Dunedin endurance runner Anna Frost has won a major 100-mile event, the Hardrock 100, in Colorado, United States, for the second year in succession.
Frost (34) ran a strong race, leading the women from the outset to a win in 29hr 2min to finish in eighth position overall behind the men's joint champions Kilian Jornet and Jason Schlarb (22hr 58min).
Last year, Frost was the first woman home in 28hr 22min.
In an email to the Otago Daily Times last night, Frost said she went to the San Juan mountains in Colorado six weeks ago to prepare for this year's race.
"I was more scared going into it last year, but this year I found it so much harder. Maybe this time I knew what to expect and that last year it was a surprise. The direction [clockwise] this year was harder for me - the long downhills, that's not one of my specialties.
"I found it really hard mentally, and physically it did my quads in. The heat of the day from about midday was boiling. I had to take my speed down and just go down to walking instead of running. I stopped in every creek along the way.''
The Hardrock 100 is 100.5 miles (162km), including 10,074m of climb and descent at an average elevation of more than 3353m.
The race starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado, and travels through the old mining towns of Telluride, Ouray and the ghost town of Sherman, crossing 13 major passes in the 3660m to 3960m range.
Entrants must travel above 3700m of elevation 13 times, with the highest point on the course being the 4280m Handies Peak.
Each year's race is run in the opposite direction to that of the previous year's event.
The course provides extreme challenges in altitude, steepness and remoteness.
Mountaineering, wilderness survival and navigation skills are as important as endurance.
The cut-off time for finishing the race is 48 hours.
Frost said the highlight of this year's race was arriving on the top of Handies Peak in the middle of a moonlit night.
"No need for head torches, the great rocky expanse of the mountain top glistening in the moonlight. All around us we heard the coyotes howling. Quite breathtaking.''
