Leadville, The 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race Podcast p/b Shimano

An interesting — and confusing — story came out in the Leadville Herald Democrat late last week. In this episode, we untangle the story and lay out our best guesses for what significant changes are actually in store for the 2024 LT100. Then for our main feature we bring back show favorite Dr Justin Ross to talk about what it really means to dig deep, and how understanding this very real phenomenon can help you have a successful day...

If you're 40+ years old and racing the the Leadville 100, you're in good company: a LARGE majority of folks lining up this August are Masters racers, and our podcast survey at the beginning of this season shows that 80% of our listeners fit in this group (it goes without saying that both of the hosts are). So we're very excited to have two true experts join us for this episode: Joe Friel -- the author of The Cyclist's Training Bibl...

Without question, the Leadville 100 is about the location. And it's about fitness. And it's about nutrition. And it's about the people. But really, when you think about it — before, during, and after the race — it's about the climbs. Face it, your reaction and conjured mental image when hearing the words "columbine" and "powerline" are already vastly different than 99.99% of the people in the world. So in this episode, we talk abou...

This episode is all about numbers. First off, Fatty says there are four key numbers you must know when racing the Leadville 100, but they aren't the ones people put on their top tubes. Next, Jonathan Lee of TranierRoad joins to help you get ininto the zone -- your training zone, of course -- and how to understand and incorporate zones into your training. And finally, Hottie has a chat with USWE about their newish pack and we discus...

We're excited to have Coach Hunter Allen—who has worked with Jeremiah Bishop and dozens of the Leadvilles—join us to talk about a crucial (and often overlooked) component to your success in leadville: pedaling. Trust us, it’s more than just turning the cranks. In Fatty's Finishing Tips, Elden tells you to lighten up...but in a good, non-judgey way that will make a real difference in your race. And finally, we're outrageously excite...

Hottie and Fatty are joined by 2022 Leadville 100 champ Hannah Otto — one of the busiest professional bike racers in recent years. Between juggling UCI races, the Lifetime Grand Prix, and the occasional FKT, Hannah stays fast, smart, and positive: skills all Leadville racers should try to emulate.

In this episode, Hannah talks us through both her prior Leadville 100 races AND walks us through a new approach. While none of us could ...

By now you know whether you got into the 2024 Leadville 100. If you did (and even if you didn't), now is the time to do a baseline FTP test, so you can measure your progress through the season (and yes, Fatty reveals his own current FTP). Coach Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad -- a favorite friend of the show -- joins to talk about the why, how, and what of FTP testing.

We also introduce a new segment for this new season: Fatty's Tips f...

In this mini-episode, Hottie and Fatty encourage you to enter the lottery for the 2024 LT100...but also, to not expect to get in the race that way. We dig into what the surefire ways are to get in, what the tradeoffs are, and strategies to get in that cost less (but are also less certain) or that require more time and patience. Also, we have a request as we plan out Season 7 (!!!) of this show: fill out our listener survey at leadv...

We've never raced the Leadville 100 with a power meter, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. There's a lot to be learned from racing with power, and a good case to be made for it. Coach Jonathan Lee of TrainerRoad joins us to make that case. 

We also take on the question of whether it's worth the time and travel for flatlanders to spend less time in Leadville, and more at a midway point (altitude-wise) like Denver. For once,...

At some point, you're going to wish you'd listened more closely to this episode. And we're betting that point is as you're riding inbound from Pipeline to the base of Powerline and confronting a headwind that can charitably be called "evil." The fact is, we all think about iconic climbs when we think of Leadville, but you'll spend far more time on rolling and flat terrain than you will on Columbine and Powerline. So: being aero mat...

This podcast has always been about regular people who are racing the Leadville 100: real people with real jobs and families, who find a way to do something big and bold: ride the highest and hardest one-day race in the country. 

Natalie Dyksterhouse is doing exactly that. She has a career (as does her husband). She has two young children. And this year, she will be racing the LT100 for the first time. 

But while ANYONE who does thi...