Megan Kimmel sets new Pikes Peak Marathon record

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Megan Kimmel of Ridgway, Colo. was the first woman to cross the finish line at the iconic Pikes Peak Marathon in Manitou Springs, Colo. on Sunday, lowering Lynn Bjorklund‘s 1981 course record of 4:15:18 by 14 seconds. Kimmel was 14th overall. Laura Orgué of Igualada, Spain was second, in 4:30:52, and Kristina Marie Mascarenas of Colorado Springs third, in 4:37:00.

RELATED: Kilian Jornet wins his sixth Sierre-Zinal title in Swiss Alps

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Kimmel was sixth at the Sierre-Zinal race earlier this month.

Vancouver’s Anne-Marie Madden, the only Canadian of note in the race, finished in sixth place.

Madden has had a busy season, finishing 12th at Marathon du Mont-Blanc in July. She also set a personal best in the 10K (34:26) at the Vancouver Sun Run in April, and represented Canada at the Trail World Championships in Penyagolosa, Spain in May.

Here we go! Pikes Peak Marathon. The 14 000 foot elevation is no joke. I’ve wanted to race this course for years and today is the day. Let’s not think about the physiology of hypoxia. #youdoittoyourself pic.twitter.com/zWl87cN7lX

— Anne-Marie Madden (@maddenam) August 19, 2018

Pikes Peak is the second-oldest marathon in the U.S. (after the Boston Marathon), and the first marathon in the U.S. ever officially completed by a woman, back in 1959 with Arlene Pieper.

This is the fourth race in the Golden Trail series, after Zegama-Aizkorri, the Mont-Blanc Marathon, and Sierre-Zinal. 

Dakota Jones was the men’s winner, in 3:32:19. Jones was five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Oriol Cardona Coll of Banyoles, Spain (3:37:19). Local runner Darren Beck Thomas of Colorado Springs was third, in 3:37:34. 

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Jones rode his bike 250 miles (402K) and four days’ riding from his home in Silverton, Colo. to the start line in Manitou Springs to raise awareness and funds to fight climate change. You can read his story on the iRunFar site here.

Durango's Dakota Jones didn't just win Sunday's Pikes Peak Marathon. He biked from Silverton to Manitou Springs to get there, and he will bike back home, too. It's all for @ProtectWinters https://t.co/E5rhqfm69S @thatdakotajones @ClifBar @SalomonRunning

— John Livingston (@jlivi2) August 20, 2018

Katharine Lee Bates is thought to have dreamed up the words to her song “America the Beautiful” at the summit of Pikes Peak, on a hike one day in 1893.