America's Ultimate Challenge - Pikes Peak Marathon September 21, 2025
The Pikes Peak Marathon is a race like no other! With a 7,800 foot vertical climb, the course takes runners from Manitou Springs, Colorado, along Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet, and back down for a total of 26.2 grueling mountain miles.
The course for the Marathon is unique and very physically demanding when compared to other marathons. Beginning in downtown Manitou Springs, the course proceeds along approximately 1.5 miles of road before joining into Pikes Peak's Barr Trail. This is where the real adventure begins. With an average grade of 11%, the trail is often narrow, winding, or steep and may be gravel, rock or dirt with sharp turns and abrupt changes in elevation or direction. However, there are no exposed ledges, so there is little danger of falling off the trail! Keep in mind, there is no vehicle access to most of Barr Trail, so to ensure the safety of our runners and volunteers, all participants are required to complete a qualifying event before registering.
Pikes Peak Marathon invites Elite Competitors, offers cash prizes to winners as well as free entries to past winners! Are you ready to take the challenge?
Pikes Peak Marathon - 2024 Registration Fees
March 1 - April 30 - $200
May 1 - May 31 - $225
June 1 - September 1 - $250
March 1 - April 30 - $200
May 1 - May 31 - $225
June 1 - September 1 - $250
Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc. is an equal opportunity service provider and a permittee of the Pike National Forest. Entry limits are set by the Forest Service for the runners on the course.
2025 Dates to RememberJanuary 15, 2025 - Pre-Registration open to 2024 runners that deferred to 2025; registration by invitation only.
NOTE: If you deferred your entry fee in 2024, your entry is guaranteed through February 28, 2025; after that time, your entry cannot be guaranteed if the race sells out. You must claim your deferred entry by registering by February 28. March 1, 2025 - General Registration opens - 5:00am MST Registration will be closed when each race sells out, and a waitlist may be available for interested parties. July 31, 2025 - Deferral Deadline for 2026 - Runners are strongly encouraged to purchase the optional race insurance at checkout to protect against their inability to participate due to injury, illness (including covid), family emergency, or job-related issues that are beyond their control. |
In Training for the Marathon?Purchase your In-Training shirt at
Fleet Feet Colorado Springs! |
2024 Pikes Peak Marathon Qualification Requirements
Overview
All qualifications will be verified by the registrar. If we are unable to validate your qualifier, we will attempt to contact you via the email address you used for registration. You will then have two weeks to correct your entry (typos happen...we won't hold it against you). Failure to respond or submit a valid qualification within two weeks from the registrar's email will result in your removal from the event. Qualifications also help to place registered runners in the proper start wave.
Warning: Submitting a future race date with an estimated time as your qualifier will result in immediate removal from this year's race.
Self-Timed
Any organized and permitted event with publicly posted results.
- Runners must meet at least ONE of the following qualification categories before registering.
- Runners registering for the Double, both the Ascent and Marathon, must meet the Marathon qualification standards (see below).
- Runners must be at least 16 years old on race day to register.
All qualifications will be verified by the registrar. If we are unable to validate your qualifier, we will attempt to contact you via the email address you used for registration. You will then have two weeks to correct your entry (typos happen...we won't hold it against you). Failure to respond or submit a valid qualification within two weeks from the registrar's email will result in your removal from the event. Qualifications also help to place registered runners in the proper start wave.
Warning: Submitting a future race date with an estimated time as your qualifier will result in immediate removal from this year's race.
Self-Timed
- A self-timed qualifier consists of completing 20 miles in under 4:30:00. Qualifier run must be from January 1, 2023 or newer.
- There are no restrictions on the surface or elevation gain/loss.
- Longer distances may be used as long as the average pace for the run is at 13:30 minute per mile pace or faster.
- For a self-timed run, the run must be done outdoors and recorded with a GPS enabled device or smartphone. Time counted is overall elapsed time which must be under 4:30:00. Post the share link from Strava, Garmin Connect, or other system you used to record the run when registering.
Any organized and permitted event with publicly posted results.
Event |
Time |
Date |
Barr Trail Mountain Race |
Under 4:00:00 |
Within the last 4 years (2020 - Present) |
Pikes Peak Ascent |
Under 6:30:00 |
Within the last 4 years (2020 - Present) |
Pikes Peak Marathon |
Under 10:00:00 |
Within the last 4 years (2020 - Present) |
Marathon (26.2 miles) |
Under 6:30:00 |
Within the last 3 years (2021 - Present) |
Ultra / Trail / Other Race* |
Within 3x the overall winner’s time without regard for sex/gender |
Within the last 3 years (2021 - Present) |
*Other Race Types - any event that meets at least on of the following criteria may be used as a qualifier:
- Any race over 50k
- Any trail race over 20 miles on predominantly unimproved dirt trails (no concrete paths, dirt roads, rails to trails, or similar)
- Any race with an ITRA point value of 2 or higher ("S" Category)
- Any race over 15 miles long with a point over 12,000ft
- Any race over 20 miles with a point over 9,000ft
- Any race where there is at least 4,000ft between the lowest point on the course and the highest point on the course and you travel from lowest point to highest point.
- Any Xterra "Long", Half Ironman (70.3), or longer Triathlons
- Any Obstacle (e.g. Spartan) Race over 30k
5+ Time Pikes Peak Finishers
- 5+ Time Peak Finishers may use a Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon time as far back as 1 year for each Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon completed within the cutoff. For example, if you have completed the PPA and/or PPM 10 times, you may use an Ascent or Marathon time as old as 2014. Your most recent Ascent time will be used for wave placement purposes.
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Pikes Peak Marathon