This last year the course was cut in half, only raced to barr camp, which was disappointing, but perhaps necessary (depending who you talk to), so I will review my previous experience on the race.

This race is in mid August, a time of year that is notorious in Colorado for unpredictable weather up at 14,000ft. The day before this race was ran, I heard there was snow and wind, with the snow basically going parallel to the ground due to such heavy winds. I woke up to a sunny perfect day. Welcome to Colorado!

The race begins in downtown Manitou and you start right off running up Ruxton Ave, which is a farily solid hill in itself. We run around a mile or so up to where the trail and the switchbacks begin. This trail is around 14-25% incliine on overage the whole way up, and fairly narrow, particularly down at the beginning, so this is a real bottleneck, with most people walking at as fast a clip as their legs and lungs will allow. Some people rush by, some try to run, but in the end, we all walk at some point on this portion. This goes on for around 3 miles, then the trail gets a little wider and there are more opportunities to do a little decent jogging. Barr Camp marks about the halfway point, and will either crush you since your hurting so bad already, or spurr you on since your halfway to the top!

The trail continues up in elevation until well, the top at a little over 14,100 ft. About a mile or so before the top, the real challenge begins. The 16 golden stairs is a particularly brutally steep portion which marks almost the end, but also some of the steepest grades of the race. I don't actually know what "marks" a stair. At this point in the race, I did think about that, a lot. But I never was able to pick out how they got 16, even after being on this part of the trail numerous times.

Either way, once the 16, or 50 golden stairs are complete, you reach the top! You are welcomed by your adoring fans, an amazing view, and donuts in the shop!

Finishers get a jacket which they will wear with huge pride, as there are not too many races like this, or people that finish! Bravo!