Carpenter looks to make it five straight

Winning the Barr Trail Mountain Race is apparently Manitou resident Matt Carpenter’s specialty.

He’s won the race six of the eight times it’s been run, including the past four. He even set a course record last year. So will Sunday’s race bring him five in a row?

“I’ve trained hard and I had a good race last month on Mt. Evans. I broke a 31-year old record there,” he said. “But when you race in the wild a lot of things can happen.”

Carpenter has also finished first in many other races taking place on Pikes Peak, something he says is nice because it was the mountain which originally brought him to Manitou.

Manitou Springs' resident Matt Carpenter looks to claim his fifth Barr Trail Mountain Race title in a row Sunday when roughly 350 runners take to the mountain for the popular trek.

“Pikes Peak has been my passion,” he said. “I moved to the area because of the mountain.”

While Carpenter is eyeing victory number nine, it appears others are taking aim at the finish line as well. And since last year Carpenter was one of only 20 racers left who have run all eight years, it’s likely there’ll be some new faces to provide some fierce competition.

Registration for this year’s race filled up especially quickly, setting a new registration record with all 425 spots being taken in less than a week.

Carpenter said that while the spots filled up fast it’s likely all 425 runners registered won’t show up for the 12-mile trek.

“We shoot for around 325 on the trail,” he said. “There’s about that many that don’t come race day.”

It’s really no surprise registration filled up as quickly as it did because runners appear to really enjoy the race.

Popularity of the race could’ve grown because the race isn’t as grueling as the Pikes Peak Ascent or the Pikes Peak Marathon, or at least it isn’t in Carpenter’s mind.

“I really like it because it’s a little shorter than the Ascent and the Marathon,” he said. “It doesn’t quite leave you totally spent like the Ascent.”

He did have a few tips for the runners taking part in this year’s race.

If it’s hot out like it looks like it possibly could be, Carpenter said runners should make sure to drink more and watch their pace.

“Perhaps slow down some,” he said.

He also said runners will have to watch their time so they can make sure to make the three hour, thirty minute cut-off time.

“You can’t just walk the whole thing, you have to do some running,” he said.

Carpenter, who is part of RunPikesPeak, Inc. who organizes the race, said it’s also important for runners to remember not to park on Ruxton Avenue.

“We try to encourage people to park down in the city,” he said. “The key for us is we don’t’ want them going past the (Iron Springs) Chateau because the Cog (Railway) is a legitimate business.”

There might be quite a bit of excitement in the air from the runners anxiously waiting to take to the trail but Carpenter said it’s important not to overlook the greatest thing about the Barr Trail Mountain Race: Giving back to the community.

“The number one thing for this race is it’s always giving back 100 percent to the community,” he said.

With the help of some very generous sponsors, all of the registration fees from this year will go to El Paso County Search and Rescue and Friends of the Peak.

“This is 100 percent of proceeds going back to the mountain,” Carpenter said. “Pikes Peak National Bank, they’ve been with us a long time and they make it possible.”

But giving away all of the registration fees is no easy feat. Carpenter said money for t-shirts, awards and pizza for the end of the awards ceremony still has to come from somewhere.

“It’s one of the harder aspects of the race because in order to give away 100 percent of the entry fees you have to come up with money for shirts. It all adds up,” he said. “Sponsors make it happen and having a presenting sponsor helps a lot.”

This year is even better for the race as Carpenter said they are able to give away the most they ever have. He said a total of $13,093 has been collected so far, not including a substantial amount for area high school running teams.

“We’re giving a lot more money away this year,” he said. “Plus we’ve raised another $6,000 for high schools for the high school running teams, and Manitou is part of that.”

The race will begin Sunday at 7 a.m. and will finish by 10:30 a.m. with the awards ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. in Soda Springs Park. Visit runpikespeak.com for more information.