Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Manuel Gallardo #1194 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Significant Progress: Manuel's Pikes Peak Ascent Improvement Manuel Gallardo, 48, from Pueblo, CO, showcased remarkable progression at the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent with a total elapsed time of 4:58:13 for the 13.36-mile course. This time represented a substantial improvement from the previous year, where he completed the course in 6:23:44. His pace of 22:19 min/mile marked a significant enhancement from last year's 28:43 min/mile. Manuel finished 968th out of 2,049 participants, with a noted improvement in his division, placing 87th in the O45-49 category compared to 123rd the previous year. Analyzing Manuel's splits, starting strong, he maintained a sub-10-minute pace at Ruxton (9:11), effectively pacing himself as the altitude increased. After reaching Barr Camp, he managed a consistent pace until the A-Frame, where the effects of higher altitude were evident, with a 46:10 split for 1.52 miles. As Manuel approached the treacherous final stretch above the tree line, each split incrementally increased, with the final half-mile completed at 30:58 pace. Continuing this trend of consistent improvement should yield even better race results in the future.