PPA/PPM Background:
This years Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon were held on August 16 and 17th. Both events begin in Manitou Springs at an elevation of 6,295 ft and reach the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,110 ft., a vertical gain of 7,815 ft and an average grade of 11% for 13.32 miles.

Pikes Peak Ascent is held on Saturday and there are two waves, one departing at 7:00AM the other at 7:30AM. Each wave is limited to 800 runners. The first wave is reserved for runners who have previously completed the PPA in 4:20 hours of less. The second wave is open to all other participants. The runners complete the 13.32 miles of ascent and then are bussed down for the post-race festivities.

Pikes Peak Marathon is held in Sunday and limited to 800 participants, the runners complete the 13.32 miles of ascent but then turn around and descend the remaining 12.9 miles to the finish line in Manitou Springs.

Saturday - The Ascent:
This is my 4th time doing the ascent of Pikes Peak. I know what to expect, I know what the lack of oxygen does to my brain and muscles, I know it hurts. This year my friend Angie would be tackling Pikes for the first time, for my husband it would be his second ascent. I promised to pace them and get them to the top before the cut off. The morning was beautiful and according to the forecast it would remain that way.

The gun goes off! We're located in the back of the pack and begin by power walking the first 1.33 miles of paved Manitou Springs city streets. Once we reach the steep incline at the end of the road we're funneled onto Barr Trail. Now the fun begins, for me this is the hardest part of the ascent, it's difficult to pass and you are still conserving energy for the next 12 miles. To wear yourself out on this section would not be good. We trudged along with the flow for these next 4 miles and arrived at No Name Creek in 1:30 hours. At this point I sent Angie and Frank ahead and I waited for our friend Rebecca. I waited 20 minutes before hitting the trail, we were later to find out she was not feeling well and turned around at about 3 miles.

This next section is much gentler and there are even some downhill sections. I was moving pretty fast between running and power walking. I was passing folk left and right. I caught up to Frank and Angie before Barr Camp. We reach Barr Camp in 2:47 hours and completed a total of 7.6 miles.

Now this is when the fun starts...Barr Camp to A-Frame is only 2.6 miles...but at 10,000' to 11,500' not an easy task when you are used to breathing oxygen! The steep grades are back and the boulders begin to make their appearance. Both Frank and Angie are slowing down and I remind them to drink their water, eat and breath!! Onward we trudge and reach A-Frame in 4:00 hours. We are well under cut off. We have to complete the next 3 miles (above tree line) under 2:30 hours.

Alas, this is where we 'flatlanders' tend to loose the majority of our time. Angie and Frank had both noticeably started to slow down. Frank was actually feeling better than Angie, so I sent him on his way with 2 miles to go. I walked ahead of Angie, I would scope out a good 'leaning' rock and ask her if she needed a break. I noticed that after a minute break she would move along a bit faster only to start slowing down like one of those wind-up toys. We took a 1 minute break every 10 minutes or so. No worries, she was going to reach the top under 6:30 hours.

At times she would stagger and start leaning towards the outer edge of the trail. I would have to grab her, stabilize her and point her in the right direction. She was a good sport. We reached the summit in 6:10 hours. Frank finished in 6:04, beating his last year's ascent by 3 minutes...not bad for a guy that did no training whatsoever. Once at the summit you are bussed down to the start/finish area. Good thing we were not sitting next to Angie, she was white as a sheet and ready to blow chunks at any time...but she was able to hold it down. Angie and Frank did a great job reaching the summit of Pikes Peak. I hope they decide to do it again soon!!

Sunday - The Marathon:
The Ascent:
Another gorgeous morning in Manitou Springs! I was ready, I was psyched, I was really looking forward to my first 'Double'!! This would be ascent #5 for me, and the second one this weekend. I found my friend Morgan who I had convinced to do the Pikes Peak marathon and gave him a few last minute pointers. I had my fingers crossed, last time I talked a friend into doing this marathon it turned out to be her very first ever DNF.

The gun goes off!
We are somewhere in the middle of the pack, jogging easily, checking the heart rate making sure I'm not working too hard. I power walk the inclines and soon were on the steep incline leading up to Barr Trail. This is where I loose Morgan and in my mind I know he'll have a great time. The marathoners were moving along faster than the Ascent group we were in the day before, there were many conversations going on and everyone seemed in great spirits. In what seemed like no time we reached No Name Creek. Completed these 4.1 miles in 1:15 hours, only 15 minutes faster than the ascent the day before. Like I said earlier, these first 4 miles are not the ones where you want to use up all your energy.

After some water and half a rice crispy treat I'm on the trail once more. After a few more steep inclines out of No Name Creek you hit the gentler, rolling terrain. Now I can do some running and real power walking. I keep an eye on my heart rate making sure it does not get too high. I reach Barr Camp in 2:12 hours, 35 minutes ahead of the day before. Onward to A-Frame!

For me, this section was the toughest. I started thinking how today's ascent felt so much tougher than the day before, and yes it was. The pace I was keeping had my heart rate about 20 beats faster average than the day before. Negative thoughts started creeping into my head and I started to dislike the climb and the loose gravel that slipped under your feet. I decided to take a break. I leaned up against a rock, took some electrolytes, drank some water, ate, and enjoyed the view out into the countryside. Finally it was time for me to start moving. Slowly as I trudged on all those thoughts started slipping away and I found myself feeling better and better with each step. I reached A-Frame in 3:15 hours, 49 minutes faster than the day before, yet 10 minutes behind for a 4:20 ascent.

At this point I knew 4:20 was going to come...and go. The last 3 miles would take me at least 30 minutes each...'flatlander' remember?? I was feeling quite good after A-frame. But now the downhill traffic had increased and since they have the right of way we would stop every few minutes to let them through. At first it was one or two runners...soon it was in clumps of five and six. I found myself stuck behind a train of five or six people doing the ascent, all behind one zombie. It was very difficult to pass during the last 2 miles of the ascent. Since I was actually feeling good, it was very frustrating to not be able to move as fast as I would have liked. I reach the summit in 4:52 hours, 78 minutes faster than the day before, yet well over my 4:20 'hopeful' ascent time.

The Descent:
My crew is there waiting for me. Angie holds my burger, Rebecca has my energy drink and Frank is taking photos. What a great bunch of friends! I eat half my burger and drink my energy drink, meanwhile Frank is transferring my supplies out of my Go-Be water pack into a plastic baggie. I switch the pack for a hand-held water bottle and give the rest of my burger to another starving runner. One more photo...hurry, it's getting colder up here! Off I go down the switchbacks.

Perhaps a mile or so down from the summit I see Morgan. He snaps a photo of me going by and I notice that he looks good and seems in good spirits. I reach A-Frame in 51 minutes, what seemed like no time at all.

My whole downhill strategy boils down to two words 'high cadence'. Now that I have passed A-frame and don't have as many boulders to navigate I keep thinking of maintaining a short stride and turning my legs as fast as possible...relax those shoulders and lean forward. This was my mantra for the whole descent.

Barr Camp emerges from between the trees in 32 minutes. Quick stop for water and electrolytes. I thank the volunteers and I'm on my way. Leg turn over, leg turn over....go, go, go. Now I start hitting those downhill sections from the ascent...which are now uphills! Uughhh. I power walk these hills and just keep on moving. I stop twice to dump rocks out of my shoes. Need to remember to wear higher sox next time rather than crew socks. I reach Bob's in 31 minutes and hit No Name Creek in 12 more.

Finally, I reach the switchbacks of Mnt. Manitou. Some I take wide, others I use the poles to swing myself around, all along reciting my mantra 'high cadence!'

I zoom by the aid station at the Incline as they cheer me on I thank them and keep on going. Just when I hit the steep decline off Barr Trail I start to pass 4 women that had been ahead of me during the whole descent. They're holding back on this very steep descent, meanwhile I'm thrilled to see how well my 'high cadence' is working as I pass them giving them words of encouragement. The pavement feels strange after being on soft trails for so many hours. I know I'm almost there, I've done this route before and unlike my very first Pikes Peak Marathon I'm feeling great and know exactly where the finish line is located.

I see my brother-in-law who is snapping photos...and running to stay ahead of me. Meanwhile the race officials are yelling at him to get off the road, 'You, in the black t-shirt, get off the road!' Too funny.

I round the last curve and I can feel the pride and happiness of just having completed two days of an incredibly challenging course. I've conquered Pikes Peak twice in one weekend. I did it with friends and family and on my own. I will do it again soon, although I think the next couple of year I may look for new challenges to conquer before returning for my next Pikes Peak Double. I'm thinking...Leadville 100 perhaps?