Inaugural Pike’s Peak 11.6M Ascent Aug. 28

Colorado‰Ûªs Triple
Crown of Running Creates New Bucket List
event

Inaugural Pikes Peak Road Ascent to be held this August
on America‰Ûªs Mountain

Manitou Springs, CO — Runners will have an opportunity to race up the
Pikes Peak Highway on Sunday, August 28, 2011, when they enter the inaugural
Pikes Peak Road Ascent. This 11.6-mile route will start near the Pikes Peak
Highway Toll Gate at an elevation of 7,750 feet and ascend up the mostly-paved
road to Glen Cove at an elevation of 11,425 feet. The total gain is 3,675 feet
with an average grade between 5 and 8
percent.

           
The race evolved after discussions between Ron Ilgen, president of Pikes
Peak, Inc./Triple Crown of Running, and Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the
American Trail Running Association, who both felt that a run up America‰Ûªs
mountain on the paved side ‰ÛÒ in comparison to running up the Barr Trail ‰ÛÒ would
add a very unique event to the local running calendar and attract participants
not only locally, but nationally, and even
internationally.

Says
Triple Crown of Running board member Tom Berg, ‰ÛÏGenerations of Peak runners have
yearned to try their skills on a Peak Highway race.  Runners, your time has
arrived.‰Û

           
The Pikes Peak Highway is closed only two times per year, once for the
annual car race ‰ÛÒ 
the Pikes Peak International Hill
Climb ‰ÛÒ the other for a more
recent addition on the mountain ‰ÛÒ the Assault on The Peak ‰ÛÒ a bike ride from Manitou
Springs to the summit of Pikes Peak which celebrates its second anniversary this
year.

           
Ilgen and Hobbs knew about the bike ride and contacted organizers Pat
McDonough and Mark Tyson to discuss a collaborative effort to stage both events
this year on the toll road.

           
‰ÛÏWe were certainly curious about Ron and Nancy‰Ûªs idea and after visiting
with them we realized this was a win-win and enthusiastically supported this
partnership. By working together we can create synergies in terms of
sponsorships, promotion and
marketing.‰Û

           
The Triple Crown will be the organizing body for the event with support
from the American Trail Running
Association.

           
‰ÛÏWe‰Ûªre delighted to be involved with this inaugural event on the Peak.
The Triple Crown has proven itself with years of success at their events and so
we couldn‰Ûªt associate with a better partner,‰Û said ATRA president Adam Chase.
‰ÛÏThe Pikes Peak Road Ascent aligns with our mission ‰ÛÒ to represent and promote
trail and mountain running ‰ÛÒ and we look forward to a fantastic race in August.‰Û

           
There are a few unique twists planned for the Pikes Peak
Road Ascent this August. The event will be chip timed to the finish line with
prizes for top finishers and medals for anyone who completes the course in four
hours or less, but will also include a split time en route to the finish at the
10 mile mark thereby replicating the distance in the first let of the Triple
Crown of Running ‰ÛÒ the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile Run on June 12 ‰ÛÒ creating a
‰ÛÏ20 Mile Road Challenge.‰Û Runners who finish both events, will have their times
combined for this event within an event with awards presented at the Triple
Crown Awards Ceremony on September
30.

Additionally, an ‰ÛÏAscent
Challenge‰Û will combine times from the Pikes Peak Ascent or ascent portion of
the Pikes Peak Marathon and the Pikes Peak Road Ascent with prizes presented at
the Triple Crown Awards Ceremony. Finally, there will be a ‰ÛÏTripler Challenge‰Û
geared toward attracting the Pikes Peak Doublers (runners who completed the
Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon the weekend prior to the Pikes Peak Road Ascent),
making these runners ‰ÛÏTriplers.‰Û In 2010, there were 111
doublers.

For the Pikes Peak Road
Ascent, a prize purse of $1500 will be distributed among top finishers and
awards will be presented to the top three finishers in age groups 16-19, 20-99
in five year increments.

Organizers expect a top
field of contenders for the event to include Simon
Gutierrez, three-time winner of the Pikes Peak Ascent, who plans to include the
Pikes Peak Road Ascent in his racing plans for 2011. Said Gutierrez, ‰ÛÏI was
going to finish the season with the Ascent (Pikes Peak Ascent on August 20), but
how wonderful to have two races there (on Pikes Peak). Count me
in!‰Û

On
the women‰Ûªs side, two-time Pikes Peak Ascent winner (‰Ûª08, ‰Ûª10) Brandy Erholtz,
has confirmed her participation in the event, ‰ÛÏIt sounds like a cool race!‰Û
Erholtz will be in Europe racing prior to the event and will use the Pikes Peak
Road Ascent to stay sharp for the rest of her race
season.

The Road Ascent will start
at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 28, 2011. There is limited parking near the start
area. Carpooling recommended. Shuttles are being coordinated at press time.
Because runners are sharing the road with cyclists, and for their safety, they
will not be permitted to run back down the road after they finish. There will
also be a shuttle from the start line to the finish line for spectators and
family members as no vehicles will be allowed on the road during the events.
There will be a fee of $5/spectator for the transportation. Details available
soon.

A post-event pasta lunch
will be held jointly with the Assault on The Peak from 12:00 p.m. ‰ÛÒ 4:00 p.m. at
Memorial Park in Manitou Springs which is included in the runner race entry. The
prize ceremony for runners will be held at the same location at 2:00 p.m.
Friends and supporters of the runners can join in the festivities and purchase
lunch for $8.

The cost for registration
is $80 by June 30, $95 from July 1-July 31, $110 from August 1-26, and $130 on
August 27 if space available. No race day registration. The race is limited to
700 registrants and includes a membership to the American Trail Running
Association, transportation down the mountain, an inaugural race memento, and
post-race festivities.

The Pikes Peak Road Ascent
is sponsored by Mathews Chiropractic, Acli-Mate Mountain Sport Drink,
Emergicare, and Bristol Brewing. Additional sponsors will be announced later
this month.

           
For additional details visit: www.trailrunner.com.

Pikes
Peak Marathon, Inc./Triple Crown of
Running

The
Triple Crown of Running is a Colorado 501 (c ) 3 not for profit corporation. The
Triple Crown of Running Series begins on June 12, 2011 with the
Garden
of the Gods 10-Mile Run^® in
one of the most spectacular and challenging venues anywhere. Then, on July 10,
2011 enjoy the Summer
Roundup Trail Run 12K.
Finally, on August 20th and 21st, run either the Pikes
Peak Ascent^® or
the Pikes
Peak Marathon^® as
the final leg of the TCR Series.

American
Trail Running Association

The
American
Trail Running Association
(ATRA) is a Colorado 501 (c ) 3 not for profit corporation founded in 1996 whose
mission is to represent and promote trail and mountain running. ATRA has
individual, club, race, and corporate memberships. ATRA is a member organization
of Running USA, USA Track & Field, Road Runners Club of America, and
International Skyrunning Federation.

Summit
Cycling Productions, LLC

Summit Cycling
Productions, llc is an event management company with over 40 years of experience
in the planning, promotion, and management of sporting and cause-related events.
Experience and signature events include the Assault on the Peak – Ride Pikes
Peak, US Grand Prix of Sprinting, as well as hundreds of events including over
20 U.S. Cycling Championships.

Ø     
Black Canyon Ascent – 6 M – May 14 – Montrose,
CO

Ø     
Prospect Mountain Race – 5.67M – May 14 – Lake George,
NY

Ø     
Wachusett Mtn. Trail Run ‰ÛÒ 4.3M ‰ÛÒ May 28 – Princeton,
MA

Ø     
Pack Monadnock Mountain Run – 10M – June 5 – Wilton,
NH

Ø     
Whiteface Mountain Uphill Footrace ‰ÛÒ 8 Miles – June
5 – Wilimington, NY

Ø     
Mt Evans Ascent – 14.5 Miles – June 18 ‰ÛÒ Idaho Springs,
CO

Ø     
Mount Washington Road Race ‰ÛÒ 7.6 Miles ‰ÛÒ June 18 ‰ÛÒ
Gorham, NH

Ø     
Targhee Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 2.7 Miles – June 25 ‰ÛÒ Alta,
WY

Ø     
Eco Climb-It Challenge ‰ÛÒ 4.65 Miles ‰ÛÒ July 1 ‰ÛÒ Snowmass
Village, CO

Ø     
Loon Mountain Uphill ‰ÛÒ 13.2 Miles ‰ÛÒ July 2 ‰ÛÒ Lincoln,
NH

Ø     
La Sportiva Vail HillClimb ‰ÛÒ 7.5 Miles ‰ÛÒ July 3 ‰ÛÒ Vail,
CO

Ø     
Mount Ripinsky Run ‰ÛÒ 1.5 Miles ‰ÛÒ July 4 ‰ÛÒ Haines,
AK

Ø     
Mt. Ascutney Foot Race ‰ÛÒ  3.8 Miles – July 10 – Windsor,
VT

Ø     
Snow King Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 2.3 Miles – July 23 ‰ÛÒ Jackson
Hole, WY

Ø     
Mt Ashland Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 13.3 Miles ‰ÛÒ August 6 ‰ÛÒ Ashland,
OR

Ø     
Squaw Valley Mountain Run ‰ÛÒ 3.6 MilesAugust 6 ‰ÛÒ Olympic
Valley, CA

Ø     
Beartooth Run – 8.4 miles ‰ÛÒ August 6 – Red Lodge,
MT

Ø     
La Luz Trail Run ‰ÛÒ 9 Miles ‰ÛÒ August 7 ‰ÛÒ Sandia Mtn.,
NM

Ø     
Mt. Roberts Tram Run ‰ÛÒ  4 Miles – August 13 ‰ÛÒ Juneau,
AK

Ø     
LibertyBank Sunrise to Summit ‰ÛÒ 4+-Miles ‰ÛÒ August 20 ‰ÛÒ
Bend, OR

Ø     
Exum Mountain Guides Rendezvous Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 7.2 Miles ‰ÛÒ
August 27 ‰ÛÒ Jackson Hole, WY

Ø     
Race to the top of Vermont ‰ÛÒ 4.23 Miles – August 28 ‰ÛÒ
Stowe, VT

Ø     
La Sportiva Berry Picker Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 5 Miles ‰ÛÒ August 28
‰ÛÒ Vail, CO

Ø     
Jerome Hill Climb – 5.25 miles – September 4 –
Arizona (starts on paved, then dirt
road)

Ø     
Mt Baldy Run to the Top ‰ÛÒ 8 Miles – September 5 ‰ÛÒ Mt
Baldy, CA

Ø     
Tioga Pass Run – 12.4 Miles – September 11 – Lee Vining,
CA

Ø     
Mt. Baldy Hill Climb ‰ÛÒ 1.8 Miles ‰ÛÒ September 24 ‰ÛÒ
Ketchum, ID

Ø      
Ski Run Road Challenge ‰ÛÒ 12.5 Miles – October 29 ‰ÛÒ
Ruidoso, NM