Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: Kelly Thomas #817 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

Consistent Effort in High Altitude Challenge Kelly Thomas, 45, from Woodland Park, CO, completed the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon with an elapsed time of 5:47:24 over 13.36 miles, achieving an elapsed pace of 26:00 min/mile and finishing 1359th overall. Expectedly, the challenging altitude influenced her performance compared to her previous year’s 5:25:20 finish. Throughout the ascent, her pace slowed as she climbed higher, with notable splits demonstrating the increasing difficulty near the peak. Her split at "2.5 Miles To Go" showed a significant change in effort, with a split time of 16:26 at 14,061 feet elevation. This section required a pace of 29:54 min/mile, highlighting the challenges of altitude adaptation. Kelly's experience in age category F45-49 saw her finishing 66th, slightly down from her 2024 performance in division F40-44. A focus on pacing strategy in the latter stages could help manage fatigue better in future races.