Pikes Peak Marathon

2025 Pikes Peak Marathon Qualification Requirements

Overview

Due to the nature of the race course, all runners must meet the qualification requirements before registering. There are no exceptions. 

There are several qualification categories outlined below. Runners must meet at least one of them before registering. 

Runners registering for the Double (both the Ascent and Marathon) must have previously completed either the Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon prior to registering for both races.  

All qualifications will be verified by the registrar. If we are unable to validate your qualifier, we will attempt to contact you via the email address you used for registration. You will then have two weeks to correct your entry (typos happen...we won't hold it against you). Failure to respond or submit a valid qualification within two weeks from the registrar's email will result in your removal from the event. Note that submitting a future race date with an estimated time as your qualifier will result in immediate removal from this year's race.

Qualification Categories

Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon 

Recent Pikes Peak Veterans

• You have completed the Pikes Peak Ascent or Pikes Peak Marathon in the past 4 years (2021+) with a time under the cutoff of 6:30:00 for the Ascent or 10:00:00 for the Marathon.

5+ Time Pikes Peak Veterans

• 5+ Time Peak Veterans may use a Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon time as far back as 1 year for each Pikes Peak Ascent or Marathon completed within the cutoff. For example, if you have completed the PPA and/or PPM 10 times, you may use an Ascent or Marathon time as old as 2015. 

Barr Trail Mountain Race

• You may use a previous Barr Trail Mountain Race time if you have completed the BTMR in under 4:00:00 in the past 4 years (2021+). 

Full Marathon

• You may use a Marathon Distance (26.2 miles) race or run as a qualifier if you have completed the run with a time under 6:30:00 and within the last 3 years (Jan 1st, 2022 or newer). 

 

Ultra / Trail / Other

To use an Ultra, Trail, or Other event as a qualifier, you must have competed in an organized race on or after Jan 1st, 2022 that meets both the requirements for event type as outlined below and was completed within 3x the overall winner’s time without regard for sex/gender. The race must have been open to the public and the results must be recorded and publicly posted by the race organizer. 

Event Type - Any event that meets at least one of the following criteria may be used as a qualifier: 

• Any race over 50k
• Any trail race over 25 miles on predominantly unimproved dirt trails (no concrete paths, dirt roads, rails to trails, or similar)
• Any race with an ITRA point value of 2 or higher ("S" Category)
• Any race over 15 miles long with a point over 12,000ft
• Any race over 25 miles with a point over 9,000ft
• Any race where there is at least 4,000ft between the lowest point on the course and the highest point on the course and you travel from lowest point to highest point.
• Any Xterra "Long", Half Ironman (70.3), or longer Triathlons
• Any Obstacle (e.g. Spartan) Race over 30k

 

Self-Timed

• A self-timed qualifier consists of completing a 20 mile run in under 4:30:00. Longer distances may be used as long as the average pace of the run is under 13:30 minutes per mile. 
• The qualifying run must be from January 1, 2024 or newer.
• There are no restrictions on the surface or elevation gain/loss. 
• For a self-timed run, the run must be done outdoors and recorded with a GPS enabled device or smartphone.
• Time counted is the overall elapsed time. 
• Provide the share link from Strava, Garmin Connect, or other system you used to record the run when registering. 
• There are no adjustments made for course difficulty. (e.g., the R2R or self-timed Ascent may not be used unless you can complete them faster than a 12 minute mile)