Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Bradley Smith #635 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Consistency and Strategic Splits Propel Performance Bradley Smith participated in the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent, completing the 13.36-mile distance in 4:08:34. His efforts resulted in an overall place of 441 out of 2049 participants, while finishing 23rd in the highly competitive O50-54 division. Bradley began strong, quickly advancing positions in the first 1.23 miles with a pace of 9:16 per mile, boosting his placement from 1080 to 535. His pace gradually adjusted with the elevation, maintaining consistency through the mid-stages despite increasingly challenging altitudes. In particular, Bradley exhibited strategic pacing with his fastest split at the "Ruxton" checkpoint and effectively managing fatigue and steep gradients in the latter half of the race. Noteworthy gains were seen post "2 Miles To Go" checkpoint, where Bradley advanced from 374 to 441 by the finish. To further enhance performance, analyzing pacing techniques used in the fastest splits may provide insight into capitalizing on speed gains in future races, especially at high elevations.