2023 Pikes Peak Ascent, September 16 - Pikes Peak Marathon, September 17 - 2023 Pikes Peak Ascent, September 16 - Pikes Peak Marathon, September 17
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  • Home
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    • Marathon
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    • Garden To Peak Challenge
    • Elite Competitors
  • Results
  • Race Info
    • Race Week
    • Course Info
    • Rules
    • Awards & Prize Money
  • Plan
    • Training
    • Visiting
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
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    • New for 2022
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Training

Tips for Training

So what does one do to train for a course that begins at 6,295' above sea level and gains one and half miles vertically (and then loses that in the Marathon)?

​What it all comes down to is this: if you are planning on running the Ascent only, treat it like you would a tough “flatland” marathon. Run trails — preferably trails with grade. If you don’t happen to have a mountain nearby that comes close to Pikes Peak in elevation gain, then include in your training schedule a treadmill routine with the treadmill set at around 12-15%. To help prepare for the 16 Golden Stairs, roughly 1/3 mile from the summit, do step-ups on benches or vehicle bumpers at the end of some of your longer training runs.


As for the descent portion of the Marathon — don’t overstride! The mechanical stresses applied to the lower joints and muscles when overstriding are considerable. Train on some rather steep downhills, and force yourself to stay smooth. In the long run, it will be to your advantage as you will not fry your quads. That, in turn, will prevent muscle fatigue and will help prevent falls and tripping.

How can someone who lives at a lower elevation prepare for the reduced level of oxygen? The effect of altitude that accompanies these races will affect each person differently. However, there is no denying that those who live and train at higher elevations will have, in most cases, an advantage. Exercise physiologists have determined that, for the general population, it takes 10 - 14 days for the body to begin adapting to lower levels of oxygen in the air. However, don’t let that deter you from participating in these races. Every year, more than half of the race participants reside outside the Mountain States region and will arrive only a day or two prior to the race and do well. This even includes some top finishers. Conversely, participants who live in the Pikes Peak region and train on Barr Trail sometimes are unable to complete the race. Bottom line, if you train rigorously, are well hydrated prior to the start, take in fluids during the race, and do not over-extend early in the race, there is no reason that you should not do well in these races!

In conclusion... do NOT underestimate the overall physical (and physiological) demands imposed by either the Ascent or the Marathon!!! If you think you can take on Pikes Peak without extensive training, you will be rudely awakened.
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For more information on training for the Ascent and Marathon, head to skyrunner.com.
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​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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