From the Pikes Peak Marathon

Changes are coming to Pikes Peak Marathon Inc. and its family of races in 2019.

Here are the highlights.

The Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon will be held on Aug. 24 and 25 next year, one week later than the traditional weekend. There are several reasons for this change.

• Late August will see fewer tourists and less congestion in Manitou Springs and on the Pikes Peak Highway, where construction of the new Pikes Peak Summit House has disrupted traffic flow. Transporting ascent runners from the summit back to the starting area in Manitou Springs is expected be an easier and more enjoyable experience for all.
• The race date will no longer conflict with the popular Leadville 100, a famous ultra race that, like the Pikes Peak races, attracts the attention of many runners, race fans and the media. And the new date fits with the broader U.S. and international mountain-running schedules.
• Hotel bookings/cost should become easier and less expensive for out-of-town guests.
• Reduced chance of dangerous weather, including lightning and heavy rain. August is Colorado Springs’ wettest month with an average of 3.35 inches of rain, but there is an average decrease in moisture later in the month. (September’s average rainfall is 1.18 inches.)

“The safety of our runners is always our first concern,” says Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent Race Director Ron Ilgen. “Though we’re moving the race date by only a week in 2019, the chances of unfavorable weather are reduced. And we’ll continue to access the possibility of moving to a permanent date in September.”

Our 2019 race schedule

The Barr Trail Mountain Race date moved back one week.

• Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run & 10K: Sunday, June 9
• Summer Roundup Half Marathon and 10K: Sunday, July 14
• Barr Trail Mountain Race: Sunday, July 28
• Pikes Peak Ascent: Saturday, Aug. 24
• Pikes Peak Marathon (Salomon Golden Trail Series race): Sunday, Aug. 25

“We felt it was important to provide some time between our races,” Ilgen says. “In previous years, the Summer Roundup and Barr Trail Mountain Race fell on consecutive weekends. We think this will give runners a better opportunity to compete in both, and it gives our race staff the chance to recuperate and get organized between events.”

Race Registration

Race registration for all events opens on Jan.1, 2019.

Celebrate the New Year and set some race goals with us!

“We realize that runners make their plans and begin training early in the year, and it’s a competitive market with many great races on the calendar,” Ilgen says. “We think our events and race courses are some of the best in the U.S. We want to give our customers the chance to sign up early and begin their journey to the beautiful Garden of the Gods and the challenge of Barr Trail and Pikes Peak.”