Barr Trail Mountain Race [Survey

On the trail up the hill through the woods to Barr Camp we go
Pikes Peak – Manitou Springs, Colorado – August 6, 2000 – 7 a.m.

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Was the field size (254 finishers) too small, too big or just right? Explain: (180)

255 would have been a better number. I.e. if I finished

400

A bit small, but that’s good for a two way trail race.

A good size. Manageable

About right, it wasn’t too crowded heading up or back down

About right. Because of the traffic going up and down

Any bigger and the start of the running on the trail would be too crowded

Appeared just right. Others always visible but not too crowed.

Being about the 25th runner to Barr Camp, I was amazed how easily I egressed down the mountain at full throttle w/o running into anyone. Therefore, I believe the number could be safely increased to 400 entrants

Can’t imagine more... The trail doesn’t allow for easy passing

Coming down the trail felt rather lonely, you could easily add 50-100 more racers

Could be a little bigger.

Could be bigger - opens the race up to more "recreational" runners. Heard more than once that it would be a very competitive race.

Could be bigger by about 50 or so

Could be increase by another 100 runners

Could be larger. Might consider an elite start and a mass start with more overall runners. Once on trail, pack dispersed well with 254.

Could consider going up to 400 next year

Could have been a “little” bigger, trail was not crowded

Could have handled more runners at the finish line, but that’s the opinion of a worker, not a runner!

Could probably handle 50 to 100 more

Could probably let in some more runners - wasn’t very congested.

Crowded at first but then quickly spread out, on the way down I was by myself a lot of the time, so probably could take more runners next year.

Don’t make it any bigger, trail races can get too big and crowded

Field size seemed fine to me. There was no congestion at any point on the trail. It certainly isn’t necessary to have a smaller field

Field size seemed just right. No more traffic than I usually encounter in the Pikes Peak Marathon. Still had to deal with the people that went out too fast but that happens in the Marathon as well.

Field size was fine. Would like to have a bigger field just so there are more people of every age category and level of ability.

Field size was okay. No problems with crowding or congestion.

Fine

For the first year it was about right. Also keeping the field small, < 500 makes the downhill portion of the race better. A small field I would think will tend to keep the race more competitive. Runners who like to run race will sign up early.

Going up, I was bumping into people; coming done was fine

Good size for the trail

Good size

Good, too many runners on a tight trail like Barr just gets too congested

Good

I did not think the field was too large and would say it was just right.

I didn’t catch the start, but I think you could add an additional 50 or so entrants.

I didn’t have a problem on the trail with passing or some passing me, so I think it was just right

I didn’t have any difficulties with other runner. It seems about right.

I have not enough information to comment on this

I like bigger but defer to your judgement re: how many. Wouldn’t want anyone to have to run slower than they’re able because of crowds.

I like the size.

I liked the field size. But I think that that is all the trail could handle. The only way to get more people would be to start lower.

I liked the field size. But I do think you should increase it by 50 next year. If that’s okay add another 50 for the next year. Even though I had to pass lots of people.

I think it was a good size. Any more and the start would be a mess

I think it was about right considering this was the first year of the event

I think it was too small. I’d like to see more runners in a race this well organized.

I think that next year, you could accept even more entries. I was impressed with how uncrowded the trail was. Plenty of room to pass and not cramped at all. I was able to maintain my pace the entire race without getting bottlenecked. Consider allowing more entries in the future. Maybe 400?

I think the field of runners for this particular race could be slightly larger. Once the runners stream into the switchbacks everyone sets their own pace. The hitch is the descent from Barr Camp and avoiding collisions with the runners going in both directions..

I think the field size was great. It was not too much and it did not seem too small. With the persons hiking the trail it may have been too much it there were any more in the field. The use of the trail has increased every year and any more runners may be too much.

I think there was room for more

I think you could accommodate 500

I thought it could have handled more as it wasn’t crowded at all on the trail. I don’t have a number in mind though.

I thought it was fine, this race allows for spacing out so you were not bunched up on the decent.

I thought it was fine

I thought it was just right. there was enough room on the trail for us slow people to make way for fast runners like Sarah, and that Matt guy.

I thought it was too small. Any trail race has funneling problems at the start. This race was no different. It is the nature of Trail runs. There were a couple of people that I know that would have joined the race if it had not filled up.

I was glad to see that there was going to be a limited number of entries for this type of race. I was afraid that there was going to be a problem passing runners on the descent portion of this race. However, there was no problem at all. The race size was perfect.

I would have to say the field size was just right. I am not opposed to a larger field size, it’s just that a large field of runners would create even worse bottle necks at the beginning of the race.

I wouldn’t want it any bigger, too difficult to move on the trail

If possible, allow a larger field. Did not see much problem with bunching up on the trail. Having a bit larger field would add to the overall experience/excitement of the race.

I’m new here and don’t know how BTMR compares with the other Pikes Peak races. It seemed about right though.

It could probably be increased a little without compromising the small feel. 300 to 375 seems right.

It depends, I never thought of the race as being crowded, so it depends on the organizers point of view

It felt just about right. It felt less crowded than during the Ascent - easier to pass people on the Ws and also runners were more spread out above No Name - almost alone in some spots...

It seemed about right, especially at the beginning. Coming down, I was all alone most of the time.

It seemed about right. You could have probably had a few more. Since I’m slow I wasn’t sure what to expect when yielding to the downhill runners but I rarely had to stop unlike the Pikes Peak Marathon.

It seemed good to me. There didn’t seem to be congestion on the switchbacks

It seemed just right to me. Since I was toward the end I’m probably not a good one to ask. The trail was pretty much mine on the way down.

It seemed to be anywhere from just right to maybe a little too small. I finished in 2:24 and I was running by myself for at least 2/3 of the race (the uphill after French Creek to just before Barr and pretty much the whole downhill).

It was a good number I think, I didn’t feel crowded.

It was fine

It was incredibly easy to pass and be passed given the field size. Even with another 100 runners it would still have been okay. I ran at the pace I wanted the whole time.

It was just right- any more, the trail would be too crowded.

It was just right-- it was actually less crowded than the ascent, and I was mid-pack, too.

Just about right, any more and the logistics get tough

Just about right. Passing was not a big problem

Just fine

Just right - get the hikers out of the race

Just right - great job here

Just right -- 300 or so did entry

Just right -- it might have been good to start in two stages

Just right no problems on trail

JUST RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not too many people on the trail at the same time

Just right, any more, I think the trail would have been too crowded. Any less, the run would not have been as much fun.

Just right, because it allows everyone from all exercise fields to do it.

Just right, did not feel crowded and coming down against slower runners was not a problem

Just right, no traffic problems. By the way, the No for the previous is not a hard no, just think it is nice that some more people would be able to get an award instead of a few getting multiple awards, but again, not a real hard NO!

Just right, not too crowded

Just right, otherwise the race would be too crowded.

Just right, seemed like a comfortable number of participants for that course

Just right, the trail was not too congested, but numbers were still a challenge

Just right, the trail was not too crowded and all the runners/walkers were courteous

Just right. Hope it will not grow much beyond 500 for safety’s sake

Just right. I was in the middle and I didn’t have any problems passing or being passed

Just right. It was big enough to have a lot of competition, but not so big that you had to jockey for position continuously throughout the race. I like smaller races.

Just right. More people on the trail would cause a traffic jam coming down from Barr Camp.

Just right. More runners would cause the race to be more clustered. The beginning of the race was crowded for about the first mile, though, which, I felt could be hindering in getting a good start.

Just right. THANK YOU for allowing the 4 hr cut-off time. I was almost intimidated into not running, though I finished in 3hr 13 min. Increasing the size would not have made much difference in number of people entered, I don’t think many were excluded by closing at 300.

Just right. The course was comfortable, not too crowded. Any more would make the finish area too small.

Just right. The pack thinned reasonably well before going into the W’s

Just right. There was no crowding, and downhill runners did not impede uphill runners

Just right. Two-way travel nature of race needs limited entry to keep it sane.

Just right. Any more and it would be difficult to sort it out before reaching the single track. If the race was lengthened to half marathon and the start moved further down Ruxton then maybe 500.

Just right. Any more would make the start too crowded. Any less would make it less fun

Just right. I didn’t have any problems getting around people.

Just right. I found that people were very courteous to faster runners as we came downhill. This includes the walkers who weren’t in the race too

Just right. I thought it was very smooth

Just right. I’m a slow runner and more runners would mean I would be fighting all the down hillers while I’m still going uphill.

Just right. Smaller number, less congestion on trail than the ascent

Just right. The trail wasn’t too crowded, it was mostly easy to get around people. I think that if it were a lot larger that wouldn’t be the case, particularly since it’s an out and back race. The only place that was slightly congested was in the last .5 mile before Barr Camp. We had to be very careful about passing people since runners were coming down at us very quickly. It wasn’t bad with the number of runners that were out there yesterday, but I think it could be dangerous with more runners and also inhibit the runners if there were more on the trail.

Just right. Trail not too crowded but lots of competition

Just right. Wasn’t too much jockeying for position going up, at least towards the front, or too much oncoming traffic coming back down. Too many more people would have made traffic a factor.

Just right... There were elite runners, middle packers and the rest of us at the end... great fun

Just right

Just the right size. Pikes Peak Marathon is actually too big. In the Barr trail race by the time we got on the trail people had strung out more.

Limited entry to 300 is just right. The trail was crowded but not too bad. You could pass people without much trouble.

Nice size race

Nice, manageable size

No comment - was ill and unable to run

No problem being at the front. The sun coming down made it difficult to see the trail and upcoming runners.

Not crowded at all, could have been more

Okay, could be larger, trail accommodated everyone, it did not feel crowded.

On reflection, I think the field might stretch another 50 - 100, but only if the first half mile from the start continuos as Sunday.

Perfect

Seemed about right. I started toward the end and passed quite a few going up, and any more runners would have really jammed up the trail

Seemed alright to me. The crowd thinned out quickly

Seemed fine to me. wouldn’t go any bigger than 300 entrants cap.

Seemed fine. Probably could handle more though. Passing wasn’t a problem.

Seemed just right to me.

Seemed like a good size

Seemed to be perfect

Seemed to work out just fine

Size was fine except it was difficult to get started. Too many people hitting the trail too fast

Size was just right

Size was ok ... some congestion on the trail due to the relatively short dist before entering the trail

Small - didn’t see anyone on the way down

The field size was fine, could be a little bigger maybe 500

The race size was fine

The size seemed appropriate. It (the crowd) stretched out nicely during the race.

There was no problem with congestion anywhere on the trail so you could probably allow a few more runners

Too big. It seemed somewhat crowded to me the first 2 - 3 miles. The start was too crowded. The field size would have been okay if there was more distance to thin out at the start.

Too large for starting area, could not pass on trail

Too small, not enough bodies in my field of vision coming down the mountain. Perhaps more runners but with staggered starts.

Too small. On the descent part of the run I had no problems with people not yielding. I think it can handle 50 more. Maybe limit it to 350 which means the field will be a about 300 finishers.

Too small

Yes, it was relatively comfortable running

Yes

You are the director

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