When you toe the starting line for a 100 mile race needless to say that you never really know what is going to happen on race day.   That goes double for racing at altitude and climbing some of the toughest terrain in the ultra-world.  

Race week for the Leadville trail 100 race started off a little differently than any other race week.  I had never registered for a race that added two miles and significant climbs each way of a 50 mile out and back race course with less than a week before race day.  I wasn’t happy or worried about the extra mileage at the time.  All of the participants would have to deal with it.