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August 19, 2002 Masochistic few enjoy doubling their, uh, pleasureBy Kurt Eilmes Special to The Gazette
They are the doublers. Doublers are those who finish both the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon in the same weekend. Thats over 40 miles of running and climbing 7,815 feet in elevation twice. Hal Winton became the first doubler in 1981, the same year the Ascent and Marathon were held on seprate days. High-altitude running start Matt Carpenter took doubling to a new height in 2001, when he not only ran the Ascent and the Marathon, but won both. But Carpenter, who won Saturdays Ascent, did not compete in the Marathon on Sunday. In his absence, other doublers got a chance to shine. Neil Blake, a 37-year-old resident of Albuquerque, N.M., turned in the fastest times in both the Ascent and the Marathon of any doubler. He finished Saturdays trip up in three hours, one minutes, 54 seconds, then returned less than 21 hours later to run up and down. Blake completed the round-trip in 5:07:07. This whole race is about fitness, he said. (Carpenter) is more fit than anyone on the planet. Its a tough race and an unforgiving course.” Why would more than 80 participants attempt the double? Its a good question because theyre there, Blake said. Fellow doubler Chris Chavez agreed. Its an extraordinary feat to pull off but I dont know what the real reason is, he said. Its being able to do something while you are young and in shape. I heard of all these people doing it and I wanted to try it.” The 43-year-old Chavez, husband of womens Marathon champ Erica Larson, completed the double once before, in 1998. The last time I did it, I said Id never do it again, he said. Its the hardest thing Ive ever done.” Besides the obvious difference between the Ascent and the Marathon, Blake said there are so many more factors to take in account while running the Marathon. The Marathon requires people to plan ahead in terms of hydration, calories and heat, he said. In the Ascent, you can put the hammer down because its over in three hours.” Unless you are a doubler. Copyright 2002, The Gazette, a Freedom Communications, Inc. Company. All rights reserved. Used with permission. |