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

What comes down must first go up. This universal truth has a terrible price you're going to pay this August in this out-and-back race. As you climb Kevens, Sugarloaf, Columbine, the Powerline and more, it will be painfully obvious that you've got to carry every single pound up every single climb. So how do you take the sting out of this equation? Lighten up, obviously? The question is, is the obvious thing the right thing? We've got experts in this episode to help you find the line and make smart scale-based decisions.

We are getting deep into the second half of the season, and that means it's time for you to start working on your Leadville 100 dress rehearsals. In this episode, Fatty walks you through his first dress rehearsal for this year's race. This is a can't-miss tip for anyone who wants to succeed at this demanding race. Hottie and Fatty then share their first reactions to the new course, corral, and crew changes, sharing our best-guess recommendations to racers and crews. Finally, be sure to stick around for interviews with Skratch and Kenetik, two of the nutrition sponsors of this race. 

Life Time has just announced some significant changes for the Leadville 100 that will likely impact your race. And if you have a crew coming along, these changes will DEFINITELY impact their day. Race Director Tamira Jenlink joins Hottie and Fatty to lay out the what and why for these changes. 

Many of us have been captivated by the first three seasons of the "From the Ground Up" video series, following new mountain bikers as they work to race The Leadville 100, with only a few months to prepare. Alexey Vermeulen and Ryan Petry are the creators of this project, and in the three seasons they've guided novice racers, they've learned a lot of lessons worth sharing. Also, be sure to listen in to Fatty's Finishing Tips, as he walks you through the finer points of managing the dozens of packets of food you're going to need to manage as you eat your way through the Leadville 100. 

It stands to reason that being a little lighter will help you get up Columbine and Powerline a little bit easier. Dr Kyle Pfaffenbach joins the show to give great guidance on how (and whether). You'll also want to be sure to listen in to our Fatty's Finishing Tips segment, where Fatty gives you 4 practical pointers for doing well on the hike-a-bike portions of this bike race.

It is new bike day on the show. We went to the Sea Otter Classic, roamed the expo, in hopes of finding a bike – or bikes – that are Leadville worthy. We found four. One that spares no expense, one high value full suspension, one hard tail with a recent Leadville win, and one that promises not to break the bank. For sure there are other brands and models that would make a great choice for Leadville but this was fun exercise and one we hope can help you narrow the field as you search for that Kevins, Sugar Loaf, Columbine, Powerline eating machine.