Teams put finishing touches on their contraptions ahead of Emma Crawford Coffin Races

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - To win the Emma Crawford Coffin Races, you need speed, power and more than a little engineering.

Teams will push their coffin-on-wheels up Manitou Avenue as fast as they can. Four "mourners" push the coffin and a rider, their "Emma." While Saturday is where we see the final drama, the results are largely decided months before in the workshop.

Strength plays an obvious factor on the scoresheet, but so does the coffin's efficiency. KRDO13 is meeting with a brand-new race team of members in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union (IBEW), who are hoping their trade skills have helped them master the coffin design on the first try.

"Brute force and efficiency," IBEW member Antonio Wylie joked when asked about their process of putting a coffin together for the first time.

The final product is anything but ramshackle, and they're confident they have a shot at gold.

"Teamwork and brotherhood were ultimately what made this coffin happen," Wylie said.

The IBEW team is also adding its own lore, rivaling that of Emma Crawford's coffin flying down Green Mountain.

"Our 'Emma isn't an 'Emma,'" said IBEW member Jedididah Brockett. "Our Emma is a 'Henry Miller.'"

Henry Miller was an electrical worker and lineman in the 1800s. He was the first Grand President of the IBEW, and dedicated his life to improving working conditions in his field.

"Unfortunately for Henry Miller, he did actually die between two power poles when he fell off of one," Brockett said. "So now we're going to be bringing him back and pushing him in a coffin right between them."

The IBEW has two model electrical poles on either side of their coffin seat to honor Miller's memory and spark conversation about his legacy.

Spectator logistics

Organizers are expecting large crowds and lots of traffic on Saturday. They ask spectators to avoid driving into Manitou if at all possible. There are a few different alternatives people can take.

• Citizens Service Center: There will be a $5 round-trip shuttle from the Citizens' Service Center off of Garden of the Gods Road running from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking is free.

• Bike Valet: Pike Ride is hosting a free bike valet on the West side of Memorial Park in Manitou Springs (502 Manitou Avenue)

• Metro Bus: The free Metro bus will run on its regular schedule into Manitou Springs. Take Mountain Metro #3 from downtown Colorado Springs or Old Colorado City.

• Manitou Springs High School: The Manitou Springs Wrestling Team is hosting valet parking at Manitou Springs High School for $10 per car (cash only).