This story has been archived from the August 2005

Larson changes mind, will run in Pikes Peak marathon

Erica Larson, the Los Alamos, N.M., scientist who has won the Pikes Peak Marathon five of the past six years, has changed her mind and will run the Aug. 21 race.

Larson said last week that a calf muscle injury and strep throat over the winter put her behind in training for the 26-mile run up and down 14,115-foot Pikes Peak.

On Saturday, she said she was back in. She will likely face four-time winner Danelle Ballengee, who hasn’t run the marathon since she last won in 1997.

“I’m pretty excited about doing the race after all, even if I’m suffering through it!” Larson said.

Earlier, Manitou Springs’ Matt Carpenter, who has won six Pikes Peak marathons, said he would not run in the race to compete in the Leadville Trail 100-mile ultramarathon the same weekend.

Copyright 2005, The Gazette, a division of Freedom Colorado Information. All rights reserved. Used with permission.