This race has been on my bucket list since 2001 and I started racing MTB endurance events. After a long technical story on how I got an entry – thanks Jon, and a deferred year from 2025 to 2026, I eventually lined up on the start line in 2026.
Our trip started in Tuesday flying from Charlotte to Denver, then a 1.5 hour drive to Copper where we were staying until Sunday. After dropping our luggage at the house, and building our bikes we immediately drove another 35 mins up to Leadville to get in a short shakeout ride after the long day of travel. I quickly realized why this place is so special. Beautiful scenery, miles of trails and dirt roads and quirky people.
The week was filled with pre-rides, a drive and climb up Columbine, and then all the way down.
There is something special about the town, which you only start to realize when you go to the rider briefing. It is everything to them. From school teachers, the sherif or countless locals, everyone seems to be a part of the Leadville Race family. This part of the country is beautiful, and it comes alive when the 1,500 odd MTB racers visit the town.
The day before the race I spent some time off my feet and sight seeing around the area.
Race day came quick and while it had a few challenges – with my SRAM AXS derailleur battery dying within the first 40 mins, a good samaritan came to my rescue after grinding to the top of St. Kevins and then spinning all the way down. He gave me a replacement and I picked mine up from our crew in and returned the battery to him.
Aside from another dead battery the race was fairly uneventful which is not bad for over 7:36 of racing. A long day but one I will never forget. Not just the racing, but the camaraderie, new friends, the best scenery, the finish line, the bike wash at the end, and the couscous bowl.
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