Leadville 100
Written by Catriona Adams. Published 8 September 2026
Colorado's "Race Across The Sky" has the most open entry system of any major US 100-miler — but a finish rate low enough that in most years, fewer than half the starters make the 30-hour cut-off. 100 miles out-and-back via Hope Pass, 15,744ft of combined climb and descent.
Key points
- 100-mile out-and-back via Hope Pass (12,532ft), Colorado, starting at 10,200ft — 15,744ft of combined climb and descent, 30-hour limit.
- The most open entry system of any race on this page: lottery, qualifying races, charitable donation, or a coaching programme — no qualifying standard required.
- In most years, fewer than half the starters finish inside the time limit.
- First run in 1983 to bring tourism back to a mining town after its main mine closed. Tarahumara runners from Mexico's Copper Canyon won in 1993 and 1994 — a story later made globally famous by Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run.
The numbers
| Distance | 100 miles (160km), out-and-back with a 50-mile dogleg |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 15,744ft combined climb and descent; starts at 10,200ft |
| High point | Hope Pass, 12,532ft — the centrepiece climb, crossed twice |
| Time limit | 30 hours — in most years, fewer than half the starters finish inside it |
| Location | Leadville, Colorado |
| First run | 1983 — created by Jim Butera, promoted locally by Ken Chlouber to boost tourism after the town's mine closed |
Five ways in
| Route | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Open lottery | No qualifying standard required to enter. |
| Qualifying races | A defined list of approved events grants direct entry. |
| Charitable donation | A place can be secured through a qualifying donation. |
| Coaching / Leadville Run camp | Signing up for official coaching or the training camp includes entry. |
| Life Time Fitness membership | Entry is also available to members of the race's parent fitness organisation. |
Current records
| Category | Holder | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course record (men) | David Roche | 15h 12m 30s | 2025 |
| Course record (women) | Anne Flower | 17h 58m 19s | 2025 |
The Tarahumara story
One of the best-known chapters in Leadville's history involves the Tarahumara (Raramuri), long-distance runners from Mexico's Copper Canyon, brought to the race by wilderness guide Rick Fisher:
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Wilderness guide Rick Fisher and Kitty Williams bring a group of Tarahumara (Raramuri) runners from Mexico's Copper Canyon to Leadville. Unfamiliar with American trail-race practices — including headtorches held upright like torches, and Converse sneakers instead of their usual sandals — the whole group drops out. |
| 1993 | A different Tarahumara group returns. Victoriano Churro, 55, wins the race outright — running in homemade sandals. |
| 1994 | The Tarahumara return again to face Ann Trason, then the dominant US female ultrarunner. Juan Herrera, 25, wins in a new course record of 17h30m; Trason finishes second overall. |
| 2009 | Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run brings the Tarahumara's running culture — and their Leadville story — to a global audience. |
Open entry, brutal finish rate
Leadville is the easiest of these five to get a place at and, on the numbers, one of the hardest to actually finish — no qualifying standard decides who starts, only altitude, terrain and the clock decide who gets to Hope Pass and back inside 30 hours. A reminder that entry access and difficulty are two separate axes, same as on a British Round, where anyone can start but nobody checks you're ready.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
100 miles, out-and-back via Hope Pass (12,532ft), starting at 10,200ft in Leadville, Colorado, with 15,744ft of combined climb and descent and a 30-hour time limit.
It's the most open entry system of the major US 100-milers — open lottery, qualifying races, charitable donation, a coaching programme, or gym membership, with no qualifying performance standard required.
From its high starting altitude (10,200ft) and the sustained high-elevation terrain over Hope Pass — the nickname 'Race Across The Sky' (also LT100) is used interchangeably with the race's full name.
Low for a major ultramarathon — in most years, fewer than half of the starters complete the course within the 30-hour limit.
It was first run in 1983, created by Jim Butera of the Colorado Ultra Club, with local backer Ken Chlouber pushing to hold it in Leadville specifically to bring tourism back after the town's main mine closed.
Tarahumara (Raramuri) runners from Mexico's Copper Canyon first ran Leadville in 1992 and all dropped out, unfamiliar with American trail-race practices. In 1993, 55-year-old Victoriano Churro won in homemade sandals; in 1994, Juan Herrera beat US star Ann Trason and set a new course record.
Yes — Christopher McDougall's 2009 book Born to Run introduced the Tarahumara's running culture, and their Leadville results, to a mainstream global audience well beyond the sport.
Sources for this page
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