Pikes Peak Ascent - August 21, 2021
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?
2021 Registration Confirmation lists have been posted -
2021 Registration - $169 until 4/30, $190 after 4/30
January 1, 2021 - Pre-Registration open to 2020 runners that deferred to 2021, or 2020 runners that donated their entry fees to our charitable partners; registration by invitation only.
NOTE: If you deferred or donated your entry fee in 2020, your entry is guaranteed through February 28, 2021; 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, 2021 - General Registration opens at noon.
Registration will be closed when each race sells out, and a waitlist may be available for interested parties.
NOTE: If you deferred or donated your entry fee in 2020, your entry is guaranteed through February 28, 2021; 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, 2021 - General Registration opens at noon.
Registration will be closed when each race sells out, and a waitlist may be available for interested parties.
Qualifications
Qualifying races must be completed before registering. Runners must be at least 16 years old on race day to qualify.
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 (2017+) 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 2011. 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, 2018 or newer). Virtual races may be used.
Ultras, Trail Races and Other Qualifiers -
To qualify, you must have completed one of the following in the past 3 years (Jan 1st, 2018 or newer). The cutoff is two times the overall winners time for your qualifying race.
Garden to Peak Challenge (G2P) -
This option is for runners who wish to use the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile (NOT 10k) and/or the Barr Trail Mountain Race as their qualifying race. Runners will be seeded into the appropriate wave in the Ascent based on their performance during the first two races.
When registering, you must use the "Pikes Peak Ascent w/ G2P Qualifier" bundle option.
You must complete one of the two races under the published cutoff times (2:30:00 for the Garden, 4:00:00 for the BTMR), or your entry to the Pikes Peak Ascent will be pulled. If you are unsure about your ability to complete all of the races, please do not use this option.
Runners who initially elect to use the G2P Series as a qualifier will have the option to swap their qualifying race from the G2P series to another valid qualifying run by emailing the registrar on or before July 18th. You will still be registered for the Garden of the Gods and BTMR, but completion of the races will no longer be required for participation in the Ascent.
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 (2017+) 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 2011. 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, 2018 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 one of the following in the past 3 years (Jan 1st, 2018 or newer). The cutoff is two times the overall winners time for your qualifying race.
- Any race 50k or longer
- Any trail race over 13 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 25 miles long or longer that has a point over 9,000ft
- Any race 12 miles long or longer that has a point over 12,000ft
- Any race over 13 miles long that gains at least 4,000ft between the lowest point to the highest point (not the cumulative elevation gain)
- Any Half IronMan or longer Triathlon (70.3+)
- Any Obstacle (e.g. Spartan) Race over 15k
- NO VIRTUAL EVENTS MAY BE USED (use a half or full marathon qualifier).
Garden to Peak Challenge (G2P) -
This option is for runners who wish to use the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile (NOT 10k) and/or the Barr Trail Mountain Race as their qualifying race. Runners will be seeded into the appropriate wave in the Ascent based on their performance during the first two races.
When registering, you must use the "Pikes Peak Ascent w/ G2P Qualifier" bundle option.
You must complete one of the two races under the published cutoff times (2:30:00 for the Garden, 4:00:00 for the BTMR), or your entry to the Pikes Peak Ascent will be pulled. If you are unsure about your ability to complete all of the races, please do not use this option.
Runners who initially elect to use the G2P Series as a qualifier will have the option to swap their qualifying race from the G2P series to another valid qualifying run by emailing the registrar on or before July 18th. You will still be registered for the Garden of the Gods and BTMR, but completion of the races will no longer be required for participation in the Ascent.
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Pikes Peak Marathon