EB's Leadville Race Plan *gulp*
Leadville 100MTB
Total Elevation: A crapload.
FTP: 203w
FTHR: 162
Training Leading Up:
If you’ve been following along my journey with this event, you’ll know the background. I’ve had a successful build since the Spring with one epic Race Rehearsal at the Tahoe Trail 100k in July. I was happy with my nutrition and goal setting for that race. I was even happier for the humbling experience and reminder of how a race will always give you unwanted variables you’ve got to work with to make it to that finish line. Tahoe Race PLAN and REPORT.
GEAR:
- Wearing EN Castelli kit
- Specialized EPIC Full Suspension
- Maxxis Ikon 2.35 front 2.2 on rear
- PSI: 17 in front 18 in rear
- Saddlebag: 1 spare tube, levers, 2x 20g CO2, inflator head, tubeless patch bullet, dollar bill.
- Road helmet
- Smart Lens Glasses
- Full finger gloves
- Thicker sole socks
- Arm coolers
- Wind vest (for start)
- *Possible knee covers
- MTB shoes
- HR Monitor
- Thin neck gator for dust
- Rain Jackets, surgical gloves, shower cap in each hydration pack for storms/hail/snow
EB’s Projected Splits for a 10:00 hour finish time:
(Guessing I will cross start line around 6:34 am)
Pipeline Outbound(mile 26): 8:49am
Twin Lakes Outbound(mile 40): 9:44am
Columbine Climb Turnaround(mile 50): 11:34am
Twin Lakes Inbound(mile 60): 5hrs 45min: 12:19pm
Pipeline Inbound(mile 74): 6hrs 50min: 1:24pm
Projected finish time is 4:30 - 5:00 pm
NUTRITION:
Start to Twin Lakes Outbound - 40 miles: (252 calories per hour, pacing for 3 hours 10 min)
- 1.5 litres SKRATCH (4 scoops 320 calories for 2.5 hours)
- 24 oz btl water on the downtube
- 2 Luna Bars - (190 calories) open and broken for easy eating access
- 1 pack Gatorlytes 1 sleeve Clif blocks and 1 Espresso Gu *just in case*
- EAT PB & Pickle Sandwich at TL (245 calories -- hope to eat at stop)
Twin Lakes Out to Twin Lakes Inbound - 20 miles: (255 calories per hour, pacing for 2 hours 35 min)
- 1.5 litres SKRATCH (4 scoops 320 calories for 2.5 hours)
- 24 oz btl water on the downtube
- 2 Gu Stroopwaffle - (280 calories) open and broken for easy eating access
- 1 pack Gatorlytes 1 sleeve Clif blocks and 1 Espresso Gu *just in case*
Twin Lakes Inbound to Pipeline - 14 miles: (250 calories per hour,)
- 1.5 litres Gu Roctane (500 calories for over 3 hours)
- 2 24 oz btl of water on the downtube
- PB & Jelly Sandwich (eat on-road)
Pipeline/Carter Aid/FINISH: (whatever it takes, ha! OR 250 calories per hour for just over 3.5 hours)
- Snickers (250 calories for the bottom of Powerline)
- 2 espresso Gu’s (200 calories)
- 6 Clif Blocks (200 calories)
- Coke at Carter Aid (140 calories)
- Fill 1 water bottle at Carter Aid
- 1 Maple Syrup Coffee-Infused for before Boulevard (100 calories)
- Gatorlytes in case of emergency cramping
DROP BAGS:
Pipeline:
- 1.5 pre-mixed bottle with Gu Roctane
- 1 24 oz water bottle
- Small Ziploc with cold-ish Snickers, Gu, Blocks
- Extra tube, lube, towel, 2 CO2
Twin Lakes (with Crew):
- 1.5 pre-mixed bottle with Gu Roctane
- 1 24 oz water bottle
- CO2, tubes, lube, towel, tools
Columbine:
- Jacket
- Warmer gloves
- Knee Covers
RACE WEEK:
Sunday: Arrive in Avon for the night after the long road trip.
Monday: Arrive in Leadville around 4:00pm.
Tuesday: Easy spin for about an hour .69 IF maybe?
Wednesday: Ride Columbine with Leadville Podcast Crew. I have tickets to see their panel discussion this evening as well.
Thursday:
Move into Leadville house. Jay and full Leadville crew will be there around lunchtime. I’ll plan to go that afternoon to packet pick up around 3:30pm.
Dinner and crew run through Thursday night at AirBnb
Friday:
10:00 am - Final Briefing (Lake County High School Gymnasium 1000 West 4th St.)
3:30 pm - Supplies drop off for drop bags (Lake County Courthouse Lawn 5th & Harrison Ave.)
RACE PLAN:
3:30 am - Ring a ling wake up alarm
Breakfast: ( 600 calories, just under 200 calories an hour before start )
- 24 oz water bottle with 1 scoop of Scratch. (80 calories)
- ½ c Quick Oats, Protein powder, berries. (272 calories)
- 2 rice cakes with PB. (290 calories)
- 2 cups of coffee with a protein shake as creamer. (70 calories)
5:30 am - Get to start to get my bearings, line up in the corral area
6:34 am - GUN TIME
Ugh the part I can’t copy and paste.
I’ve broken the course down by aid stations for my split times so I can know ballpark where I am for the day. I’ve also loaded the course in my Garmin, and plan to have the screen read *to next turn* on the front page. Small achievable goals for me to look forward to, I guess.
As with my Tahoe race, I plan to race around 143 NP for the first half of the race (.70 IF) and then turn on the hot sauce if I have legs left at Mile 80 or the Powerline Climb. I’m thinking that if I ride at a bit above my IM IF, this will help pace me for a successful race at altitude. I’ll also see what my HR decides to do. When I was out for training camp, it seemed to be around 10 bpm lower than when I am training at home. This tells me I will need to focus on staying in the 130s (low 140s on climbs) as best I can for the first half of the race, even if I feel I can push harder. I’ll then let it work on up from mile 80 to home.
Pipeline Outbound(mile 26): 8:49am I’ll have 1.5 liters of Skratch on my back and a 24oz bottle of water on my downtube. I was thinking to bypass Pipeline Aid and get to Twin Lakes? I plan to carry enough food (+1 incase of dropping) to avg around 250 calories per hour.
Twin Lakes Outbound(mile 40): 9:34am I’ll meet the crew at the designated area. Pull up and stay straddling my bike while they
- Give me a sandwich while they:
- Take my pack off, give me a new pack
- Take the trash out of my pockets and bento
- Add new nutrition
- Add new bottle on the downtube GO -- hopefully in less than a minute to do this? We’ll test it out on Thursday before race.
Columbine Climb Turnaround(mile 50): 11:44am I do not plan to stop at the top of Columbine. If anything, I’ll plan to eat Gu Stroopwaffle at the top. Turn around and get back down SAFELY to Twin Lakes.
Twin Lakes Inbound(mile 60): 5hrs 45min: 12:19pm
Similar to before, my crew will be ready
- Switch pack back to my other hydration pack with a rain jacket.
- Hand me PB&J while they:
- Empty trash and replace Bento with new nutrition (all labelled in Ziploc bags)
- Whatever doesn’t fit in my bento will go into my back pocket.
- Replace water bottle in cage with a new one.**
- I’ll plan to take advantage of the road here and try to eat and drink. Especially my water bottle. **This is where I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth carrying two water bottles to drink while on the road, OR drinking one and then grabbing one that’s in my drop bag at Pipeline? I’ll have enough food and drink calories to hopefully get me to Carter Aid.
Pipeline Inbound(mile 74): 6hrs 50min: 1:44pm
- Depending on what I decide about this stop, I might use it to fill my water bottle before Powerline Climb
- I plan to stop at Carter Aid to chug a quick Coke and top off my hydration pack with Gu Roctane.
Projected finish time is 4:30 - 5:00 pm
Comments
@Emily Brinkley I made a few comments in the GroupMe.
This is where I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth carrying two water bottles to drink while on the road, OR drinking one and then grabbing one that’s in my drop bag at Pipeline?
I say have both water bottles with you in case one gets launched.... never know.
So psyched for you, EB. Follow your plan and the process, keep emotion out of it until you're approaching the finish. Don't try to steal time by pushing safety boundaries; steal time on the downhills and by not stopping for longer than the 1 min per aid station as you have planned. You've ridden the course a couple of times, so you know you CAN (and will) do it. On race day, though, I suspect the real race will begin at Mile 80. Get yourself to 80 as efficiently as possible, with some gas left in the tank, and then go to work. At 98, you'll still have 5 to go, and it's all steep and straight up to the finish. Empty the tank and, regardless of the outcome, celebrate the opportunity and accomplishment with your crew at the finish.
MR
Emily,
Got excited just reading your race plan! Sounds like you have a great plan in place. Good Luck and stay safe!!
Jennifer
I love the peanut butter and pickle sandwhich! Good Skill cya soon!
Bucket list item for me....so excited to follow along.
By all accounts your are primed and ready to go. You've got the controllables covered. Here's to the uncontrollables falling in your favor as well!
Have fun! You are ready!
So excited for you! Race well and have fun!
looks well though out.
have a great one.
EB, it's been fun following your Leadville journey this year. Know that you've done everything possible to setup a solid outcome. Now is the time to believe: in your training, your bike handling and in your mental toughness. Can't wait to see you out there!