Leadville 100 Mile Endurance Run

Leadville, CO.

The legendary “Race Across The Sky” 100-mile run is where it all started back in 1983. This is it. The race where legends are created and limits are tested. One hundred miles of extreme Colorado Rockies terrain — from elevations of 9,200 to 12,600 feet. You will give the mountain respect, and earn respect from all.-  credit Leadville Race Series

Weather:  In Leadville, the summers are comfortable; the winters are long, freezing, and snowy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 5°F to 69°F and is rarely below -9°F or above 75°F.

 

 
  • This race is solid. As part of a two man crew I can say that the majority of this event is very crew friendly BUT its best to know what you are in for coming into each of these aid stations. Here’s my bit of ‘insider trading’ and notables for y’all. (Pack a wagon or something that rolls your stuff, if you can. We flew so it wasn’t an option but I wish we would have bought one anyways)
  • –Start Line --> AS #1 Mayqueen (Outbound):
    • {check Leadville’s AS direction notes} Counterclockwise. This is a B. I HIGHLY suggest that you get up and out in front of the pack from the starting line to get yourself a good spot at this AS. We lingered and just sauntered to it and it was a long wait in line as this drive is ONE WAY only- which means everyone is in line waiting to park, and on the side of the road is really your only option. Get there late and you’ll be lugging your things far. Runners come out of the single track trail, hit the AS and then the crew teams are waiting along a bike path the runners have to run on to get back on the road to the trailhead. *Pack some glow sticks or something bright so your runner can SEE you in the dark- my runner was there before the sun rise and it’s packed along this stretch.
  • -Aid Station 2: Outward Bound (Outbound):
    • This one is SUPER crew friendly. LOTS of open parking and you can post up anywhere. Not much to say. You’ll be fine. (suggestion- skip this one if you can and go straight to Twin Lake’s AS) NOTE TO RUNNERS: To and from this AS, be aware of your footing. There are a ton of small, ankle roller holes that are covered by the brush on this path. Pacers, keep your head up for turn signs for your runner. Thankfully, our pacer was paying attention and re-rerouted our runner as he was busy watching his footing to notice the small ribbon/sign to turn
  • -Aid Station 4 & 7: Twin Lakes Village:
    • Parking nightmare if you’re late to this party. This is where almost EVERYONE sits the majority of this race. Your runner comes in to you at miles 37.9, goes and crushes it up to Hopes AS (#5) and Winfield AS (#6) solo, turns around and comes back to you again at mile 62.5. So, if you can skip Outward Bound (outbound) and get straight here, I suggest doing so to get a great parking spot and place to set up and post up for a 8-10 hours, depending on your runner. *If we ever ran this race again, I would be doing just that. Get comfy and be prepared ANY type of weather. We had rain, wind, heat and cold. Shocking, I know! (They suggest people take a bus to this location, but no one does) Be prepared to park about a mile away if you just came from Outbound- like we did. It’s awful if you left something in the car, long sprint back to get back in time or to hand it off to your runner. We finally learned to bring EVERYTHING regardless if we didn’t think he would want it. This run does weird things to your runner so be prepared to have anything and everything. You know your runner so, assume the worst and weirdest with their requests/needs.

 

There are two, small, retro vans that have food and beverages for purchase. Not amazing food but nice to have something while you wait. There is also a small convenient store on the corner when you enter the town- can’t miss it.

**PLEASE be respectful of people that live there. Twin Lakes is a small town that caters to this crazy amount of runners AND crew team. They are residents and have to listen and jockey around us all. I know they are used to it but it’s still annoying, I’m sure!

 

  • Aid Station 10: Mayqueen (Inbound):
    • Second verse, same and the first’. Last aid station before the finish. Be prepared to park along the side of the road again. The traffic isn’t too bad, unless you get clustered up with other crew teams that have runners around the same as yours. We slept in the car as had been raining and then hustled over (good soil 1/2 mile) to meet our runner. I paced him back into the finish line, which was so fun! The moon lit up the lake and we could see other runners headlamps off in the distance. He moved slowly but as a pacer, it’s our job to keep them moving. It was a long 12.6 miles but he did it, all of it, and I couldn’t be more proud! We power hiked a lot of this last section but as your crest over the top of the last climb on the street, you’re able to look down at the finish line. It’s exactly what each of those runners need to dig deep and scrounge up that last bit of remaining energy…and from there his legs kicked in and the adrenaline took over! Nailed it.