Mindset in the Mountains: Training for Leadville Trail 100
perspective
Life has a funny way about it. Sometimes, you’re hoping for one outcome, but it turns out what you needed was something entirely different. You can get lost in the chaos, caught up in the “why”—why now? why me?
Or... you can shift your perspective. You can choose to see everything happening exactly as it should. As it was always meant to.
Finding mental clarity and peace in this world feels harder than ever. There’s so much noise, so many voices telling you to question your path, your purpose, or even whether you’re supposed to have one. Maybe you feel stuck. Maybe you have no idea what you’re chasing. But I’ve come to believe: we’re all just out here, figuring it out, one step - or pedal stroke - at a time.
For me, I’m on a path of seeking meaning in what I do. Meaning in the pursuit of success in sport. Sometimes I catch myself asking, what am I doing? Following a training plan every day. Climbing mountains just to descend them. Dedicating my life to a passion where I may never achieve conventional “greatness.”
But those moments bring me back to this: I ride not just to chase success, but because I love it. I ride for the people who can’t. I ride to inspire someone else to get outside. I ride to share all sides of this journey - every messy, beautiful part of it in hopes that someone might see their own strength reflected in mine.
my drop bar experience
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind in the lead-up to Leadville. It all started in Brian Head, Utah, where I decided to run a high-altitude training camp with friends and film a video series (coming soon to my YouTube channel—thank you, Kenetik & Chad Hall).
Before the trip, I was torn: should I put drop bars on my hardtail? One part of me said yes, the other said no way. But hey, it’s trendy and I wanted to try it - so I did. Huge thanks to my dad for helping me get it all dialed in.
The next day, I jumped into the Rim Nordic race - a singletrack-heavy, true XC course. I actually felt pretty good handling the drop bars... until I didn’t. I went over the bars in a rocky section on the first lap and that was the end of the race for me - and the confidence I’d had on that setup. Pulling out was hard, but I reminded myself that every decision has to serve the bigger picture: Leadville.
so back to Brian Head
Brian Head sits at 10,000 feet and I was excited to see how the body would respond. My coach had me doing a tough workout on Day 2 to simulate arriving at Leadville the day before race day. It didn’t go well. Was it fatigue from training? The altitude? I didn’t know - but I didn’t feel like myself.
Thankfully, the next few days improved. I found flow again on a long 5-hour ride. The following day’s 2-hour ride with race pace efforts felt strong and purposeful. I stopped chasing numbers and just rode hard and that felt like a win.
the stage race I didn’t finish
From there, Chad and I headed to Leadville for the Leadville Stage Race. We were staying in a tiny home (cute, but maybe not ideal for two people, bikes, and gear). But hey, we made it work.
My first ride? Up and down Powerline. And I loved it. I felt amazing. I remember telling my coach that night how good I felt - both mentally and physically. Then… things changed.
It started with a scratchy throat. I didn’t want to admit it, but yeah, I was getting sick. A cold isn’t usually a big deal, but at 10,000 feet and with a stage race coming up, it hit differently. I decided to line up anyway for Stage 1.
I knew almost immediately that something was off. I couldn’t breathe well. My whole body felt tired. I finished the stage, but post-race, I had some pretty awful sensations. My coach and I agreed: if I felt worse in the morning, I’d pull out. Sure enough, the next morning, my throat was worse and I had a dry cough. I made the hard decision not to race Stage 2.
It was a tough call. One part of me wondered if I was giving up too easily. The other part knew it was the right decision. Sometimes protecting the big goal means letting go of the smaller one.
Breckenridge + what’s next
Now I’m in Breckenridge. From the bad workout first day at 10k feet I decided it would be best to stay at elevation to get a full 2 weeks acclimated before Leadville. I feel so much better. I’ve gotten in some quality rides and finally nailed intervals I hadn’t been able to touch since Unbound. And with that, I’m choosing optimism.
I don’t know exactly how things will go at Leadville, but I believe I made the right choices to give myself a shot. My first ever Leadville is just 8 days away.
Wish me luck ✨
