On Saturday, August 17, 2024, historical past used to be made on the Leadville 100 Mile. Path runner and trainer David Roche broke one of the vital game’s ancient direction data by means of completing in 15:26:34, resetting the report by means of greater than 16 mins.
The prior report used to be set in 2005 by means of mountain working legend Matt Wood worker at 15:42:59. Wood worker’s used to be an effort that would easiest be referred to as calculated, honed from a couple of years of racing Leadville and masses of hours of coaching at the direction. Wood worker extremely main points his 2005 effort on his site. Wood worker’s used to be a report that many runners aspired to, however none may beat — till David Roche ran the 2024 version.
David Roche profitable the 2024 Leadville 100 Mile and atmosphere a brand new direction report. Picture: Leadville Race Sequence
The direction has modified a small quantity in different spots in the intervening time 19 years since Wood worker set his report. Alternatively, maximum Leadville mavens would name the present direction somewhat longer and more difficult than in 2005. In most cases talking, the Leadville 100 Mile direction runs on an out-and-back path described as in large part runnable, with a few giant climbs, together with the double crossing of the prime level at Hope Cross, and several other different punchy climbs. All this takes position at prime altitude, with the beginning and end in downtown Leadville, Colorado, at over 10,000 ft.
Roche, with greater than a decade of good fortune in shorter-distance path racing enjoy, began the 2024 race as a 100-mile rookie. Like maximum years at Leadville, the lead males, together with Roche, ran at or beneath direction report tempo from the beginning. In maximum years, contenders have slowed in comparison to report tempo, beginning across the 50-mile level, or in some thrilling years, after round 60 miles in. However no longer Roche, who categorically caught the touchdown in this race, keeping up a just right pad on track report tempo till he ran around the pink carpet of the Leadville 100 Mile end line.
Right here, we examine Roche’s as opposed to Wood worker’s splits:
- At Might Queen 1 (mile 12.6), Roche got here thru in 1:31:34, whilst Wood worker break up this segment in 1:41.
- At Outward Sure 1 (mile 23.5), Roche used to be thru in 2:59:11, whilst Wood worker break up 3:07 on the previous Fish Hatchery 1 support station, situated a few mile sooner than what’s now Outward Sure 1.
- At Dual Lakes 1 (mile 37.9), Roche break up 4:51:20, whilst Wood worker handed in 5:21.
- At Winfield (mile 50), Roche ran thru at 7:09:08, whilst Wood worker’s break up used to be 7:35.
- At Dual Lakes 2 (mile 62.5), Roche used to be thru at 9:27:00 and Wood worker at 9:39.
- At Outward Sure 2 (mile 76.2), Roche break up 11:35:30. Wood worker’s break up on the previous Fish Hatchery 2 support station, situated a mile later at the direction, used to be 12:00.
- At Might Queen 2 (mile 87.4), Roche handed at 13:29:03, and Wood worker’s break up right here used to be 13:45.
This would simplest be the sweetest of victories for Roche, who suffered important accidents in a motorcycle crash in April of this yr however used to be ready to get better and get ready for this race.