Athletes from across the world take on the Pikes Peak Marathon

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Athletes from across the world set out Sunday to participate in the annual Pikes Peak Marathon.

This is the second day of the running event. Saturday, athletes participated in the Pikes Peak Ascent, a half marathon up the historic Barr Trail to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak.

Click here for preliminary results for the ascent.

If the ascent wasn't hard enough, Sunday is when runners complete the full summit of Pikes Peak, then turn around and come back down. In total, runners complete a grueling 26.2 miles on an oftentimes narrow, winding, and steep mountain trail.

Both races begin in front of the City hall in Manitou Springs. For a map of the course, click here.

Wave 1 of the marathon began at 7 a.m., followed by Wave 2 at 7:02 a.m. and Wave 3 at 7:03 a.m.

As of 1 p.m., only nine people have completed the race. According to the event's website, more than 600 people runners are competing in the marathon.

Click here for in-progress results.

An awards ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. for the Top 5 Overall and Masters. At 4 p.m., there will be an Age Group Marathon Awards Ceremony.

The marathon finish line closes at 5:30 p.m.

According to the event's official website, the Pikes Peak Marathon is the country's most challenging marathon.