The highest marathon in the nation took place Saturday in Leadville, and several runners from Durango took on the challenge.

The Life Time Leadville Marathon and Heavy Half presented by La Sportiva had almost 1,200 participants this year, and the field was split almost evenly between the marathon and the half-marathon.

Mosquito Pass, which sits at 13,185 feet, is the highest point in the Leadville Race Series, and it makes the Leadville Marathon the highest marathon in the country. The LRS crew shoveled snow on Mosquito Pass all week and with warm weather the week before race day, the pass was mostly clear for the runners.

Alec Fleischer led the Durango contingent, finishing 13th in the marathon in 4 hours, 12 minutes and 50 seconds, averaging 9:39-minutes per mile.

Shawn Jajubowski of Bayfield, who took over as Fort Lewis College’s head women’s cross-country and track and field coach this year, was the 26th male to finish in 4:28:29.

Analise Thompson was the top local woman in the race. She finished 48th in the women’s field in 6:26:35.

Caleb Allen (51st, 4:56:30), Brandon Sheard (111th, 5:33:19) and Christian Robbins (188th, 6:08:14) also competed in the marathon.

Tyler Andrews of Concord, Massachusetts (3:23:24), and Elizabeth Hogan of Louisville (4:20:09) won the marathon.

In the Leadville Trail Heavy Half, Mike Kubicek was the top local finisher, placing 30th in 2:59:45.

Serae Mele was the 41st woman to cross in 3:48:29.

Catherine Lehman also completed the half-marathon in 4:41:15, finishing 215th.

Joseph DeMoor of Carbondale (1:52:03) and Jessica Roberts of Leadville (2:27:43) won the half marathon.

Complete results at https://bit.ly/3tYI11O.