winning the Fall Series II race on Sunday in Bear Creek Park.</strong><br></br> <br></br> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Where did you place? Find out in Finish Line Index</a><br></br> PHOTOS:…</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419847?profile=original"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419847?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"/></a><strong>Alex Nichols skipped across Bear Creek on his way to the winning the Fall Series II race on Sunday in Bear Creek Park.</strong><br/> <br/> <strong>RESULTS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/page/finish-line-index" target="_blank">Where did you place? Find out in Finish Line Index</a><br/> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/fall-series-ii-gallery-1-4" target="_blank">Gallery 1</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/fall-series-ii-gallery-2-2" target="_blank">Gallery 2</a><br/> VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/start-of-fall-series-ii" target="_blank">Start of the Fall Series II</a> ** <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/fall-series-ii-winner-new-to-colorado-springs-running-community" target="_blank">Interview with women's winner Elizabeth Schultz</a></strong><br/> <br/> <strong>By Bob Stephens<br/> PikesPeakSports.us</strong><br/> Alex Nichols sensed the moment had arrived, and he quickly seized the opportunity. The talented Colorado Springs runner darted off the trail, dashed past Neil McDonagh and never looked back en route to winning the second race of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series.</p>
<p>Nichols, who ran well in Italy the previous Sunday in the Skyrunner World Series, traversed the hilly 4.6-mile course at Bear Creek Park West in 26:10 to easily claim his second win of the series.</p>
<p>“Neil pushed me, and we ran the first part of the race very fast,” said Nichols, 28. “About halfway through, I felt the pace was slowing down. I was right behind him, on a narrow part of the trail, so I went into the bushes to pass him.</p>
<p>“He said I picked the perfect place to pass him.”</p>
<p>McDonagh, 31, was a 1,500-meter runner at Georgia Tech while Nichols was a distance man at Colorado College, where he coaches. McDonagh said Nichols made his move when the pair reached a series of short but steep hills.</p>
<p>“We’d pulled away from everyone else,” McDonagh said, “but when we got to the first set of real steep rollers, he zipped ahead and pulled away. He put about 50 seconds on me the last mile-and-a-half.”</p>
<p>McDonagh was clocked in 27:04, ahead of Peter Maksimow in third (27:15). They were followed by Justin Ricks (27:39) and Carlos Ruibal (27:45).</p>
<p>After two races, Nichols leads the series with a total time of 50:31. Manitou Springs' Peter Maksimow is second (52:16), with Benjamin Hanson of Aurora in third at 53:04.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421029?profile=original"><img width="280" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421029?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="280"/></a>Elizabeth Schultz, who moved to Colorado Springs just two months ago, was the fastest female, finishing in 33:11. She is third in the series with a total time of 1:05:19, exactly one minute behind the leader, Crystal Goeckler. Connilee Walter is second at 1:04:21.</p>
<p>“This Fall Series is fun and pretty low-key,” McDonagh said before poking fun at Nichols, his friendly rival. “During the first part of the race, I was making sure Alex stayed with me, encouraging him, waiting for him. I tried to block him from passing me, but when he did, he was gone.”</p>
<p>McDonagh shook his head in amazement while talking about Nichols’ ability to glide over a difficult course.</p>
<p>“Every time we do a course with rocks and debris, he looks like one of those water skiers going over the top of the water,” said McDonagh, who finished seventh in the Fall Series’ first race.</p>
<p>Nichols was eighth in the Oct. 13 Limone Extreme SkyRace in Italy, and finished third in the Skyrunner World Series, where there are five races in five countries – including the Pikes Peak Marathon – with a runner’s best three races counting in the standings.</p>
<p>“That was a very competitive field last week,” said Nichols, who is sponsored by INNOV8. “Finishing third was definitely one of my biggest running accomplishments. That course last week was like going to the top of Pikes Peak and back, but half the distance.”</p>
<p>Near the end of the race at Bear Creek Park West, runners had to cross a creek and scale an extremely steep hill while maintaining footing on loose dirt and rocks. Ropes are imbedded in the ground to help people get up the hill.</p>
<p>“That’s not something you can train for,” Nichols said. “I tried to make it up as far as I could before using the rope.”</p>
<p>Unlike many other runners, Nichols made it to the top in just a few seconds and quickly traversed the final stretch of the race to complete a successful and exciting eight days.</p>
<p><strong>New kid in town:</strong> Elizabeth Schultz announced her arrival to the Colorado Springs running scene with an impressive showing in second race of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series at Bear Creek Park West.</p>
<p>Schultz was the first female finisher (33:11, for 27th overall) and made quite an impression on Connilee Walter, who was the top “doubler” in August when she ran the Pikes Peak Ascent and Pikes Peak Marathon on consecutive days.</p>
<p>“She’s really fast,” Walter said of Schultz. “She’s in another class.”</p>
<p>Schultz, 33, ran for Mt. Olive College in North Carolina and lived in Buffalo, N.Y., before moving to the Springs via a job transfer with Time Warner Cable.</p>
<p>“It’s my dream to live in Colorado near the mountains,” said the bubbly Schultz. “It’s inspirational. I feel thankful and blessed to be able to run and just live every day to the fullest.”</p>
<p>Schultz said she’s acclimated quickly to the altitude of the Pikes Peak Region, and it showed. She didn’t fare too well in the first race of the Fall Series, running tentatively during the portion of the race that forced runners to be in a creek. She handled Sunday’s race without a hitch.</p>
<p>“I had no idea what to expect,” she said. “It was a challenge, but that’s what makes it great. There are some awesome women here, and I’m having a great time meeting my new running family.”</p>
<p>Schultz said she runs five days a week and hikes the other two. She plans to hike Pikes Peak this week.</p>
<p><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424952?profile=original"><img width="200" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424952?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="200"/></a>Birthday boy:</strong> Dan Vega celebrated his 46th birthday by running a difficult marathon Saturday. The Colorado Springs runner followed that up Sunday by finishing seventh in the second race of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series at Bear Creek Park West.</p>
<p>“When I got out of the car this morning, I thought, ‘This is going to be rough,” Vega said.</p>
<p>He finished the marathon in Cuba, N.M., in 3:53, drove six hours home and went to sleep after 1 a.m. Sunday. It wasn’t long before Vega was putting on his running shoes again.</p>
<p>“I’m doing the Fall Series, so I had to run,” he said. “I warmed up after about a mile and then felt really good. It was almost like I didn’t run yesterday.”</p>
<p>Vega said the marathon was difficult, with lots of turns and rocky terrain, and some that was sandy.</p>
<p>“A lot of it is nothing but sand so it was like running on a beach,” he said. “My legs were really tired and heavy.”</p>
<p>Vega was born in Fresno, Calif., and ran steeplechase for Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo. He said Saturday’s 26.2-mile race was his “eighth or ninth” marathon. Vega said he still felt good after Sunday’s race.</p>
<p>“It’s easier to run faster than slower, so today was fun,” he said. “This was a good race.”</p>
<p><strong>The birds and the BEES!:</strong> Runners completed Sunday’s difficult race short of breath – that was expected – but many others crossed the finish line suffering from bee stings. That included the group of Lisa Kukula, Kim Lindsay and Lexi Aagesen, who were comparing bee bites after the 4.6-mile race.</p>
<p>“It was a hive, lots of bees,” said Kukula, 33, of Black Forest, who was stung three times. “They were pissed off, angry bees. I cried; they hurt.”</p>
<p>Lindsay, 47, of Colorado Springs, was stung “a couple of times on my hand and a couple of times on my belly.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know how they got under my shirt,” Lindsay said. “They were chasing us all. It was a swarm.”</p>