"You're tougher than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can." Ken Clouber, co-founder of the Leadville 100
"Race Across The Sky" refers to the Leadville 100 (LT100) trail run, a race that starts and ends in the highest incorporated city in the United States. At an elevation of 10,152 feet, simply walking around Leadville, Colorado makes people gasp for oxygen. Once a booming mine town, Leadville's population was decimated when the mine closed and Ken scrambled for its resurrection. He had heard of some crazy horse rider competing in a 100 mile race, but prior to the race, the rider's horse became lame. Undeterred, Gordy Ansleigh toed the start line in sneakers and ran against the mounted riders and finished the race in 23 hours and 47 minutes. That was in 1974 at the 24 hour Western States Trail Ride which pioneered today's frequent 100 mile trail races.
Ken knew he needed an event with such holy-shit punching power that it would arch eyebrows and get people talking. So, in 1983, why not host a similar event, but at altitude...extreme altitude...Leadville altitude? Hence, the beginning of the LT100.
