free grain: Leadville 2012

6:30 AM. The start of the race

Leadville, Colorado is the highest incorporated city in the US. At 10,225 ft. (3,116m) the air is thin, the temperature cool and the former mining town is jammed with 1,700 mountain bike riders preparing to race in the most difficult mountain bike race in the USA. The race is 100+ miles with an overall elevation gain of 13,000 feet. Starting in Leadville it climbs to the Columbine Mine at almost 13,000 feet, then back again.

Everybody looks good at the starting line!

Our 48-year old son Allen ran the race for the second year in a row. Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer hold the record. Allen has been training intensely for nine months. Using the same coach-team and technology as Lance Armstrong, he felt ready for a grueling non-stop ten hours of effort, pain and joy.

Powerline - up and down!

Although there are many ups and downs during the race there are two significant climbing challenges. The photo on the right is of Powerline. On the way out riders hurtle down this incredible grade only to ride it again toward the end of the race, uphill. This photo only shows about half the grade. At one point it is so steep the riders have to dismount and carry the bikes on their backs.

This is especially rough for Allen because he has a defective right leg that operates at about half its normal strength. This was caused by the removal of a small tumor on his spinal column several years ago. It makes trudging uphill with a bike on your back difficult to say the least.

The second and most difficult climb comes just before reaching the pinnacle of the race at about 12,000 ft. It is steeper and harder than Powerline.

Hundreds of cars from spectators and support teams at Twin Lakes Dam

Jill, Alex (Allen's nephew home on leave from his Army stint in Korea) and I substituted as support crew for Greg Domenichini, Allen's long-time friend and riding partner who was unable to attend this year's race.

Support crews waiting for their riders so they can fill up their CamelBacks and Goo bags. The race starts with 1,700 riders all bunched up... in fact it takes 3 minutes for the entire field to cross the start line. After a surprisingly short time the crowd separates into small groups and single riders.

Never give up... 20 minutes behind last year.

On the way up to Columbine Mine, roughly 25 miles into the race, Allen stops to pump up one of his tires. He's running about 20 minutes behind his goal due to a flat tire coming down Powerline. Race rules require the rider alone to handle all problems with their bike so he spent 15 minutes repairing his back tire. In 2011 he lost his back break about 30 minutes into the race which was ultimately worse than having a flat