5K Run
10K Run

31st Annual
Rescue Run
Rain, Snow or 20 Below

Thursday
Jan 1, 2009, 10:00 am
Palmer Park
Colorado Springs, CO

Kids Races
at 9:30 am

Start your running year with a Colorado Springs New Year's Tradition


A 2007 participant sports a shirt from the 4th running of this event.


Members of the El Paso County Search & Rescue
check out the course conditions at the 2007 race.
 

Registration Options

Walk-In (entry form)

Boulder Running Company
3659 Austin Bluffs Parkway

Colorado Running Company
833 North Tejon

Runners Roost
107 East Bijou

On-Line:

active.com ($3 extra active.com fee)

Mail In:

download form, print, fill out and mail to:
Rescue Run 2009
c/o Dave Sorenson
1009 Beacon Hill Way
Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Race Day Registration: Yes, 8:30 am

Entry Fees (includes shirt):

Walk-In/Mail-In: $18

Online: $18 + $3 active.com fee

Race Day Registration: $20

Awards

For both 5K & 10K, male & female:

Top 3 Overall
Top 1 in each age group.  Age groups are 0-14,15-19,20-29,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70+

This event started in 1979, and is one of the longest running races in the Pikes Peak Region. The courses have always been tough with ample hills, which is exactly how the El Paso County Search & Rescue likes it. The race was run out of the Penrose Equestrian Center for several years and followed a hilly course along Lower Gold Camp Road.

The race motto is "Rain, Snow, or 20 Below."  Usually the weather is ok, but there have been years when winter decided to join the race.  The organizers have never cancelled the race, but one year the Colorado Springs Police cancelled the event because of snow, ice and blizzard conditions.  However, some runners still went out and ran the course that year in all of winter's glory.

The course moved to Palmer Park in 1995.  It has used the same course in Palmer Park since then except in 2000.  In 2000, or Y2K, organizers were unable to secure police assistance to close the roads in Palmer Park.  This is because the police were worried about all the Y2K disasters that were supposed to happen and assigned all officers to Y2K duties on January 1st.  Thus in 2000, race organizers used a different course in Palmer Park that did not cross any of the roads, thus no police assistance was required.

Race Beneficiary

Proceeds of this race go to the El Paso County Search & Rescue (EPCSAR). The EPCSAR is an all-volunteer organization that provides search and mountain rescue services in El Paso County. If somebody gets hurt on Pikes Peak, lost on our many trails, drives off the Pikes Peak Highway, EPCSAR is there to help. Members buy their own equipment and contribute hundreds of volunteer hours for the community. During snow storms, EPCSAR volunteers are out in the storm tending to stranded motorists.

The EPCSAR never charges for their services, year round, 24 hours a day.

Kids Races (9:30 am)

For kids of all ages, there will be kids races divided into three divisions, as follows.

Diaper Derby             50 yards
Toddler Trot               1/4 mile
School-Age Sprint     1 mile

These are all untimed events.  Parents are asked to sign a waiver for their child on race morning.  All kids will receive a ribbon.

The kids races are free.

Results

2008 - 5K, 10K, 669 finishers
2007 - 5K, 10K, 431 finishers
2006 - 5K, 10K, 452 finishers
2005 - 5K, 10K, 464 finishers
2004 - 5K, 10K, 421 finishers
2003 - 5K, 10K, 305 finishers
2002 - 5K, 10K, 372 finishers
2001 - 5K, 10K, 369 finishers
2000 - 5K, 10K, 284 finishers
1999 - 5K, 10K, 284 finishers
1998 - 5K, 10K, 359 finishers
1997 - 5K, 10K, 378 finishers

The courses are challenging and hilly.  The 5K course is entirely on paved roads and is an out-and-back.  It's all uphill on the way out, and all downhill on the way back.  There is one water stop at the turn-around point.

The 10K course is a combination out-and-back and loop course, and is on paved roads, gravel roads, and dirt trails.  The first mile is all uphill, then it is flat to rolling for the next couple of miles.  Then there's another uphill stretch for about a mile.  The last mile and a half or so are pretty much all downhill.  The views on the 10K course are spectacular, with panoramic views of Pikes Peak and the Front Range mountains.

5K/10K Selection: You can actually make your decision on which race to run during the race.  Both races start and finish at the same place.  For the first 0.9 miles, they share the same course.  At that point you can choose if you want to run the 5K, by taking the left branch, or the 10K, by taking the right branch. Just be sure to finish in the appropriate chute at the finish line.

Course Map

Directions

• From southbound I-25

  • Take the Garden of the Gods Exit (Exit 146)

  • Head east (away from the mountains) on Garden of the Gods Road

  • After you cross Nevada Ave, the road name changes to Austin Bluffs Parkway

  • Proceed on Austin Bluffs Parkway to N Academy Blvd

  • Turn right onto N Academy Blvd

  • Proceed to Maizeland Road

  • Turn right onto Maizeland Road

  • Take the next right into Palmer Park.  The staging area is west of the bathrooms.
    

• From northbound I-25

  • Take the Uintah Exit (Exit 144)

  • Head east (away from the mountains) on Uintah

  • Turn slight left at Palmer Park Blvd (you'll be heading NE)

  • At Union Blvd, turn slight right and stay on Palmer Park Blvd

  • Turn left at N Academy Blvd

  • Turn left at Maizeland Road

  • Take the next right into Palmer Park. The staging area is west of the bathrooms.