tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post6223532141740707159..comments2024-01-30T03:50:03.178-08:00Comments on Reinventing the Run: Catching Your Breath at 10,000': Leadville Trail 100 Mile RunIanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14399279117344851906noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-87610832081885679352010-09-01T10:19:40.495-07:002010-09-01T10:19:40.495-07:00Hey Ian,
Great write up on Leadville. I was the 3...Hey Ian,<br />Great write up on Leadville. I was the 3rd cog in the Arnstein crew - enjoyed all the BS with you at the aid stations waiting for Hal and Mike. Would have been a good time doing the beer mile Sunday morning in Leadville. Oh well, maybe next time. BTW, Arnstein won a marathon in 2:39 Tuesday morning after Leadville. <br /><br />I agree with the over population of the race. From a crew POV, the Winfield aid station and the runners having to navigate the 3 mile road was a mess. Something has to change there. Would be nice if there could be a trail through the pines instead of on the road????<br /><br />Take care,<br />ShawnShawnhttp://shawnleonard.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-10446030114878709962010-09-01T09:15:15.539-07:002010-09-01T09:15:15.539-07:00I agree, Nick Coury (pictured)and I were talking a...I agree, Nick Coury (pictured)and I were talking about it on this mornings run. Over twice as many people as when I did that race in 2006. It was crowded then. I think over half the people enter with NO intention of finishing or even going past TL. Big changes need to happen. Qualifying times, distances, and trail work should do the trick.azspeedgoathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09749976054655584987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-84067377375197743662010-08-30T08:58:37.592-07:002010-08-30T08:58:37.592-07:00Sad to hear confirmation about the number of parti...Sad to hear confirmation about the number of participants and the course. We had a couple of runners finish the race this year. Here's a quote from one's race report:<br /><br />Leadville, the town, is an awesome place. I encourage you all to go. Not sure how the race will change as it is now owned by a for-profit company, Lifetime Fitness. There were too many entrants this year and more trash than I have EVER seen on a trail course. It was disgusting! I feel very lucky to have done this race before it totally turns into a commercialized adventure and I will treasure for a lifetime this adventure that I had with the friends and family that I love so much. <br /><br /><a href="http://marvelousmud.blogspot.com/2010/08/leadville-100-mile-race-report.html" rel="nofollow">Full Report Here</a>Chuckhttp://www.killfile.org/~cbohallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-31803949899435992482010-08-28T09:58:48.007-07:002010-08-28T09:58:48.007-07:00Hey Ian. I read your report just after completing...Hey Ian. I read your report just after completing my Leadville DNF report. It definitely a magical race as far as scenery goes, but it really is a bit too big for it's britches so to speak. <br /><br />The dust and nastiness at Winfield was absolutely awful. I think that's what caused my sinuses to flare up. <br /><br />I was shocked when I signed up that they were literally taking anyone - no proving you've ran a 50 or anything. The only ramification for signing up were you had to be 21 (which I don't necessarily understand). No trail work requirements. It is TOO easy to sign up for this race!! I saw lots of people on the course there because of said book that were underprepared - one guy only ran a 10K before Leadville. This could really be dangerous if they let the race "grow". The trail erosion as you reach the top of hope pass made me wonder how long that route will even be available. <br /><br />That said, I can only review the race positively. It's the mountains I loved. And maybe because I hung on somewhere between mid pack and front, I didn't notice all the crowds until descending Hope for the first time. Still, the race has some learning to do before it should even try to continue at that size.Paulettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18393660755801578117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-68368240623385293962010-08-26T22:10:11.887-07:002010-08-26T22:10:11.887-07:00selling out is when you take money from as many pe...selling out is when you take money from as many people as possible, regardless of safety and and environmental impact. <br /><br />For an event to be around 28 years and not know its limitations is tantamount to "selling out."<br /><br />The way you came up with alternative solutions to the problem is nothing new and should have been considered by a competent organization. Now you may see how this blogger was concerned. <br /><br />I would be more concerned that new participants are being mislead that this was an ideal "ultra experience" when in fact it was nothing close to the hundreds of ultras that this blogger has been to and why we all gravitate to the sport and scene. <br /><br />hkRogue Valley Runnershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06656385810544117065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-90746730298849130262010-08-25T09:28:25.816-07:002010-08-25T09:28:25.816-07:00The fact that more folks are excited about ultraru...The fact that more folks are excited about ultrarunning is not an indicator of selling out. You can get excited about a book, but without tremendous work ethic and dedication, you don't show up at the starting line, much less arrive at the finish. <br /><br />I agree that WF was a mess, but Twin Lakes was fine (I spent much of the day there). There are alternative solutions to the WF problem (make it drop bag only, or have a bus for crews going out there). While a size cap is certainly not a bad idea, I think that it is important not to discourage new participants in the sport. <br /><br />As for the newbies, many of them are just as passionate and sincere in their interest as you are. It's not fair to judge simply because of when and how they developed their interest.Kieran McCarthyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11606919516884153997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-2205558801816042532010-08-24T19:16:18.362-07:002010-08-24T19:16:18.362-07:00TL/Winfield were shit. My runner and I were almos...TL/Winfield were shit. My runner and I were almost flattened by an F-250 coming out of Win and agree that the trail and wildlife back up hope were sadly trampled. Totally agree that something has to happen (bus transport for pacers and crew has worked well for WS I hear).trudginalonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07960282857443641699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-51924801093022005152010-08-24T15:40:29.656-07:002010-08-24T15:40:29.656-07:00Fantastic photos.Fantastic photos.Scott McMurtreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05879663957608177567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-16295494554107906302010-08-24T15:00:20.767-07:002010-08-24T15:00:20.767-07:00This was my first Pb so I can't compare. I did...This was my first Pb so I can't compare. I didn't have any real problems with cars luckily but you are spot on with the Hope Pass trail being too narrow to support so many runners and I was astounded to see the number of Gu packs on the ground. A DQ is waiting for you if you pull that crap in Texas. The bikers were worse; G and I picked up over 200 wrappers on Powerline alone on Tues b/f the race! WTF?zagbaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334403523152426974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-33858546517757459592010-08-24T14:34:16.378-07:002010-08-24T14:34:16.378-07:00LT100 has always been a civic moneymaker, so 650 o...LT100 has always been a civic moneymaker, so 650 or 6500 runners, no diff to Race Mgmt. It was a clusterfuck in '97, the last year I did it. <br /><br />But really, the fix was in for the '95 season, when they had the first LT100 MTB Race. The locals saw all these cars spangled with bike stickers, and saw $$$. By comparison runners are cheap fucks. How many roof-racks have shoes on them?<br /><br />Housing went thru the roof. In '94 I was able to rent a house for 5 days for $350. By '97 it was $700 for a ghetto flop. So I took my funds, bought a Bibler Awahnee, and camped out at Turquoise Lake for 3-1/2 weeks, saving the last 4 days in a house for my crew/pacer/girlfriend. No way I was going to tent it in the event of a DNF or rain.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05329770428943078577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8186839360851415836.post-70771800315429301932010-08-24T14:05:12.418-07:002010-08-24T14:05:12.418-07:00Totally agree that Leadville has outgrown its curr...Totally agree that Leadville has outgrown its current infrastructure. It was a total madhouse at Winfield and Twin Lakes. The real question is whether Lifetime fitness will step up and make the improvements that are needed to make this the stellar 100 miler it is. A couple thoughts on improvements.<br />- A cap of max 400 runners. Historically only 3/4 will show up and half will even finish.<br />- No cars at Winfield. Either have a bus that brings pacers only to Winfield or have the pacing start at Twin Lakes inbound.<br />- Crew vehicles only at AS. One runner, one crew vehicle.Gangelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02075418599300511906noreply@blogger.com