BaseCamp athlete Bruce Beyerly shared his experience at the 2024 Leadville Trail 100 MTB event in Colorado.
As some of you know, my first LT100, in 2021, resulted in a time cut DNF 75 miles into the race. Over the course of preparing for this year, I completely immersed myself in preparation - pacing analysis, nutrition preparation, bike prep…every aspect. BaseCamp '24 was a significant part of that.
I knew the Columbine climb (to 12.5k feet) would be the most significant challenge to sub-12 hour day, and it was. If I have a specialty sub-discipline on that course, it's TTing through an 18-mile stretch (which you cover twice, in the out-and-back format). Coming off Columbine, my support crew told me I needed to make up 15 minutes; I made up 10 between their position and the next checkpoint (the Outward Bound camp, slightly past the Pipeline area). Making the uphill turn onto Powerline at exactly 9 hours, I knew I'd have to continue to throw everything I had at the course to have a prayer of sub-12 hours. I got to Carter Summit inbound (the final time checkpoint and aid station) and I knew it'd take a whale of a personal record to make sub-12. Would've been completely reasonable to say "Well, my PR is 1:07 from here to the finish, and I need a 54 minute run, let's get real!" But…threw everything I had at it, as I'd done all day…9 minutes short, though.
Echoing in my head all day were Ken Chlouber's (race founder) words of pushing the pain aside and putting one's entire self into the race (paraphrased). I have to say, though, for me, it's not all about the silver and gold buckle...though before the race, that was certainly my goal. It's all about being in the arena and assaulting the problem with every mental and physical fiber of my being. I'll know for the rest of my life that I didn't "buckle" under pressure and when against all odds. I pushed hard all day, even up the final gravel climb (The Boulevard), when I knew it was mathematically impossible to go sub-12. At Lifetime's June training camp, I told Ken Chlouber someone would have to pull me off the course for me to not finish, short of a major crash or mechanical. I literally bought the "I won't quit" t-shirt, and I kept that vow to the very end.
Though Sunday morning brought a dose of physical soreness, there was no mental anguish for lack of a belt buckle…zero. I know I left it all on the course. We each truly are better than we might think we are, and we can do more than we think we can. I rode a 55/45 negative split, and I set so many segment PRs (including Columbine). For this guy, the 2024 Race Across the Sky was redemption for 2021 and also validation of my lifelong *never quit* mantra.
The takeaway moral of the story? Keep pouring yourself into the sport we love, it's so good for the soul to know you did your best. Find yourself a huge challenge, take it on, and don't quit!
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