🏔️

Luke Neiderer — August 22, 2026

Leadville
Trail Run

100 Miles · 15,492ft Elevation Gain

🕓 Start 4:00 AM Saturday · Estimated Finish ~6:00 AM Sunday

--Days
--Hours
--Minutes
--Seconds
👀 General Info 🔥 Crew & Pacer Info
For Family & Friends 👀

General Info
& Race Details

Everything you need to know if you're coming to cheer, watching from afar, or just want to understand what the heck I'm doing.

🕓 Race Details

Start: 4:00 AM Saturday, August 22, 2026
Estimated Finish: ~6:00 AM Sunday (26 hours)
Location: 6th & Harrison Ave, Leadville, CO
Distance: 100 miles
Elevation Gain: 15,492ft
High Point: Hope Pass — 12,600ft
Course: Out and back — most aid stations hit twice

📍 How to Track Me

Track me live on the race website:
leadvilleraceseries.com →

I'll also try to share my watch GPS link — not sure if it'll work but I'll send it out before the race. 🤞

🗺️ The Course
Leadville Trail 100 Course Map

Course — likely to change slightly prior to race day due to wildfires.

Where to See Me 👋

🚗
Outward Bound
Mile 23.3 out · Mile 76.2 back
Drive-In Access
You can drive right up to this aid station. I come through mid-morning heading out, and again in the early hours coming back.
🚗
Half Pipe
Mile 29.2 out · Mile 70.3 back
Drive-In Access
Accessible by car. Late morning on the way out, and late night on the return.
🎉
Twin Lakes
Mile 37.9 out · Mile 61.8 back
🚌 Shuttle Required
This is where the party is. Most spectators hang here. No personal vehicles — you have to take the shuttle from Leadville. Worth it.
🔄 Remember — Out & Back

The course is an out and back, with Winfield at mile 49.8 as the turnaround (no crew or spectator access out there). For the aid stations above, you'll see me twice — once heading out and once coming back.

While You're In the Area 🗺️

Things to Do
Near Leadville

Leadville is a small old mining town — there's not a ton going on in town itself, but you're in the middle of some of the most beautiful country in Colorado. Get out there.

Aspen & Maroon Bells
⭐ Highly Recommended
⛰️

Aspen & Maroon Bells

Up and over Independence Pass — beautiful views and a gnarly mountain pass road. Walk around Aspen, grab food. Highly recommend hiking to Crater Lake at Maroon Bells — some of the most photographed mountains in North America. You catch a bus from town due to parking restrictions, but it's absolutely worth it.

Crater Lake Trail →
Buena Vista — Rafting
🌊

Buena Vista — Rafting

Small mountain town south of Leadville. Cool little spot. Amazing whitewater rafting when the river is running — depends on water levels. Two solid companies, can't go wrong with either.

Noah's Ark → River Runners →
Copper Mountain
🚡

Copper Mountain

About 30 minutes away. Summer activities available — mountain biking, alpine slides, and scenic chairlift rides.

See Summer Activities →
Zip Line Park
🪂

Zip Line Park

Not far from Leadville. I've never done it so I can't personally vouch — but it exists and you might dig it.

Top of the Rockies Zipline →
Frisco & Breckenridge
⛷️

Frisco & Breckenridge

About 45–60 minutes away. Great little mountain towns to explore, grab food, and walk around. Breck has tons of summer activities.

Hiking Near the Course
🥾

Hiking Near the Course

Incredible hiking west of Leadville near the race course — but that's where the fire is right now. Access is TBD. I'll update as I get more info.

☕ Food & Coffee in Leadville

There's a handful of old-time places that are worth checking out. But my favorite is City on a Hill coffee.

☕ City on a Hill

Great coffee and breakfast burritos. This is my go-to in town.

📍 508 Harrison Ave, Leadville, CO 80461 →

🏪 Leadville Race HQ & Store

Check out the race headquarters and grab some gear. Worth a walk-through if you're in town.

📍 316 Harrison Ave, Leadville, CO 80461 →

🔥 Crew & Pacer Zone — Everything Below Is For You 🔥
High Desert Endurance
Powered By
High Desert
Endurance

Every mile of this build-up came from the training plan, the check-ins, and the coaching from High Desert Endurance. None of this happens without them. 🙏

Crew &
Pacer Hub

Everything you need to get me to that finish line. Read it. Know it. Live it.

👑 Crew Chief

Jon Kuehler — you're running this operation. Crew car is TBD (Jon's car or Luke's van depending on family needs). Jon has final call on decisions on the fly while I'm out on the course.

Your Pacers 🏃

🇷🇴
Stefan Precup
Twin Lakes → Half Pipe
Miles 61.8 – 70.3
⚡
Carlo Ritschl
Half Pipe → Outward Bound
Miles 70.3 – 76.2
🐐
Travis Ramp
Outward Bound → Mayqueen
Miles 76.2 – 87.2
👑
Jon Kuehler
Mayqueen → Finish
Miles 87.2 – 100 · Crew Chief

At Every Aid Station ✅

Always Have Ready 💧

A Nalgene/bottle I can chug out of — it stays with you, not with me. Refill it before I arrive. I'll drink and hand it back.

Always Have Food Ready 🍫

Peanut butter sandwich, candy, anything from the aid station box. It's all pre-loaded in there — just have it accessible and ready to grab.

✅ Before I Leave Any Aid Station — Check These:

✓
90g Precision Gel
✓
Caffeinated Gu Gel (green watermelon 💚)
✓
2 full flasks with Tailwind
✓
Extra plain water flask available
Also check based on time of day + how I'm looking 👀
☀️Sunscreen
🧴Anti-chafe lube
🪥Brush my teeth
🕶️Sunglasses / seeing glasses
🔦Headlamp (late afternoon)
🥾Hiking poles (Twin Lakes)
👕Fresh shirt / hat
💩Did I shit my pants?

Course Aid Stations — In Order 📍

Start to finish, exactly how it happens. Mileage is cumulative from the start line.

🏁 Start — Leadville Mile 0
4:00 AM

6th & Harrison Ave. Crew can see me off then leapfrog ahead. You won't see me again for a while — grab some sleep if you can. 😴

Mayqueen Mile 12.4 Outbound
🚫 No Crew or Spectator Access

No crew or spectator access on the way out. I come through on my own — see you further down the course.

Outward Bound Mile 23.3 Outbound
🚗 Drive-In

First crew-accessible stop. I should be feeling good here — don't make a big fuss. Top off flasks, hand me food, send me out.

Half Pipe Mile 29.2 Outbound
🚗 Drive-In

Quick in-and-out. Still early, still strong. Keep it efficient and get me back on the trail.

⭐ Twin Lakes Mile 37.9 Outbound
🚌 Shuttle Required 👟 Shoe Change 🥾 Hiking Poles

Big stop. Shoe change here (shoes only — no socks needed on the way out). I also pick up my hiking poles here for the first time. Have them out and ready. Next I head over Hope Pass — I'll be gone a long time.

⛰️ Hope Pass Mile 43.1 Outbound
🚫 No Crew Access

Highest point on the course — 12,600ft. No crew access. Just me and the mountain. This is the hardest climb of the day.

🔄 Winfield — TURNAROUND Mile 49.8 Turnaround
🚫 No Crew or Spectator Access

The halfway point and the turnaround. No crew or spectator access — remote, race shuttle only. I grab what I need from the race aid station and head back the way I came.

⛰️ Hope Pass Mile 56.7 Inbound
🚫 No Crew Access

Second time over Hope Pass — this one hurts more. No crew access. If I'm late here, this is why.

⭐ Twin Lakes Mile 61.8 Inbound
🚌 Shuttle Required 🇷🇴 Stefan Picks Up 👟 Shoes + Socks

Stefan starts pacing here. Full shoe AND sock change this time — have both ready. This is the biggest spectator spot on the course, so expect a crowd. Get me in, get me changed, get me out.

Half Pipe Mile 70.3 Inbound
🚗 Drive-In 🇷🇴 Stefan Out ⚡ Carlo In

Pacer swap: Stefan hands off to Carlo. Getting dark and cold around now — headlamp check, layers check. Keep the stop short.

Outward Bound Mile 76.2 Inbound
🚗 Drive-In ⚡ Carlo Out 🐐 Travis In

Pacer swap: Carlo hands off to Travis. Deep night miles now. This is where it gets real. Warm food, caffeine, and keep me moving.

Mayqueen Mile 87.2 Inbound
⚠️ Approved Crew Only 🐐 Travis Out 👑 Jon In

Approved crew only at this station. Travis hands off to Jon for the final push. I'll be wrecked — keep it calm and efficient. Everything prepped and ready, no digging around. 12.8 miles to go.

🏆 Finish — Leadville Mile 100
~6:00 AM Sunday

6th & Harrison Ave — right back where we started. Jon brings me home. Make some noise. 🎉

The Rules of the Road 📋

Read this before you lace up. These aren't suggestions.

✅ Do This

  • Stay behind me unless I tell you otherwise
  • Talk to me — company is good
  • If you don't see me eating or drinking, check in. Remind me to take small sips/bites. Candy is a great pick-me-up
  • Make sure I don't make any dumb turns
  • Run ahead as we approach aid stations — let crew know I'm coming and relay what I need (socks, pepto, gels)
  • Keep me moving. Walking is better than nothing
  • If we stop, time it — "let's regroup for 3 minutes, then we walk." Don't let me lose track of time sitting there
  • I'm a puker. If I start puking, it's puke and rally. Don't freak out

🚫 Never Say This

  • "Suck it up"
  • "Look in the mirror"
  • "You need to push harder"
When someone asks how I'm doing:
The answer is always
"Stellar."

💬 Mantras — Say These to Me

You've trained for this
You put in the work
You have it in you
Let's chip away at this next guy
Dig deep
You're tougher than you think
These are all good miles
The best is still ahead
You don't get tired

What We're Working With 🎒

📦 Aid Station Box

Sunscreen
Headlamp (x2)
Coca Cola
Nerd Clusters
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Pepto Bismol
Caffeine pills
Salt pills
KT tape
Normal white tape
Towel
Water for rinsing off sweat
Portable charger
Toothbrush & toothpaste

👕 Extra Clothes

Shorts (x2)
Shirts (x2)
Red shade hat
Normal hat
Socks (x3)
Shoes (for shoe changes)
Undies (maybe?)

🎒 What Pacers Pack

Headlamp
Down jacket for hanging, windbreaker for running
Hydration pack + water for yourself
Your own fuel & snacks