Pikes Peak Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Pikes Peak Marathon is a mountain marathon in Manitou Springs, Colorado, that climbs Barr Trail to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak and comes back down the same trail to the finish in town. It is held on a Sunday in September, the day after the 13.3-mile Pikes Peak Ascent, which climbs the same route one way. The organisers describe it as the oldest continually held marathon in the United States, and it was founded in 1956. Both races start in front of the city hall in Manitou Springs and the marathon finishes at Ruxton and Manitou Avenues, with most of the distance run on unpaved trail in Pike National Forest. The organisers give the climb as about 7,800 vertical feet, or roughly 2,380 m. The 2027 weekend is 18 and 19 September, and the marathon starts at 7:00 a.m. Entry limits are set by the Forest Service for the runners on the course. The men's record is 3:16:39, set by Matt Carpenter in 1993, and the women's record is 4:02:41, set by Maude Mathys in 2019. In 1976 the race was lengthened by 1.1 miles, so earlier times need 7 to 8 minutes added for comparison.