Actually the Volcanic dropped off my schedule. Work has been crap, so going half way around the world isn’t in the cards.
I’m in for 2025 and returning after 5 years. Going to change my training this time around. I think the hype is okay, it’s a big event in a cool location offering something that no other event offers. My wife reminded me I said “not again” last time - yeah well that didn’t hold.
@oldandfast - You pretty much nailed down my thoughts on it. I live 40 mins away from Leadville in Summit. I may put my hat in or do breck epic since we get half off for living there.
Lottery entry submitted!
The first 2 times I rode Leadville I did not have my nutrition dialed. I’d like to see how much faster I can go now that I have a good nutrition plan. I don’t think sub-9 is on the cards, but possibly a sub 9:30 is within reach.
I’m from the UK but have put in my entry. It will work well for us as a family as it is the school holidays and we have been looking to visit Colorado anyway. So if I get in I will fly out a few days early so the race and then my wife and son will likely fly out on the Sunday and I’ll pick them up from Denver (you can fly direct to Denver from the U.K.). Debated them coming out the same time as me but this will allow me to focus on completing the race than worrying about them trying to get around Leadville or get to service zones etc.
Anyway I have to get in first before worrying about logistics!
Good luck guys, I just entered the lottery for the first time. Felt my stomach drop at the entry price, completely crazy but also I think it will be worth it if I’m chosen. I want to get picked but at the same time I’m scared cause I know how much work is ahead if I do!
I know this is covered elsewhere but I’m having a hard time finding a consensus. What is the best “event type” to choose for Leadville when creating a Custom Plan? Some say Cross Country Marathon, some say Gran Fondo and I’ve even seen Climbing Road Race mentioned.
I wish Trainerroad would cover this in some of their Leadville 100 training blog posts.
TR Staff in the past has recommended Gran Fondo, and that’s what I’d go with.
In a more detailed sense, here’s how I’d personally structure the ~9 weeks leading up to the race.
9 Weeks Out - Accept your last FTP increase (hopefully) and lock it down.
3 Weeks of Specialty - TTE Focus. Extend TiZ for Sweet Spot, Tempo, and drive up your total volume week by week.
1 Week of Rest / Recovery.
Another 3 Weeks of Specialty - TTE Focus / Volume Extension Again
2 Weeks of Taper - In Leadville at Altitude.
Race
Those last two blocks of specialty your focus isn’t higher FTP, it’s fatigue resistance and being able to go for a LONG time at a higher percentage of your FTP (e.g. - you’re targeting 70% or more IF for the day at Leadville)
That’s my 2 cents…
Deferral entry here. Booked a place in Breck and planning to head out two to three weeks beforehand (and up from sea level. Woof.)
This’ll be my first Leadville and second XCM, having come in just under the cutoff for the Austin Rattler a month ago (imploded on the third lap - rookie mistake leaving the aid station basically without food/water).
Looking forward to significantly improving my FTP and dropping some weight in the coming months. Starting my TR program with weekday trainer rides and weekend rides in the dirt. If anyone from San Diego wants to join, lemme know!
As of now, I’ll be riding a steel hardtail (NMW Hummingbird) but am considering a dedicated full suspension race bike (Nicolai Saturn 11) as a present to myself if it’s looking like I’ll hit my fitness and weight goals.
Holy smokes, is the price really $525?!?!?!? That can’t be real. I thought about signing up for the lottery but that price is absolutely insane. No wonder cycling is dying.
Leadville is definitely dying. Would be nice if they could actually fill the race
Fellow Brit…it’s F’in’ high…UK has nothing that compares, hell Europe doesn’t. If you don’t know how you respond to altitude, you might want to know. Hope to be heading back myself this year and spending the two weeks prior.
Yeah, I was a little shocked this year. But we go to leadville every summer for a couple weeks whether I’m racing or not and the race is a great way to cap off the trip. It’s also motivation to stay fit after my early season races, otherwise I’d probably be shutting things down and getting lazy and fat by late June.
So, yeah, the entry fee is getting a little crazy if you are just coming in for a day or 2 to race, but it’s a bucket list event for many and a pretty unique race (whether it’s your thing or not). Clearly they have plenty of folks lined up with their credit cards. They could probably double the registration fee and still sell it out. That are lots of people who spend many thousands of $'s between travel, lodging, equipment, etc. and the ~$500 entry fee isn’t a huge portion of the cost of the trip. When I want to feel better about entry fees at the big cycling events, I just look at the registration fees for Ironman (about 2x leadville). Not sure it’s a fair comparison, but it makes me fell a little better.
It may get to a point that I start skipping the race (and I paused with the price increase this year), but it’s one of only a couple expensive races I do each year and cycling is still way, way cheaper than many other sports/hobbies.
The highest point ever reached in the TdF was 2860m. Thats about 200m below the start line at Leadville
But you can go for a hike in the Alps to see how you respond to altitude. MT Blanc is higher than any mountain in the lower 48 states.
If you were going to move to Leadville in your 40-ft RV from end of May through mid-Aug, where would you live? Know any hidden gems I should know about? I’m striking out on lodging that doesn’t cost more than our salaries. Happy to pay, but can’t/won’t afford $5000/mo AirBnB prices.
My wife is racing from the red or silver corral… TBD. We’re looking for some insider knowledge on a place with at least water/sewer hook-ups at least part of the time. Will pay for full hook-ups if available for sure. Can also boondock for weeks without issue.
Anyone know anyone with some available RV hookups within riding distance of the course?? Grateful for any leads.
Boondocking is free on all BLM and USFS land and there are PLENTY of sites. But, I think you have to move your site every 14 days, and during the high season it may be more than that. You could check with the local ranger district to be sure.
I believe I remember seeing a pump-out and water-fill location on the way into town, but I don’t have an RV so I’m not looking that closely.
Sugar Loafin’ campground is full service but books up, cost could be prohibitive for that much time.
Not a local, so don’t know any local hook-up’s for you.
+1 on sugarloafin’ if you need services, it’s ideally located to pre-ride the meat of the course (near the bottom of powerline and not that far from the turn off the pavement to get to st. kevins). There is also boondocking all over the place, we always go up a couple weeks early and never have a problem finding a spot even during race week. We are in a van, so don’t need that much space, but there are lots of folks with trailers. We often do a few nights at twin lakes dam also, ideal location to ride columbine and there is a nice hike along the lake (and the trail head for hope pass hike just past the town of twin lakes).
As already stated, there’s not a lot around Leadville that has services. Virtually everything within riding distance except Sugarloafin has no electricity and no water (like at all). If you can do tht for a stretch, my favorite campground is Lakeview. Easy to ride north to the first half of the course and south to Columbine. It’s $27 a night, which can add up, but it’s def not $5000 a month.
If I were you, I might try to split my time between Lakeview, Sugarloafin and Lowry Campground in Frisco (not at all rideable to the course but you might want a break from the Leadville scene and they have electricity & water for probably less than Sugarloafin).
Do you need to be in Leadville? Salida/BV area has better riding, significantly better depending what you’re looking for.
+1 on acclimation in Salida/BV Still plenty of riding, just not on course.