By Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of the American Trail Running Association

Runners will have an opportunity to race up the Pikes Peak Highway on Sunday, August 28, 2011, when they enter the inaugural Pikes Peak Road Ascent. This 11.6-mile route will start near the Pikes Peak Highway Toll Gate at an elevation of 7,750 feet and ascend up the mostly-paved road to Glen Cove at an elevation of 11,425 feet. The total gain is 3,675 feet with an average grade between 5 and 8 percent.

The race evolved after discussions between Ron Ilgen, president of Pikes Peak, Inc./Triple Crown of Running, and Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the American Trail Running Association, who both felt that a run up America’s mountain on the paved side – in comparison to running up the Barr Trail – would add a very unique event to the local running calendar and attract participants not only locally, but nationally, and even internationally.