A Tough Day in the Mountains: A Leadville 100 Recap
This year's Leadville Trail 100 was a grueling test of both physical and mental endurance. Going into the race, I had high hopes of setting a personal record on this challenging high-mountain course. My training had been focused on this goal, with Cocodona 250 serving as a solid foundation for my buildup.
The race started off well, with me hitting my first checkpoint right on schedule. The morning was beautiful as I navigated the Turquoise Lake Trail and tackled the climb over Sugar Loaf. Things were still looking good at Outward Bound, though I was slightly behind my target pace.
However, around mile 40, my race took a turn for the worse. As I began the climb up Hope, I started experiencing a sharp pain in my right Achilles tendon. The pain quickly intensified, making it almost unbearable to put weight on my foot. I had to adapt my gait, using the arch of my shoe to push off like an ice skater.
At Hopeless Aid Station, just below the summit, I decided to take a break and try to alleviate the pain. I sat and ate, while stretching and massaging my calf. The pain was intense, and I seriously considered dropping out and returning to Twin Lakes. After a heartfelt text from my 13-year-old daughter, I decided to push through.
Once over the top of Hope, I was able to run and make up some lost time. I ran down into Winfield, quickly left, and ran most of the way back to the base of Hope Pass inbound. My Achilles was still bothering me, but the pain wasn't as severe as it had been earlier.
It was clear at this point that my original goals were out of reach. The only thing left to do was to finish within the 30-hour cutoff. I left Winfield with an hour buffer and arrived at Twin Lakes with 45 minutes to spare.
For the rest of the race, I focused on staying relaxed and consistent. I had some slow moments on the middle sections of Powerline, but I was able to move well across Turquoise Lake Trail and ran the last 5k up the boulevard.
In the end, I crossed the finish line at 29:21, marking my ninth finish at this iconic event.
Leadville is a special place, and there's something unique about the town, the community, and the event itself. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I always feel a sense of warmth and belonging when I'm there.
While I'm unsure if I'll return in 2025, I definitely plan to toe the line again at some point. If I'm selected for other lotteries, I might have to wait for another year to try for my 1,000-mile buckle. But if I'm unsuccessful, you can expect to see me back in Leadville next year.