American Discovery Trail Marathon American Discovery Trail Half Marathon American Discovery Trail Marathon Relay Monday, September 3rd, 2012

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Marathon Course Records
Half Marathon Course Records

ADTM History

Before the completion of the entire trail system that starts in Palmer Lake, and goes through Monument, the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, and ends in Fountain (about 35 miles total), Bob McAndrews and other runners in Colorado Springs often mentioned that it would be cool to have a marathon along the completed trail system.  When the final stretch of trail between Woodmen Road and the Air Force Academy was completed in the late 1990s, Bob and others started planning to hold a trail marathon.

The early organizers that pushed for the idea were Bob McAndrews, Roger Allison, Dan Cleveland, Allen Schoffstal and some others.  After doing some surveys, they decided to hold the event on Labor Day with the inaugural event in 2001.  Since the course used part of the American Discovery Trail system that goes from the east coast to the west coast, the organizers decided to name the event the American Discovery Trail Marathon, or ADTM.  The ADTM is the first marathon to be run on any part of the American Discovery Trail.  The following are some brief facts about each year for the ADTM.

Year 1: September 3rd, 2001

• Started in Palmer Lake

• Finished in South Monument Valley Park, near the swimming pool

• 259 finishers

• Race Director: Roger Allison

• Title Sponsor: Colorado Running Company

Year 2: September 2nd, 2002

• Started in Palmer Lake

• Finished in South Monument Valley Park, near the swimming pool.  Some tweaks were made to the course, some due to changes in the trail system, and also in the last 1/4 mile to route the runners differently into the finish area.

• 3-person relay was added

• 279 marathon finishers

• 24 relay team finishers (3 runners per team)

• Race Director: Roger Allison

Year 3: September 1st, 2003

• Started in Palmer Lake

• Finished in South Monument Valley Park, near the swimming pool.  This is the same course as 2002.

• 276 marathon finishers

• 32 relay team finishers (3 runners per team)

• Race Director: Susan Weeks

• Presenting Sponsor: Runners Roost

Year 4: September 6th, 2004

• Start/finish at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs.  The ADTM was the first event ever held in the new America the Beautiful Park (originally named Confluence Park).  The course was changed because the Air Force Academy would no longer issue permits for using the portion of the trail system that runs through the Air Force Academy.

• Half Marathon added, relay dropped.

• 183 marathon finishers

• 233 half marathon finishers

• Race Director: Bob Mutu

• Presenting Sponsors: Runners Roost & ENT Federal Credit Union

Year 5: September 5th, 2005

• Start/finish at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs.  Same course as 2004.

• 5K added

• 205 marathon finishers

• 364 half marathon finishers

• 167 5K finishers

• Race Director: Bob Mutu

• Presenting Sponsor: ENT Federal Credit Union

Year 6: September 4th, 2006

• Start/finish at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs.  Same course as 2004-2005.

• 187 marathon finishers

• 407 half marathon finishers

• 236 5K finishers

• Race Director: Bob Mutu

• Presenting Sponsor: ENT Federal Credit Union

Year 7: September 3rd, 2007

• Start/finish at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs.  Same course as 2004-2006.

• 171 marathon finishers

• 450 half marathon finishers

• 274 5K finishers

• Race Director: Travis Waldrip

• Presenting Sponsor: ENT Federal Credit Union

Year 8: September 1st, 2008

• Start of Marathon moved back to Palmer Lake with the finish at America The Beautiful Park.

• Start/finish of Half Marathon and 5K still at America The Beautiful Park.

• 5K course changed to head north out of the park, and then back to the park, rather than heading south out of the park.

• No changes in Half Marathon course.

• Band added at finish area.

• 251 marathon finishers

• 474 half marathon finishers

• 179 5K finishers

• Race Director: Travis Waldrip

• Presenting Sponsor: ENT Federal Credit Union

Year 9: September 7th, 2009

• Marathon course same as previous year (point-to-point)

• Half Marathon course same as previous years

• Added a 4-person Marathon Relay

• Dropped the 5K

• Moved Pasta Dinner to America the Beautiful Park

• Added Expo at Antlers Hilton

• 368 marathon finishers

• 28 marathon relay team finishers (4-person teams)

• 471 half marathon finishers

• Race Director: Sara Wulfkuhle

Year 10: September 6th, 2010

• Marathon course same as previous year

• Half Marathon course same as previous years

• Continued the Marathon Relay (4-person)

• Dropped the Pasta Dinner

• Expanded hours at Expo, still at the Hilton.

• Kenny Frith, who has Cerebral Palsy, was pushed in an adult-size stroller by 50 Air Force Academy cadets.  Each of the pushers did about 1/2 mile, going all out.  Kenny came through the finish line in 2:51:20.

• Gravity Tatoo played all morning at America The Beautiful Park during the event.

• 378 marathon finishers

• 467 half marathon finishers

• 26 marathon relay team finishers (4-person teams)

• Race Director: Sara Wulfkuhle

• Presenting Sponsor: Heuberger Motors