Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Participant: James Whitcomb #2089 Race: 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Chilly start. Heavy winds (tail/cross wind). Sunny at the finish.

A Tenacious Climb to New Altitudes James Whitcomb completed the 2025 Pikes Peak Ascent Half Marathon with an elapsed time of 5:40:36 over a distance of 13.36 miles, achieving an overall pace of 25:29 min/mile. He earned 43rd place in the O60-64 division out of 2049 total participants. Starting strong, he completed the initial 0.43 miles to Ruxton in 5:10 at a pace of 12:02 min/mile, but the increased elevation posed a challenge, causing his pace to notably decrease over the subsequent segments. At the "A-Frame" 10.29-mile mark, Whitcomb moved up to 50th place in his division, completing this split, notable for its over 11,000-feet elevation increase, in 32:39 min/mile. The final stretch to the summit was particularly demanding. His pace dropped to 38:23 min/mile in the last 0.5257-mile from the "0.5 Miles To Go" mark to the finish. Analyzing his splits, early strategy adjustments might enhance his pace in initial elevations. Consider focused altitude training to better acclimate and optimize performance in future high-elevation races.