2023 Pikes Peak Ascent, September 16 - Pikes Peak Marathon, September 17 - 2023 Pikes Peak Ascent, September 16 - Pikes Peak Marathon, September 17
Pikes Peak Marathon
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  • Results
  • Race Info
    • Race Week
    • Course Info
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  • Plan
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September 16-17, 2023

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Marathon

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Ascent

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Garden To Peak Challenge

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Volunteer

Registration Begins

March 1, 2023


Race Weekend

September 16-17, 2023


A Proud Member Of

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History of the
​Marathon & Ascent

The Pikes Peak Marathon, founded in 1956, is the oldest continually held marathon in the United States, taking runners from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet, and back down for a total of 26.2 grueling mountain miles. It and its sister race, the Pikes Peak Ascent, each climb about 7,800 vertical feet up the historic Barr Trail on the east face of the mountain. The Ascent, which climbs 13.3 miles to finish at the summit, used to be held on the same day as the Marathon but became its own event in the 1980s due to its popularity.

Course Info

Read About the Course

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Marathon
Ascent

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Training
Travel

Training

If you read the course description, it should be obvious that the course is not uniform in grade. And, even in some of the sections described, the grade will vary markedly. However, exceptions aside, the overall ascent portion of the race is a relentless uphill grind! Combine that with the continued drop in oxygen as the elevation increases, and the physiological demands placed on every runner are exceptional.

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Travel & Accommodations

Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon is hosted in Manitou Springs, just 16 miles from the Colorado Springs Airport and 90 miles from the Denver International Airport. Nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs and neighboring Colorado Springs offer a variety of lodging, dining, and sight seeing opportunities. If you plan to arrive a few days in advance to acclimate to the altitude, be sure to explore the many parks and trails that are second to none while on your visit.  
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Our Sponsors

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​441 Manitou Ave, Suite 100
​Manitou Springs, CO 80829
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Fun Fact!

In 1972 Peter Strudwick did the Ascent in 4:20:29 and the Marathon in 7:02:28. What is so incredible about that you ask? Well, soon after his mother had caught rubella, commonly called German measles, Peter was born with legs that ended in stumps just past the ankles, a left arm that had only one thumb and a finger, and a right arm ending at the wrist.
When Zebulon Pike tried to ascend the mountain that would later be named after him he was turned back by the harsh weather. Many claim he said that no one would ever reach its summit. However, it is generally accepted that he meant on that day, under those conditions. The snow was waist deep and his men were not dressed for it and were out of food.
“Militant tobacco-hating physician” Dr. Arne Suominen from Delray Beach FL, became the founder of the modern day Pikes Peak races when he wrote a letter to the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce in 1956 and challenged cigarette smokers to race him up and down Pikes Peak. 1956 Results
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