Leadville, US · August 2026
Leadville Trail 100 Run
Leadville Trail 100 Run pacing strategy with effort-based splits, nutrition timing, and course-specific risk notes for the 160.9 km ultra.
- Distance
- 160.90 km
- Elevation gain
- 3980 m
- Typical temp
- 0–24 °C
- Cutoff
- 30:00:00
The short version
A brutal course
- ▸Big climbing day — 3980 m up. Pace the ascents on effort, not the clock.
- ▸Low sun in your eyes around km 121–127 — bring a cap or shades.
- ▸Full overhead sun from km 55 — sunscreen and run the shaded side.
Next edition
22 August 2026
Typical race-day conditions
0–24 °C
We lock the real forecast into your plan in race week.
Course difficulty
BrutalDriven by 3980 m of climbing, altitude up to 3821 m, 3980 m of quad-pounding descent. Harder than Lavaredo Ultra Trail (10.0), easier than MIUT Madeira Island Ultra-Trail (10.0) — tougher than 87% of the races we cover.
Race data quality
Medium confidence
Last verified: 24/05/2026
Altitude and headline vertical are modeled. Segment-level course pressure remains approximate until official GPX and aid station timing are imported.
Elevation profile
Verified profile
Paid strategy guardrail
Official race packet remains source of truth
Step 1 · Free preview
See the course-adjusted plan first
Enter one recent result. The preview returns course cost, first splits, and fuel target from the deterministic engine and the current course data model.
VDOT
49.1
Estimate
16:29:31
Course cost
+238:59
Fuel target
90 g/h
First 5 km preview
full race locked
- km 15:06
- km 25:01
- km 35:03
- km 45:05
- km 55:14
First race free · then €7 Race Pass · no monthly subscription
Uses an approximate course model; verify final logistics against the official race packet.
Step 2 · Your full Leadville Trail 100 Run plan
The preview shows the shape. The plan races it for you.
Course preview
Free
what you see now
- ✓Difficulty score & course data
- ✓Course-cost & toughest km
- ✓Your first full plan free, ever
Race Pass
€7
one-time, this race
- ✓Every km split, weather-adjusted
- ✓Nutrition & fluid timeline
- ✓Heat, wind & sun race tactics
- ✓Danger zones + watch file (GPX)
- ✓Race-week forecast & reminders
Annual
€19
per year, every race
- ✓Everything in Race Pass
- ✓Unlimited races, all year
- ✓Re-plan as your fitness changes
No subscription required — one race is a one-off €7. Cancel anytime on Annual.
Continue with approximate course data →Course elevation
3980 m total gain · 3980 m loss · max 3821 m, min 2810 m.
Fly the course
Sun & shade
Sun in your eyes
22 km
Sun on your back
17 km
Side / overhead
73 km
Expect low sun roughly in your eyes around km 121–127 — pack a peaked cap or shades; low glare hides kerbs and potholes. From km 55 the sun sits high overhead — peak UV and radiant heat, so keep sunscreen on and run the shaded side of the road where you can.
Approximate — solar position from the route geometry and a 04:00:00 start (timezone estimated from longitude), for a mid-pack finishing time.
Signature sections
Hope Pass double crossing · km 70–96
The central climb-descent-climb sequence decides the day; pace by breathing and hiking efficiency.
Aid stations
13 stations on course — plan your fueling around them.
Race overview
Leadville is a high-altitude 100-miler where sea-level fitness converts poorly without altitude adjustment. Hope Pass is the tactical center of the race, but the real constraint is keeping effort under control from the first climb so that the final marathon remains runnable.
How hard is this course?
Reference table — how the Leadville Trail 100 Run compares to a flat sea-level course for four typical fitness levels. Computed from the route profile, mean course altitude, and typical race-week climate (12 °C / 45 % humidity). Your personal strategy uses your VDOT, per-km splits, nutrition timing, and the typical climate baseline for this static sample; paid strategies use Open-Meteo when a verified race date is inside the forecast window.
| Runner | Flat-course finish | Leadville Trail 100 Run finish | Course cost | Adjusted pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (VDOT 35) | 16:23:31 | 21:36:41 | +31.8% | 6:46/km |
| Intermediate (VDOT 45) | 13:24:42 | 17:40:56 | +31.8% | 5:32/km |
| Trained (VDOT 50) | 12:19:11 | 16:14:32 | +31.8% | 5:05/km |
| Competitive (VDOT 60) | 10:37:44 | 14:00:48 | +31.8% | 4:23/km |
Reference nutrition
For a 70 kg runner finishing in 16:14:32 at 12 °C. Adjust to your weight and tolerance — these are ISSN-window targets, not prescriptions.
- Carbs / hour
- 90 g
- Total carbs
- 1462 g
- Fluid / hour
- 640 ml
- Sodium / hour
- 500 mg
FAQ
How should I pace Leadville Trail 100 Run?
Treat the preview as an effort plan, not a fixed road-marathon pace table. The course model includes 4800 m of climbing, so climbs, descents, heat, and aid-station timing matter more than average pace.
How reliable is the current course data?
Altitude and headline vertical are modeled. Segment-level course pressure remains approximate until official GPX and aid station timing are imported.
Get your personalized strategy
The numbers above are samples. Sign up free and get the full Leadville Trail 100 Run strategy from your VDOT, the current course model, Open-Meteo race-week forecast when available, and your nutrition preferences.
First race free · €7 per additional race · €19/yr for unlimited
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New to trail and ultra pacing? Start with our trail and ultra pacing guide or run the VDOT calculator.