A return to (crewing) the Leadville 100
Previewing the 2024 edition of the race and reflecting on the difference 2 years makes
The last few weeks, I’ve been spinning my wheels on a very personal post, diving into the deeper reason why I spend so much time training and running trails. Between periods of writing, reflecting, and editing, I’ve tended to seek distractions through my usual vice: opening a bunch of tabs with articles that I plan to (but might not ever) read.
One thing I’ve searched for is a preview of the 2024 Leadville 100 trail run a.k.a the Race Across the Sky a.k.a. the Influencer 100 (not sure where that one came from).
Surprisingly, and sadly for trail running fans, all is quiet on the media front. I’ll quickly point out how big of a failure this is on Leadville and Lifetime’s part, particularly given the strength of this year’s field, the history of the race, and the attention placed on the mountain bike edition. But hey, them resting on their laurels is a chance for me to cosplay as a media head…so here is the official Late Entry 2024 Leadville 100 Trail Run preview.
The Race + Course
For the uninitiated (I know I have a few non-trail-crazy readers), the Leadville 100 follows an out and back course starting in downtown Leadville, with roughly 15,750 feet of vertical gain, all at higher than 10,000 feet above sea level. For a deeper dive, check out Trail Runner Mag’s 2022 race preview.
The race is steeped in history. Since the inaugural run in 1983, it’s captured the imaginations of runners and non-runners alike — most notably bolstered by the book Born to Run and the inclusion of racers from the Tarahumara tribe. More recently, in the social media age, “runfluencers” have targeted Leadville as a compelling content opportunity.
The clear highlight of the course is the Twin Lakes aid station. Situated at miles 40 and 60, it sends runners out and then welcomes them back from the crux of the run, Hope Pass. The aid station has a festival vibe with off the charts energy. Tents line the main drag of the charming mountain village, nestled at the foot of Mt Elbert. Experiencing it is a major trail running bucket list item. This year’s new policy requiring shuttling to the aid station runs the risk of changing that, but I’m optimistic it will have little to no impact.
Top Contenders + Predictions for 2024
With the proliferation of trail running and increase in competitive race options over the last decade, the elite prestige of Leadville has diminished. This year could mark a turning point with increased competition, in the men’s field in particular, with rumors of multiple course record attempts swirling.
The Leadville powers that be have chosen to not release an entry list for the run, but alas, through crowd-sourcing and Strava easter eggs, I’ve done my best to put together a list of contenders.
Women to watch: Mary Denholm (strava), Ailsa MacDonald (ultrasignup), Maddie Wighart (ultrasignup), Nicole Bitter (ultrasignup), Zoe Rom (strava)
The women’s storyline for the day looks to be the fit newcomer versus the decorated vet. Mary has put in an envy-inducing training block, spending the better part of the summer living at altitude outside of Leadville. It does not look like she’s run a 100-miler before but she was comfortably in 2nd place at the Canyons 100k earlier this year before dropping out deep into the race, then redeemed the DNF with a win and 27 minute course record at the Silver Rush 50. Ailsa’s experience could win the day, but Mary has the speed and legs to make it a one-woman race if things fall into place.
Men to watch: Adrian Macdonald (strava), JP Giblin (strava), David Roche (strava), Ryan Montgomery (strava), Jacob Skraba (strava), Ryan Sullivan (strava), Reid Burrows (strava), Matthew Vira (strava), Keegan Oldani (strava), Will Murray (strava)
Hot damn this one is gonna be fun. We have a 2x champ in Adrian, a 1x champ and 1x runner up in JP, an aerobic monster in David, a proven elite in Ryan, and a handful of intriguing podium dark horses.
I encourage you to take a gander at each person’s training from the last few months. It looks dialed across the board, with a lot of specificity and course recon. The race is Adrian’s to lose but anyone’s to win. It all comes down to nailing effort and nutrition. I predict the pace to go out hot and result in a lot of attrition – maybe even to the extent of 50% turnover in the top 10 through the back half of the race.
Podium predictions:
Women – Mary, Ailsa, Maddie
Men – Adrian, David, Ryan S
Bold predictions: the women’s course record goes down, and either Will Murray or Jacob Skraba finish a surprise 3rd.
Dream scenario: a cloud of fog appears at 3:50am, AC/DC starts playing from the announcer’s speaker, a shadowy figure approaches, it’s Zach Miller rolling up on his bike to join the fold.
Returning to Leadville, 2 Years Later
In 2022, I had the privilege of crewing for Addie Bracy, a local legend and dedicated elite, going for the win.
At the time I had little to no racing experience, and was more focused on having fun and keeping vibes up. Addie’s race didn’t go as planned (we blame the Awesome Sauce), and through it I learned the importance of balancing risk-taking while taking care of yourself. We’re in the midst of a nutrition revolution and that is extra important at a sneaky runnable race like Leadville that takes place at altitude. Eating is so important but hard to do the higher up you go.
This year, I am crewing and pacing another friend, looking to finish under 24 hours. Since 2022, I have raced more and been crewed in a long effort. Not only am I bringing more knowledge, but it’ll be a much different experience than having to race the lead pack to each aid station while helping with the fastest transitions possible as your runner comes through. However, the foundation remains the same: make sure they eat and drink more than they think, take care of themselves, create a sense of presence and enjoy the experience.
See y’all at Twin Lakes!