Leadville, Co. home of the Leadville Trail 100 – I can’t explain it…I fell in love with a town, a vibe, a community and I felt challenged by a race that captured my imagination.

This week, begins my Summer of Leadville.  I’ll be attending the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp.  What is “Training Camp?”

Paraphrasing from their web site, Training Camp is a informative look at the country’s most scenic and perhaps most challenging ultra-marathon course. Three days of training runs, which provide an opportunity to see all sections of the #LT100 race course, and attend sessions with race veterans designed to help Leadville hopefuls get the most out of their race experience.

21 June – My adventure begins, west bound to the land of thin air and high mountain peaks.

22 June – Friday – 6 pm Packet Pick Up

23 June – Saturday – Run #1 Starting at 8:00, we will run from May Queen Campground to Twin Lakes Fire House (Red line on the map below, 26 miles).  After the run there will be a post race dinner and panel discussion “What it takes to finish the Leadville Trail 100″ with elite runners,  and race management.

24 June – Sunday – Run #2 Starting at 8:00, We will run from Twin Lakes – Willis Gulch, over Hope Pass to Winfield and return (Blue line, 20 miles).  A cookout will follow at Twin Lakes.

25 June – Monday – Run #3 begins after a 2 pm panel discussion with past finishers, we will run from May Queen to the race day finish at 316 Harrison Ave (Orange line, 15 Miles).

26 June – I’ll fly home for my lung transplant (some sea level runner humor here…).

That’s 61 miles and 8500+ feet of elevation gain over three days and an experience of a lifetime.

Why run Leadville?  Along with testing my endurance limits, I enjoy writing and telling a story.  As I discovered the small mining town and fell in love with its culture and the ultra-vibe…a story came to me that could only be told on the Leadville stage.  Running to Leadville – A captivating account about a lost soul, a small Colorado mining town and a 100-mile trail race that changes lives. A tale that will take you to the top of Hope Pass and beyond.   “A story that could only be told by a runner.”