Those are timing mat results from the race posted on Athlinks. The approximate distances from the race results:
11mi Start to Carter Summit Out
21mi Start to PowerLine Out
26mi Start to Pipeline Out
34mi Start to Single Track Out
40mi Start to Twin Lakes Out
48mi Start to Goat Trail Out
50mi Start to Columbine
52mi Start to Goat Trail In
60mi Start to Twin Lakes In
74mi Start to Pipeline In
78mi Start to PowerLine In
89mi Start to Carter Summit In
Full Course
Thanks. Looks pretty much like I expected it to. I lost a bunch of time getting stuck behind walkers on the first climb and Columbine.
Not really sure I can do anything to fix that, so I’m going to just have to hope I get into fast groups for the easy sections and turn myself inside out on the hills I’m free to go full gas on.
My opinion: Definitely do NOT do that. While there is a benefit to going out a little faster at the beginning Your goal all day should be to stay below your altitude adjusted threshold as much as possible. If you push above threshold and VO2 too much- you’re going to have a real long, bad day by the time you get to the second half of the race. (Unavoidable on portions of the goat trail and Powerline, and then short sections elsewhere - but don’t do it if you don’t need to)
I personally go about 90% on St Kevin’s and Sugarloaf - monitoring power for each climb to make sure I don’t crush myself early.
I have no concept of any of those things (no power meter, no accurate method of knowing how hard I’m going on the day). I know that I couldn’t have gone harder on the flats last time (I got isolated, on both big sections) but I could have gone much, much faster on the climbs (I did them fasted the week before and didn’t come close to those times on the day).
If I’m not ahead of the 9h time at half way I don’t really care if I finish anyway tbh.
+1 on Carbs Fuel. It’s cheaper, often on sale where it comes out to $1.5 per gel on the box of 18, and I personally much prefer the larger serving of 50g vs having to take many more gels an hour. More gels per hour on the road is one thing, but for MTB limiting the frequency I need to take my hands off the bars is key.
I’d use RPE and Heart Rate then. The point being if you shell yourself too hard on the first half, you definitely won’t be breaking 9h unless you’re a good amount above 4w/kg with good fatigue resistance.
This race really starts to catch up with you when it gets hot in the second half, and hitting Powerline in the afternoon sun at close to 6.5 hours, 80 miles, and 3,500kJ is a pretty defining moment. Then you’ve got the carter and boulevard climbs too.
In retrospect I went out a little conservative last year with the cool weather, but I passed 65 people from Twin Lakes in, with most of them on Powerline and Carter. Many of them looked absolutely wrecked by that point, and it was a cool and rainy afternoon.
I’m definitely going to need some luck with the weather. I’m terrible in high temps (power just disappears), but handle cold really well.
Unrelated - Has there been any tyre analysis done anywhere? I’m likely just going Ardent Race up front and Ikon at the back, but would be interested in seeing what people were using generally.
Those are within a few miles, but they never updated the timing mat distances when the course changed a few years ago. And I believe they have moved some timing mats to slightly different locations year to year (and kept the same name/distance). I went though it after the course changes and tried to get exact mileage to each point on the course I cared about. Not all of these locations line up with timing mats, but the time/distance is what I care about. I make no guarantees on exact accuracy, but I think it’s close. The course changes this year might get things off by a little also, but the mileage looks really similar on paper. Certainly closer than the distances they have assigned to timing mats in the results. “Trn” is the turn off the road right before the powerline climb. I believe there is a timing mat not too far away, but far enough that the mileage wouldn’t line up. Also, I didn’t add any time to my split targets for the course change, but I assume it’s going to be at least a minute extra in both directions. Could be 3x that if it’s rough/slow. Just need to ride faster…
I know this has been discussed a few times before but wanted to get any updated opinions. As a ~3.7W/kg rider at sea level, would it be a mistake to go down to a 28t chainring? I have the option to run a 30t or 32t but feel the loss on the upper end with a 28t might be worth the benefit on the steep technical parts where the line of people in front may be moving slow.
I’m closer to 4 w/kg at 5,500ft. Previewing Powerline last week, I would have taken a 30t over the minimum 32 I can fit on my drivetrain. There was one little pitch that I couldn’t get over (though I think I’ll get it next time). At no point did I think the 32 was too small. By the time you’re spun out on the road you should be tucking anyway. Unless you have a 380W FTP and are going to crush the flats, the 28 sounds like it might be perfect. You should be OK with the 30. I would avoid the 32 if you can. Just my two cents.
I rode Leadville last year at 4 w/kg (sea level) on a 32T. And, I think it was the right choice. I had to walk sections of the top of goat trail because of traffic (but I was going the same speed as people near me trying to keep riding), and then I walked the bottom of the steep section of powerline - because it’s WAY different on race day than in training. I would make the same decision again.
This year I’ll be closer to 4.25-4.3 w/kg, and will be running a 34T.
While I didn’t spin out any of the flats last year on the 32, I think I would have lower than that. At 3.7, I’d probably go with the 30 as a compromise.
All with a SRAM 10-52 Cassette.
I’m stubbornly stuck at 2.9W/kg (also a sea level rider) and I’m running a 30t. I will spin out on the flats, but a 30t with a 10-51 Shimano cassette gives me lots of options as far as cadence goes.
Even though my W/Kg is down from last year, my body comp has about 5lbs more muscle (according to my Garmin scale measured over the last 12 months.
I’m just shooting for a sub 12.
I’d recommend the 30 or the 28, really depends on your goals and whether you are more of a masher or a spinner. Even with the 28, there will be places you’d be wishing for another gear. Those really steep spots aren’t a huge percentage of the race, but having a nice low gear can keep you at a more comfortable cadence, save legs, and help avoid cramps. If you are “all in” on sub 9, maybe the 30, but a 28 would almost certainly make for a less painful day. You aren’t going to burn any significant time spinning out regardless of 32, 30, or 28, there just aren’t that many places where gearing is a top end speed limiter.
I’ve been at least 4w/kg for all 3 of my attempts and have run a 32 in all of them. I’ve considered a 30, but my old powermeter didn’t support smaller than a 32 (30 was technically an option, just not officially supported). My new crank/PM doesn’t have any options smaller than 32, so that’s what I’m running.
If you are on a 10-52T cassette, I’d stick with the 30. If on a 10-50T, then the 28T might be worth it, especially if you prefer higher cadence on the steeper stuff.
Appreciate the feedback everyone! Sounds like the 28t would be a safe choice for an easier day but a 30t wouldn’t be a bad choice either.
Nobody here pays attention to tire choice and you’ll not get any opinions on the best tires to run 
I remember thinking last time that I was definitely “over tyred”. Not really a technical course, just need decent sidewall protection.
I’ll bite. I think the Continental Race King is the perfect Leadville Tire. Combination of fast rolling, and good sidewall / tread protection. I use either a Vittoria or Tubolight insert front and rear too.
If I were to go slightly bigger or wanted slightly “more” tire - I’d probably use Schwalbe Racing Ray / Ralph.
With that said, it’s REAL late to be making changes. I’d go with what you’re used to.
I’ve ridden these on my 2 LT100s.
I had 25mm rims at the time. I now have 30mm. One thing I’d want to check on the 30mm rims is how exposed the sidewall is (the Race Kings are 2.2” tires, so a narrow tire to be putting on a wider rim).
If I didn’t ride Race Kings, I’d probably ride these.
+1 more for the Race Kings. You want the Protection version specifically and ideally the black sidewall (the tan are actually slower). I’ll be running them on 28mm internal rims.
I would also say that if not the Race Kings, I would be running the Racing Ray/Ralph, with a footnote that I hate the new Racing Ray (especially in the CO high country where I tend to ride) and love the new Racing Ralph. I tend to run the Wicked Will on the front with the Racing Ray in the back for more technical races, and then revert back to the Race Kings when I don’t need that level of traction or volume. So I guess what I mean is if the Race Kings didn’t exist, I would run the Racing Ray/Ralph, but I wouldn’t be thrilled about it.
