Lunacy in Leadville

I awoke in a stupor in the pitch black of my tent to the faint sounds of cheers and claps. It was 5am. Grabbing my camera, I walked down the footpath and stumbled onto the sight of hundreds of headlamps snaking around Turquoise Lake, the sound of athletic shoes hitting the dirt, the adrenaline palpable on this very early August morning. The sight was incredible, but even more amazing was that these runners were only just beginning: they were about 7 miles into a hundred mile race known as the Leadville Trail 100. Welcome to the world of ultra-endurance running...

Running the Leadville Trail 100 is a brutal undertaking. Racers start at 10,200 feet at 4am in the town of Leadville, Colorado, run up and down rugged mountain trails, including the formidable Hope Pass at 12,6oo feet, cross streams and endure whatever weather comes their way, only to backtrack and run back over the same trails for the last 50 miles, all (hopefully) within the 30-hour time limit. They risk altitude sickness, hypothermia, hypoxia, dehydration, extreme fatigue, blisters and pain that will last far longer than the duration of the race.

When I first found out my friend Andy was planning to do this, my first thought was, of course, that he might be insane. But I also had questions: Do you sleep? How do you eat? Do you stop at all? How do you carry water and supplies? Why on earth are you doing this?! Bitten by the curiosity bug, I decided to follow my frirend on his intrepid journey and try to show other mere mortals what takes place during such a race.

As I looked around the 6th Street Gym in Leadville the day before the race, I was surprised by the variety of people who were signed up to run: men and women of every shape, size, color and age. Endurance runners from all over the country and all over the world descend on this little Colorado mining town to test their abilities. One thing they did all have in common was a serious lack of body fat.

Most of the runners are in their 30s or older, some well into their 70s. They have time and patience on their sides when it comes to endurance. They are willing to train every week, as Andy did, taking time away from their families who support their efforts, as crazy as they might be. Family and friends act as support crew during the race and meet their runners at various aid stations along the route, making sure they have what they need in terms of food, liquids, and changes of clothes.

Of the 647 starters in this race, 363 finished in under 30 hours. I saw people with bloodied limbs, some no longer able to stand and being carried out, and a few getting horribly sick on the side of the road. But why undertake something like this in the first place? Perhaps some are running away from somthing. A lot of people do it because they truly love to run. Some do it to compete against other runners, but most are working on personal goals, to push a little harder, run a little faster, and to see what they can accomplish.

The reward for all of this effort: a small medal, a silver and gold belt buckle, and maybe a sweatshirt. But most importantly, they are rewarded in having tried and succeeded at something that is beyond the comprehension of most of us.

Andy made it across the finish line in the cold, dark, early morning of August 22nd, within his goal of 25 hours. It wasn't easy and his quads were screaming, but he made it and can have the satisfaction of accomplishing the incredible feat of running for 100 miles and joining an elite group of athletes in the process. It truly is remarkable what the human body, mind and spirit can do when pushing through limitations. Congratulation, Andy, and all the runners of the Leadville Trail 100!

"You're better than you think you are - you can do more than you think you can." -- Leadville Trail 100 founder Ken Chlouber.

To see more photos of the Leadville Trail 100, click here.