In case you missed it here's the now infamous leadville tips. One
things changed. There is no longer a white tractor buried in the
road 1/2 up the Columbine climb. But don't worry! About 5 or 10
minutes past the 1/2 way point is a big metal shed as you make a
right dog leg turn.
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- It's better to quit than to die, but not by much.
- Dean C., Leadville 100 Racer
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I've spent way too many hours thinking about this race, I think it is
an infection. Here are a few tips I try to follow as I ride and race
the course:
- Don't start out too fast, the lead pack will fly out of Leadville
like it were a 20 mile sprint. Now that the single track has been
removed at about mile 14 the only backups you might experience are
the St. Kevins climb and the Powerline descent, worst case these
probably won't cost you more than 3 minutes. Try never to engage
your turbo power; you will pay dearly later in the race.
- The descent down Powerline is very loose and rutted especially near
the bottom. Rains can form very deep ruts. There are always some bad
crashes and flats in here. Even after it gets flat before the stream
crossing there are some potentially deep rain-formed ruts. (RUN AT
LEAST 45PSI TO AVOID PINCH FLATS!!!)
- Join a paceline once you hit the pavement at the base of the
powerline descent to the gravel pits if you can but stay in your
zone. Get in one on the way back too. You're most likely to encounter
a head wind inbound from TLD to FH (fish hatchery), steel yourself
for it and try drafting as much as possible.
- Just as the long climb begins to Columbine (about 2 miles after
TLD) you'll encounter a long stretch (1/2+ miles) of the steepest
sustained part of the climb. This is just as you enter the trees
after going through the cow pasture. Take it easy and don't push too
hard here, you'll be able to speed up after this section, e.g. from 4
to 6 MPH.
- There is NO white piece of tracked mining equipment 1/2 up
Columbine. It's gone, removed, cleaned up, sanitized. Instead
there's a metal shed at a right dog leg with big doors about 5 or 10
minutes past the 1/2 way point in time.
- There are at least 6 places almost everyone must walk, I plan in
advance to walk these sections and no others:
* 2.5 miles from Columbine right next to a tall silver pipe mining
tripod thing there is about a 100-yard stretch.
* 2 miles from Columbine there is about a 50 yard stretch just as you
turn off the main road to Gold Basin mine; it's loose, rocky and
steep.
* About 1 mile from columbine there is another 50-yard section only a
few studs ride.
* Between TLD and CR just after leaving the pavement there is a very
steep rutted hill, no one rides this. Sometimes called North Face
(in honor of sponsor)
* 1/2 mile later there is another pretty steep but short hill.
* Near the bottom of Powerline there is about a 150-yard section.
- Recover but stay on the gas coming down from CM; you can save 5+
minutes by not coasting.
- There are 3 false summits going up Powerline, at a 9-10 hour
overall pace it takes about an hour to get from FH up Powerline to
Sugarloaf pass.
- It's a 3 mile climb on pavement going back up to St Kevins. When
you leave the pavement after this climb you're an hour or so from the
finish at a 10 hour pace. Get supplies at this point at the mini-aid
station if you're low.
- At a 9-10 hour pace it takes 25-30 mins to get from Leadville
Junction (RR track crossing) to the finish. It's still about 5 miles!
- Most racers carry way too much equipment. THINK OF THE RACE AS
SEVERAL SHORT ONES. Carry enough to get between aid stations and have
spares there. NORBA rules apply with exceptions, you can accept
spares (even whole wheels) and food at aid stations but you must
carry all of your tools and do all you own work.
- If you're going for speed don't stop at CM (even if you're not
don't linger at this altitude), eat/drink on the flat area near CM
and again about 1/2 way down when there is a little uphill section
(it's short and right after a hairpin turn so eat quickly).
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