Leadville Trail 100 Fueling Plan & Pace Chart

Leadville Fueling Strategy

Leadville is a race against altitude. At 10,000+ feet, your body burns more calories, absorbs nutrients less efficiently, and suppresses your appetite. The runners who finish strong are the ones who forced themselves to eat when they didn't feel like it.

The race starts at 4am in downtown Leadville (10,152 ft). It's dark and cold (often 30-40°F). Your stomach is barely awake. Start with easy calories: warm oatmeal before the start, then sip a calorie-dense drink for the first hour. Don't try to hit your full calorie target immediately. Ramp up over the first 2-3 hours as your body wakes up and adjusts.

Miles 1-24 (Leadville to Outward Bound and on to Twin Lakes): The trail is runnable and you're mostly descending or on moderate terrain. This is your best fueling window before Hope Pass. Target 250-300 calories per hour. Use a mix of gels and real food. Your crew access at Twin Lakes (mile 24/76) should have everything prepped: bottles refilled, food options ready, sodium supplements.

Hope Pass (miles 24-35) is the crux. You climb from 9,200 feet at Twin Lakes to 12,600 feet at the summit, then descend to Winfield (mile 50). Above 11,000 feet, your appetite drops significantly. Don't fight this with gels. Carry easily digestible food: gummy bears, pretzels, Pringles, and broth at the top. Take small bites frequently rather than forcing a full gel. Target 150-200 calories per hour on the climb.

At the Winfield turnaround (mile 50), you eat, refuel, and prepare to climb Hope Pass again. This is your most important aid station stop. Take 5-10 minutes. Eat real food. Drink broth. Refill everything. The runners who rush through Winfield pay for it on the return trip over Hope Pass.

Hope Pass return (miles 50-60): You're climbing the pass again, this time on tired legs. It's usually afternoon now, and if thunderstorms hit (common in August), you'll be above treeline in lightning with nowhere to hide. Cold rain at altitude destroys your appetite further. Carry emergency calories (a concentrated bottle or calorie-dense bar) that you can consume even when solid food sounds terrible.

Miles 60-76 (back to Twin Lakes and on to Outward Bound): You're descending and the altitude pressure eases. Many runners find their appetite returns below 10,000 feet. This is a great time to rebuild your calorie stores. Eat at the aid stations. Take a gel when you can. Your body has been in calorie deficit for hours and will use everything you give it.

The final 24 miles back to Leadville are runnable but you've been going for 18-24+ hours. Stick with whatever your stomach accepts: Coke, broth, gels if they're still working, real food at crew access points. The goal is maintaining forward progress, not hitting a nutrition target.

Night fueling at Leadville requires special preparation. You'll run through two nights if you're on a 25+ hour pace. Cold temperatures suppress thirst, and headlamp running is disorienting. Carry warm fluids in an insulated bottle. Hot broth from aid stations is worth its weight in gold at 2am at 10,000 feet.

Sodium is critical at altitude. You're breathing harder (losing more fluid through respiration) and sweating at a rate you may not notice in cool mountain air. Target 400-600mg sodium per hour throughout the race. Many Leadville veterans carry S-caps and take one every 30-45 minutes regardless of how they feel.