Pikes Peak 2009

Living in Colorado Springs for the past 11 years, I have climbed many mountains, some as far as South America and an attempt at one in Indonesia. But never the big one in my back yard. The mountain that greets me every morning when I leave my house to start my day.
Pikes Peak has provided me with many fun adventures, The Incline is my favorite workouts. I have taken endless tourist fiends and family up the peak by car and The Cog Railway. I have hiked the Crags to Devils Playground to spectate The Pikes Peak Hill Climb (and avoid paying the $40 entrance fee)
I have never walked all the way up Barr trail from parking lot to the summit. Until last weekend.

13 miles

one way.

Even though I have friends that run this on a regular basis--I call them insane, but I like crazy people.
This is not an easy hike.
Much less a much more difficult run. There were many people on the trail with me training for the upcoming Pikes Peak Accent race.

I started my journey at 4:22am

Once the sun started to rise I could see the city below...


A few miles up my goal came into view...

7 miles up I came up to Barr camp where a lovely doggy greeted me and the caretaker Teresa had some wholegrain pancakes to share. Those were DELICIOUS!


6 miles after Barr camp, and 7 hours, 37 minutes and 4 seconds after leaving my car at the trailhead, I was here


On the train down I sat next to Yvonne Carpenter, Matt Carpenters wife. She is training for The Accent and her time up was something like 3.5 hours. Honestly I could be wrong on that, it was too short for me to comprehend.
She is a super nice lady. Matt is also a nice man, I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a few occassins and running into him quite often on Barr trail.

That just isn't right.

I got home to celebrate with a gifted Cheyenne Canon Pinon Ale and a Pizza from Domino's. (My first pizza and Cheyenne Canyon Ale in months...)

I swear I heard angels sing

Then I went to sleep