merlinextraligh

So who's doing Leadville this year?

I "won" the lottery. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Anybody done it before, willing to share tips?

What bike are you using? I'm going to be riding a Motebecanne Ti 29er hardtail.

How about tire choices?

how does the supply bag drop work?

gtrdave

The Leadville 100 is on my bucket list...I'd like to ride it by the time I'm 50, so that gives me 3 years...but I've got to seriously ramp up my training and endurance and drop a lot of weight, imho.

Congrats on winning the lottery. I'll be following this thread for tips, etc...and to see how you do/cheer you on.

Daspydyr 

I can only offer my congratulations and hopes for a great ride.

As far as tires, there are a few paved sections and some hard packed double tracks, something with a tough center bead and good soft outer nubs for the squirely stuff.

dminor 

I love a good Leadville thread. It was a lot of fun when MX_599 was entered back in 2010 .

Dannihilator

Yep.

merlinextraligh

This is a really well conceived plan at this point. I've done one MTB race in my life, 25 years ago, and until last weekend didn't own an MTB.

I don't think endurance is going to be too much of an issue, given that I did Dirty Kansa last year.

MTB skills will be, although my understanding is that it's not a very technical course. (and I need to drop a ton of weight )

First step of the preperation is the Hammerhead 100 in Ocala this weekend, but I'm only doing the 50 mile option.

Daspydyr 

I would think that oxygen is going to be an issue as well. Can you get any riding in at elevations @10K' Leadville will leaving you begging for another breath! I love the mountains, but there is a two fold meaning to breathless!

Nikon Rep

A lot of people like to say Leadville and other 100 mtb courses are "not technical". All I can say is that when you are at mile 72 and at 10,000 feet downhills become much more difficult.

merlinextraligh

No doubt that's an issue. Living in Florida, and not having the time to spend a couple of weeks in Colorado before the race, I'm just going to have to accept the fact that my power will be down a bit.

I've got a pretty good idea how I do at elevation from past rides. I did the entire US Pro Cycling Challenge course in 2012, which included a stage from Aspen over Independence Pass, through Leadville, to Beaver Creek. High point of Leadville is just a bit higher.

So no doubt, the elevation makes it harder, but I kinda know what I'm in for from that aspect. The data suggests that a non acclimitized rider can produce at 12,000 feet about 75% of the power they can at sea level. (acclimitization closes that gap a little but its still abig drop off). So I need to get 25% stronger (not likely) or be 25% slower (more likely).

https://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/09...rformance.html

Daspydyr 

HEY-this is the Leadville Century! Sell everything you won, except the MTB, move to Leadville or Creede or COMO (get pies at the Railroad switch house) and get in shape, make us proud! {said as I as I eat another chocolate chip cookie!**

Actually Como is awesome.

dminor 

I know it's supposed to be the granddaddy of the 100s; but grinding 100 miles of dirt roads is not my cup of tea. If I'm going to suffer like that, I think I'd opt for the Cascade Cream Puff - - which is on my bucket list.

tjax

Leadville is my favorite place to be here in CO, and Twin Lakes. I will be watching this thread, and keeping track.

merlinextraligh

As a non mountain biker, that's what makes me think, I can do it. 100 miles of techinal single track would be way over my head right now.

Did my first MTB race in 25 years this Sunday, and I've got a long way to go both on getting the bike dialed in, and improving my bike handling.

dminor 

I can appreciate that . . . and am pulling for you.

skol

congrats on getting in!! I did it in 2012 and finished right around 11hrs and got the small buckle. I rode a hardtail 29" Single Speed running 32x20. The bag drop takes place the day before. There is a large drop area and you put which SAG location you want it delivered to - they take care of that for you. I ended up not really using my bag at Twin Lakes as they had plenty of food and I didn't need any of the tools, spare parts etc I had in the bag luckily. Tire choice was Bontrager XDX front and Gaex Mezcal rear both tubeless. Light but durable is recommended and traction shouldn't be a issue so good rolling low knob tires. The start is crazy and newbies start at the very back so unless you really crush the paved section, and even if you do, expect to be very frustrated until things open up some after going down Powerline. Some of the downhills got technical for me as I got tired and the baby head rocks seemed to multiply. Would be happy to answer any questions I can for you.

chadwick

I'm in... got a qualifier at last year's Silver Rush 50. It will be my 2nd attempt. I made it to the pipeline cut-off at 9:15 in '11, missing the cut-off by 15 minutes (but by then I was happy about that!)

I live in the high-country now so hopefully that'll help a lot, but last year's Silver Rush 50 was absolutely brutal on me so we'll see how training goes. I did the Austin Rattler a couple of weeks ago and was doing a bit faster than expected until I had a technical on the 3rd lap.

chadwick

Oh yeah - tips:

Eat a lot more than you think to keep going. 9-13 hours at high intensity is a lot of work. I aimed for 350 calories an hour and it was not enough. Not to mention, I found it extremely difficult to take any time for food/drink during the first 90 minutes when we were super busy and the course was crowded. Eat something right at the start. And, if you haven't tried homemade sushi rice balls or hot potatoes or other slow-carb foods like that, I think it would help a lot on an event like this. Frankly I'm still figuring nutrition out on these epics.

Absolutely bring a bandana or disposable face mask for the dirt roads before the St. Kevins climb. With 1500 riders on a dry dirt road, it messes up your lungs. You only need it for the first 15-20 minutes or so.

You will walk a lot more than you think, even the really really good people hike-a-bike in key places (if you've watched Race Across the Sky you've got an idea of it). Make sure your shoes and your hike-a-bike skills are good on loose big fire-road gravel.

Your bike really won't matter, frankly. Make sure you have good climbing gears (2x are fine but really on long, steep climbs like this I still prefer 3x10). And for your own sanity have a tubeless tire setup. I know a lot of people really get deep into which bike is best, etc., but then all you have to do is look at Ricky McDonald's efforts in this race and realize the bike is basically irrelevant, so ride what you think will make you happy, comfortable and fast.

If you can pace-line in the flatter sections between Twin Lakes and Pipeline you will save a ton of time and energy - here more than any place else strategy is huge.

The first climb, St. Kevins, will surprise you will the close-quarters of riders. I wasn't in the back when I started (about half-way) and I was still passing a large group of people on the climb, and they really slowed me down. Given that I didn't make the pipeline return cutoff, that gives me a sense of how many folks were misplaced in the starting gate. They've gotten better about where people start these days, but if you don't have a qualifier time you'll probably be in the back with the hoards and that'll just slow you down. Plan around that and take gaps when you can get them, but don't be a dick about it either.

The Pipeline descent is not as hard as people say (and in fact my technical skills are terrible and I can dive down it safely). What does suck about it is there are other racers in the way and messing up will hurt.

There is a giant hill not too far before Twin Lakes called Little Stinker. I had no idea this existed when I did the race, as I only pre-rode the course up to the Pipeline aid station. It is easily do-able down; I have no idea how people go up but I've seen it happen. That said, it was described to me as a leap of faith and that's the best description. I don't know what the grade % is (probably less than I think), but it remains the steepest hill I've done on a mountain bike.

There is a lot of single-track in the dry area before Twin Lakes. It is serenely beautiful but can slow you down with the crowd, plan accordingly.

Colombine hurts. Find someone faster and throw a rope over them! I have no useful advice on this one since this is what ate my lunch last time Perhaps, pre-riding it a couple of times would be a great idea.

Hot ramen at the top of Columbine will be the best food you've ever eaten, so it's worth the 60 seconds to get some.

There's plenty of food at the regular rest stations if you don't have someone to handle your own feed bag for you. I don't know how personal feedbags without helpers work (they might not?).

You will see Ken Chlouber a lot on the course and he is absolutely inspirational each time and knows what to say when you look like you're about to die

If you can swing it, absolutely do the Silver Rush 50 in July. It is, mile-per-mile, harder than Leadville (none of the same course) but an excellent training opportunity and will give you an idea of what you are in for. Especially useful given that the LT100 is easier. I have a lot of times I say "this is the hardest thing I've ever done" and the Silver Rush is up near the top of that list.

If you can get by without a backpack, do it. That's tricky but it helps not having it.

Oh, yeah. Train lots more than you think you need.

chadwick

I was looking back at my pictures from the race, and there weren't any from the hardest part (technical) of the Colombine climb. Frankly, it's not technical, but the combination of altitude, grade, loose rock, and your exhaustion are what make it hard.

Here's what it looks like at the very tippy top of Columbine, just before the aid station. If the entire climb had a nice fine gravel like that you could ride all the way up. Instead, you'll have some 15-20% grades in places and big rocks in the way.


Oh, and that single-track I mentioned, it's easy, and looks like this. Keep in mind, this is the only section of the course that is in a rain shadow and is dry like that. Most of the rest of the course is typical Colorado terrain with a lot more trees.

chadwick

Oh and another tip, one that's important for me this year.

On all the epics I've done, my time is frequently greatly effected by wasting time. I spent 30 minutes recovering at the top of Columbine in the '11 LT100, for example. In the Silver Rush 50 last year I hiked a bit more than I really needed to because of mental exhaustion. Those little bits here & there can make a difference between not finishing and doing so. So, try and keep enough mental focus to keep going and making progress and finding a pace that works for you, rather than resting too much and trying to go faster later (I realize this will be a highly personal effort/recovery equation).

merlinextraligh

Epic fail.

Missed the second time cut at Twin Lakes.

Was doing well until Columbine, and the altitude killed me. Worst I can ever recall feeling on a bike.

Came down with an intestinal flu and fever Thursday, and wasn't 100 percent. Not sure it mattered though.

dminor 

Hey, but you made the attempt and gained a lot of valuable experience for your next epic. That's more than most of us here can say. Here's to that .

Zephyr11

Altitude is a tricky thing. You have to time your arrival perfectly...either RIGHT before the race (like a day or two before), or several weeks in advance (to have time to acclimate, and the acclimation period varies for different people...it can be as short as 3 weeks, or as long as 2 months. Awesome that you got to make the attempt though, hopefully you got something out of the experience!

merlinextraligh

Thanks for the encouragement. I did learn what I need to do differently next time.

My timing was exactly wrong for acclimatization. Arriving Thursday before racing Saturday.

I need to be lighter, even 10 pounds would have made a difference. At sea level I can compensate for excess weight with a fairly high FTP, not so much at altitude.

Don't enter by the lottery. Starting dead in the back costs a ton of time and effort to move up. It would pay to get a qualifying time.

Improve my descending skills. I did on the technical, but could pick up free minutes going down pipeline and other descents faster..

Parrothead1

Major +1 on this post

Zephyr11

Yeah, anything between those two times doesn't work. Ideally you arrive months in advance and acclimate, but since that's not practical for most people, they say that right before is the next best (I've heard everything from morning of the race to 48 hour window). It sounds like your arrival time was prime time frame for altitude sickness. Live and learn. It sounds like you learned a lot from the experience though. If you end up writing up a race report, it would probably be interesting to read (then again, no one likes to write up reports on their DNFs, so understandable if you choose not to too). Either way, good for you for doing it! I paced 40-ish miles of the Leadville 100 running race (I don't know if it's the same course), but never biked up there.