Pikes Ascent
hmmm, I ^^really^^ don’t know what I was thinking.. In a moment of madness, I signed up for the Pikes Ascent. Frankly, I don’t recall doing anything as daunting since I took the JEE way back in ’99.
But then something I find exciting yet superhard really gets me excited. I hope I am not going to DNF this race. So whats so hard about Pikes?
Well its a somewhat different half marathon. The elevation gain over 13 miles is almost 8000 feet. Very steep! Mission peak gains 2000 feet over 3 miles. So Pikes is like taking 4 trips up Mission peak consecutively. With a slight difference, however. Pikes peak is at an elevation of 14000 feet. So by the time you reach at the top, you’re breathing in an air that has about 43% less oxygen. 
Pikes is actually an experiment for me. It an excuse to get into better shape by training much harder. If I train as hard enough as I should, I know I’m going to be able to do it. The key point is consistency then. And training in simulated conditions.
My aim is to scale the peak in about 4:30. I am going to try to maintain a constant pace throughout the race. Of course the last 2 miles are going to be crazy, and I can’t do much about it except maybe do a few high altitude hikes/runs before the event.
The SF half marathon, which is about 2 weeks before Pikes, should be an easy run then, since I am going to train superhard before that . I’ll run the SF at an easy pace, mostly for the views and the spirit than for any PR. And I’m expecting a bunch of friends to join me so we’ll all run together probably..
The Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run and Summer Roundup Trail Run shuld both provide some high altitude training. They are held, like the Pikes, in Manitou Springs, Colorado. I need to start booking my plane tickets I guess 
.
So my 2008 races are going to be:
Golden Gate Headlands Half Marathon – Apr 5 – DONE
Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run – June 8
Summer Roundup Trail Run 12K – July 6
SF Half Marathon – Aug 3
Pikes Ascent – Aug 16
Tentative:
Boston Half Marathon – Oct 12
Honolulu Marathon – Dec 10
Meanwhile, Matt Carpenter, the record holder for the Pikes Ascent as well as marathon, is a really inspiring guy. He’s also written a couple of really good articles on running.
Now some nice Dean Karnazes quotes.
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