100 miles that start at 10,152 feet and climb to 12,424 feet don't forgive guesswork. These 12 TrainingPeaks plans build the climbing durability, altitude pacing, and fueling to finish strong — and every one ends on race day.
By Coach Drew Edsall — Castle Rock mountain bike & gravel coach who still races both Pro and Masters · Dirt Camp Racing
All 12 plans are built backwards from Saturday, August 14, 2027. Longer isn't automatically better — the right plan is the one that fits the base and the hours you actually have.
Start late May 2027
Start mid-February 2027 · Includes Complete versions
Start late March 2027
Your goal is the finish line — and the buckle. Sustainable volume that builds durability without burying you.
Experienced endurance riders targeting a strong, controlled finish with more climbing-specific intensity.
For riders chasing a time or age-group result — the highest volume and sharpest race-specific work, including the 26-week Complete versions.
The lowest-hour path to Leadville-ready. Every session earns its place — intensity and long-ride durability prioritized over filler miles.
Not sure which level fits? Email Drew at [email protected] with your current weekly hours and he'll point you to the right one.
Leadville isn't a normal 100-miler. Power fades, appetite disappears, and the Columbine climb comes at mile 40 — with the whole race still to ride back. The training is built around exactly that.
Every workout is structured in TrainingPeaks for power and heart rate — intervals, climbing work, and endurance with a purpose, progressing week to week so intensity gets more Leadville-specific as race day approaches.
An 8-week progressive strength program runs in weeks 1–8 of every plan, then maintenance by level through the rest of the build — none in race week. Built for the sustained climbing and hike-a-bike durability Leadville demands.
Guidance for pacing by effort and heart rate when power drops at 10,000+ feet, going out conservatively, and holding form on the long climbs — so the altitude is a plan, not a surprise.
Durability is built on back-to-back days, not one monster ride. Long rides progress in pairs and no single ride ever goes over 7 hours — so you practice fueling, pacing, and riding tired on day two, just like race weekend demands.
Plus race-day fueling guidance woven into the long-ride progressions — you rehearse what you'll eat and drink at altitude long before you're standing on 6th Street at dawn.
Every plan ends on Saturday, August 14, 2027. Work backwards from the base you have today.
Start here if Leadville is your A-race, it's your first 100 at altitude, or you want the full Base → Build → Peak runway. $129.
Start here if you're carrying real winter fitness and want a complete, focused build without the longest base. $119.
Start here only if the endurance base is already there. Twelve weeks to sharpen, build back-to-back durability, and peak. $69.
Drew Edsall is a Castle Rock mountain bike and gravel coach who still races both Pro and Masters with Dirt Camp Racing — and a specialist in exactly this kind of racing: long, high, and hard endurance MTB.
Most riders do best with 20 or 26 weeks. The 26-week plans (starting mid-February 2027) give you the full Base, Build and Peak progression and the most time to build altitude durability. The 20-week plans start late March 2027. The 12-week plans start late May 2027 and work if you already have a solid endurance base. All 12 plans end on race day, Saturday August 14, 2027.
The race starts around 10,152 ft and climbs to Columbine Mine at roughly 12,424 ft, so the plans build sustainable climbing power and durability first, then layer in pacing guidance for thin air — riding by effort and heart rate when power numbers fall off at elevation, starting conservatively, and fueling on a schedule rather than by appetite, which disappears at altitude.
You can still arrive ready. Sea-level riders can't control acclimatization in advance, so the plans double down on what you can control: aerobic durability from the back-to-back long-ride progressions, climbing strength from the included strength program, conservative early pacing, and a fueling plan you've already practiced for months. Fitness travels — if you're durable and disciplined about pacing, altitude hurts less.
Every plan includes fully structured TrainingPeaks workouts (power + heart rate), an 8-week progressive strength program in weeks 1–8 then maintenance by level — none in race week — long-ride progressions on back-to-back days with no single ride over 7 hours, altitude preparation and pacing guidance, and race-day fueling guidance. Every plan ends on race day.
Yes. Time Crunched versions carry the fewest hours, and Finisher plans run 8–13 hours per week. From there, Intermediate runs 10–15 hr/week and Compete 11–17 hr/week. The lower-hour plans protect the sessions that matter most for Leadville: the long back-to-back weekends, the key climbing intensity, and the strength work.
26-week plans begin mid-February 2027, 20-week plans in late March 2027, and 12-week plans in late May 2027. If you're deciding between two lengths, take the longer one — extra weeks at altitude-focused durability work are worth more than extra intensity in the final month.
Pick your length, pick your level, and start building toward 6th Street. Every plan ends on race day — August 14, 2027.