LEADVILLE — In his first attempt at the legendary Leadville Trail 100, Rob Krar of Flagstaff, Ariz., posted the second fastest time ever run in the 32nd annual Race Across the Sky.

Krar, 37, finished the 100-mile foot race in 16 hours, 9 minutes and 31 seconds, still some 18 minutes, 32 seconds behind Manitou Springs resident Matt Carpenter’s 2005 course record of 15:42:59. But not too shabby for a first attempt.

“Without a doubt that was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Krar said upon crossing the finish line at an elevation of 10,152 feet. “I did not expect this halfway through the race. I honestly don’t know how I did it.”

PHOTOS: Scenes from the 2014 Leadville 100 trail run

The relative newcomer to century racing has been lighting up the circuit this summer with a similarly astounding result at the Western States 100 in California on July 2, where he posted the second fastest time in that race’s 41-year history as well. Ultrarunning Magazine’s 2013 male Ultra Runner of the Year is also a three-time TransRockies Champion.

But halfway through Saturday’s race, the Leadville course with elevations ranging from 9,200 to 12,600 feet and a total climb of 17,000 feet nearly got the best of him.

“One of the fascinating things about ultras is that you can have incredibly low points and somehow bounce back,” Krar said. “This particular race, I was struggling a lot very early in the race, the earliest I ever have. I was having some cramping and I really thought I was going to retire from the race. I was considering turning around and going back to the aid station, but somehow I pulled it together about 2 miles before Twin Lakes and was able to keep going. I don’t know how.”

By the final aid station at May Queen, about 12 and a half miles from the finish, it had become clear that the only race remaining among the field of 700 runners was for second place. That one was won by Arvada resident and Western Colorado State University graduate Michael Aish, who passed eventual third-place finisher Ian Sharman with less than a mile remaining.

Aish, 38, finished in 16:38:35 while 2013 LT100 champion Sharman of Walnut Creek, CA, crossed the uphill finish at 16:41:38. Both men flirted with the race lead before Krar found his stride somewhere between miles 70 and 80.

“It was a good race,” Aish said. “Obviously, Rob is one of the very best in the world. But someone has got to stick it to him. It’s always nice to finish well, but I’d rather run a brave race than just run for second. I pushed it too hard at the start and blew up.”

After walking the notorious hill up Hope Pass, Aish posted the race’s fastest split time from the May Queen aid station to take second place, completing the leg in about hours and finishing the entire race two hours faster than he did in 2013.

“I just put myself in that position to do or die, and I swear I was on the verge of dying so many times,” Aish said.

The pace of this year’s race was enough to make both of the top finishers rethink their return in the future.

“I think I’m done with hundreds,” Aish said. “I’m getting too old for this stuff. It hurts, man.”

The newly crowned champion alluded that Carpenter’s record remains safe for a while as well.

“Out and back courses are certainly not my favorite. I think I learned that today,” Krar said. “But the history of this race is incredible and it is a beautiful course. I’m not sure if I’ll be back or not, but I’m very, very glad I did it.”