The Leadville MTB 100 is one of the hardest off-road challenges in the world. Extreme altitude, climbs, and conditions make it iconic. However, fueling it can be the hardest part and is the single biggest factor between a good day and a bad one.
“The Leadville MTB 100 is quite unique – you start at 6:30am at 10,200ft, it’s 104 miles out & back and has 11,500ft of climbing. The scenic beauty is unrivaled, and that’s one of the things that brings me back every year, the awe factor of being out in this big country.” – Brian Vaughan, Chief Endurance Officer, GU Energy Labs
The Leadville MTB 100 is iconic. It's a feat that requires a lot of work just to get the chance to start... let alone the work to finish it. What can you expect? 9-12 hr range. Thousands of calories spent. A cold morning. A hot day. The entire race is above 10k ft. Big climbs, big descents, lots of gravel.
So, how do you fuel for the Leadville 100?
General Considerations
Leadville isn't just a long ride — it's a long ride at altitude, and that changes everything about how your body responds to food. Above 10,000 feet, appetite suppression is real. Your gut slows down, the effort feels harder than the numbers suggest, and it's easy to fall behind on calories before you even realize it. The fix is simple in theory and hard in practice: eat on a schedule, not on hunger. Target 250–350 calories and 60–90g of carbs per hour, and start in the first hour while your stomach is still cooperative. Riders who wait until they feel depleted at Columbine or Powerline rarely dig out of that hole.
Temperature swings add another layer of complexity. The 6:30am start at over 10,000 feet can be genuinely cold — cold enough that solid food and your stomach's ability to process it will be limited early on. Plan to lean on easy-to-digest chews and gels in the first couple of hours, then take advantage of the flatter mid-race sections (Pipeline to Twin Lakes) to get in some solid food from aid stations when your gut has warmed up and blood flow is more favorable.
As the race moves into midday and the sun hits hard, shift your focus back to fluids and fast-absorbing quick energy. Clif Bloks are a reliable go-to here — easy to portion, easy to chew, and available in caffeinated options for the back half of the race. Amacx Turbo Chews are another smart carry for high-effort climbs where you need calories without GI stress. Honey Stinger Chews offer a more natural option that sits well for athletes who struggle with synthetic flavors or ingredients late in a long effort.
The aid station strategy matters as much as what you're carrying. Use the crew-accessible stops at Pipeline and Twin Lakes to refuel bottles, grab a handful of pretzels or boiled potatoes, and reset. Keep solid food portions small — 100–150 calories at a time max — and stick to low-fat, low-fiber foods that won't slow your gut when you're about to hit another climb. The Leadville 100 can be called an eating contest disguised as a bike race, and the athletes who finish strong are almost always the ones who took that seriously from mile one.
Race Morning
Start hydrating the moment you wake up. Sip an electrolyte drink through staging to top off sodium and fluid levels without loading your stomach before the gun. About 15 minutes before the start, take some fuel to prime your fuel stores — you'll be glad you did once the adrenaline hits.
Start to Pipeline 1 (27 miles)
Race Plan: The race opens with a neutral, downhill paved stretch — and at 6:30am, it's cold. Tuck into the group, conserve energy, and let the pack do the work. As the road turns to gravel, the race finds its rhythm and the first real climb of the day begins. St. Kevin's gets competitive fast; stay patient, stay out of trouble, and arrive at Pipeline 1 within two hours.
Nutrition Plan: Adrenaline will blunt your hunger in this opening segment — don't let it fool you. Eat to a schedule, not to appetite. Stick to non-caffeinated fuel here; you'll want caffeine in reserve for later when it counts. Hit the Pipeline aid station, having taken in around 700 calories and at least 1.5–2 bottles of fluid.
2 hours | 700 calories
Pipeline 1 to Twin Lakes 1 (13 miles)
Race Plan: This section rewards patience and pack mentality. The terrain opens up into a fast, rolling mix of gravel and pavement — find a group, settle into a pace line, and let the draft work in your favor. Keep the effort controlled and consistent.
Nutrition Plan: The relative calm of this section is your best window for any solid food. A small amount of real food — pretzels, a bite of banana, a boiled potato — encourages blood flow to the gut and helps keep digestion online for the long haul ahead. Keep portions small (100 calories max) and keep sipping. Arrive at Twin Lakes 1 with around 300 calories in and a half to full bottle of fluid consumed.
40 minutes | 300 calories
Twin Lakes 1 → Columbine → Twin Lakes 2 (20 miles)
Race Plan: This is the heart of the race — and the section that makes or breaks most athletes' days. The climb up Columbine is relentless: 3,200 feet of gain over roughly 8 miles to 12,600 feet. Hold tempo off the base as long as you can, but expect the pace to fragment near the top as riders begin walking and leaders come blazing back down the same trail. Weather can turn fast at the summit — stay alert. Get ice in your bottles at Twin Lakes 1 before you start the climb.
Nutrition Plan: You'll be at or near threshold for much of this section, which means digestion takes a back seat. Fuel little and often — small sips of a carb drink every 10–12 minutes, caffeinated gels timed to the hardest pitches. Electrolytes are non-negotiable here; the altitude and effort will accelerate losses faster than you expect.
2.5 hours | 850 calories
3 x Gels (some caff)
1 serving Chews
2 bottles of hydration
Twin Lakes 2 to Pipeline 2 (13 miles)
Race Plan: The crowd at Twin Lakes disappears fast, the sun is overhead, and the road stretches out in front of you with Powerline looming in the distance. This is a mentally demanding stretch — it looks rideable, but the heat and accumulated fatigue are working against you. Find wheels to follow, stay in pace lines where you can, and resist the urge to push beyond your means before the final climbs.
Nutrition Plan: Prioritize hydration above everything else in this segment. The combination of midday heat and altitude is dehydrating — let fluids lead and use chews and gels to keep calories ticking over. Keep a sleeve of chews within reach in case hunger spikes unexpectedly.
55 minutes | 400 calories
1-2 x Gels (another caff)
1 serving Chews
1–1.5 bottles Hydration
Pipeline 2 to Last Aid Station (17 miles)
Race Plan: Powerline on the return is where races unravel. The climb is steep, relentless, and riddled with false summits — the kind that tests your mental game as much as your legs. Walking the steepest pitches isn't a sign of weakness; it's race management. Keep an eye on heart rate and perceived effort, and don't let pride cost you the back half. Once over the top, the final paved climb up St. Kevin's offers a chance to recover, reset your breathing, and find a rhythm before the finish.
Nutrition Plan: This is the hottest part of the day, and your cooling system needs fuel of its own. Cold fluids are your priority — drink consistently and don't wait until you're thirsty. Solid calories should come from fast-absorbing sources at this point; your gut doesn't have the bandwidth for anything heavy.
1 hour 50 minutes | 680 calories
2 x Gels
1–2 bottles Electrolytes
1 bottle Carbs
Last Aid Station to Finish (14 miles)
Race Plan: Leave it all out there. The finish line is under an hour away — this is the moment everything you've put into today's execution pays off.
Nutrition Plan: Grab a few bites of food, leaving the aid station while the terrain is still forgiving. As the road flattens along the river at the base of St. Kevin's, settle your breathing and let your legs loosen up. The real challenge of this final stretch is the Boulevard — that grinding uphill slog to the finish. Take some fuel just before the pavement ends. Stay on top of fluids to the line.
40 minutes | 200–300 calories
1 more Gel or Chew serving
0.5 bottle
Finish Line Recovery
The LT100 extracts a price — start paying it back immediately. Grab a recovery drink and resist the urge to collapse... or don't. A slow 15-minute spin keeps blood moving, clears lactic acid, and helps your gut come back online. Follow it with light stretching, get off your feet, and eat a real meal within 60–90 minutes. You've earned it.
That's about it. Eat early, eat often, and don't neglect hydration. You won't feel like eating at many points in this race, but it's vital you do. Lean on products you know you won't fight.
