Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I wasn't going to write about this on Ridecamp, as it's off-topic, but 
as traffic has been slow I decided to go ahead.

The Pikes Peak Marathon is a 26.3 mile footrace that starts in Manitou 
Springs, Colorado at an elevation of 6300 feet, runs up the Barr Trail 
to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,100 feet, and back down again.  I 
entered it for the first time two years ago, but Sanshra fell on me and 
broke my ankle so I couldn't run it.  Last year I was too slow signing 
up and it filled before I was able to register.  This year I signed up 
the morning registration opened and got in (it filled in less than  24 
hours).

What a day -- beautiful weather, 800 runners starting up the mountain. 
I had no illusions about winning it, I was going for a finish.  My "game 
plan" was to stay a half-hour ahead of the cutoff times.  I finished 
right on schedule, 29 minutes before the cutoff!  What a rush!!!

As it turns out I'd saved more than I needed to, so I felt great at the 
end.  I leaped in the air as I crossed the line, both hands high over my 
head!

I stayed and watched the remaining runners finish.  I really felt for a 
couple of them, who finished overtime by less than two minutes.  One guy 
was   really struggling coming down the street, and when he came around 
the corner about 150 feet from the finish and saw the clock a minute and 
a half overtime, he just wilted and almost collapsed.  We clapped and 
shouted encouragement and he staggered on across the line, even though 
he wouldn't be officially a finisher.

I ordered some photos that I'll scan and post on my website when I get 
them.  That is such a great trail, and a wonderful experience.



--
Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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