Trail Running · Colorado

🇺🇸Pikes Peak Marathon:
Course Analysis & Race Readiness

A 42 km out-and-back with a single 2,358 m climb over 21.3 km to a 4,294 m high point, then a 2,341 m descent back down. One long ascent, one long descent.

CourseRecon scores your own training against the descending and durability demands that define Pikes Peak Marathon — the sample analysis below shows exactly how.

42.0 km

Distance

+2,360 m

Vertical Gain

−2,340 m

Total Descent

Sep 20, 2026

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The Course · GPS-Measured

What 42.0 km / 26.1 mi and 2,360 m / 7,740 ft of vertical gain actually look like

Measured from the GPS track: 42.0 km / 26.1 mi and 2,360 m / 7,740 ft of vertical gain. This is the terrain you're signing up for: read it before it reads you.

Course Profile

Terrain summary

Claimed vs GPS-Measured

Claimed · Organizer

42.0km

Distance

+2,360m

Gain

+0.0 km+0 m

GPS-Measured

42.0km

Distance

+2,360m

Gain

Climb & Gradient

+2,360 mTotal Gain

−2,340 mTotal Loss

Gradient Distribution

Flat

≤3% grade

38%

Run-Climb

3–15% up

10%

Steep Climb

>15% up

47%

Descent

downhill

Steepest Sustained Sections

Descent

KM 21.3–42.0 · −2,341 m

-11.3%

ClimbCRUX

KM 0.0–21.3 · +2,358 m

+11.1%

Finish & Cutoff Times

What it takes to finish

Reference finish times from past results — use them to set a realistic goal pace.

3h 54m

Winning time

4h 18m

Top 5

4h 35m

Top 10

10h 00m

Back of pack

What This Race Demands

Four things this course asks of your body

Every course weights the four pillars of mountain-ultra fitness differently. Descending carries 50% of the scoring weight on this course — the terrain makes that the deciding factor.

Weighting shows where readiness is won or lost at this distance — not whether you need each pillar. An aerobic base is a given for a race this long, so it carries little deciding weight even though it's essential — the gaps open on the climbs, descents and the back half.

AerobicSustained engine

Foundational

Sustained effort from 1,936 m to 4,294 m demands strong aerobic depth at thinning air.

ClimbingVertical power

23%

21.3 km of unbroken ascent averaging 11.1%, with 21.5 km at very steep grades.

DescendingEccentric / braking

50%

20.7 km of continuous descent averaging -11.3%, half the route pointing downhill.

DurabilityLate-race resilience

27%

Turnaround at 4,294 m forces legs to switch from long climb to long pounding descent.

The Profile in One Line

Half up, half down: 21.3 km climbing to 4,294 m, then 20.7 km back down.

Aerobic FoundationalClimbing 23%Descending 50%Durability 27%

Here's how CourseRecon reads a course and an athlete

Sample Readiness Analysis

What a readiness result looks like for this course

This is a worked example for a representative strong mountain-ultra athlete — not your score. Connect your own training and the same analysis runs on you.

Sample

OUT OF 100

READY

For a representative strong mountain-ultra athlete

This is a sample — connect your Strava to see your own result.

Pillar Breakdown

Aerobic

The entire first half climbs from 1,936 m to 4,294 m, so aerobic capacity must hold as oxygen availability drops with altitude.

Climbing

A single 21.3 km climb gaining 2,358 m at 11.1% average, with 21.5 km of very steep grade, demands relentless uphill power.

Descending

The 20.7 km return descends 2,341 m at -11.3% average, including 21.4 km of very steep grade, taxing eccentric strength and control.

Durability

After a full 2,358 m ascent, legs must absorb a 2,341 m descent, so climb-damaged muscles face immediate pounding without recovery.

CLIMB · 0–21.3 km

The single long ascent to the high point

One continuous 21.3 km climb gains 2,358 m at 11.1% average to 4,294 m, with 21.5 km at very steep grade. Pacing errors here compound at altitude.

TURNAROUND · 4,294 m

From climb to descent

At the 4,294 m high point the effort flips entirely, sending climb-fatigued legs straight into a 20.7 km descent. Durability determines who holds form.

DESCENT · 21.3–42 km

The long pounding return

The descent drops 2,341 m over 20.7 km at -11.3% average, with 21.4 km very steep. Eccentric strength decides whether the return is fast or ruinous.

That was a sample