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Just got into Leadville, when to arrive?

9K views 42 replies 29 participants last post by  Cleared2land 
#1 ·
Just did the Austin Rattler 100 on Saturday and got qualified to Leadville. It will be my first time there and I want to start planning the trip. Flights and Hotels mainly for now. I have done 80Km rides starting at 6K ft going up to 10k ft. On those rides we arrived the day before and felt ok with the altitude. I live in Monterrey, Mexico at 1,700ft over seal level.
I have a full time office job so ideally I would like to fly to Leadville on Thursday of race week....packet pickup and preparations on Friday and race on Saturday. I've read suggestions on either arriving 1 week before the race to adjust to altitude or the afternoon before the race (which sounds risky to me in case something goes wrong with flights or any last minute bike issues).
Anyone out there that lives in similar altitude than me and has done an altitude event like Leadville arriving 2-3 days prior to the race?...felt ok?
Any other recommendations are welcomed. Thanks
 
#19 ·
Thanks everyone for the input. Given that I don't have 1-2 weeks of vacation time from my job to put into this event I will be taking the "as close to the starting gun approach" as you can. We will sleep in Cañon City (elevation 5.3K) Thursday night and Buena Vista (7.9K) the night before the race. I will be training at altitude 2 months prior to the race and hope for the best. In case anyone is interested, I will report back on this thread to let you guys know how I felt. Thanks.
 
#20 ·
... In case anyone is interested, I will report back on this thread to let you guys know how I felt. Thanks.
Good luck. Do report back, relevant information.

EDIT: one thought I have--don't know what your dietary habits are, but you may want to consider focusing on eating iron rich foods including red meat, in the weeks prior to your trip. Iron helps production of red blood cells which is what helps you deal with thin air. You don't need to eat a side of beef every week, but I'd consider three helpings a week.

The paragraph here has some interesting beta about iron:

Iron Rich Foods | American Red Cross
 
#42 ·
Despite the age of the thread, it's still pretty spot on as far as timing goes. We haven't made some miraculous discovery about altitude acclimation.

I'm a full remote worker, so I can work from anywhere with wi-fi/cell signal. I coming from sea level and am driving to Park City/Herber City right after Tahoe Trail. Doing a week there, then moving to Copper for the next two weeks before race day. Found a studio condo with a great kitchen for $100 a night plus fees. Two weeks was pretty good for me at Rebecca's Private Idaho in 2022. Three should be just about as good as I can get it for Leadville.
 
#2 ·
Look for lodgings in Buena Vista or Salida. Leadville itself is ridiculous, you'll give up on staying right in town pretty quickly. Lots of people look to Summit County (Breckenridge/Silverthorne) for lodgings for race weekend and I think that's a mistake. The drive into Leadville from the south is WAY easier. And rates are better.

As for how soon to get there, I always heard either a month in advance or as close as possible to the starting gun. I live in CO and have for close to 30 years so I can't tell you from experience what's true, and I'm not a physiologist. But I betcha the difference between 1 week and 48 hours isn't nearly enough to justify the lost time from work. I'd recommend arriving in Denver Thursday in time to get to your hotel and check in. Go to Leadville Friday morning for registration.

Good luck. I won't be the last one you hear from.
 
#3 ·
I've done Leadville twice and was living on the east coast both times (less than 1k feet elevation). The first time I went out a week before and the second time I got out their on Thursday afternoon. I didn't stay in Leadville the second time as I slept better at just the little bit of lower elevation in Breckenridge area (TomP makes a good suggestion on looking south). I have heard that it is not good to go out there three or four days early as this is worse than either the day before or a week before.

If I were to do it again, I would go out on Thursday afternoon. I sleep horribly at altitude and that was not fun doing it for a week. I had no issues either time except for the normal headaches. The one thing that does matter is focusing on your breathing techniques and NEVER go beyond your red line because once you do it is hard to get back. I focused on breathing out for three pedal strokes and in for two. Worked great for me although you will want to hear from faster racers. If you qualified at the Rattler then you are faster than me. I have my two smaller belt buckles and happy for it and was safely in the middle/back of the pack.
 
#4 ·
... I have my two smaller belt buckles and happy for it and was safely in the middle/back of the pack.
For me the smaller buckles are best, because otherwise my gut gets chafed where it overhangs the belt.

Well, to be honest, I don't know about big buckles because I've never had the burden of carrying one away from the event. And my little buckles dig into my soft underbelly too.

And there is absolutely nothing I can do about that.

Serious content here: Salida is down the Arkansas River Valley ~1 hour from Leadville, 7000 feet elevation. Buena Vista between Salida and Leadville, ~30 minutes from Leadville is 8000 feet. Straight highway between, no passes.

Silverthorne, in the low part of Summit County is around 8750. Breckenridge is around 9500. Silverthorne is about 45 minutes away, over Fremont Pass.
 
#5 ·
I always arrived the Saturday before.

So I could attend Leadville's Boom Days celebration and do some epic rides like Monarch Crest, Copper to Cooper, Breck to Copper, or Commando Run/2 Elk.

You might check to see if the Leadville Hostel has space, I kind of doubt it though. I enjoyed staying there. Show up there in the morning and join people for rides.

Enjoy Leadville and the race.

Oh, you are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can.
 

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#39 ·
Its not bad coming from Colorado Springs if you can fly in there. Made that trip a few times last fall....not because I wanted to. Buena Vista is nice if you can find a place to stay. There are some crappy little cabins and a few places to stay in Twin lakes. Winmar cabins and twin lakes Inn maybe? Not far, about 20 miles south. Might try those.
 
#7 ·
I've done it twice, once arriving the Thursday before, and once the Saturday before. I preferred the Saturday before, as I got to ride all the climbs prior. No issues arriving on Thursday, but I did sleep better the night before getting a few days at altitude.

Copper mtn is a close option with lots of availability. If you want to stay in town, keep checking and keep an eye here and on the yahoo leadville group. Sometimes stuff opens up close to race date.
 
#9 ·
I went out the Friday before (8 days before) last year and felt great on race day. Also got to ride the whole course while out there which is a big advantage. The bottom line though is this: everyone's body reacts differently at altitude, some people are more affected by it or affected in different ways, and some people can acclimate quicker than others. I'd say a week minimum if you want to acclimate.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the amazing camaraderie that is part of Leadville. Its a really special race.
 
#10 ·
I raced it last year for the 1st time and live in Orlando, Fl. I went out 10 days before, rented a 30' RV with some buddies and we rode around riding and acclimating. We started in Fruita (6k') and rode Kokopelli. From there we swung around and hit Crested Butte (8k') and rode 401 Trail. Our last big stop was Salida (9k') where we rode Monarch Crest.

That in itself was a crazy trip with absolutely epic rides. From there we headed up to Leadville on Thursday to get the final bit of altitude. We spent the final couple days up there. As we stepped up on altitude it got better for each of us. By race day I was pretty good. Obviously not completely acclimated, but still rolled 8:25. You can't go into the red at all and its 100 miler- all you do is eat, drink, pedal. One thing that really surprised me is how you have to drink and eat strategically. It takes a few seconds to catch your breath after you eat or drink. That, and you'll get loopy on Columbine- its pretty dang high at a really good effort.

Have fun!!!
 
#13 ·
I live in Durango (6500ft) and train on trails up to 12K in the weeks leading up to Leadville. I STILL have issues when arriving in Leadville and trying to sleep/ride at 10,200ft. Because of that, I prefer to get there on the Tuesday or Wednesday before, because my body can then work out the headaches, fatigue, and I can fine-tune my hydration needs and watch how my body reacts on the bike on some pre-rides.

One great thing that happened to me: I found a great friend and host by joining the Yahoo group page called LT100MTB. I asked around about hotels and housing, and a fellow racer responded who lived in Denver but owned a house in downtown Leadville. He has let me, my husband, and dog stay for free with his family as long as we bring some wine and help cook some meals. That would be one thing to try; I know a lot of people have vacation homes that may have spare rooms in town that would be willing to host an athlete. Not promising you'd get lucky staying for free somewhere, but its worth a shot, and the LT100 Yahoo group has a lot of good Leadville-specific advice.
 
#14 ·
The logic of arriving as close to the race as possible is that your body immediately begins to breakdown at altitude. If you are going to acclimate, you need to be there long enough for your body to breakdown, adjust to the altitude, and recover. Studies have shown something like 10-15% decline in performance day 1, 20% on day 2, 25% on day 3 (I'm guessing at these numbers here). Point is, your body breaks down at altitude and doesn't recover at altitude. Less time spent before the race equals less time for the altitude to negatively affect your body. I have always found that I feel great after a week at altitude. Other studies have shown that it can take up to a month to acclimate and rebuild.
 
#16 ·
I'm in RI at sea level and this will be my first race at Leadville too. The altitude has been on my mind, so I was glad to find this thread. My plan is to fly in on Thursday and hope for the best. Check out The Twin Lakes Inn in Twin Lakes, 25 minutes south (the race passes through it).
 
#17 ·
Quick physiology lesson here...

-As soon as you are at altitude: because of lower air pressure than @ sea level, less oxygen gets in to your blood when you breathe. The acute response is to increase heart rate and breathing frequency.
-Within 24 hours: plan A, mentioned above, still can't saturate the blood fully with oxygen, so the endocrine system is activated and releases a hormone that tells your kidneys to begin removing more water from the blood in an effort to concentrate the blood. (this, along with the ease of "insensible" water loss through breathing & sweating in very low humidity is why you've been instructed to drink a ton of water when you're at altitude)
-Within a few days: plan B makes you feel like crap within about 48 hours, and still doesn't really get the job of oxygen saturation done very well, so your body starts to adapt. EPO is released, telling your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, and, as they're released, your body also replaces that plasma volume you initially lost. It's a slow-going process compared to the first two, though, so that's why it takes a week or two before you're back to near 100%.
 
#18 ·
Different people react differently to altitude. Some struggle while others don't have much of an issue. Some acclimatize relatively fast, while others take longer. It's better to know how you will react before heading up there. My suggestion is to make a couple of trips to altitude well in advance of the event, to see how you respond.

I know that there are a lot of options out there for those who are training for this event. There are free options, and there are locals willing to help out just about anyone who wants it. I am just throwing out there another option, one that I have put together, it's a great value. Whether you choose to utilize my camp, or another option, do something! Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

SpeedWorks has put a lot of time and money into making this camp something that is going to be very beneficial to anyone who can attend. This camp will feature riding and living at altitude for 5 days, working on mountain bike specific skills, learning from Professional cyclists and USA Cycling Certified Coaches who coach at several Talent ID Camps, and evening training and educational sessions. We are bringing in Licensed Dietician Nick Fischer of Fischer Nutrition to prepare meals (which are included in the camp pricing) and educate all of us on how to prepare quick and easy training meals. Lodging is also included, in an ideal setting in Granby, CO, centrally located to great trails, lots of dirt roads, and at altitude. You won't find any other 5-day camp that includes all of these great features for a price close to this! Help us fill the slots of this camp, share this with anyone who might be interested. If you're training for any races at altitude this year, this camp will be a benefit to you!

https://www.bikereg.com/leadville-training-camp
 
#21 ·
I live in CO at about 6000ft, and I still struggle a lot at altitudes over 9000ft. It's almost an instant loss of energy, the second I go past that 9k mark. I did Leadville last year, and I trained a ton at altitudes of 10k+, but knew I would still have a hard time. My coach recommended that I get there late morning on the day before the race. I arrived around 12 on Friday, did a quick 1.5 hr spin as soon as I arrived, went to bed early, woke up and had a great race in the morning. For me, the strategy of spending as little time as possible at altitude worked perfectly. I hardly noticed a difference in my breathing/effort levels, though I could have just had a good race day!
Anyway, for people like me who really struggle to adapt to changes in altitude, I think getting there as late as possible is best.
 
#22 ·
while not leadville I have attempted the Breck 100 and live at around 700 feet above sea level.

For me I showed up at the front range on thursday, then went up to Frisco/breck on friday. For me I just had no leg power and could just go slow.
I was able to ride sunday and monday after my attempt and was never totally dead, just slow feeling. This year I am going to flex my ability to work remote and show up 2 weeks ahead of time. For me I would have liked to do 3 weeks, but the ability to justify the cost broke down past 2 weeks for me. I have been out west on ski trips and was feeling better by the end.

Remember to have a good time out there. While slow I had a smile on my face, I had no horrible regrets just a longing to go back. Good luck
 
#23 ·
I did Leadville several years ago when I lived in the Midwest. 3 weeks prior to race day will take a big bite out of total acclimation (and is pretty impractical), or as others have said, as close to the gun as possible. 2-3 days before is probably exactly wrong and is what I did the first time. I have also done it as a Colorado resident and there was no comparison regarding the effects of altitude. Major effect the first time, not so much the second.
There won't be accommodations available in Leadville now unless you can camp. You could fly into Eagle County, it is closer, but likely more expensive than Denver. Also, Eagle (airport in Gypsum) is 2-ish hours from Buena Vista if you're planning on staying there.
Race prep.-- be as lean as possible, body fat is dead weight at altitude; proper hydration prior to the race, good sleep 2-3 days before, you'll get up very early on race day. Get to the line as early as possible for the best corral position possible. The race starts in town with 4 miles of wide, fast pavement. Then it funnels to a much narrower climb up St. Kevins which will be a log jam and can cause cut off time issues at Twin Lakes. It will be chilly in the early AM before the race. Figure out eating and drinking on the bike, and have fun! It's a great event in a classic mountain location.
 
#24 ·
I guess it all depends on your goal(s) but acclimatizing is probably WAY more important for pros and returning riders who failed but were right on the cusp of getting their 9hr/12hr buckles than for Joe MidPack who will finish in 10 hrs or so. Which rider are you? I wouldn't sweat it if the latter. And it is not a technical race that requires pre rides - big wide climbs and big wide descents.

I came from sea level a week out and while I was riding climbs a cog or two lower I was still able to buckle pretty easily. And despite the altitude most hundies I have done take an hour or so longer for me as they have single track and techy bits while LV is largely a fire road ride.

I wouldn't sweat it.
 
#25 ·
Just got back from Leadville. I did 8hrs 49mins. Reached my goal but really suffered at powerline on the way back. Big, big energy drop. The mistake I made was not stopping at the pipeline aid station. I did not realize it will be close to 3hrs between twin lakes and the carter aid station....but that is a different story.

Regarding this post, I stayed in Salida Thursday night and in Buena Vista the night before the race. I believe exposing to 10k ft until race day was the right approach as both my wife and I really had trouble sleeping the night after the race. I believe arriving one day earlier than what we did or staying in Leadville instead of Salida and Buena Vista would have accelerated the process and would have made it worst.
 
#26 ·
I know this thread is old but it's still relevant. I arrive 7 days in advance and have found that the first few days I feel it (the altitude) since I live at 700' above sea level but then things get better each day. I have no problem sleeping there as others have mentioned though but I do drink much more water for sure. Also I drink beet juice all the time (not just at Leadville) so I feel that helps too ....Myself I turn it in to a vacation -- I camp @ Sugarloafin in a tent(gets down to 30 at night) and just do 1 or two rides up st. kevins and hagermans/sugarlaf mtn on monday/tuesday then the rest of the week I stay level for the most part and ride up to leadville (3 or 4 miles) in super granny gear mode to just spin or ride over to the trout hatchery etc. ;)

Will be there again this year on the 7th and am looking forward to it already!!
 
#27 ·
Going to chime in with a different approach and logic.
I have never done a race at altitude, including LV.
2 years ago I climbed kilimanjaro (just under 20,000 ft)
the guides give you a pulse/oximiter test 2x a day. Myself and a friend who also does IMs were the two best in the group.
the studies of Kili (the gov't makes the guides give them all the data)show that a 7 day trek (summit on day 6) has a 95%+ success rate vs a 6 day Trek(around 80%)
the philosophy is "hike high, sleep low)
the days work out like this:
Day 1 - hike to & sleep at roughly 9500
Day 2 - hike to & sleep at roughly 13,500
Day 3 - hike to 15,400 & sleep at 13,900
Day 4 - hike to 14,900 & sleep at 14,200
Day 5 - Hike to & sleep at 15,600
Day 6 - wake up at 11:30PM (day 5) and hike to summit, spend 30 minutes there a sunrise and then high tail it down to camp, rest/nap 2 hours) then down to 9000'

using this idea, my plan is to get to Denver the 1 week before the race, hang in Boulder for the weekend where I have friends doing the IM.
Monday, drive to Vail or LV.
Tuesday - hike an easy 14er.
Weds ride up to top of vail or course recon on LV course.
Thrs - hike another 14er
Fri - course recon...
anyone have any thoughts on this?
 
#29 ·
I like the progressive approach to your altitude acclimation plan. Makes sense. Just make sure you don't over work those legs prior to race day. I did LV this past year for the second time. I rolled into Albuquerque at 5kft the Sunday night before the race. Monday I went to Salida at 7kft. Tuesday to Leadville and I rode the St. Kevins and Sugarloaf climbs and down Powerline. Camped just outside of town that night and Wednesday night. Wednesday I rode easy between the Pipeline aid station and Twin Lakes aid station and back. Headed to Breckenridge at 9.6kft Thursday. Did a ride there that took me up to about 11kft. Slept there that night. Back to Leadville Friday. Only did an easy spin with some short accelerations Friday pre-race. Then legs up for the rest of the day. Altitude and breathing felt fine during the race. Legs felt very good until about mile 46 on Columbine where I started cramping. I had cramping issues in my races all year. No matter what I tried I wasn't able to solve it. Getting back to the finish was a struggle to hold the cramps at bay. Ended up finishing in 10:08. Had finished in 9:34 in 2013 and came to the 2015 race stronger than I have ever been and ready to break 9 hours but the legs didn't cooperate.
 
#28 ·
looks like you are taking care of the altitude issue! Depending on how thorough your recon is on Friday if you haven't already I would watch the LV set of videos recorded by a racer recording for Trail Genius 2 years ago which has full video coverage (front view / rear view) -- Here is video #1 of the series to start with -- Total over over 10 hours of video but I found it very valuable to watch.... Been there twice and will be back again this year!

good luck with your seasons preparations and with the race!
 
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