Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Donald Pond #1493 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Persistent Climb with Remarkable Resilience Donald Pond, aged 58 from Uniontown, OH, completed the Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon with an elapsed time of 4:58:46 over a challenging 13.36-mile course. Notably, Donald maintained remarkable accuracy in pacing, averaging 22:21 minutes per mile. From starting 60th in the O55-59 division, he improved his standing after the first mile, reaching his highest division rank of 14th at the Barr Camp split. His final position in the O55-59 division was 30th among the 2049 participants. Analyzing pace, Donald exhibited significant consistency up to Barr Camp, maintaining strong pace improvements from 12:17 to 14:03 min/mile. His performance above tree line suffered, with paces from 26:43 to 36:44 min/mile due to altitude challenges, starting from Bottomless Pit. Faster recovery and adaptation to higher altitudes could minimize pace reduction in the final stretches of his upcoming races. Fine-tuning training to enhance uphill speed could push his performance further.