Leadville 100 mile run – Colorado

This race was my first 100 mile running race. Although I am used to time on my body from multi-day adventure racing, I have never run 100 miles at once. The second intimidating task about this race was that it was called the Race Across the Sky, meaning the race is run at 10,000 – 12,600 ft of altitude (we actually did go down to 9,197 ft for about 20 minutes but then had to go straight up to the highest point of the race, so does it really count?!)

When you register for this race they mail you a guide book with the schedule of events, rules and regulations and of course a waiver that basically scares the crap out of you. This waiver was the first time leading up to the race that actually made me nervous, the waiver said multiple times that you can get hit by lighting, that hypoxia, dehydration, hyponatremia, and hypothermia are very real concerns. They weigh you prior to the race to get your real body weight and they reserve the right to weigh you at the aid stations (if you look like death they will ask you to go into the medical tent), if your body weight drops 7% they will pull you off the course. I suddenly realized that racing at altitude (and one of the driest states; Colorado) has some serious consequences (more then racing at sea level).

We (Audrey Kelly, my running buddy and Bob Miller, the best support crew ever) arrived in Colorado 3 days before race day. We stopped in Colorado Springs to see Tina Lewis who recently moved to

Colorado (Running Free Team Member). Right in Tina’s back yard isPikes Peak (14,000 ft mountain). This was part of our acclimatization strategy, we drove upPikes Peak, got out of the car and nausea hit us instantly. I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. Perhaps we ascended too quickly, but we were stubborn, we were going to sit there and get acclimatized. We dropped Bob off at the bottom (6,400 ft) and waited at the top while he climbedPikes Peak, so no matter how awful we felt, we had to stay there. This was step 1 of our attempt to conquer Leadville 100.

The next day we made our way to the town of Twin Lakes, where we rented a cabin (20 miles from Leadville and right near one of the aid stations of the race – (so close our support crew was able to go to the cabin and dry our clothes). Twin Lakes is approximately at 9,500 ft., which was step 2 of our strategy of acclimatizing; we needed to sleep at altitude. We took an afternoon and drove to Aspen which was only 44 miles to the west, along IndependencePass which goes up to 12,500 ft. The road down the pass on the way to Aspen is closed in the winter (hairpin turns) which was the most unbelievable and scenic drive that I have been on (I would highly recommend!).

Friday was registration and the race briefing, during the race briefing they singled out those who are running the race for the 1st time, and those who have run the race more then 10 times. Believe it or not there were a special coat, and a HUGE belt buckle as an achievement award to hit 1000 miles at the Leadville 100 (and you think I am crazy BTW – there were about 10 people!). At the race briefing they announced a cold front was coming in and we were to expect very cold weather and perhaps snow, rain and hail throughout the race. Thank goodness I am from Canada!

The race started at 4:00 am, which has you up at 2:30 in the morning, It was dark, cold ( 2’C) and rainy at the start line. While at the start, you just want the gun to go off so you can keep warm. The first part of the race is more or less flat and on gravel roads, then you hit a soft single track trail around a lake, nice way to get the race started. We stationed Bob (best support crew ever) at the boat launch which was an optional support stop and he gave us fresh water bottles (he convinced us not to carry packs in this section). For those of you from Ontario, I would describe this section similiar to the Bruce Trail (just to give you a visual). The next aid station was at 13.5 miles, Bob gave us our packs here as we were heading into a big climb and needed to ensure we had ample water and our Gortex jackets. The first big climb, Sugarloaf Pass, is approx, 1,000 ft vertical, but you are into the next level of altitude (11,000 ft), the higher we went it got colder we got dizzier! Up and over Sugarloaf Pass and down the back side, is what they call the Powerline, (if you google Lance Armstrong, there are pictures of him riding the Powerline down in the Leadville 100 MTB the weekend before). The Powerline was a big downhill of about 1,500 ft. (we were actually under power lines that are making noises of an over heated frying pan, there was lightening at this point in the race and I have to admit, I was a little freaked out). While descending this Powerline, all I could think was, “I have to come back up this thing” (This race is 50 miles out and back).

Continuing on the race course, around 23.5 miles, you find yourself in about 10 km of road running and about another 10 kms of gravel roads (this part was a little boring.) Then we headed back into the trails, Awesome trails, lots of places you can run, but lots of rolling hills, I wanted to be very cautious and not run too hard here as I knew what was next, the hardest part of the race, starting at 39.5 miles, is a 3,400 ft ascent with a 2,000 ft descent, and THEN you turn around and do it backwards at 50 miles! So I decided to save myself and not work too hard in this section.

I cannot remember at which points throughout the race it was snowing, hailing or raining, so just consider it doing all of the above while I continue on with this report. Excluding when we went over Hope Pass, which was our 3,400 ft. ascent, on the way up you see big chunks of snow in the shaded areas, then we popped out of the trees and it was so sunny, if you wanted any part of the course to be sunny it was this one. The views were spectacular (tried not to look sideways when above the treeline as that would trigger vertigo)! At the top of the pass, they had an emergency aid station; there were a handful of lamas as they carry all the aid up. The descent was a pretty steep one, in my mind the key was not to burn my quads out, so many more miles and mountain climbing to go, when I touched down I was only halfway…….at 12:30 hours! Reality kicked in, 100 miles is a freaking long way!

At halfway point I turned around in good spirits knowing what I had to do on the way back. I told myself the race really starts here, the easy part is done, and now what was I in for over the next 50 miles or 15 hours? Audrey and I had to split up at this point in the race, and I felt unsettled running this race alone. I chatted (I can talk alot!) to various people, but for the most part I spent most the back half on my own. It was great to have Bob (best support crew ever!) there as support and a familiar face. I mentally focused on getting to the next aid station. The aid stations had the good variety of food, better then any race I have ever attended, (you should try the chicken broth and coke!). You would enter the aid, and the volunteers in a cheery voice would ask you what they can get you. Unfortunately, the entire back half was spent in the dark, so as luxurious I make these aid stations sound, your body temperature drops within 3 minutes, so it was always a short visit.

I do not have too much to say about the back half of the race, other than it was very tough and pretty much a blur, the hills (mountains) were relentless, and back up that powerline which was 1,500 ft ascent at 23 hours into the race was nasty. I kept my spirits going and at this point it dawned on me, if I kept moving, run when I can, I was going to finish this race. I would convince myself “not many miles to go”, then I would convert the miles to kilometers, I was kidding myself….so many more to go!

With about 15 miles left to go, I rolled my ankle on a rock, I knew there was damage. As everything else was sore and tired I thought what impact can a rolled ankle have (this is the big mental game!), I ignored it as much as I could as it started to swell….and then there I was, the last aid station! I had only 13.5 miles to go (convert to kilometers and it is still a half marathon, see sounds far when you convert to kilometers). Needless to say, it was the road home. Beautiful lake trail (minus the 40km winds blowing rain right into my face). I knew that to walk 13.5 miles would take forever, I had been out there for 26 hours, and I just wanted to end this race, so I ran whenever mentally and physically I could. Unfortunately after the beautiful trail around a lake, it was UPHILL gravel roads, forced me to walk (and was a BAD joke), all I could think was come on…..let me run. Finally I could see the paved road to the town of Leadville and hear the announcer at the finish line, then I could see the finish line, it was at the top of a hill (bad joke continued). At this point, I did not care….I ran that entire hill, I needed this race to END….I ran the last 500 m, and felt so relieved, I did it, I am a lowlander and I conquered the Race Across the Sky in 28:36 hours!

I was the 112th person to cross the finish. Success did not really soak in, until the next day when I found out that only 186 people out of 565 entrants completed the race. I am writing this the Friday after the race, swelling is down (you can see my ankles) sprained foot, well still sore, but the craziest thing, I am looking for my next challenge…Who’s in?