Regis alumna crushes record for Leadville Trail 100 Run

Magis. This principle of a Jesuit Catholic education, meaning “the more,” drives the students and alumni of Regis University to never sit in complacency; striving each day for something greater. Anne Flower, Ph.D., class of 2012, is an alumna who has exemplified magis throughout all facets of her life. 

Over the latter half of 2025, Flower has broken two records in the Leadville Race Series: an annual series of running, biking and trekking events across the 100-mile trail in Leadville, Colorado. This summer, Flower broke the previous record of the Silver Rush 50, a 50-mile run through the trail, with a time just over seven hours. Upping the ante a month later, Flower crushed the world record for the Leadville 100 set by running legend Ann Trason in 1994, running 100 miles for the first time.

“I was signed up for, initially was the Leadville marathon – which happens in June – and then from that, I got an entry into the Silver Rush 50, which happened in July, so I had an entry,” said Flower. “I was just there to kind of have a day to see what I could do.”

Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Flower often travelled to Colorado to camp and explore with her family, building a love for the Rocky Mountains. Flower described that her idea of the outdoors was Colorado. Her first time skiing with her family was in Breckenridge which solidified her affection for Colorado.

In her college search, Flower was introduced to Regis through a fair in Cincinnati, which spurred a return to Colorado in a visit to Regis’ Denver campus. Regis’ proximity to the mountains and other outdoor wonders made her college decision an easy choice.

“I came to Regis wanting to just be in Colorado.” Flower continued “I knew that I wanted to be at a school where I would be academically challenged, but also have the opportunities to get into the outdoors. I didn't realize how wonderful Regis was when I was applying, but then, in retrospect, it was so fantastic for me.”

 Studying at Regis from 2008 to 2012 as a traditional student, Flower thrived in the Regis experience. She started in Desmet Hall for her first year and moved to the Romero House for another. Flower excelled academically in the Honors Biology Program and held a job with the now titled Student Affairs (then Student Activities) department.

Flower’s love of the outdoors carried over easily to Regis’ own exploration opportunities. Through Regis’ Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP), Flower was able to explore the wild through curated excursions of Colorado and the surrounding southwestern states.

The OAP is a resource for Regis students to easily experience the outdoors by offering free gear rentals and low-cost off-campus activities. In her senior year at Regis, Flower became the student director for the OAP, leading excursions for her fellow Regis students.

“The trip that's closest to my heart is Moab. That was the first trip that I got to lead,” said Flower. “I don't think I had ever been to Moab before college. But, you get to Moab in the dark, and then when you wake up in the morning, your tents have the huge red rocks in every direction and it's  a really magical experience.”

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Regis, Flower returned to her home city for medical school. Through the rigor and stress of her coursework, Flower decided she needed an outlet: long-distance running.

Starting by herself on the streets of Cincinnati outside of class time, Flower progressed to competing in local marathons, building her skill level and stamina. With running now as a larger part of her life, Flower realized that she wanted to come back to Colorado.

Flower currently lives and works in Colorado Springs as an Emergency Medicine Physician with UCHealth. Connecting again to the outdoors and to the natural running terrain of the Rocky Mountains; Flower pushed herself yet again, competing in her first ultramarathon in Moab.  

“It's definitely a step-wise progression. No one decides they want to run ultramarathons and just jumps into the long races,” said Flower. “Moab was the gateway to how I got into running longer distances. Once I did a 50k, I was curious what 50 miles would be like.” 

Jump to the summer of 2025, where Flower won the Silver Rush 50 in Leadville, Colorado. From that win, she received entrance to the Leadville 100. However, Flower didn’t actually want to run the 100-mile trek. As a health care professional, Flower was incredibly aware of the damage that long-distance running can potentially have on the body. And personally, she described that she “didn’t want to hate running” after the intensity of the Leadville 100.

But only two weeks away from the race’s kickoff, Flower gathered her husband and friends to help support her in the longest race in her career. Ultimately, her decision paid off, securing a win in the first-ever 100-mile race she had ever run.

As the running season winds down in Colorado, Flower is already preparing for the next one. Flower continues to push her abilities, striving for the magis in everyday life, thanking Regis for this mindset shift.

“I think that Regis really pushed me to more than myself.” Flower continued, “I didn't know what I necessarily expected out of a college experience, but I definitely didn't predict that I would have experiences like living in Romero House, working at a free clinic for Denver Health or directing the OAP. Regis truly does encourage taking care of the whole person.”

Learn more about the Outdoor Adventure Program (OAP) at Regis.