#200 - Chrissy Lofgren, 2026 Pikes Peak Marathon Champion

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Winning Pikes Peak isn’t just about fitness, it’s about decisions you make when your lungs are burning, your stomach is turning, and the mountain keeps asking for more. I sit down with Chrissy fresh off her Pikes Peak Marathon win to replay the day from the first miles on Barr Trail to the long, lonely stretches above treeline where you don’t get feedback from the pack, you only get truth from your own pacing.

We talk about the tactical side of mountain racing: why the W’s can ruin your race if you surge, how she stayed controlled even while moving into the lead, and what it’s like to chase the men and run your own race when you’re suddenly out front. Chrissy also gets real about race-morning nausea and the unsexy skill that separates great days from disasters: continuing to fuel with gels, fluids, and sodium so you still have something for the descent. If you care about trail running nutrition, high altitude strategy, and finishing strong instead of just surviving, you’ll get a lot out of this one.

From there we zoom out to the season that built this result, including consistency on trails, learning through frequent racing, and the value of having coach Rachel Spaulding and a tight Colorado Springs training community. Chrissy shares how she balances a demanding nursing career with training, why gravel biking helps her stay durable, and what’s next as she pivots toward CIM and a faster road marathon while still keeping her heart in the mountains. We even nerd out on shoes, including why the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro felt so locked-in on Pikes Peak.

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