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TAPER · 2 WEEKS OUT

LEADVILLE TRAIL 100 — 2 WEEKS OUT

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue. 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

SHED FATIGUE.

Two weeks out you're in taper territory. Fitness plateaus or nudges up — you don't lose meaningful fitness in two weeks, but fatigue disappears fast. Short sharp efforts to keep legs awake. Everything else is volume reduction.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE-PACE OPENERS

60min ride with 3x3min at race pace + 3x1min at VO2. Not training — priming. The efforts remind your legs what fast feels like. Nothing more.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 2 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST

Rest is the session.

Tuesday

OPENERS (60MIN)

Short sharp race-pace primers.

Wednesday

45MIN Z1

Coffee spin.

Thursday

60MIN Z2 WITH 2X5MIN AT THRESHOLD

Final sharpening effort.

Friday

REST

Full rest.

Saturday

90MIN Z2 WITH OPENERS

Short, easy, prep the pre-event day.

Sunday

60MIN Z1 OR REST

Total reset.

DON'T DO THIS

The taper-anxiety mistake: riding harder in taper because your legs feel fresh. Fresh legs aren't a problem — they're the whole point. Hold the line.

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).

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 2 WEEKS OUT

Is 2 weeks enough to train for the Leadville Trail 100?+

2 weeks out your training can't meaningfully change your fitness — you're in taper. Focus on recovery, hydration, familiarisation with your kit + fuelling, and event-day logistics. Don't try to add fitness this close to the event.

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 2 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 ← 4 weeks out

PEAK PHASE

Later phase → 1 weeks out

RACE WEEK