Endurance racer Dr. Anne Flower, a Colorado Springs resident, has had her endurance running efforts pay off recently, given her some new hardware to hang around her neck and display at home.

On Saturday, Flower won the Women’s Division of the Life Time Silver Rush 50 Run presented by La Sportiva in the high-altitude town of Leadville, recording an incredible time of 7:08:32 — nearly a full hour ahead of the next highest finishing female Mckendree Hickory.

But Flower’s win in Leadville wasn’t just some random accomplishment. She’s been running road and trail for some 15 years now, preparing for a chance to accomplish a win like she did on Saturday.

“I got into running during medical school,” Flower, said. “My first long race was a road marathon called the Flying Pig in Cincinnati. My first ultra was a 50 mile race in Moab, Utah, that I completed on my 30th birthday.”

Flower said she raced during medical school and her residency when she was at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, giving her a healthy outlet when not studying Osteopathic medicine.

“Running kept my sense of adventure alive,” she said. “Trail running has taken me to amazing places that are only accessible by foot.”

Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Flower moved to Colorado three years ago and now is practicing medicine in Colorado Springs. She’s also solidified a place among the El Paso County city’s running community.

“The running community in Colorado Springs is awesome,” she said. “I have made some wonderful friends and the trail access is second-to-none. Many of the nurses, techs, and other medical providers that I work with are also runners and it is great to support and encourage one another.”

Flower said Silver Rush 50 was her first time running the Leadville race.

“I am drawn to big, scary mountain adventures and Leadville combines high altitude beauty with rugged terrain,” she said.

Rightfully so. The Silver Rush 50 takes runners passed multiple 14,000 foot peaks and offers more than 8,000 feet of elevation gain over the 50-mile loop.

Although Flower has not run in the 100-mile-long Leadville Trail 100 yet, she said the 50 Run course was incredible.

“The trails take you up and down mountains, through wildflower meadows and past historic mines,” Flower said about Saturday’s course. “The races are between 10,000 and 13,000 feet (in elevation) with spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges.”

Because Flower won the Women’s Division of the Silver Rush 50 Run, she qualified to compete in the Leadville Trail 100 in August.

When asked about what knowledge and wisdom she could pass along to up and coming racers, in particular women, about what she learned through her running and experience at races Flower said:

“Girl, you are stronger than you think. Getting up and going for a run is great practice in doing hard things — even if you don’t run fast or far. The more often you do hard things, the more likely you are to achieve wild goals. Running has taught me GRIT and that makes me a better ER doctor, wife, friend, and human.”

Come race morning, keep your eyes open for Flower.

The Life Time Leadville Trail 100 Run starts at 4 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, at the corner of 6th Street and Harrison Avenue in downtown Leadville. 

The 100-mile out-and-back course is in the midst of the Colorado Rockies. Low point, 9,200 feet; high point is Hope Pass, 12,600 feet. The majority is on forest trails with some mountain roads.

All athletes will be required to park at the Rodeo Grounds/Community Fields, Intermediate School, or High School parking lot and take a shuttle (or run, walk, bike) to the start line. The shuttle locations are under one mile from the race start and will run efficiently and quickly to get runners to where they need to be.