We’re ready to cheer for our Arkansas contingent racing tomorrow morning in Colorado at the Leadville 100 mile Mountain Bike Race. Nearly 2.000 riders including champions, icons of the sport, celebreties in the world of mountain biking, even a Libertarian Presidential Candidate will be tackling one of if not the toughest mountain bike courses in the US. Pro and amateur riders are coming from all 50 states and 35 countries will be represented. It’s not unusual to have high profile cyclists at the Leadville 100. Lance Armstrong has raced the course. Todd Wells has raced it as well but as he is busy with a little event called the 2012 Summer Olympics, his Specialized teammate Marathon World Champion Cristoph Sauser will be toeing up to the starting line this year. If you still don’t get just how tough this race is:
Levi Leipheimer said, “That was ridiculous. I don’t know if I’ve ever suffered that much before, but I guess that the distance and the fitness from ‘The Tour’ was enough, although we don’t go this hard in the Tour.” Leipheimer holds the course record of 6:16:37 from 2010.
Many of our Arkansas friends have been in Colorado for several days, acclimating to the altitude. Some have only recently arrived and some will arrive at the last minute. Each racer has planned very carefully according to how they have reacted to the altitude change in the past. For the first timers it’s more of an experiment, judging how they think their bodies will perform. A few of them are sharing a house with several other racers. One of those other racers is a young woman called Sally Bingham. Sally just completed the TransAlp Challenge. 8 days, 600 kilometers, and 20,0000 meters of climbing. That’s 65, 616 feet to us Yanks. Not only did she complete it. She won it with her Swiss partner Milena Landtwig. And from all reports she is humble and sweet while possessing the drive that makes her a champion. Our Arkansas racers and their support crews are in good company, very good company.
So for our Home State Homies and all the folks there in Leadvilled that are lending a hand, cheering, encouraging and feeding them: RIDE ON! May tomorrow bring you strong lungs, strong legs and strong will.