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RACE WEEK · 1 WEEKS OUT

LEADVILLE TRAIL 100 — 1 WEEKS OUT

Don't do anything clever. Eat, sleep, show up. Built around the 160km / 3,800m profile of the Leadville 100 in USA.

160 km·3,800 m climbing·8-12 hours·August

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

DON'T DO ANYTHING CLEVER.

Race week is about arriving at the start line fresh, hydrated, and calm. The training is done. Hard sessions now cost you more than they give you. Every hour of good sleep in the final 72 hours does more than any workout could.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE MORNING OPENERS

20 minutes on the bike, morning of the event or day before, with 3x30sec at race pace. Wakes legs up without draining anything. That's it.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 1 WEEKS OUT

Monday

45MIN Z1 + OPENERS (3X1MIN RACE PACE)

Legs awake, fatigue low.

Tuesday

REST OR 30MIN EASY

Focus on hydration + sleep.

Wednesday

60MIN WITH 4X30SEC RACE PACE

Final primer — nothing heroic.

Thursday

REST

Start carb-loading today.

Friday

30MIN EASY SPIN + OPENERS

Race check. Kit lay-out. Route review.

Saturday (race day -1)

20-30MIN VERY EASY

Or rest. Whichever calms nerves.

Race Day

EVENT

Pace it. Fuel it. Enjoy it.

DON'T DO THIS

Race-week mistakes are always additive — an extra hard session, extra volume, an unfamiliar food. Do less. The last week cannot make you fitter. It can absolutely make you slower.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE LEADVILLE 100 ACTUALLY DEMANDS

Leadville 100 is the definitive high-altitude MTB race — 160km through the Colorado Rockies starting at 3,100m (10,200ft) with 3,800m of climbing and a topout above 3,800m on Columbine Mine. Lottery entry, hard cut-offs, finisher buckle is a career milestone.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓Altitude 3,100-3,840m — altitude-naive riders lose 20-30% power
  • ✓Columbine Mine climb — 9km straight up to 3,840m above sea level
  • ✓Cut-off at the Columbine turnaround (6:00) is the race
  • ✓Powerline descent — fast, rocky, tyre-popping territory
  • ✓Weather varies from freezing dawn to 30°C + thunderstorms

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✕Arriving less than 2 weeks before for altitude acclimatisation
  • ✕Racing the first 40km on paved road sections and blowing up at altitude
  • ✕Running tyres too light — Leadville's rocks destroy XC casings

PACING

Altitude changes everything. Target a power ceiling 15-20% below what you'd hold at sea level. Heart rate runs 5-10 bpm higher than your lowland rate at the same effort — don't panic. Columbine Mine is a controlled climb at aerobic threshold. The flats + the Powerline descent are where the front group makes time; the back half is where you win your sub-9 buckle.

FUELLING

Altitude suppresses appetite — force-fuel on a timer. 70-90g carbs/hour. Feed zones are excellent (crew + on-course). Hydration is critical: 750ml+/hour with electrolytes. The dry Colorado air dehydrates faster than you feel.

KIT

Hardtail or 120mm trail bike. 2.3-2.4" tyres with Enduro or MaxxTerra casings — not XC race tyres. CO2 + pump + plug kit + spare tube. Arm warmers + gilet for the 06:30 start (cold). Altitude requires sunglasses with good UV + clear lens backup for the Columbine descent (often cloud + rain).

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 1 WEEKS OUT

Is 1 weeks enough to train for the Leadville Trail 100?+

Race week is about showing up fresh. No new fitness gains possible in a week. Focus on sleep, hydration, carb loading 48-72 hours out, and mental prep. Any hard session this week costs you more than it gives.

What's the hardest part of the Leadville Trail 100?+

Altitude 3,100-3,840m — altitude-naive riders lose 20-30% power. arriving less than 2 weeks before for altitude acclimatisation — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Altitude changes everything.

How many hours a week should I train at 1 weeks out from the Leadville Trail 100?+

Drop to 6-8 hours with minimal intensity. The taper protects the fitness you've built rather than growing more. Short, sharp openers to keep legs awake. Nothing aerobically challenging.

Do I need a coach to train for the Leadville Trail 100?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Leadville Trail 100 runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Leadville Trail 100?+

Hardtail or 120mm trail bike. 2.3-2.4" tyres with Enduro or MaxxTerra casings — not XC race tyres. CO2 + pump + plug kit + spare tube. Arm warmers + gilet for the 06:30 start (cold). Altitude requires sunglasses with good UV + clear lens backup for the Columbine descent (often cloud + rain).

OTHER PHASES FOR THE LEADVILLE 100

Earlier phase ← 2 weeks out

TAPER