Improve Your Run Weaknesses

I know for myself that most of my summer and fall season were spent running trails, and specifically with a healthy amount of climbing and descending in the high country. That typically means a combination of running at a relatively slower pace on steeper climbs, intermittent hiking, and enjoying the technical to flowy downhills. What becomes a relative weakness during the summer months is my running speed and efficiency on flatter terrain. Simply, due to the fact that my musculoskeletal system and nervous system are “out of tune” with that type of running. 

As I’m writing this article, I’ve been focusing more on my running efficiency and speed on the road and track. And though I’m still getting out on trails 1-2x a week, I’m enjoying the shift of focus to working on my current weakness. Depending on your running goals for the next year, this can be a nice time to improve on your running efficiency and turn over which can feed into the trail running season come spring and summer. What I will say from experience, and from the experience of other strong trail runners, is that speed and efficiency on the flatter terrain does translate into your climbing efficiency. So keep that in the back of your mind during this time of the year!​

Cross-Training

When it comes to cross-training, there appears to be a love-hate relationship in most runners I know. Some runners really enjoy the balance of cross-training in their training program especially during the off-season, and other runners just purely want to run. I find that the individuals that “love” cross-training really enjoy the activity (ie. cycling, skiing, etc) itself rather than necessarily doing it just to supplement their run training. I myself really enjoy Nordic skiing in the off-season as well as gravel cycling (weather permitting of course!). So for those of you who love cross-training there’s no need for me to sell it! But, for those of you who despise cross-training, here’s why it can be beneficial: 

• Can still improve cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary health and fitness
• Can provide a different, but valuable stimulus to our musculoskeletal system
• Can provide a “low impact” alternative to running (ie. swimming, cycling, nordic skiing, rock-climbing, etc).
• Can provide a novel change of scenery 
• Can stimulate the central nervous system to learn a new activity or skill 
• Can aid in reducing the risk of an overuse injury from running

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There’s also something to say about cross-training outside as this can provide some change in scenery in comparison to a machine in the gym. But ultimately, if you can find a cross-training activity you enjoy, that’s the one to stick with! 

​The Golden Trail World Series is elevating the exposure—and clout—of ‘sub-ultra’ trail racing

Late on the night of September 16th, several of the world’s best trail runners could be found dancing and frolicking in costumes at the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

They’d run 13 miles up to the 14,115-foot finish line of the Pikes Peak Ascent that morning, and now Switzerland’s Rémi Bonnet and American Sophia Laukli—the race winners—were celebrating in style with dozens of other competitors who participated in the latest stop of the Golden Trail World Series international race circuit.

The post-race party included plenty of adult beverages, dancing to the tunes of a DJ, the community drinking from a shot-ski and, later—perhaps because of the liquid consumed off that shot-ski—some spontaneous unicycle and tricycle riding from the lodge’s collection of velocipedes.

Now in its fifth season, the Golden Trail World Series--a Salomon-sponsored lineup of high-profile and very challenging mountain races around the world—is all about three things: fast and frenzied made-for-TV trail racing, enticing thirst-trap promotional content, and endless amounts of rowdy fun that matches the high-energy running experiences.

In many ways, it’s at the opposite end of the spectrum of the more staid cavalcade of fun in the ultrarunning world. That’s not a knock against ultra-distance races, but more a hint of the growing excitement brewing in the mountain running scene.

This year’s Golden Trail races range in length from 21K to 42K—roughly half-marathon to marathon distances—which means there is always time to party later at night. 
“It’s fun because it’s based on short and fast trail racing, which is what I love,” says Allie McLaughlin, a Hoka-sponsored trail runner from Colorado Springs. “It’s just a different vibe than a lot of races.”

Overall, there are a lot more shorter-distance mountain running events and participants than there are in the ultra-distance scene, but for years ultrarunners and key races have gotten most of the attention.

“I think it’s much more approachable,” says Dani Moreno, an Adidas-Terrex pro from Mammoth Lakes, California. “If you told someone who wanted to get into trail running that they could only do a 100-miler, most would say, ‘Uh, no thank you.’ And I get it because when I first started trail running, I was asked, from the get-go, ‘When are you going to do your first 100?’ That was always the conversation, but it took me five years just to do a 50K. But the point is that the performances of runners at shorter distances are just as impressive as the runners doing longer distances.” ​

One local Manitou Springs resident, who is very new to trail running, having only done his first trail race in November of 2022, excitedly mingled at the start line of the PPA as he took in the nervous energy of those racing. You could feel his excitement, and he exuded the enthusiasm of trail running!

One could say Diarra Cropper, who goes by “D” amongst his friends, stands out from the trail running community. Although his newly found excitement for the sport is common with many people who discover trail running, he tends to stand out in large part because of his physical stature at 6’2”. He stands out in larger part because he is black, a rare occurrence in the homogeneously white-dominated sport of trail running.

Cropper did not run the PPA or PPM–he is currently training for his first 100-mile race at Javelina 100 in October–but he was involved in the weekend festivities and supported his good friend Derico Delaney, who participated in the PPA. Both Cropper and Delaney sported “Black Men Run” shirts, a nationwide organization with chapters in major cities. Their mission statement reads: To encourage health and wellness among African American men by promoting a culture of running/jogging to stay fit resulting in ‘A Healthy Brotherhood.’
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The most visible black mountain and trail running athlete for the last decade and a half has been the 23-time National Champion and 9-time World Champion, Joseph Gray. With his huge athletic success, he has gained a large platform and utilized it to be an outspoken advocate for getting more black athletes into the sport.

To read more, check out "STORIES FROM THE 2023 PIKES PEAK ASCENT & MARATHON", by Peter Maksimow at Trailrunner.com.

Despite the snow on the Pikes Peak Ascent race, Rémi Bonnet smashed Matt Carpenter’s 30-year-old record and Sophia Laukli was triumphant in the women’s race.

A 30-year-old record!
Everyone thought the record was unbeatable, especially due to the weather conditions and a thick layer of snow that had fallen the day before on the upper reaches of the course route. But, Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull, Switzerland) had the resources no one was expecting! 1h58’30 on the clock and the Swiss rounded the very last bends of the legendary Pikes Peak climb. A final burst of acceleration and the stopwatch revealed: 2h00’20, 46 seconds faster than Matt Carpenter’s time.

"I knew the altitude was the crux," confided Rémi Bonnet at the finish line. "I trained and slept in a hypoxia chamber for 20 days before coming here and today I suffered much less from the effects of altitude. I’m really pleased to have beaten this record! People thought it was impossible, but I did it and I’m really proud to show who the world’s best climber is! Now I need to come back and go under the 2-hour barrier!"

Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether, Kenya) took second place also clocking a fantastic time: 2h04’09.

"I’m very happy with my race and this second place. Rémi was on another planet today, it was impossible to keep up with him. I led the pace in the first part of the race but just as I took water, he forged a gap. I’m really pleased because it’s my first time in USA and my first ever race on snow. It is the second time in a row that I’ve finished second on the Golden Trail Series circuit and I’m planning on giving it my all in Mammoth to chase down a victory."

Eli Hemming (Salomon, USA) rounds off the podium.

"I’m very satisfied with this third spot! Every year I get closer to victory so that’s a good thing. Honestly, Rémi was on another planet today but I’m really pleased with my time."

Sophia Laukli, in the lead before the Grand Final
 
With three victories under her belt, Sophia Laukli (Salomon, USA) cannot be caught up with before the final, so the American will arrive in Italy leading the women’s ranking. 

"At Sierre-Zinal I was thrilled to have been able to run a tactical race, but here I started stressing out when Judith overtook me. In the end though, I managed to stay calm and gave a shot at being tactical again by waiting for the final 4 kilometres to attack, and it worked, so I’m really happy. It’s my first Golden Trail Series victory on home ground in the USA, and I also know I’m out of reach in the overall rankings before the final."

This time, Judith Wyder (Hoka/Red Bull, Switzerland) had to be satisfied with second place, after her victory at DoloMyths Run in July.

"I’m happy with this result, I couldn’t have done any better. There was a moment when I thought I could win the race as I was leading all the way to the end of the forest but then Sophia overtook me, and I realised she’d just been biding her time behind me until then and she was stronger than me today!"

Anna Gibson (Brooks, USA) capped off the podium.

"I’m so happy with this third place. I tried to take it easy because this is the longest race I’ve ever done, and with the elevation gain and altitude I wanted to keep some in reserve for the end. I’m amazed I finished third in front of all these athletes, it’s incredible!"
 
The last stage at Mammoth
 
The Golden Trail World Series will now be heading to California for the last stage in the season before the Grand Final in Italy. See you on 22nd September for the Mammoth 26K.
 
Results
 
Men
 
1 – RÉMI BONNET (SALOMON/RED BULL – CHE):  2:00:20 (+200 pts)
2 – PATRICK KIPNGENO (RUN2GETHER – KEN): 2:04:09 (+188 pts)
3 – ELI HEMMING (SALOMON – USA): 2:07:40 (+176 pts)
4 – SETH DEMOOR (USA): 2:09:47 (+166 pts)
5 – JOSEPH GRAY (HOKA – USA): 2:11:19 (+156 pts)
 
Women
 
1 – SOPHIA LAUKLI (SALOMON – USA): 2:35:54 (+200 pts)
2 – JUDITH WYDER (HOKA/RED BULL – CHE): 2:39:35 (+188 pts)
3 – ANNA GIBSON (BROOKS – USA): 2:43:59(+176 pts)
4 – MALEN OSA (SALOMON – ESP): 2:47:23 (+166 pts)
5 – SARA ALONSO (ASICS – ESP): 2:48:13 (+156 pts)

Quality Long Runs

The long run should now be the staple effort in preparation for race day for a multitude of reasons. Our long run should be relatively specific in duration to race day, it can include steady-state quality efforts, race day specific practice (ie. run/hike combo), as well as race day nutrition and wearable prep. Think of your long runs now being similar to a “dress rehearsal” for race day.
 I recommend your long runs being up to 3-5 hours for the Ascent, and 4-7 hours for the marathon. The duration will be based on your expected time, but doesn’t have to be exact. The goal is to allow your body to become conditioned to locomoting for that amount of time in a relatively specific manner for race day. 
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I recommend trying to get a minimum of 4-5 thousand feet of vertical gain for your final few long runs for both the ascent and marathon. If you live in the mountains, this shouldn’t be too difficult to manage. But, if you live in a flatter geographical area, my recommendations are as follows: Use a tread-mill at 8-11% grade or find a smaller hill/bridge and do lots and lots of uphill repeats. 
Now, the other piece to discuss here is the altitude and most specifically above tree-line (~12 thousand feet in CO). If you live in an area with accessibility to high altitude, I highly recommend doing some of your long run efforts above tree-line. For example, for CO locals that could mean doing a longer 14-er (14 thousand ft peak in CO) which includes uphill running/hiking and downhill running/hiking, or driving up to the summit of Pikes Peak then running down to Barr Camp then running/hiking up at a given effort. 
So where does the “quality” piece come to play in the long run? By utilizing a workout during or throughout your long run. I recommend a steady-state effort this late in the training to be most specific for race day, as the higher intensity workouts will likely not be as specific to your race effort. An example could look like the following:

• 1 hour easy aerobic effort uphill (running/hiking), followed by 3x30 min steady-state efforts (faster hiking/running) with a 5 min easy walk in between efforts, then concluded by a 1 hour easy aerobic effort. 

The overall time duration here is ~3.5 hours with 90 minutes of quality broken up into 3 parts. You can get somewhat creative with this, as long as the duration and environment are as specific as possible to race day.
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The last piece to work on during your long runs is your race day nutrition and wearables. I recommend dialing what works best for you to wear (ie. shirt, shorts, running vest, hand-helds, belt, etc.) and practicing how you may take your calories (ie. gels, liquids, real food, etc). The more you dial this prior to race day, the more confident you will feel mentally, physically, and potentially reducing the risk of gastro-intestinal issues.​

Steady-State Workouts

The stand alone steady-state workouts should be incorporated 1-2x a week for the final few weeks, not including your quality long run. These workouts will be somewhat similar to your long run efforts, but for a shorter total duration. Just to review, these efforts should be of a moderate intensity or consider this an intensity that’s just slightly uncomfortable. Here are a few examples that you may incorporate this late in training:

• Warm up easy run for 15 min, followed by 60 min of steady-state effort (could be hike/running combo), cool down for 15 min of easy running.
• Warm up easy run for 15 min, followed by 2 x 30 min steady-state (could be hike/running combo) with 5 min of walking in between, cool down for 15 min of easy running.
• Warm up easy run for 15 min, followed by 3 x 20 min steady-state (could be hike/running combo) with 5 min of walking in between, cool down for 15 min of easy running.

Again, you can be creative with the varying time domains, but for the individual steady-state workouts I recommend doing at the longest a 90 min steady-state continuous effort and at the shortest 20 min. It’s really all about the total time at the intensity. 

If you’re doing the marathon, I recommend doing 1-2 steady-state efforts (for at least a portion of the workout) on a downhill grade similar to barr-trail. Though the downhill will not be as challenging on the cardio-respiratory system, it will take a larger toll on your musculoskeletal system. Therefore, it will benefit you come race day if you’ve prepped your legs to handle some longer downhill at a slightly more intense effort than an easy run.​

Taper Period

The taper period is not complete rest before race day, but rather a reduction in total volume and intensity of your training. I recommend anywhere between 14-10 days of taper for this race especially if your final 3-weeks building up in August had the appropriate amount of volume and intensity. Choosing how to taper can be challenging if you’re unsure on what to do. I recommend the 1st half of taper (~5-7 days) to reduce volume and intensity by 50% from the previous week, and the second half of your taper to be 25% of your last training week. For example, if your long run was 4 hours, your final two long runs will be 2 hours, then 1 hour, respectively; and for your steady-state run, if you were doing 3x30 mins, it can now be 2x15 min, and then 1x15 min, respectively. This will allow you to recover, but still sharpen your fitness to not feel sluggish on race day. The ultimate goal is to feel fresh, excited, healthy, and fit on race day!

Final Race Day Tips

Finally, here are my top tips for race day based on my race experience on the course:

• Don’t let the early adrenaline of the race starting get to you. You have a long way to go, and the first few miles on trail can be challenging if you go out too strong. 
• For the Ascent, try to take advantage of running as much as possible from mile 4-6, as this will be some of the most runnable sections on the course.
• Depending on your fitness level, setting a certain time of run/walk intervals can keep you moving at a respectable pace while keeping you mentally engaged. For example, running for 1 min and hiking for 1 min (or choose your time interval etc). I’ve found this strategy specifically helpful above tree-line.
• Make sure you are consistently hydrating and taking in calories every 30-60 min, and utilize the aid stations for fluids instead of carrying excess water weight throughout the entire race. Hydrate, then fill up, then repeat.
• Mentally, the race can be daunting, so focus on enjoying the experience of doing something challenging in a beautiful place, and just getting to the next aid station.

Closing Thoughts

You’ve come a long way since you’ve signed up for the Pikes Peak Marathon or Ascent! Hopefully, you’ve taken some principles and recommendations from this 3-Part series into your own training whether it’s your first or tenth Pikes Peak Marathon or Ascent. If you’ve taken your training seriously over the past 3-4 months, you will be ready, and if not, that’s okay too, you can still give your best on the day. When it gets tough out there, just remember this event is something we choose to do, it’s hard for everyone pushing themselves out there, but the reward of finishing is something no one can ever take away from you! 

Written by: Sean Rimmer, Physical Therapist & Running Coach at
Run Potential Rehab & Performance in Colorado Springs, CO. 
“ Regain your confidence to run pain free & to your potential”​

Tip 1: Carboload (the right way) 

Increase the amount of carbohydrates you consume 5-10 days before the marathon, especially after your workouts. Not only will this help top off the carbohydrate or glycogen stored in muscle (which is the critical fuel for the marathon), glycogen also holds a significant amount of water, which helps to increase your total body water.
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It’s finally June and The Pikes Peak Marathon & Ascent weekend is now about 3 months out. It may appear like there’s plenty of time before race day, but trust me, race weekend will be here in no time! If you’ve read part 1 of this series titled, Start Training, then hopefully you’re in a good position to build on your training this summer; as the training will now progress to build volume and increase in specificity for the demands of the mountain.

In part 1 of the training series, we discussed what an early base building strategy could look like which included the following: 

• A Run, Brisk Walk, or Hike 3-4x per week on non-consecutive days
• Lower Body Strength/Resistance Training 2x per week on non-consecutive days
• Rest/No Prescribed Training 2x per week

 Periodize Your Training 

If you’ve incorporated a plan similar to what was discussed in part 1, then you'll be in good shape to progress this summer; as we will now aim to incorporate periodization to our training. To explain periodized training simply, this process includes cycles of training stress followed by relative training recovery, to allow our body’s to positively adapt over the training process. As I previously mentioned in part 1, as important as your fitness is for the challenge of Pikes Peak, you also must remain healthy. A periodized approach enhances our ability to recover from the stresses of training with an aim to remain healthy during the training cycle. Here’s an example of a periodized cycle of training:

• 4 weeks of training within a cycle (~1 month)
• The first 3 weeks of training build on each other in areas of intensity and/or volume of training.
• The final week of the cycle then reduces the volume and/or intensity of training to prepare the body to build on the next training cycle. 

I recommend choosing a 3 or 4 week periodization cycle, where a 3 week cycle would include 2 weeks of training build and 1 week of relative recovery, and a 4 week cycle would look like the aforementioned bulleted points.

Training Focus

    Moving forward, we want to continue to build on our aerobic endurance, our steady state and tempo based efforts, as well as the musculoskeletal strength/capacity to handle the stress of the mountain and our training. If you can train within these domains while increasing the specificity of training towards race week, you will be in a good position to challenge yourself against the mountain come September!

Before we jump into any specifics of the training, let’s provide some detail to the training focus terminology. Our aerobic endurance efforts will include the majority of our training with a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 5-6/10. This RPE range should correlate to an intensity where you can speak 3-4 comfortable sentences before needing to take a breath. These runs can typically range in duration from 30 minutes to hours. If we keep 70-80% of our training in the aerobic zone, it will enhance our ability to increase the volume of training while also promoting a level of recovery. Keeping a majority of the training at a lower intensity will allow a higher quality effort during our steady state and tempo based runs. 

Steady state efforts are just a step up in RPE at 6-7/10, where you are still in your aerobic zone, but slightly more challenged. During the talk test, you can speak a few short sentences. These run durations range from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours as continuous or with a short recovery period between bouts, ie. 2-10 minutes. This will be the “bread & butter” effort we will build on, as you will likely be in this effort zone for a majority of Pikes Peak if you are giving a solid effort.

 Lastly, the tempo run will be the highest effort based run we add to our training which is run just below or at your lactate threshold. Tempo runs are run at an effort between a 7-8/10 RPE, where you can state about a full sentence during the talk test. This effort is hard to say the least. Typically tempo runs range from 10 minutes to 1 hour, with a 2:1 work to rest ratio. If you push yourself on race day, you will likely utilize your tempo based effort during portions of the race, especially ascending above tree-line. 

What I recommend moving forward is the following base runs which can be periodized based on the total volume and intensity each week within a cycle (~3-4 weeks). This could look like the following:

• 1 Long run per week 
• 1-2 running workouts per week (steady state and/or tempo runs)
• 1-2 strength/plyometric training sessions per week 
• 2-3 aerobic endurance runs/recovery runs per week

This turns out to be 4-6 runs per week and 1-2 strength sessions per week. I recommend at least 1 day off of training per week and a minimum of 4 days per week dedicated to your training. ​

Long Runs

The long run will focus on time rather than mileage due to the nature of the mountain course. I recommend keeping these runs in the aerobic endurance effort until August, by then we can add in some quality within or long run to become more specific for the event (ie. steady state efforts within the long run). In general, focus on keeping your long runs to <50% of your total weekly running volume, but more specifically, your long run does not need to be longer than your estimated race time for the ascent and up to 75% of your marathon time. So for example, if you expect to run the ascent in 4 hours, then your long run does not need to be longer than that in duration. If your marathon time is expected to be 7 hours, then your long run can be up to ~5 hours. It’s more about the build up of long runs over the next few months rather than any particular singular long run. Your long run should incorporate some practice hiking (unless you are an elite) as you will likely not be running the entirety of either race. Here are some key points for your long run:

• Will mostly be aerobic endurance based efforts
• Incorporate running and hiking
• Attempt to find routes with similar elevation profile to course
• Practice nutrition strategies
• Incorporate race gear (ie. running pack/vest, bottles vs bladder etc.)
• Gradually increase the long run duration leading up to the event (~5-10% in time per week, though this can vary). I just don’t recommend any big spikes in your long run duration per week.

Steady State Runs

The steady state run will be the staple workout as you build over the summer. This is typically 1-4 longer based efforts that are moderately hard, but sustainable. For example, this could look like the following:

• Early phase: 15 minute easy warm up run, followed by 20 minutes of steady state, followed by a 15 minute of cool down run. 
• Late phase: 15 minute easy warm up run, followed by 3x30 minutes of steady state, 5 minutes of recovery jog in between, followed by a 15 minute cool down run. 

The early phase includes 20 minutes at intensity and 50 minutes in duration total, and the late phase includes 90 minutes of intensity and 130 minutes of total duration. This is just an example, as progressions should be varied based on the individual. However, the ultimate goal is to increase time at intensity even if it’s broken up by short recovery jogs/walks, as this will allow us to perform more intensity within a given quality run. As the steady state runs become longer in total duration, they can be incorporated into your long run. 

Tempo Runs

The tempo runs will be incorporated more so initially this summer, but will begin to phase out come August with a focus more on steady state efforts. The goal of the tempo run is to build on some relative speed and our body’s ability to shuttle lactate to become more efficient at our highest aerobic intensity. These workouts will allow us to feel a bit more uncomfortably comfortable during our steady state runs. An example of an early and late phase tempo run workout could look like the following:

• Early phase: 15 minute warm up run, 3x8 min tempo run with a 4 minute easy jog/walk in-between tempo efforts, followed by a 15 minute cool down run.
• Late phase: 15 minute warm up run, 3x15 minute tempo run with a 7 minute easy run/walk in-between tempo efforts, followed by a 15 minute cool down run.

The early phase includes 24 minutes at intensity and 62 minutes in duration total, and the late phase includes 45 minutes of intensity and 89 minutes of total duration. Again, progressions may vary based on the individual, and these runs can also incorporate hiking if it fits within your intensity based RPE. ​

Both of these exercise variations focus on dynamic balance, reducing ground contact time, and agility to potentially enhance your ability to navigate some trail technicality. You can be more creative with the plyometrics, but simple is also effective. I recommend adding these prior to your heavier lifts to reduce excess fatigue. 

I recommend incorporating your strength/plyometric days as far away from your tempo/steady state runs to not compromise the quality of those runs. This could potentially mean doing a quality run in the morning and a strength session that evening if possible.

Aerobic Endurance Runs

The aerobic endurance runs will be added into your training program between intensity based runs, and can range from 30-90 minutes of an easy flat recovery, to hiking from 30-90 minutes, to a hike/run combo of 30-90 minutes. The general concept for these days is keeping intensity rather low (can vary from a run to hike depending on the terrain), with duration ranging from 30-90 minutes. You should feel fairly good by the end of these training sessions, if you don’t, question what your true intensity was during a given session.  
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Putting the Pieces Together

Now that we have an understanding of the variable training sessions we can implement during the week, let’s highlight everything together. Just to review, I’m not providing a specific training plan as everyone’s training background and ability to train is vastly different; however, the aim of  this section is to give guidance on how to put your own training cycle together. Here are the key points to consider when building your training cycles. 
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• Periodize your training into 3-4 week cycles. The first 3 weeks build, and the final week reduces volume and intensity.
• Include tempo runs and steady state runs each ~1x per week during the build weeks, and progress the duration at intensity (total time) throughout the summer. 
• Keep your aerobic endurance efforts easy, you should feel good after.
• Have the end in mind, meaning your training should build to peak your long runs and workouts to the demands of race day.
• Practice hiking as it fits into your runs or workouts
• If you are doing the ascent, focus on climbing, and find routes with a similar average grade of Barr Trail ~10-11% if possible.
• If you are doing the marathon, focus on climbing and downhill running. I would only add in some intensity during downhill runs a few times in the month leading up to the race to reduce risk of injury. 
• Your total volume and duration at intensity during your workouts should gradually increase over-time, but nothing is set in stone, if other life stresses or illnesses come up, don’t be afraid to keep things the same or modify your training.
• It’s never about any specific workout or training week, but more so about the consistency over the next 3 months.
• Come August, if you have the ability to do some of your runs/hikes at a higher altitude (ie. above tree-line) that can be very helpful to aid in physiologic adaptations to a low oxygen environment. 

​A publication that's all about running, RaceRaves, recently published the results of their readers' poll regarding the best marathon in each American state. After the votes were tallied, a race that's among the most difficult marathons in the world ended up on top.

A September race that involves 26.2 miles of mountain running, 7,815 feet of vertical gain, and reaching a wild elevation of 14,115 feet above sea level, the Pikes Peak Marathon was dubbed the best marathon in the state. The trail climbs to the summit of 'America's Mountain,' passing a wide variety of terrain along the way including steep forest running, more climbing on alpine trails, and a rocky mid-point with exposure to the elements and a lack of oxygen. Not only does a race of this nature require extreme endurance and the ability to exert oneself at elevation, it also means having a durable body that can handle a brutal descent on an uneven surface and tired legs.

Perhaps even more impressive, some runners opt to compete in a half marathon dubbed the Pikes Peak Ascent on the day before the full marathon run, aiming to became a 'doubler.' This shorter race follows the same trail, but only involves the uphill portion. It's no surprise that this race was also honored as the 'best half marathon' in the Centennial State.
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The runner-up 'best marathon' was the Denver Colfax Marathon, which is typically held in May each year. The runner-up 'best half marathon' was the REVEL of the Rockies race, which is known for being a fast race as it's mostly downhill.
This year, the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent weekend will take place from September 16 to 17. Marathon registration is $225 and Ascent registration is $200.
Find full lists of the country's best marathons by state here. Best half marathons can be found here.