MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. – If there is one thing Pikes Peak runners understand, it’s that running at high altitudes is tough.

The Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent include an elevation gain of nearly 8,000 feet, topping out at the stunning summit of Pikes Peak – resting in the clouds at 14,115 feet above sea level. The races are a challenge to run, and training for them can raise some difficult questions.

How does altitude training prepare a runner for competition? What elevation will produce the best results? How often should a runner surge into the thinning air? And what exactly happens to runners’ bodies during all of this?

So with these questions in mind, Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc. is happy to announce the addition of Cercacor into its sponsorship family. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Cercacor makes Ember – the world’s first non-invasive hemoglobin tracker for endurance athletes and their trainers.

“Hemoglobin is key to the delivery of oxygen to muscles.  Most people do not realize that hemoglobin changes not only due to elevation but also due to exercise intensity,” explained Cercacor’s Vice President of Marketing Mel Chiba. “By using Ember, athletes can understand how their activities impact their hemoglobin concentration.”

2017 Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent registration begins Saturday.

Prior to Ember, athletes needed to take invasive blood tests to measure their hemoglobin. This can be inconvenient and costly. So, most athletes only test two to four times a year. Ember makes measuring hemoglobin a real training tool.

Ember includes an LED finger sensor, attached to a device (smaller than a smartphone) that processes the information. Users then see, track and engage with the data on their iPhone or iPad via Ember’s app. Athletes can easily carry Ember with them and take measurements before or after their workouts.

Mr. Chiba says it will be especially helpful to Pikes Peak runners coming from sea level, but it’s a handy tool for all endurance athletes – cyclists, swimmers, football players, soccer players, etc. – where endurance is key.

“People who don’t live at elevation adjust differently when in higher altitude,” Chiba stated. “Their hearts typically beat faster, they breathe faster and their oxygen saturation levels go down because they’re breathing in less oxygen.

“Ember provides an instant window into all of those physiological occurrences,” Chiba continued. “Runners at Pikes Peak will want to make sure they’re adjusting well. Ember can help these runners understand how they’re acclimatizing to the higher elevation by seeing how their biomarkers change.”

Now, here is the fun part. To celebrate the new partnership, Cercacor will give away an Ember to one lucky winner. Here is what you do: 1. Send your favorite photos (jpeg file) from your training runs to pikespeaksports@gmail.com. (We really like photos with you in them.) 2. Tell us where the photo was taken, and include the name of the photographer. 3. Then “like” the Cercacor Facebook Page.

We’ll draw the winner’s name on April 9.

About Cercacor: Cercacor is an innovator of non-invasive, easy-to-use monitoring technologies.  The company helps people access key health indicators – empowering them to better understand their bodies, enhance their fitness levels and reach their full potential.  Cercacor is passionate about finding better ways to help endurance athletes and everyday people achieve the extraordinary.  Its technologies are licensed by Masimo Corporation, a pub.  To learn more visit www.cercacor.com today!