Racers push up the start of Barr Trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
On the way up Sunday during the Barr Trail Mountain Race, the coast was clear. Back at the switchbacks known as the Ws, competitors had to hop over a tree that had fallen across the course.
“Crazy things happen on the trail,” participant Gerald Romero said.
After the 2020 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a tree was a minor hurdle. First-timers Janelle Lincks and Jacob Dewey finished first among the women and men, respectively, and the 12.6-mile-race to and from Barr Camp went off almost without a hitch.
Racers push up the start of Barr Trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
It was an uneventful race for Dewey, a Colorado Springs native who was a cross country and track athlete at Rampart. He warmed up for the Pikes Peak Ascent before heading to CU Boulder for graduate school.
“It was a good time to spin the wheels and go have some fun, get a little bit harder of an effort in on a Sunday,” Dewey said.
Racers push up the start of Barr Trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3,630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
He finished in 1:39:03, 2:23 ahead of second-place Mason Coppi of Ladera Ranch, Calif. but more than 10 minutes off the course record set by Joseph Gray in 2017.
“I was going to go out and have some fun and whatever happened, happened,” Dewey said. “Happy to win and continue on in training.”
Lincks, of Thornton, found the race while looking around last week and added it to her schedule. It likely won’t be her last.
Michael Bolt, 33, from Denver, pushes up the trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race at Barr Trail in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Bolt finished in 13th place with a time of 1:56:54. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
“It’s just nice to be out in the woods. It just feels like home,” Lincks said, adding she switched to trail running entirely this year.
“I’ll be back for sure. My kind of race.”
The former Colorado State runner is considering adding the Ascent to her slate as well.
Alden Kruse, 18, from Colorado Springs, stretches before the start of the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Kruse finished in 19th place with a time of 2:01:16. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
“It seemed like we were really starting to get into some views right before we turned around,” Lincks said. “It would be nice to get above the tree line.”
Lincks was going for Brandy Lisa Erholtz’s 2010 course record of 1:47:57 but finished in 1:48:11. Colorado Springs’ Amber Weimer was the second female overall finisher in 2:13:52.
Romero, 14 seconds off the top finish in the 40-49 group (2:00:24), is not on the list of newcomers. He said he’s been doing the Barr Trail race off and on since 2003 and is doubling again this year, weeks shy of his 50th birthday.
Last year had to be an off year but not time wasted. He used the break to have shoulder surgery and work on knee issues.
“It was kind of a blessing even though the year sucked for everybody,” Romero said.
Jacob Dewey, 22, from Colorado Springs, leads the start of the Barr Trail Mountain Race at Barr Trail in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Dewey placed first with a time of 1:39:03. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)Dean Abel, 39, from Woodland Park, pushes up the start of Barr Trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Abel finished in 6th place with a time of 1:45:51. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)Kimberly Speese, 31, pushes up the start of Barr Trail during the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Speese finished in 48th place with a time of 2:18:05. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)Racers prepare for the Barr Trail Mountain Race in Manitou Springs on Sunday, July 19, 2021. Racers embarked on the 12.6-mile course, with an elevation gain of 3.630 feet, ascending to Pikes Peak’s Barr Camp at 10,200 feet, then descending to the finishing at the Barr Trailhead.(Chancey Bush/ The Gazette) (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
