Pikes Peak Ascent - September 16, 2023
The Pikes Peak Ascent is a grueling 13.3 mile race from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to the 14,115 foot summit of Pikes Peak. With a vertical climb of 7,800 feet up the historic Barr Trail, this is NOT your typical half marathon!
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 Ascent invites Elite Competitors, offers cash prizes to winners as well as free entries to past winners! Are you ready to take the challenge?
2023 Dates to Remember
January 15, 2023 - Pre-Registration open to 2022 runners that deferred to 2023; registration by invitation only.
NOTE: If you deferred your entry fee in 2022, your entry is guaranteed through February 28, 2023; 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, 2023 - General Registration opens - 5:00am MST.
Registration will be closed when each race sells out, and a waitlist may be available for interested parties.
NOTE: If you deferred your entry fee in 2022, your entry is guaranteed through February 28, 2023; 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, 2023 - General Registration opens - 5:00am MST.
Registration will be closed when each race sells out, and a waitlist may be available for interested parties.
Qualifications
- Runners must complete a valid qualifier in one of the categories outlined below before registering.
- Runners registering for the Double, both the Ascent and Marathon, must have previously completed the Ascent or Marathon prior to registering for both races.
- Runners must be at least 16 years old on race day to register.
New for 2022 -
The Garden to Peak Challenge is no longer a provisional qualifier. Runners must have a separate qualifying time logged before registering for the Ascent. Runners using a self-timed half marathon or marathon as their qualifier must have completed the run before registering. The 2023 Barr Trail Mountain Race can be used to qualify for the Ascent only if there are still spots available at that time. The Ascent will likely sell out prior to July. BTMR times from 2019-2022 will be accepted as a 2023 qualifying event.
Recent Pikes Peak Veterans -
Anybody who has completed the Pikes Peak Ascent, Pikes Peak Marathon, or the Barr Trail Mountain Race in the past 4 years (2019+) with a time under the cutoff is considered a Peak Veteran, and is automatically qualified to enter this year's race(s). Cutoff times are 6:30:00 for the Ascent, 10:00:00 for the Marathon, and 4:00:00 for the BTMR.
By default, your fastest summit time in the past 4 years is used for wave placement purposes. If you are a Peak Veteran who has finished the PPA/PPM in the past 4 years who wishes to use another qualifying race for wave placement purposes, you may do so only if the other race has been run since your most recent Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon.
5+ Time Pikes Peak Veterans -5+ Time Peak Veterans may also go back 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 can use a time as old as 2013. The most recent time is used for wave placement purposes.
Half Marathon or Marathon -
To qualify, you must have completed one of the following in the past 3 years (Jan 1st, 2020 or newer). Virtual races may be used.
- A half-marathon or longer race in under 2:30:00
- A marathon or longer race in under 6:00:00.
Ultras, Trail Races and Other Qualifiers -
To qualify, you must have completed a race that meets at least one of the following criteria in the past 3 years (Jan 1st, 2020 or newer). The cutoff is two times the overall winner's time without regard for gender:
- Any race 50k or longer
- Any trail race over 12 miles on predominantly unimproved dirt trails (no concrete paths, dirt roads, or similar)
- Any race event with an ITRA point value of 2 or higher ("S" Category)
- Any race 12 miles long or longer that has a point over 9,000ft
- Any race over 12 miles long that gains at least 4,000ft between the lowest point to the highest point (not the cumulative elevation gain)
- Any Olympic (51.5k), Xterra "Full", Half Ironman (70.3), or longer Triathlon
- Any Obstacle (e.g. Spartan) Race over 15k
- NO Self-Timed or VIRTUAL EVENTS MAY BE USED (use a half or full marathon qualifier)
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Pikes Peak Marathon