Barr Trail Mountain Race [2004 Survey

On the trail up the hill through the woods to Barr Camp we go
Pikes Peak – Manitou Springs, Colorado – July 18, 2004 – 7 a.m.

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Was the field size (326 finishers) too small, too big or just right?
It would be helpful if you mentioned not just the beginning of
the race but the middle and the top as well as your trip down. (147)

400 ceiling is perfect.

About right

About right for total race.

About right, a little congested when we first got on Barr Trail but not bad at all.

About right, after the W’s things thinned out nicely

About right--any more and the trip down would have been too difficult

Barr trail is just large enough for the amount of runners during the race (along with random hikers). Even the most crowded places on the trail were still manageable.

Beginning kind of crowded until 3rd, middle fine, downhill fine

Beginning was very tight and not many runners stayed to the right — passing was hard. Middle was good and end was great — things had thinned out fine. Field size would seem smaller at the beginning if the start was farther down Ruxton. FYI — My GPS registered 13 miles for this race.

Can take another 25 or so without causing any problems.

Crowded at the beginning, thinned out as the race progressed, almost no one around on the down hill.

Crowded at the start but cleared out quickly

Crowed start, although I should have went out slower and saved a little for the decent. Not hindering the faster runners descending was not a problem, most runners announced the approach of downhill runners early enough to give them room.

Do not allow more entrants without making some other changes. The beginning is especially crowded, and for me it seemed like I wasted a lot of energy either passing people or letting people by all the way up to the top of the W’s. It might help to move the starting line farther down Ruxton? No problems on the trip down.

Don’t let it get too much larger

Excellent race all around!!!

Excellent trail race!! all parts were well run

Felt a little tight at the start... but thinned out nicely fairly quick... would not add any more runners.

Field of runners was fine, dodging hikers was more of an issue (but not bad)

Field size is ok but the first few miles were pretty crowded.

Field size was fine. It was a little tight on the way up Mt. Manitou but that’s to be expected. Everything else was great.

Field size was fine. The trails felt crowded but that’s part of racing.

Filed size was good, had no problems on the trail

Fine

Fine - obviously the beginning is crowded - but, perfect size.

Fine. Crowded at the beginning, thinned out just fine middle and at the finish.

Fine...

First mile or so was very congested but then thinned out enough to be a comfortable race.

For me the first time......just right....I can only imagine the ascent

Good

Good field size

Good size

Great

Great. I wouldn’t make it any smaller.

I am a slow runner/hiker, about half way up the “W’s” the pack thinned out, perfect for us slower people

I liked it, many people to help push you along!!

I think it was just right. Although the beginning was crowded, it was fine the rest of the time.

I think you could go up to 400 and it would still be OK.

I thought it was a good size...but unless you plan on walking you shouldn’t start in the back.

I thought it was just right...a little crowded in the start, but you really can’t help that!

I thought that this was just the right size for this race.

If you added more runners it would not bother me.

In general it was just right. There wasn’t too much congestion where the road turns to trail. It would be a more realistic PPA/PPM training run if there were more people. My biggest problem in the PPA/PPM is trying not to panic on the W’s because I am behind.

It could be bigger, that would be fine.

It spread out enough by the W’s That I had no problems passing

It started out a little congested but by the time we got to the top of the W’s it wasn’t a big deal

It think it was just right. It was easy enough to get placement within the first mile of the race without too much of a bottle neck going on. For me the race thinned out enough after the switchbacks that I was able to run my own race and not get caught-up for too long behind someone. The trip down was doable with the number of entrants. I think if the race was much bigger that passing on the downhill could pose a problem. For a lot of the runners, their race begins after Barr Camp. If you increased the size of the race, I think 400 should be about the max.

It was a little tight at the start of the race,,,, but that was only during the first 2 miles. The return trip from Barr Camp was vey open. Still some runners would not let you pass,,, this is a trail courtesy that’s need to be encouraged by the race officials.

It was crowded at the beginning and difficult to pass people. It took more energy to pass people, esp. people who were walking right from the start. The middle of the race was not crowded and near the end I had very few people around me. It bothered me that some people would not let you pass when you were trying to get by. At the turn around it was fine as long as you kept your eyes open for people going up as you were going down and vice versa.

It was crowded in the beginning, but after the first two miles, I don’t think the the trail was too crowded.

It was fine

It was fine.

It was just about right, all things considered. That first 3 miles is a real cattle call though.

It was just right

It was maybe not a large enough field of runners, but it was good in the sense that I did not have too much trouble running past people downhill.

It was ok

It was pretty ‘tight’ but runners were considerate of one another so it wasn’t a problem.

It’s always crowded for the first mile or two, but then thins out just enough so you can go your pace without interruption — while there’s just enough people around to motivate you to catch them !! I think the field size is perfect. I wouldn’t add more.

Just fine

Just right

JUST RIGHT

Just right

Just right — too crowded at the beginning (don’t know how that can be avoided other than waves) but thinned out midway and great at the end

Just right I passing people but wasn’t a problem. On the way down I was all by myself for a while.

Just right in all segments

Just right throughout

Just right, could probably increase the field size to 500 and still have no crowding issues, start lower the pavement to spread the crowd out more.

Just right, don’t let it get any bigger, though

Just right, except for the people who are going to start walking 100 yards from the start should get to the back not the very front

Just right.

Just right. A little crowded for the first two miles, but everything smoothed out from there.

Just right. Good number of people for the starting location. It thins out quickly enough as you get up the switchbacks so that you can run your own race.

Just right. If increased, make increases minimal and see how it goes

Just right. Maybe 350-400, but no larger as the trail would be too crowded.

Just right. Need runner instructions at beginning.

Just right. Not too much congestion at the beginning. Enough space to spread out after a couple miles.

Just right. Please don’t get money hungry like the Ascent!

Just right. The beginning was bunched up. To many inconsiderate people not moving over.

Just right. Too crowded in the beginning but then it thinned out.

Middle and top were fine

More can be accommodated.

No problems with field size.

No problems with the number of runners. could probably handle more

Ok at the beginning and middle. The trip down is VERY spread out. Would be nice to have more company on the way down.

Ok size...people were respectful on the trail which helped.

Okay, except hard to get around walkers at beginning if starting too far back.

Overall (okay), Beginning (tight), Middle (Just fine), Down (Lonely)

Perfect

Pretty good

Probably, just about right.

Seemed a good number — less crowded than the Ascent

Seemed fine

Seemed good to me. Not too many problems crossing paths up and down.

Seemed just fine to me. I never got bottled up anywhere for an extended period of time. There were plenty of opportunities for passing. I never felt that 2 way traffic was an issue. There seemed to be enough room for ascending and descending runners.

Seemed like a fine number. More trouble with the many hikers.

Size OK. Any bigger would be too much congestion between down meeting up runners. I think you had the right amount and location of aid stations. Themes were great especially at the turn around.

Size was okay — it’s a trail race (what can you expect). Having 1000 people would probably be pretty bad.

Sort of crowded on the way the down, but that was due mostly to the hikers also

The beginning was a bit crowded, but what ya gonna do? The middle was perfect. The top was like a big party...I didn’t want to leave. Coming down was good, but I wasn’t leading the pack so I probably missed the throngs.

The beginning was a little cramped, but that’s to be expected. The way down was difficult with the faster runners coming down, but overall it was awesome!

The field size is fine

The field size was just right, runners were Courteous and made room to pass. The first 2 Miles were very crowded, but that cannot be avoided.

The race size was just right, however I noticed several hikers along the way both up and down the trail that impeded several of the runners. I wonder if it would be possible to close the trail off to hikers while the race is going on.

The size of the race was fine — no more though.

There were a bit too many people in the first 1 1/2 miles. Perhaps if you grouped people by their 5 k pace, 5 min pace in front and slower paces behind with large cards to designate where a person who can run a certain pace should be. the cards can be placed at the side of the road at the beginning of the race. This would help the traffic move more easily.

This was about the right size. Fewer runners would’ve eliminated some that participated. More runners would’ve created more congestion on the trail.

Too big

Too big. Started at the end of the pack and spent a lot of time trying to pass

Too crowded during the first mile or two. Starting in town would solve that.

Toward the back, where I was, there could have been more runners.

Was fine, crowded at first as always, but above Incline it was no problem

Was fine.

You could accommodate up to 500 in my judgment. I am at the back of the pack and have plenty of room up and down. 500 would mean more income and promotion.

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