As there are a few folks who are interested in doing Pikes for the first time ... a few homework assignments for you.
1.) registration goes really quick. Apparently the details of the 09 registration are expected to be announced in January. Registration itself will probably be in 09. The details, requirements, etc of registration are all on the Pikes site (strongly suggest this is read). It is important to have your qualification ducks in a row, as they will check quals, and have booted folks for having it wrong.
That said - it goes quick for the marathon (less slots) - as in minutes! The Ascent seems to take a couple of months now - given the tweaking they did to registration last year.
I am not sure if the Skyrunner element of the marathon will make it go even more quickly, but I will be ready come reg day.
2.) The course description is excellent, and that is exactly what I'd expect from the record holder of the course - Matt! There are some that probably would benefit from not knowing what it is they are getting into but ... I'd recommend reading this, to at least get some course familiarity.
As Pikes is not in my backyard, I have been learning the course since my first run on it in 06. I have been on it, in races, various training, on different sections maybe a dozen times. Hardly enough! But I have the general take of it burned well in my head (I don't make that dang wrong turn at the A frame anymore!). Dave Mackey once said to me that a trip on the course was probably worth a minute on race day. He and others also agree -time spent on the top is better than time on the bottom (meaning, get above treeline). One of the things I have been musing on his how much to race versus how much to skip races to get down on the hill itself.
In future posts, I am going to go over the sections and add my commentary - more as a visualization activity than anything.
so the question is... should I do the ascent... or just say "F" and go BIG and do the full. Let me know what you think... I am all about "livin it!"
ReplyDeleteI'd recommend the Ascent first before doing the marathon, but it is each our own trip.
ReplyDeleteThe round trip, while "only" a marathon is ... well, very punishing. Absorbing 7800 feet of down is a unique experience. Particularly after climbing it to 14000+ feet.
There are some (Justin for example) that have gone right to the marathon, but Justin was pretty marathon experienced at that point.
Generally speaking, I'd advise a person to start with the Ascent ... and then come back for the marathon if they have killed enough brain cells on the trip up.
For what it is worth, I guess in the early days of the race, it was the same race! You got to decide when you got to the top whether to turn around or stop at the top.