Nielson Challenge 2026

The race.

The Nielson Challenge is a 2-mile race held on the first Saturday of each month in Colorado Springs, Colorado, organized by Pikes Peak Road Runners. The race begins at 8:00 a.m., with the start line closing at 8:05 a.m. Runners compete against an individually calculated handicap time based on their previous results over the past two years; first-time participants establish a base time that generates their initial handicap. The winner each month is the runner who improves the most compared to their handicap time. Monthly winners receive a Nielson race shirt.