Date: Tue, 24 Jan 1995 16:01:59 -0500 From: DV600@aol.com To: ultra@DARTCMS1.DARTMOUTH.EDU Subject: Pikes Peak Quad Resuls Team Ultrasport's Pikes Peak Quad June 3-5, 1994 Overall Results: 7 starters/7 finishers 1. Mark McDermott, 32 Colorado Springs, CO 33 hrs 10 min Course Record 2. Marshall Ulrich, 42 Fort Morgan, CO 35 hrs 19 min 3. Jim Fisher, 41 Sante Fe, NM 39 hrs 29 min 4. Doug McInturff, 34 Platteville, CO 41 hrs 58 min 5. Lew Larson, 40 Denver, CO 44 hrs 40 min 6. Carl Yates, 66 Tahoe City, CA 48 hrs. 13 min 7. Mark Macy, 40 Evergreen, CO 48 hrs 13 min Splits: Rountrip 1 Roundtrip 2 Roundtrip 3 Roundtrip 4 26.5 miles 53 miles 79.5 miles 106 miles McDermott 6:24 13:31 23:47 33:10 Ulrich 6:13 13:29 23:47 35:19 Fisher 6:56 16:38 29:32 39:29 McInturff 6:53 16:55 30:23 41:58 Larson 7:30 17:05 30:52 44:40 Yates 7:51 19:15 31:01 48:13 Macy 6:28 17:10 33:19 48:13 The Pikes Peak Double June 4-5, 1994 Two Roundtrips to the Summit: 1. Terry Crompton,32 Iowa City, Iowa 13 hrs 16 min Course Record! 2. Bud Phillips, 47 Ft. Collins, CO 15 hrs 52 min 3. Al Kroeger, 34 Woodland Park, CO 22 hrs 31 min 4. Harry Deupree, 56 Mustang, OK 24 hrs 13 min Barr Quad: 1. Ken Ashby, 41 Dallas, TX 14 hrs 23 min Course Record! 2. Donald Winkley, 52 Corpus Christi, TX 17 hrs 28 min 3. Bob Wilson, 48 Albuquerque, NM 17 hrs 31 min 4. Linda Musil, 42 Dallas, TX 18 hrs 33 min Course Record! 5. Bev Cannata, 63 Little Rock, AR 24 hrs 23 min 6. Bob Cannata, 63 Little Rock, AK 25 hrs 43 min Quad Relay: 1. Team Active Imprints Boulder, CO 35 hrs 08 min Course Record! Double Relay: 1. Team Cohn & Daus Glenwood, CO 14 hrs 35 min Course Record! 2. Team Run Rite Relay Denver, CO 18 hrs 33 min The Pikes Peak Quad: One Hell of an Adventure! by Scott Weber, Race Director In the early morning hours of June 3rd, 1994, at the base of 14,110 foot high Pikes Peak, 7 competitors gathered to begin the daunting Pikes Peak Quad. Their goal was to complete four back-to-back roundtrips of the peak in less than 50 hours; a mind-boggling journey of 106 miles with over 31,320 feet of ascent and 31,320 feet of descent. Only two men had ever completed the Quad course: Coloradans Marshall Ulrich and Scott Weber. Those two runners had done it in as solo runners in nearly ideal conditions back in 1991. The competitors in the 1994 event faced horrendous conditions with the upper sections of the course buried in snow. The snow was so deep this year that the usual trail route above the 11,500 foot level was impassable; an alternate mountaineering-style route had to set up to directly ascend the couloir the final 2600 feet of vertical to the summit. The final 1000 feet of this ascent was so treacherously steep and icy that fixed rope needed to be set to insure that a fatal fall would not occur. Because of these conditions, all competitors were warned to carry a full rucksack with winter survival gear, including crampons and an ice axe. Despite the load they were carrying, the competitors quickly ascended the lower parts of the course to the snowline at elevation 11,500 feet, approximately 11 miles into the run. Above them a brutally cold wind and blizzard conditions were whiting out the summit. They struggled first through thigh-deep snow, patches of iced-over rock, and finally the near vertical "Wall of Death" which led to the summit aid station. Once at the aid station the good news was that it was indoors, heated, and well-staffed; the bad news was that they would eventually have to leave it and return to the bitter cold and icy slopes. On the return trip, the majority of the the competitors glissaded (slid on their butt) down the slope at near warp speed. According to some the descent from the summit at 14,110 feet to A-frame at 11,500 feet was taking less than 15 minutes! Despite frozen derrieres, smiles abounded at the fun of it all. Macy reported setting off a minor avalanche on the upper slope, but laughed it off stating it simply added to the character of the challenge. Toughness and experience prevailed as all of the starting seven completed the first round trip successfully. Not only were the competitors surviving, but there was obviously a race occurring. Ulrich led the field with a time of 6 hrs 13 min, with McDermott and Macy less than 15 minutes behind. McInturff, Fisher, Larson, and Yates all came in less than 8 hours for their first roundtrip. Lap two of the mountain saw Coloradans Ulrich and McDermott break away from the field. They finished their second lap dead even in 13 hrs. and 30 minutes. In third place and over three hours behind the leaders was Jim Fisher from New Mexico. McInturff, Macy, and Larson formed a chase group about 20 minutes behind Fisher. Yates of California brought up the rear in just over 19 hours to hit the midway point at 53 miles. Lap three would add the element of darkness and with it temperatures well below freezing and a mountain covered with ice. A look of trepidation and outright fear characterized the faces of the competitors as they left the comfort of the Manitou Springs Aid Station at the base of the mountain to begin their third ascent to 14,110 feet. At the upper levels of the course it was the plant of the ice axe, the grip of the crampons, and the grasp of the fixed line that kept these competitors from death on the rocks below. Surely, each man who reached the summit in the dead of night not only had to draw deep from their personal well of courage, but also must have reached a new confidence in themselves and their abilities to face adversity. Lap three ended as it had started with Ulrich and McDermott arriving at the Wheeler House aid station together in a time of 23 hrs and 47 minutes. Neither man said much at the turnaround. Both looked in control, but McDermott seemed more focused. McDermott quickly refueled and then headed out of the aid station to begin alone his final 13.25 mile ascent to the summit. Ulrich stayed longer and seemed to lack the drive to challenge McDermott on this final leg. Fisher and McInturff were fighting it out for the third spot, close to one another, but nearly 7 hours behind the leaders. Larson and Yates were working on the fifth and sixth positions another couple hours back. Mark Macy struggled in seventh almost 3 hours behind Yates. McInturff and Macy both decided to hole up for awhile before heading up the mountain. It seemed doubtful to experienced race fans that either of the men would arise from their comfortable beds to tackle the final roundtrip. However, neither man would be denied a victory on this day. McDermott, after a many hour snooze, not only returned to the course, but took off up the mountain at what looked like Matt Carpenter's ascent pace. Macy, after his siesta, had other thoughts on his mind-namely, throwing in the ice axe and accepting ignominious defeat. After a pep talk and a good kick in the ass by race director, Scott Weber, Macy did what needed to be done-finish the damn thing! McDermott, looking as strong as he had on the first lap, continued his journey with a powerful stride and a determination that could be felt by all. He took less than 13 hours to complete his last roundtrip of the mountain to finish in 33 hours and 13 minutes. A quiet smile was all that could be elicited from McDermott at the finish line. He had broken Ulrich's course record set in 1991 by 3 hours and 42 minutes! Next in was Ulrich, who even though 2 hours and 9 minutes behind McDermott, also broke his old course record by 1 hour and 33 minutes! Jim Fisher not only finished the Quad in third place, but went on in the following 2 months to become the first person to finish the "Colorado Superslam" consisting of The Quad, Hardrock, and Leadville! Fourth place went to bronc buster and first time ultramarathoner, Doug McInturff a.k.a. "the moustache man." Lew Larson stayed steady to complete the Quad in fifth place. Carl Yates gutted it out to the finish and once again proved they don't make men any tougher than this guy. Mark Macy, once back on the course, showed the tenacity and endurance that made him a Badwater 146 finisher in 1993 and a Quad finisher in 1994. All 7 finishers of the 1994 Quad received a commemorative trophy of a mountain shaped slab of rock that was engraved "The Quad-One Hell of an Adventure!" Each took away an experience which tested them to their limits and gave them a reservoir of strength that will be of service to them as they confront their next adventure. Team Ultrasport wishes to thank the many volunteers who spent countless hours in the cold helping the competitors reach their goal. Also, to the Wheeler House at Manitou Springs who hosted our athletes and provided the event with the start/finish area. The City of Idaho Springs and A.R.A. services provided facilities for the summit aid station. The Town of Manitou Springs graciously provided a police escort for the competitors for the initial miles of the race. Champion Nutrition once again stepped forward to provide Cytomax Energy Drink to keep the competitors fueled. The U.S. Forest Service and the Pikes Peak Ranger District played a key role in making the event happen. In addition to the Quad Solo, there was also the Double Solo. In the double, athletes could choose between doing two roundtrips to the summit and return, or do four roundtrips to Barr Camp which is located at mid-mountain. The choice for each athlete was based on whether they felt comfortable with the mountaineering route at the summit, or whether they wanted simply to run and stay off the snow and ice. Of the 11 solo doubles, 7 went for the summit route and 5 decided to go for the Barr Camp option. Terry Compton of Iowa beat all challengers in the summit option with a record setting time of 13 hours and 16 minutes. Ken Ashby of Texas completed the slightly longer, but a whole lot less dangerous, "Barr Quad, with a time of 14 hours and 23 minutes. Harry Dupree of Kansas had his usual grin as he noted that it had been a while since it took him over 24 hours to cover a measely double marathon. Relay teams were also invited to participate in both the Quad and Double distances. In the Quad, Jay Pozner and Danny Abshire teamed up by running 53 miles each to win the Quad relay. In the Double, Donna Daus and Allan Cohn ran one roundtrip each to win the double relay. Donna was the only woman who tackled the summit on this day in any of the events.