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LEADVILLE — Breckenridge’s Helen Cospolich outran, out-gritted and out-weathered the competition — emphasis on out-weathered — in claiming the women’s title for the brutal Leadville 100 footrace over the weekend.
Cospolich finished the 100-mile race — which this year took runners through rain, hail and snow on the high-mountain trail — in 23 hours, 21 minutes, and 53 seconds.
“This is the fourth year I’ve done this, and I’ve never really been close to winning before,” she said. “I think the weather helped me, because I actually live in a place where it snows most of the year.”
Billed as the “Race Across the Sky” and considered one of the toughest races on the planet, the Leadville 100 more than lived up to its reputation in its 26th year.
The 445 ultra-distance runners began their high-elevation journey in the rain at 4 a.m. on Saturday.
Lightning flashed dangerously close to the open trail, dramatizing the challenge.
Then, it snowed. Still, 186 brave souls managed to finish the race, storms and all.
“The toughest parts were the hail over Hope Pass — marble-sized hail. That hurt,” Cospolich said. “Then, snow on the powerline. And the lightning and 40 mph winds were scary.”
As the runners proceeded around Turquoise Lake and past the fish hatchery, the rain and hail continued, and by the time they ascended Hope Pass to the 50-mile turnaround point, many were bruised, soaked, blistered and chilled.
Almost 60 percent did not finish, and many turned back long before the halfway point.
“This is Leadville. We don’t cancel. That’s what we’re all about — we stick it out here,” said Ken Chlouber, president and mastermind of the race.
True to form, only a couple of hours after the race was completed, a cheery crowd had gathered for the awards ceremony in the warm, cozy atmosphere of the Sixth Street gym, transformed by colorful sponsorship banners and instructional signs.
Many racers walked with a crooked gait, limping up to the podium to collect their memorabilia and applause, as only a person who just has run a 100 miles in the sleet and rain could do.
Chlouber occasionally razzed racers as they hobbled toward the prize table with barbs like: “That is one slow pace you’ve got going there”
Clearly, he and race director Merilee O’Neal both enjoy this last mark of all their hard work, as they stand before a crowd and cheer the multiple, various accomplishments at the last event of their Leadville 100 season, which also includes shorter runs and two mountain-bike races.
They both know many of the racers and often spout off a point or two about another friend with yet another accomplishment as they announce each and every time and place.
Tammy Parsons, of Las Vegas, N.M., was announced first. She won the “Last Ass Over the Pass” trophy, with a finishing time of 29 hours, 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
“I had so much help from the crews — everyone in Leadville helped me finish this,” she said later of her first ever 100-mile race. She said she would definitely do it again.
The countdown continued, then Chlouber announces: “And now we’re down to the podium!” and the crowd cheers wildly; this is the big event — after the big event, of course.
The top 10 finished in less than 22 hours. The overall winner, Duncan Calhoun of Gunnison, finished in 18 hours, two minutes and 39 seconds.
“Having a crew that is diligent, focused, happy, positive and insanely talented, encouraging and supportive — I couldn’t have done it without any of them,” said Calhoun. “I didn’t ask anybody to marry me, but it was a blast.”
Calhoun was referring to the two couples that got engaged at the finish line. In both cases, the guys turned to their fiancées-to-be after she had successfully paced him to the finish line and popped the question.
“I had no idea, but I will always associate the two things combined — his first 100-mile race and our engagement,” said Liz Alkins, of Colorado Springs, who paced her boyfriend for 28 miles of the race.
Cospolich finished the 100-mile race — which this year took runners through rain, hail and snow on the high-mountain trail — in 23 hours, 21 minutes, and 53 seconds.
“This is the fourth year I’ve done this, and I’ve never really been close to winning before,” she said. “I think the weather helped me, because I actually live in a place where it snows most of the year.”
Billed as the “Race Across the Sky” and considered one of the toughest races on the planet, the Leadville 100 more than lived up to its reputation in its 26th year.
The 445 ultra-distance runners began their high-elevation journey in the rain at 4 a.m. on Saturday.
Lightning flashed dangerously close to the open trail, dramatizing the challenge.
Then, it snowed. Still, 186 brave souls managed to finish the race, storms and all.
“The toughest parts were the hail over Hope Pass — marble-sized hail. That hurt,” Cospolich said. “Then, snow on the powerline. And the lightning and 40 mph winds were scary.”
As the runners proceeded around Turquoise Lake and past the fish hatchery, the rain and hail continued, and by the time they ascended Hope Pass to the 50-mile turnaround point, many were bruised, soaked, blistered and chilled.
Almost 60 percent did not finish, and many turned back long before the halfway point.
“This is Leadville. We don’t cancel. That’s what we’re all about — we stick it out here,” said Ken Chlouber, president and mastermind of the race.
True to form, only a couple of hours after the race was completed, a cheery crowd had gathered for the awards ceremony in the warm, cozy atmosphere of the Sixth Street gym, transformed by colorful sponsorship banners and instructional signs.
Many racers walked with a crooked gait, limping up to the podium to collect their memorabilia and applause, as only a person who just has run a 100 miles in the sleet and rain could do.
Chlouber occasionally razzed racers as they hobbled toward the prize table with barbs like: “That is one slow pace you’ve got going there”
Clearly, he and race director Merilee O’Neal both enjoy this last mark of all their hard work, as they stand before a crowd and cheer the multiple, various accomplishments at the last event of their Leadville 100 season, which also includes shorter runs and two mountain-bike races.
They both know many of the racers and often spout off a point or two about another friend with yet another accomplishment as they announce each and every time and place.
Tammy Parsons, of Las Vegas, N.M., was announced first. She won the “Last Ass Over the Pass” trophy, with a finishing time of 29 hours, 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
“I had so much help from the crews — everyone in Leadville helped me finish this,” she said later of her first ever 100-mile race. She said she would definitely do it again.
The countdown continued, then Chlouber announces: “And now we’re down to the podium!” and the crowd cheers wildly; this is the big event — after the big event, of course.
The top 10 finished in less than 22 hours. The overall winner, Duncan Calhoun of Gunnison, finished in 18 hours, two minutes and 39 seconds.
“Having a crew that is diligent, focused, happy, positive and insanely talented, encouraging and supportive — I couldn’t have done it without any of them,” said Calhoun. “I didn’t ask anybody to marry me, but it was a blast.”
Calhoun was referring to the two couples that got engaged at the finish line. In both cases, the guys turned to their fiancées-to-be after she had successfully paced him to the finish line and popped the question.
“I had no idea, but I will always associate the two things combined — his first 100-mile race and our engagement,” said Liz Alkins, of Colorado Springs, who paced her boyfriend for 28 miles of the race.
