Carbs, Chaos, and a Course Record: Lessons From Leadville

I didn’t decide to do the Leadville 100 until the week before the race. I was coming off a hilariously crappy performance at the Western States 100 after wearing my big goals on my sleeve, and I just didn’t feel ready. But Coach Megan Roche had another idea.

“What if you went and set the Leadville record again...and didn’t tell anyone you were going to do it?”

I assumed there was a 1 in 10,000 chance at another record after last year’s perfect day, and I told my crew what I expected. 

I ran 15:26 in 2024, breaking a 19-year old record that some pundits considered untouchable. I assumed 16:10 would be a great day. Megan had other ideas. She took me off the text thread and sent her thoughts to the group.

“I’m thinking 15:12, so we can adjust accordingly.”

I finished in 15:12:30. 

The main takeaway is to always listen to your coach (and wife). But on top of that law of nature, there’s a big question that I’m still trying to answer. What led to a breakthrough that seemed so unlikely standing on the start line at 4 AM? 

1: Keep the carbs coming, shifting as needed based on effort.

For so many years, I assumed I just wasn’t cut out for this ultra thing. Every 50k I did, I couldn’t fathom how anyone could race a 51k, let alone 100 miles. Then I started hearing whispers about this phenomenon called “high-carb fueling” taking over the cycling peloton. Athletes were consuming 90-120+ grams of carbs per hour and constantly setting new power records.

I quickly realized my endurance limitation was actually a fueling limitation. At Leadville 2024, I consumed 120-140 grams of carbs per hour, going lower at the end of the race when my stomach felt like a boiling cauldron. This year, I took on 150 grams per hour for the first 10 hours, dropping to 100 grams per hour for the last 5. 

My approach: A gel every 20 minutes (most Science in Sport Beta Fuel gels, with a Precision Fuel & Hydration caffeine gel every 2 hours), combined with Skratch hydration mix in my bottles. 

Ultra endurance is a race against the bonk. Going harder increases glycogen burn rate. Thus, the more carbs you are able to consume, the harder and faster you can go (limited by carb oxidation capabilities and GI training). For most athletes, higher-carb fueling starts at 75 grams per hour on race day. What I know is, I am not always the fastest, but I can push harder because of carbs.

2: Liquid calories make fueling easier, but don’t overdo it.

The extra carbs this year largely came from Skratch Labs Hydration Mix. Calories in bottles help the liquid get absorbed and help balance the carb equation. Don’t forget to dial in electrolytes with additional supplements as needed. The idea: You’re going to be drinking anyway, so put some calories in every bottle. It’s bonus fuel.

Beware of over-concentrating bottles in races. Very high calorie drink mixes don’t hydrate in the same manner as the same volume of normal concentration drink mixes. That can work wonderfully in training, where the bottles can essentially act as thin gels rather than thick drinks, supplemented by water. Just be careful with applying liquid-first fueling methods for high-carb racing unless you practice it in long, hard efforts in training.

3: Adjust hydration goals as events go longer, or based on conditions.

We are in the midst of a hydration revolution. Athletes are dialing their hydration needs with surgical precision. However, I think something is missing in these discussions: sweat rates don’t just change based on conditions and training status, they also change across an event. At Western States, I found my hydration needs dropped substantially across the first 6 hours. I learned that lesson too late, and I suffered the consequences (so did the California bushes).

At Leadville, I started with around 1 liter of fluid per hour with 1000 mg sodium, consisting of Skratch Labs and some Precision Fuel & Hydrations 1000 mg sodium tabs. In the 2nd half of the race, I was around 0.5 liters per hour. When you’re in a fatigued state evolutionarily protective mechanisms may reduce sweat rate.

4: Day-to-day fueling for recovery and adaptation is essential.

I had a sad realization after Western States – I probably sabotaged my opportunity with inadequate recovery. My life with 2 young kids is busy, and I dropped the ball with the little things outside of training to continue adapting at 37 years old.

Between the races, I doubled down on breakfast (usually a Vafel with butter), pre-workout sodium bicarbonate (Maurten Bicarb), post-exercise refueling (Tailwind Recovery and a Ketone IQ shot), and a mid-afternoon protein shake (The Feed Lab Whey Protein). I also was diligent with a supplement list honed in with lots of trial and error: Podium L-Citrulline before training, CurraNZ after training, First Endurance Multi-V, Momentous Omega-3s, Nella probiotics, and Momentous Elite Sleep before bed.

Yes, I am influenced by Matt’s emails too.

5: Mental health is health.

At Western States, as I left the mile 62 aid station, I was terrified. I truly thought I was going to leave my boys without a dad if I kept going. In retrospect, it was a panic attack, likely a manifestation of unprocessed trauma from a severe bike accident in April 2024. The big takeaway from that very public failure is that I needed to work on my mental health in the same way I think about my physical performance and health.

I started working with a therapist after years of saying I didn’t have time. I processed the bike accident more. Most of all, I realized that all the internet noise and narratives were hurting me. I simplified things and recommitted to what mattered to me: love.

At 4 AM on the start line of Leadville, I thought there was a 1 in 10,000 chance of 15:12. But I knew with all of my heart that I was going to have an opportunity to share love in ways that would resonate with people far more than a fueling plan or a race result.

Coach Vince Lombardi famously said “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” I disagree.

Standing on the start line, I was so happy to be there and to have another chance. I looked up at the sky and saw a hundred drones staring back down at me, with the stars behind them illuminating the #iconic Collegiate Peaks. And I knew with 100% certainty that I didn’t care about the result that day. I was going to pound the carbs, tell everyone how much I cared about them, and obliterate myself with the knowledge that there were 1000 friends out there doing the same. 

We all had an opportunity to learn what most people learn in The Pain Cave:

Love isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.

Photo Credits: Peter Maksimow