Yeah, less than 10 min off the course record. He also won the run 4 years ago in a hair over 16 hrs, and took 15th in the MTB a year or two later. This is the first time he has done them both in one week.
15,000 ft climbing. Plus, you know, it starts at 10,000 feet and goes up from there.
I don't know if this will work but I'm trying to include an elevation profile showing the Leadville run course on the same scale as Boston Marathon (bottom left). Note "heartbreak hill" that Boston is famous for.
https://i.imgur.com/pX2jsa3.jpg Most really good ultra folks cannot come near that time on a relatively flat course, let alone 15,000 ft climbing. Plus, you know, it starts at 10,000 feet and goes up from there.
Freaking Bad. Ass.
(I'll stop swinging form his nutsack now)