Snowstorm surprises mountain marathoners: "All 4 seasons in a single day!"
A late spring snowstorm created a winter wonderland for runners competing in the nation's highest marathon in Leadville on Saturday.
The Leadville Trail Marathon route took the racers over old mining roads on Mosquito Pass at 13,185 feet above sea level. The runners lined up in downtown at 8 a.m. to a mix of rain, snow, and sunshine, then encountered a "full-on snowstorm" at elevation, as described by Ryan Cross, Senior Marketing Manager at Life Time. The snow moved into town by the time the runners finished later in the day.
"Talk about a wild Rocky Mountain adventure!" Cross exclaimed.
The higher portions of the course had already received a dusting of snow Friday night.
There were no reports of issues caused by the weather, medical or otherwise, according to McRoberts. The amount of snow did not present traction problems.
Leadville competitors normally encounter warm temperatures and runoff from snowmelt on Mosquito Pass. Runners wore shorts and short sleeves that last two years, Cross said.
But not this year.
"We kicked off the season in true Leadville fashion, with all four seasons represented in a single day!," Tamira Jenlink, Leadville Race Series Race Director, stated in a press release. "The energy was high and only increased as the weather and subsequently the course presented a myriad of shifts and challenges. It was a truly epic day and kickoff to the season!"
PHOTO GALLERY: Snow welcomes runners in the Life Time Leadville Trail Marathon over the weekend
Thirty-six-year-old Scott Spillman of Denver won the mens marathon in 3 hours, 36 minutes and 52 seconds. Eleanor Pell, 31, of Boulder, took the womens marathon medal in 4:02:14.
Fifty-year-old Lonnie Clark of Colorado Springs won the Non-Binary class with a time of 5:36:51. The race added the Non-Binary category three years ago.
In the Heavy Half, Jeff Cuno, 28, of Albuquerque won the mens race in 2:02:20; Ali Kallner, 26, of Denver, won the womens race in 2:13:53; and Jessi Friedman, 25, of Leadville, won the non-binary class in 3:57:44.
The Life Time Leadville Trail Marathon and Heavy Half presented by La Sportiva is the second event in the Leadville Race Series, but the first footrace.
Approximately 1,500 runners competed in the two races on Saturday.