The legendary Leadville 100 mountain bike race starts and finishes in the heart of Leadville at 10,200’. With more than 90 percent dirt or double track dirt roads, steep climbs, serious descents and a seven-mile climb to the 50-mile turnaround at 12,600’, there is approximately 14,000’ elevation gain. That makes for a long and grueling day on the bike! Yet, there are tricks and strategies to make the Leadville 100 one of your best 100 mile mountain bike races.
The post, Top 10 Tips For Your Best 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race, suggest one very important strategy. That is, do your homework. By this, we mean, read the entire race website to learn the logistics. Get the start location, day and time right. Learn the course profile. You may consider taping key mile targets or heart rate goals to your top tube to keep your mind focused as the miles go by. Also, determine how many aid stations and what services such as drop bags are at your disposal. Line up the details of where and when you will leave your drop bag and be reunited with it. Basically, the support your provide for yourself in advance of the race by doing your homework enables you during the race to have your focus 100% in the game and not distracted with worrying about other elements.
Fuel right. By fueling right, we mean, balance your nutritional needs leading up to the race as well as the day of the race. But bike nutrition requires focused effort. Guidelines for fueling a 100 mile mountain bike race are: every hour take in 60-90 grams carbohydrates, 18-24 oz. fluid, 400-700 mg sodium and 100-300 mg potassium. Frequently consume, in small amounts, any combination of water, sports drinks, gels, fruit, energy bars and electrolyte capsules to achieve these targets. If you don’t think you can stay on track with your program, consider setting an audible alarm on your watch for nutrition and drinking reminders.
Game On! Leading up to and during your race, it’s critical to maintain a positive and upbeat mindset that is in alignment with your goals. Your thoughts, emotions, and race behaviors are components of your mental state, so take inventory of your mental state and align them with your goals. If you find yourself slipping into the pain cave with negative self talk, have a mantra ready to repeat and get yourself back in the game. In times of suffering, it’s easy to compare your racing and fitness to others. Here is where having your race plan and goals specific to this event comes in handy. Know your plan and race your plan.
When it’s all said and done, congratulate yourself on your race experience. Most athletes love the Leadville 100 MTB race and do it every year. So what’s next? Use this experience to launch towards a better result in upcoming events. Evaluate your results based on your goals. What worked? What didn’t? What can you do next race to get a better result? Be objective and explore how your mental and physical training helped prepare you for this event. Remember to evaluate your bike and cycling accessory selections. Did you race the right bike? Did you suffer from mechanicals? Now is the time to dial in, replace, and buy the bike parts that you need going into your next event or next Leadville 100 mountain bike race. The strategies and training you used this time around only build for a better result next time.
Posted by staffwriter8 
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