Races

Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Miler

Colorado Springs, ColoradoJuly

Bear Creek Regional Park. Cheyenne Canyon. Seven Bridges. Mt. Rosa summit. Eleven thousand seven hundred feet. Pikes Peak on the horizon the whole day.

50 mi+9,113 ft-9,113 ft15 hours6,148 ft to 11,847 fttech 7/10Checkpoints per race bookMt. Rosa summitSeven BridgesCheyenne CanyonJuly
Distance50 mi
Gain+9,113 ft
Loss-9,113 ft
Altitude6,148 ft to 11,847 ft
Technicality7/10
Air40°F to 85°F
Gradient profileOfficial race GPX
  • Start6,148 ft
  • High11,847 ft
  • Low6,148 ft
  • Finish6,148 ft

Field, 2026 · 12-year samplescraped

Starters69
Finish rate100%
Median13:07
Sub-2469

Geometryderived

Steepest drop2,477 ft-16.7% over 2.8 mi
Time over 10k ft48%

Course records

Men7:33:24Ryan Chio2025 scraped
Women8:38:04Kaci Lickteig2019 scraped

The cruxMt. Rosa summit near 11,893 feet on tired legs (near mile 33)

Course DNA

The Course

Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Miler runs 50 mi through Colorado Springs, Colorado. +9,113 ft gain and -9,113 ft loss. Surfaces skew 60% crushed granite trail / 40% singletrack. Mt. Rosa summit near 11,893 feet on tired legs. High point near 11,847 ft. Low near 6,148 ft. July temps run 40°F to 85°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.

The Work

Train for 9,113 feet of climbing across 50 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 15 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 7/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 33.

Kit

July in Colorado Springs, Colorado: plan for 40°F to 85°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 15 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 60% crushed granite trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 25.

Race Day

Hold effort through mile 13. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 25. Mt. Rosa summit near 11,893 feet on tired legs near mile 33 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 17 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.

Results

Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Miler finish lines.

Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Miler

50 MilerColorado Springs

Sources (3)

Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Miler