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History: Suicide Hill Challenge

“Kenya’s Simeon Kigen, the top ranked runner in the world, won the fourth annual Alpine Bank Suicide Hill Challenge 10K in record time in Snowmass Village” during the summer of 1985. Kigen completed the “grueling 10K course, which ascends over 800 feet to the 8,609 foot finish line, with a time of 31:59.” The previous record held by Jon Sinclair since 1982 was 32:18. “James Hogue of Aspen, Colorado, came in third with a time of 34:21.” The annual run served as a benefit for the Aspen/Snowmass Nordic Council and that year 360 runners entered the competition from 19 different states with 227 finishing the 10K and 128 in the 5K. Pictured is a group of runners competing in the Suicide Six in Snowmass going up a hill on the road away from the Rodeo lot in 1985. Photographer Chris Cassatt.