View source for Leadville Trail 100

{{Short description|Ultramarathon in Colorado}}
{{Infobox athletics race
| bgcolour      = white
| image         =  LeadvilleTrail100_race.png
| imagesize     = 240px
| caption       = 
| date          = August 18–19
| location      = [[Leadville, Colorado]]
| type          = [[Ultramarathon]] trail run
| distance      = {{convert|100|mi|km|adj=on}}
| beneficiary   = 
| est           = 1983
| record        = [[David Roche (runner)|David Roche]] 15:26:34 (2024); <br />[[Ann Trason]] 18:06:24 (1994)
| homepage      = {{URL|www.leadvilleraceseries.com/}}}}

The '''Leadville Trail 100 Run''' (aka '''The Race Across The Sky''' or the '''LT100''') is an [[ultramarathon]] held annually on rugged trails and dirt roads near [[Leadville, Colorado|Leadville]], [[Colorado]], through the heart of the [[Rocky Mountains]]. First run in 1983, the race course climbs and descends {{convert|15744|ft|m}}. In most years, fewer than half the starters complete the race within the 30-hour time limit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadville Trail 100 Run – Leadville Race Series |url=https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/run/leadvilletrail100run-2/#1677086773490-fad0dc3d-becd1677684132716 |access-date=2025-01-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Course==
The course is a {{convert|50|mi|km|adj=on}} out-and-back dogleg run primarily on the Colorado Trail, starting at {{convert|10200|ft|m}}.  The centerpiece of the course is the climb up to Hope Pass at {{convert|12532|ft|m}}, encountered on both the outbound trek and on the return.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leadville Trail 100 Run – Leadville Race Series |url=https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/run/leadvilletrail100run-2/#1677086773490-fad0dc3d-becd1677684132716 |access-date=2025-01-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History and records==
In the early 1980s Colorado Ultra Club president Jim Butera had the idea of creating a 100 mile run in Colorado. When Aspen and Vail showed no interest Butera found support by Lake County Commissioner Ken Chlouber to hold the event in Leadville as a way to bring in visitors after the closing of the Climax Molybdenum Mine. Butera designed the course and the first running was held on August 27–28, 1983, with Butera serving as race director with the assistance of Chlouber and Merilee Maupin.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/leadville-trail-100-run | title=Colorado Encyclopedia| date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

In 2001, the race organizers created the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting welfare of [[Lake County, Colorado|Lake County]] residents.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wibbenmeyer |first=Ann E. |date=2010-08-05 |title=LT 100 now part of Life Time Fitness |url=https://www.leadvilleherald.com/news/article_bf08237a-cb88-5bfd-9635-ef6810790db8.html |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The Herald Democrat |language=en}}</ref> In 2010, Chlouber sold the Leadville Trail organization and its associated events to [[Life Time Fitness]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wibbenmeyer |first=Ann E. |date=2010-08-05 |title=LT 100 now part of Life Time Fitness |url=https://www.leadvilleherald.com/news/article_bf08237a-cb88-5bfd-9635-ef6810790db8.html |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The Herald Democrat |language=en}}</ref>

Leadville is one of the four 100-milers in the United States that make up the "Western Slam", completing four western {{convert|100|mi|km|adj=on}} events:  the Leadville 100, the [[Western States Endurance Run|Western States 100]] in [[northern California]], the [[Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run|Wasatch Front 100]] in [[Utah]], and the [[Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run|Angeles Crest 100]] in [[southern California]].  Leadville is also a part of the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (the [[Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run|Vermont 100]], [[Western States Endurance Run|Western States 100]], Leadville and the [[Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run|Wasatch Front 100]], originally [[Old Dominion 100 Mile Endurance Run|Old Dominion 100]] instead of Vermont) and an optional part of the Rocky Mountain Slam ([[Hardrock 100]] plus three of four other races in the Rocky Mountains: Leadville, the [[Bear 100 Mile Endurance Run|Bear 100]], the [[Bighorn 100]], or the [[Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run|Wasatch Front 100]]). Leadville is also one of the valid qualifying events for the [[Western States Endurance Run|Western States 100]]. Unlike many other 100-mile races, Leadville has no qualifying standards. Entrance can be gained through an open lottery, via select qualifying races, through charitable donations, by signing up for coaching and/or the Leadville Run camp, or as a member of Life Time Fitness.<ref>{{Cite web |title=7 ways to gain entry into the 2023 Leadville Trail 100 MTB & RUN – Leadville Race Series |url=https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/6-ways-to-gain-entry-into-the-2023-leadville-trail-100-mtb-run/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Leadville was the venue for the [[United States of America|American]] debut of the [[Tarahumara]] runners of [[Mexico]]. In 1992 the Tarahumara first showed up to run outside their native environs. Wilderness guide Rick Fisher and ultra-runner Kitty Williams brought some of them to Leadville. However the experiment went bust. The problem, it turned out, was psychosocial, i.e. an unfamiliarity with the trail and the strange ways of the North. The Indians stood shyly at aid stations, waiting to be offered food. They held their flashlights pointed skyward, unaware that these "torches" needed to be aimed forward to illuminate the trail ahead. All five Tarahumara dropped out before the halfway point.<ref>Don Kardong in Runner's World, March 1995 v30 n3 p84(8)</ref> The Tarahumara teams came back in 1993 and 1994 and won the Leadville event outright both years. In 1993, 52-year-old Tarahumara runner Victoriano Churro came in first, followed by 41-year-old teammate Cerrildo in second. In 1994, a five-man Tarahumara team took on [[Ann Trason]]  in a much-publicized race in the ultrarunning community. Twenty-five-year-old Tarahumara runner Juan Herrera won in a record time of 17:30. His mark stood for 8 years until broken by Chad Ricklefs in 2002 (17:23), then again by Paul DeWitt in 2004, then again by [[Matt Carpenter (runner)|Matt Carpenter]] in 2005, and finally by [[David Roche (runner)|David Roche]] in 2024.

===Notable finishers===
The winner of the first race in 1983 was Skip Hamilton of Aspen, CO., in a time of 20:11:18

[[David Roche (runner)|David Roche]] is the current course record holder for the Leadville Trail 100 Race. His time of 15 hours, 26 minutes, and 34 seconds in 2024 shattered the 19 year record previously held by [[Matt Carpenter (runner)|Matt Carpenter]].

[[Ann Trason]] holds the female LT100 record, 18:06:24, which she set in 1994. Trason is widely recognized as one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time, and nearly won the race outright in 1994.
Charles Williams holds the record of the oldest man to ever complete the race, which he did at the age of 70 in 1999.  He was featured in the August 1999 issue of ''[[GQ]]'' magazine, which compared his training for the race to that of a professional football player.

Bill Finkbeiner became the first person to receive the "Leadville 2000-Mile Buckle" for twenty LT100 finishes in 2003. Finkbeiner has a total of 30 consecutive finishes, starting in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.auburnendurancecapital.com/athletebios.shtml |title=Auburn, CA - the Endurance Capital of the World |accessdate=2006-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615110519/http://www.auburnendurancecapital.com/athletebios.shtml |archive-date=2006-06-15 }}</ref> In 2014, Kirk Apt finished his 20th Leadville 100.  In 2019, Eric Pence finished his 25th Leadville 100, becoming the third person to earn 25 or more buckles, along with Finkbeiner and Garry Curry.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/leadvilleraceseries/posts/766126816786350 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Results==

'''Men's Winners<ref name=results>[https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/results/leadvilletrail100runresults/ Leadville Trail 100 Results]</ref>'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" cellpadding ="2"
|-
! Year !! Winner !! Time !! Age !! State/Country
|-
|2024 || [[David Roche (runner)|David Roche]] || 15:26:34 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
|2023 || JP Giblin || 17:07:25 || 29 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2022 || Adrian Macdonald || 16:05:44 || 33 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2021 || Adrian Macdonald || 16:18:19 || 32 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2020 || colspan="4" | Cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]
|-
| 2019 || Ryan Smith || 16:33:24 || 40 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2018 || Rob Krar || 15:51:57 || 41 || {{flag|Arizona}}
|-
| 2017 || [[Ian Sharman]] || 17:34:51 || 36 || {{flag|England}}
|-
| 2016 || [[Ian Sharman]] || 16:22:39 || 35 || {{flag|England}}
|-
| 2015 || [[Ian Sharman]] || 16:33:53 || 34 || {{flag|England}}
|-
| 2014 || Rob Krar || 16:09:32 || 37 || {{flag|Arizona}}
|-
| 2013 || [[Ian Sharman]] || 16:30:02 || 32 || {{flag|England}}
|-
| 2012 || Thomas Lorblanchet || 16:29:28 || 30 || {{flag|France}}
|-
| 2011 || [[Ryan Sandes]] || 16:46:54 || 20 || {{flag|South Africa}}
|-
| 2010 || Duncan Callahan || 17:43:25 || 27 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2009 || Timmy Parr || 17:27:23 || 27 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2008 || Duncan Callahan || 18:02:39 || 25 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2007 || [[Anton Krupicka]] || 16:14:35 || 24 || {{flag|Nebraska}}
|-
| 2006 || [[Anton Krupicka]] || 17:01:56 || 23 || {{flag|Nebraska}}
|-
| 2005 || [[Matt Carpenter (runner)|Matt Carpenter]] || 15:42:59 || 41 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2004 || Paul DeWitt || 17:16:19 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2003 || Paul Dewitt || 17:58:45 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2002 || Chad Ricklefs || 17:23:18 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2001 || Steve Peterson || 17:40:53 ||  || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2000 || Chad Ricklefs || 18:07:57 || 33 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1999 || Steve Peterson || 18:47:31 || 37 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1998 || Steve Peterson || 18:29:21 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1997 || Steve Peterson || 18:10:45 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1996 || Steve Peterson || 19:29:56 || 34 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1995 || Kirk Apt || 20:33:05 || 33 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1994 || Juan Herrera || 17:30:42 || 25 || {{flag|Mexico}}
|-
| 1993 || Victoriano Churro || 20:03:33 || 52 || {{flag|Mexico}}
|-
| 1992 || Rick Spady || 19:51:10 || 40 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1991 || Steve Mahieu || 19:38:04 || 44 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1990 || Jim O'Brien || 17:55:57 || 37 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1989 || Sean Crom || 18:56:40 || 33 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1988 || Rick Spady || 18:04:03 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1987 || Skip Hamilton || 18:44:55 || 42 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1986 || Skip Hamilton || 19:26:09 || 41 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1985 || Jim Howard || 19:15:57 || 30 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 1984 || Skip Hamilton || 18:43:50 || 39 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1983 || Skip Hamilton || 20:11:18 || 38 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|}

'''Women's Winners<ref name="results" />'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" cellpadding ="2"
|-
! Year !! Winner !! Time !! Age !! State/Country
|-
| 2024 || Mary Denholm || 18:23:51 || 37 || {{flag|Colorado}} 
|-
| 2023 || Jacquie Mannhard || 21:24:55 || 38 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2022 || [[Clare Gallagher]] || 19:37:57 || 30 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2021 || [[Annie Hughes]]|| 21:06:58 || 23 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2020 || colspan="4" | Cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]
|-
| 2019 || [[Magdalena Lewy-Boulet|Magdalena Boulet]] || 20:18:06  || 46 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 2018 || Katie Arnold || 19:53:40 || 46 || {{flag|New Mexico}}
|-
| 2017 || Devon Yanko || 20:46:29 || 35 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 2016 || [[Clare Gallagher]] || 19:00:27 || 24 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2015 || Elizabeth Howard || 19:34:09 || 43 || {{flag|Texas}}
|-
| 2014 || [[Emma Roca]] || 19:38:04 || 41 || {{flag|Spain}}
|-
| 2013 || Ashley Arnold || 20:25:42 || 26 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2012 || Tina Lewis || 19:33:44 || 30 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2011 || Lynette Clemons || 19:59:06 || 30 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2010 || Elizabeth Howard || 21:19:48 || 38 || {{flag|Texas}}
|-
| 2009 || Lynette Clemons || 20:58:01 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2008 || Helen Cospolich || 23:21:53 || 31 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2007 || Tammy Stone || 22:44:54 || 45 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2006 || Diana Finkel || 20:43:19 || 34 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2005 || Nikki Kimball || 20:28:21 || 34 || {{flag|Montana}}
|-
| 2004 || Anthea Schmid || 20:50:05 || 32 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2003 || Valerie Caldwell || 22:54:16 ||  || {{flag|New Mexico}}
|-
| 2002 || Anthea Schmid || 19:44:24 || 30 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2001 || Janet Runyan || 21:47:44 ||  || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 2000 || Amanda McIntosh || 22:16:17 || 35 || {{flag|Texas}}
|-
| 1999 || Amanda McIntosh || 22:05:22 || 34 || {{flag|Texas}}
|-
| 1998 || [[Ann Trason]] || 20:58:32 || 37 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 1997 || Julie Arter || 24:08:07 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1996 || Martha Swatt-Robison || 23:30:11 || 34 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1995 || Linda Lee || 22:59:01 || 39 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1994 || [[Ann Trason]] || 18:06:24 || 33 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 1993 || Christine Gibbons || 20:55:59 || 31 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1992 || Theresa Daus-Weber || 23:37:23 || 37 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1991 || Alice Thurau || 22:10:35 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1990 || [[Ann Trason]] || 20:38:51 || 29 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 1989 || Kathy D'Onofrio || 20:50:41 || 25 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1988 || [[Ann Trason]] || 21:40:26 || 27 || {{flag|California}}
|-
| 1987 || Randi Young || 24:12:57 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1986 || Maureen Garty || 22:45:01 || 36 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1985 || Marge Hickman || 26:57:50 || 35 || {{flag|Colorado}}
|-
| 1984 || Teri Gerber || 28:17:41 || 35 || {{flag|California}}
|}

==Leadville Race Series==
The LT100 is one of six races presented under the Leadville Trail 100 banner.  The other five events are as follows:

* Leadville 10K Run: This is an open event the week before the main Trail 100 race, comprising the first and last portions of the full Trail 100 course.
* [[Leadville Trail 100 MTB]]: This mountain bike race was added in 1994.  The race was the idea of Tony Post, then a marketing vice president at the Rockport Company, sponsor of the event who arranged for television coverage for both races. The first mountain bike race drew just 150 entrants, while the 2009 edition allowed 1400 entrants.  This [[USA Cycling]]-sanctioned race is held on a course that roughly parallels the LT100 run course, with some sections in common.  It is held the same weekend as the 10K, and has attracted cyclists including [[Dave Wiens]], [[Lance Armstrong]] and [[Floyd Landis]].  In 2010, [[Levi Leipheimer]] won the Leadville Trail 100 MTB in a then record time of 6:16:37, breaking the previous course record of 6:28:50 set in 2009 by Armstrong. The current course record is 5:58:35, set in 2015 by Alban Lakata. Howard Grotts, of Durango CO., has won the last three editions of the race, most notably in 2019 when a number of world tour road professionals competed in the race.
* Silver Rush 50 MTB: This race is a USAC-sanctioned {{convert|50|mi|km|adj=on}} mountain bike race through the mining districts east of Leadville in late July.
* Silver Rush 50 Run: This is a 50-mile trail run introduced in 2008 that follows the same route as the MTB course.  The event occurs the day after the MTB event.  Competitors who complete both Silver Rush events are recognized with a Silver Queen or Silver King award.
* Leadville Trail Marathon: This is a {{convert|26.2|mi|km|adj=on}} [[marathon]] through the mining districts east of Leadville, is held in June each year. The midpoint of the course is at [[Mosquito Pass]], with an altitude of {{convert|13185|ft|m}}. In 2006, a "heavy" half marathon event of 15 miles was added, which is run on the same day and also goes to the top of Mosquito Pass.

A competitor who officially finishes the Trail 100 Run, Trail 100 MTB, the Marathon, the Silver Rush bike or run, and the 10K is called a "Leadman" or "Leadwoman", a title which nods to the [[Ironman Triathlon]].  Charles Bybee currently holds the most Leadman titles, with 10 years of finishing all events (2007-2010, 2012–2017).{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} In 2015, [[Junko Kazukawa]] completed the [[Grand Slam of Ultrarunning]] and the Leadwoman series, becoming the first person to complete both events in a single year.<ref name="Fields-Denver Post">{{cite news|last1=Fields|first1=Jenn|title=Denver woman completes Grand Slam of Ultrarunning and Leadwoman|url=http://www.denverpost.com/2015/12/25/denver-woman-completes-grand-slam-of-ultrarunning-and-leadwoman/|accessdate=4 June 2017|newspaper=[[The Denver Post]]|date=December 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604154435/http://www.denverpost.com/2015/12/25/denver-woman-completes-grand-slam-of-ultrarunning-and-leadwoman/|archive-date=4 June 2017|location=Denver, Colorado}}</ref><ref name="UltraRunning" >{{cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=Tonia|title=Junko Kazukawa: Grand Slammer, Leadwoman, 2x Cancer Survivor|journal=UltraRunning Magazine|date=January 28, 2016|url=https://ultrarunning.com/featured/junko-kazukawa-grand-slammer-leadwoman-2x-cancer-survivor/|accessdate=4 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518015746/https://ultrarunning.com/featured/junko-kazukawa-grand-slammer-leadwoman-2x-cancer-survivor/|archive-date=18 May 2017|location=Bend, Oregon}}</ref> In 2019 [[Dion Leonard]] became the first male to complete the [[Grand Slam of Ultrarunning]] and the Leadman series in one year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dion Leonard: 2 series, 8 races, 3 months, 936 km|url=https://www.waa-ultra.com/en/dion-leonard-2-series-8-races-3-months-936-km.html|access-date=2021-03-13|website=www.waa-ultra.com}}</ref>

All events of the 2020 edition of the race series were cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic|the]] [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|coronavirus]] [[COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado|pandemic]], with all registrants given a deferral and a refund option for each race.<ref name="2020.cancellation">{{Cite web|url=https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/2020-lrs-cancellations-faq|title = 2020/2021 LRS Cancellations, Deferral Info, and FAQs}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Leadville Trail 100 MTB]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External links==
{{external links|date=October 2020}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120616192555/http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/311976-leadville-trail-100-run Leadville Race Series Trail 100 Run] - Official website of the Leadville Trail 100 Mile
* [http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=6231 Complete Results] at ''UltraSignup''
* [http://www.coolrunning.com.au/kevintiller/website.php?pagename=Main.Leadvillefinish CoolRunning.com.au] - 1998 leadville {{convert|100|mi|km|adj=on}} race finish:  The following is a short description of the incredible finish at the Leadville {{convert|100|mi|km|adj=on}} trail race by Keith Woestehoff', Kevin Tiller
* [http://www.skyrunner.com/story/2005l3.htm SkyRunner.com] - 'The Hammer:  Carpenter nails Leadville 100 – what's next?' David Ramsey, ''The Gazette''
* [http://www.vhtrc.org/forum/lt-100-03.htm VHTRC.org] - 'Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run:  Leadville, Colorado, August 16–17, 2003', Mike Campbell, [[Virginia Happy Trails Running Club]]
* [http://therunscout.com/2009/08/leadville-trail-100-run/ The Run Scout's Course Flyover & Review] - 'Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181201123745/http://www.ridingleadville.com/ Riding Leadville] - Training for the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race, Dirk Sorenson, 2011 "Last Ass Over The Pass" Winner
* {{cite news |last=Ley |first= Tom |date= December 10, 2012 |title=Boom Or Bust: 48 Hours At Leadville's Treacherous Ultramarathon |url=http://deadspin.com/5966723/boom-or-bust-48-hours-at-leadvilles-treacherous-ultramarathon |website=[[Deadspin]] |location=[[New York City|New York]] |publisher= [[Gawker Media]]}}

[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1983]]
[[Category:Ultramarathons in the United States]]
[[Category:Foot races in Colorado]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Lake County, Colorado]]
[[Category:Trail running competitions]]
[[Category:August in sports]]
[[Category:1983 establishments in Colorado]]