(Applies to all Garden to Peak Challenge races: Garden of the Gods races, Barr Trail Mountain Race, Pikes Peak Ascent, Pikes Peak Marathon)

The goal of this policy is to encourage the participation in Pikes Peak Marathon, Inc. (PPM, Inc.) races by non-binary and transgender participants. It defines rules with an emphasis on inclusion while respecting the rights and dignity of all participants and preserving the integrity of competition (awards and records). 

This policy will apply to the 2023 Garden to Peak Challenge races. PPM, Inc. reserves the right to reevaluate this policy as needed to ensure it is current and equitable based upon any updated scientific research or policies of athletic governing bodies. 

PARTICIPANT SELF-DETERMINATION

• A participant’s self-declared gender at registration will be accepted at face value. This policy is intended to promote integrity in competition for prize money, overall awards, master’s awards, age group awards, and all course records. 

GENERAL RULES

• Participants may compete in the category of their sex assigned at birth if they have not undergone hormone treatment.
• Non-binary participants may enter the non-binary category as described below.
• A male-to-female transgender participant:
  • can register and compete in the female category, provided the participant has undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least two years prior to the race. 
• A female-to-male transgender participant: 
  • can register to compete as a male with no restrictions. 
  • may not register to compete in the female category if they have begun hormone treatment related to their gender transition that includes testosterone or any other banned substance.
• There shall be no basis for, nor tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared gender unless a top 10 overall finish, master’s award, age group award, or any course record is at stake.

NON-BINARY CATEGORY

• We recognize that for some participants gender identity cannot be defined by the binary terms of man or woman. We refer to this group of participants as being non-binary. Our use of the term non-binary refers to persons:
  • identifying as either having a gender which is in-between or beyond the two categories of man or woman, 
  • identifying as fluctuating between man or woman, 
  • identifying as having no gender, either permanently or some of the time.
• New in 2023, PPM, Inc. will offer a non-binary category for all races. Our registration platform Runsignup.com supports a non-binary category, which will appear as an option when creating a Runsignup.com account. If you already have an account, you may need to edit your account.  

POLICY ENFORCEMENT

• The PPM, Inc. race organization is the sole authority to review any challenge regarding the gender status of a top 10 finisher, master’s award, age group  award winner, or any course record. 
• There shall be no basis for, nor tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared gender unless a top 10 finish, master’s award, age group award, or any course record is at stake. Only individuals who have been directly impacted (by loss of prize money, age group award, master’s award, top-10 placing, or course record) shall have standing to submit a challenge. 
• Challenges must be submitted online via the Challenge Form located on the website within three days of race completion. Challenges must be    submitted with discretion and with utmost respect for the privacy of all parties involved.
• PPM, Inc. in its sole discretion, will determine whether there is a legitimate basis for challenges presented. Additionally, PPM, Inc. will verify all race results according to established policies and may initiate a challenge where warranted.

CHALLENGES

• In the event of a challenge, PPM, Inc.  may ask the participant for documentation from a medical professional certifying that the entrant has undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least two years prior to the race. 
• Transgender participants, at their option, may provide medical documentation related to their gender transition to the PPM, Inc. organization prior to the race.
• If the challenge is upheld (the runner in question does not meet the rules above), then the runner’s result will be vacated: a top 10 finisher award, age      group award, master’s award, or course record shall be forfeited.
• All decisions regarding a challenge shall be in the sole discretion of the PPM, Inc. 

DRUG TESTING

• For the purposes of USADA, WADA, USATF, WMRA and any other sanctioning bodies, athletes may be subject to sanctions consistent with the policies of these various bodies.