Leadville 100 Training Plan
The Leadville 100 is one of the hardest one-day mountain bike races in the world. High altitude, long climbs, and relentless terrain turn even small mistakes into big problems. Training for it isn’t about surviving the day. It’s about preparing your body to stay steady for hours, handle spikes in effort, and still have something left at mile 90.
Race Overview
- Location: Leadville, Colorado
- Elevation: 10,152 ft at the start, with extended time above 11,000 ft
- Distance: 104 miles
- Total climbing: ~11,000 ft
- Surface: Mostly fire roads + doubletrack with a few rougher sections
- Timing: Held every August
At this altitude, power drops for everyone. The riders who perform well are those who spend most of the day in control, stay mentally calm, and keep fueling when others forget to.
What This Plan Targets
To ride well in Leadville, you need more than fitness. You need durability. The plan focuses on:
- Aerobic endurance: Long Zone 2 rides that raise your floor so you can stay steady for hours.
- Threshold resilience: Sustained tempo and threshold work to handle climbs like Columbine and Powerline without blowing up.
- High-altitude pacing skills: Controlled intensity so you avoid the “first-hour trap” where riders push sea-level power and detonate early.
- Strength and stability: Sessions to protect your back, hips, and hands from 7+ hours of vibration and climbing.
- Fueling practice: Real-world nutrition strategy baked into long days so race nutrition feels automatic.
The goal isn’t to hit peak numbers. It’s to build a body that can ride strong, stay consistent, and avoid late-race collapse.
Who This Plan Is For
This plan is built for riders who want a structured, realistic path into Leadville with coaching. You don’t need to be a full-time athlete. You just need steady weeks, discipline on the easy days, and the ability to hit key long rides. We're here to take that journey with you.
What You’ll Get
- Clear weekly structure: 2 quality sessions, the rest easy
- Progressive long rides that simulate the demands of Leadville
- Race-specific prep for climbing, altitude pacing, and late-race fatigue
- A sustainable workload you can hold for months, not just one big week
Start Training
Leadville rewards riders who show up durable, fueled, and calm. Tap into the structure, hit the rhythm, and give yourself the best chance to ride strong from the red carpet at the start to the red carpet at the finish.