Was chatting with a buddy today about MTBs and had a conversation with another buddy last week about doing Leadville, and it occures to me I know next to nothing about the race other than it sounds really cool.
I know we won’t be doing it this year but maybe 2011? Does this race sell out like IM’s do? Is it strictly lottery slots? Can I actually do this race living at 800ft and no hills? Most importantly, what is the optimum race machine for this venture?
Yes, the 100 mile MTB race in particular sells out completely - entry is by lottery, early in the calendar year. Watch the website (the site is much better than it used to be). There is something like a community fund slot for lots more money.
Sure, you can do it, unless you have a predisposition to altitude sickness (which you may not know yet if you’ve never been at altitude at all). I came from sea level on a Wednesday and did the race, finished in the middle of the pack, and lived. Lots of heavy breathing though. As to what to ride - the course is demanding mostly because of the altitude (and the distance), not because it is particularly technical. A hardtail with front suspension is fine, perhaps most desirable, although I imagine relatively few people these days would be caught on something so…simple (on the other hand I bet there are some people doing the race on SS and/or rigid for the hell of it). I rode a bonded aluminum Trek 8000 with a Judy 80mm fork which may or may not have been retrofitted with Englund air cartridges by then. If any of that means anything to you, that will give you an idea of how long ago this was and therefore how outdated my information is :-). If you have an FS rig that is light enough and made to climb, eg. an XC race bike, that would be fine too, but you surely don’t want to lug an all-mountain bike up the hills. If I recall I used less-than-fully-knobbed tires as well.
“Can I actually do this race living at 800ft and no hills?”
you live 740 ft higher than I do…I’ll let you know on August 15th…
Just make sure you use your own number.
I’m entered this year. Have yet to get on my Mtn bike. Lots of road riding. We’ll see.
The trailer for the nationwide broadcast of “Race Across The Sky” This is for the Leadville Trail 100
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