Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Ken Claussen #845 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Significant Pace Improvement Elevates Performance Ken Claussen demonstrated remarkable improvement in the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon, cutting his elapsed time to 3:57:33 from last year's 4:30:19. This reflects a pace reduction to 17:46 min/mile from 20:14 min/mile in 2024. Ken placed 345th overall out of 2049 participants, with a noteworthy position of 22nd in the Male 45-49 division, improving from 55th place in the prior year. Throughout the course, Ken made critical strategic gains. He advanced from 876th place at the start to 345th by the finish. Starting with a strong 8:44 min/mile pace at Ruxton in the initial 0.43 miles, Ken maintained a competitive ranking, especially impressive when climbing beyond the treeline. Despite encountering the expected challenges of higher altitude and steeper inclines, his split pace was consistent, ending with 24:56 min/mile over the final stretch. Maintain focus on agility in early stages, focusing on holding this pace on steep gradients. Excellent progress!