What did you like least about the race: (159)

2nd place.

3 1/2 hr cut-off

3 hrs 30 min may not be enough time for us older folks

A little crowded at first

a lot of it was very steep

after the turn-around the trail was a bit crowded with runners coming up along with hikers

Brutal heat, but that is not anything that can be controlled.

can’t think of anything...

Can’t think of anything at all!

Chipotle wasn’t at the awards this year!! Last year they had a great wheel to spin for free food!

Clipping a rock .25 mile away from the finish and destroying my GPS in the process. OUCH! Nice badge though. As Matt says, “it’s not if you’ll fall on the trail, it’s when.”

Coming out of the trees on the switchbacks on the way down and feeling the sun BEATING down!

cost of entry

crowded at first

crowded at the beginning (to be expected though)

Do you have to ask?!?! The big 6 mile hill!

Doing it.

Duh, the uphills!

Finish area — too congested — little shade/rest area.

finish line area

For me the other competitors seemed unfriendly. I prefer a greater spirit of camaraderie in an event

generally speaking, the hikers were good, however, it seems like a simple sign at the trailhead just to warn hikers would be very helpful.

Going uphill :-)

Having to ask for a shirt, since I finished so late (just before cut-off). The shirts were moved down to Soda Springs Park. Matt was great is helping me get it, he didn’t forget. Thanks Matt!

Hearing that a hiker died during the competition

HEAT

heat

heat

heat

heat

heat

HEAT

heat :-)

heat ;-)

Heat and the last uphill to the finish line

Heat on the switchback’s on the way down

Heat! The Gatorade was mixed up a little strong at most of the aid stations.

heat!!

Heat, can you make it cooler next year?

Hikers sometimes got in the way of the runners on the descent.

hot water

hot!!

Hydro street at the end. Even though we do those damn hill repeats (now 10) every Thursday, it doesn’t feel any easier at the end. But it wouldn’t be the same race if you changed the course and took it out.

I can’t think of anything I didn’t like

I didn’t mind the walk to the start but the walk back seemed twice as far.

I don’t love the heat; suppose it could have been hotter!

I had no problems with the race itself. My problem was with hikers not moving out of the way.

I liked everything about the race.

It was a little warm. And people who don’t wear deodorant.

It was kind of hot, can we have air conditioning next year :)

It was so hot for us slow finishers. Please consider starting at 6:30 maybe, although I know this would probably be a big deal.

last block

litter- some dumb people drop trash in between aid stations.

Losing record to Matt.

Mile markers would have been nice.

More shade and trash containers at the finish

My blisters, the race was great.

my performance

my performance

n/a

Narrow start, and who likes the hydro hill finish?!

Need more water at the finish line

no complaints at all

No medal

No problems

no room at the finish to mingle. No Gatorade at the finish to replenish fluids

no signs as to the distances

None.

Not a whole lot — this was the first race I’ve ever done and it was a thrill. Maybe the parking situation, but I realize there isn’t much you can do about that.

not age group winners through 5th place

Not enough shades at the finish line

Nothing

nothing

nothing

NOTHING

nothing

nothing

Nothing — the race is great!

Nothing comes to mind.

Nothing to complain about. I enjoyed the whole experience.

Nothing to gripe about it was a heck of a lot of fun.

Other than the heat, which is not a solvable problem, the worst thing is the struggle up Hydro at the end. That is cruel and unusual punishment!

random hikers on the trail

running it after staying up too late and getting up too early !

Running out of gel at Barr Camp.

Seeing a dead person on the trail put a damper on things — I wish you could close the trail!

seeing matt carpenter coming down the mtn miles ahead of me :)

start time! It’s hot by 10, start it at 6 next year!!

starting

That I was out of shape!

That which can’t be controlled- the heat!

The 11% grade.

the 2 heel blisters I picked up.

The constant grind of a 13% grade. But this cannot be avoided.

the crowds

The downhill

The downhill on pavement at the end of the race, but we probably can’t fix that so I’ll live with it.

the downhill... I have bad ankles

The fact that some hikers did not care less that there was a race going on. Dogs on the trail.

The fact that someone was seriously injured

The finish area was too crowded and there wasn’t enough shade available.

The finish line area was a little cramped, but I understand there was limited space to work with.

the heat

the heat

the heat

the heat

the heat

the heat — can you do something about that next time?

The heat (totally out of your control, of course).

The heat as always. It’s a little like a blast furnace from the top of the W’s on down. Can you get more cloud cover for next year?

the heat!

The Heat!

the heat!

The heat!

The heat!

the heat!

The heat!

The heat!

The HEAT! But you can’t do much about that.

The heat!!!

THE HEAT!!! and the late start — should start at 6:00am

the heat, not your fault, could have had a water mister tent at the finish like last year

The heat.

The heat.

The heat.

The heat.

The heat.

The heat. But what can you do?! :)

The HEAT. Ugh.

the last hill at the finish line. It is a killer hill. It would be easier to finish at the Cog Railway start.

The last hill up Hydro Street — such a cruel way to finish!

The massive blister for the last 4 miles that caused too much pain to run fast down the mountain.

the miles were not marked, so if an individual wasn’t very familiar the course they had no little idea of how much farther the top was

the motorcycle that almost ran me over right before that nasty steep downhill on the asphalt before the little climb to the finish

The over-zealous adherence to the 3 +30 cut-off. I made it to Barr Camp in 2 hr 10 minutes, not blazing fast, but not last either, and I just found out I’m definitely not a downhill runner (which is why I’m signed up for the Ascent, not the marathon), fighting cramps, blisters and finally bonking, totally hitting the wall (with about 2 miles remaining), I didn’t make it down the hill in time (3+45). the last aid station from the bottom had already dumped their water out (at a time my camel-pak was completely empty), at the bottom; the finish line was taken down, water was gone, I went to to Cog station to buy some water, became clammy and faint standing in line , then had to go sit down, while the cashiers worked out some problem with the register (10 minutes). Finally got two bottles of water and sat for another 10 minutes recovering. It’s the most physically stressed I’ve been since a 3+20 marathon back in 1993. Combination of poor training this year and the heat and the cramps and blisters. What watermelon, what pizza, what t-shirt, what awards ceremony? I paid my fee and gave my additional contribution to the Barr trail, gave a lot of my sweat and blood to the effort, finished and I couldn’t even get a bottle of water at the end. That leaves me feeling not just empty..., but like I’m not good enough to run in your race. Smacks of elitism. Like I said maybe that’s your intent. If that is your message, then I got it, Loud and Clear. I’m just an everyday runner, I’m not good or fast, but it’s an everyday part of my life, I set stressful goals/events throughout the year to keep me running. I volunteer where I can (Pikes Peak Marathon aid station at the Cirque) and I support the running community and yet I have a bad taste in my mouth about the Barr Trail race. It’s the only race I’ve EVER not finished within the prescribed time.

The pain!

The ridiculously short 3 1/2 hour cut-off led several people to push too hard at the end. A 4 hour cut off would have made all the difference.

The shirt.

The shirt.

The start time should be earlier to beat the heat

The start.

The trail

The up hill was brutal to me. it felt more like a death march than a run. but that is ok

The uphill finish line.

the uphill! haha

the walk up to the start (parking in town)

The way my legs felt at the 10 mile point.

The weather was hot.

This year — the heat — any chance of making hotter next year?

too hot — start earlier

Too hot. Maybe could start earlier?

Too many hikers, some with dogs on the trail

Too many hills... Just kidding!

Too much congestion on the trail (see comments above.)

Trying to decide which aid station to vote for, they were all so good.

Twisting my ankle on the way down.

uphill at the end....that’s just mean.....

walking back to the car

Wish it could start earlier (6:30).