Have you ever done anything in your life for 24 hours straight? For most people, doing anything for that long not only sounds tedious, but also exhausting. Now, imagine yourself physically moving the entire 24 hours, a feat most of us can’t even fathom much less complete. But that is what the grueling Leadville 100 asks and more.

Last weekend, the Leadville 100 took place in the Colorado Rockies. This run is one of the oldest and longest races in the United States. The “race across the sky” is infamous for being 100 miles long on rugged, dirt trails, while climbing and descending over 15,000 feet of elevation all while racing between a low point of 9,200 feet and it reaches a maximum elevation of 12,600 feet over Hope Pass. About 800 athletes compete each year, with over 50% not even completing the race in the qualified time (a 30-hour time limit). Finishing this race is quite a feat, let alone placing in it.

I sat down with SCARPA athlete Lucie Hanes, who not only ran the Leadville 100 but also placed 2^nd. This was her first 100-mile race, and she had a handful of thoughts to share.

Julia: “First things first, how long have you been running?”

Lucie: “I ran in college in 2014, but I had a bad eating disorder at the time and wasn’t running for the right reasons. When we moved to Eagle, CO, I started running for the sport in 2018.”

Julia: “What races have you done prior to this?”

Lucie: “I’ve done several 50k’s, 1 100k, and 1 long relay, to name a few” Lucie recalled “I seem to be drawn to figuring out where my limits are.”

And she doesn’t feel like she’s hit her limit yet. As well as being an ultra-runner, Lucie is also a climber. She says she enjoys the challenge of being a multi-sport athlete. Pushing herself in running and climbing is an exciting challenge to her mind and body.

Julia “How did you feel on your 100k?

Lucie: “I really enjoyed my 100k, it went very well! “

Lucie placed first in the ring the springs 100k and was so far ahead, she was alone for most of the race.

Julia: “Has anything been a nagging hurdle for you?”

Lucie: “Over the years, chronic low energy intake has made things very difficult for me.”

Lucie struggled with her ‘why’ in running for a while. As mentioned before, she originally started running for the wrong reasons. Although her running got off to a rocky start, she just graduated with a degree in sports psychology and now feels that she is in a great place in her relationship with the sport.

Lucie: “I’m great with the mental game. I’m extremely stubborn and extremely persistent. I set my mind on things and get after it. It’s taken some time to get to where I am, but I’m grateful for all I’ve gone through.”

Julia: “So tell me about the race, what are you projecting for time?”

Lucie: “Sub 24 hours.”

Julia: “When did you decide that you wanted to do Leadville?

Lucie: “The first Leadville 100 I attended, I was pacing Genevieve Harrison, who got 2nd in 2021. “

Lucie recalls that watching Genevieve was inspiring. People just come out and bring everything they have in Leadville. She insisted that it’s hard not to catch the bug.

Julia: “What helps you stay on top of your bone and joint health/prevent injury?

Lucie says she lifts weights twice a week for short sessions for bone and joint health.

Lucie: “It isn’t my favorite, but it’s important for injury prevention and overall improvement in my respective sports.”

Lucie also believes in eating well and making sure she stays fueled throughout the day.

Lucie: “Restricting yourself is bad – you think it’s helping your training by making you lighter or faster, but when you can’t recover properly, you don’t even get the 1% of growth done you’re aiming for.”

Julia “What’s the best piece of advice your coach has given you?”

Lucie: “My coach is constantly giving advice on holding yourself back.” Lucie says. “Sometimes you need to take a week to recharge.”

Julia: “What about your fiancé? How has that relationship impacted your growth in the sport?”

Lucie: “We met through climbing. “

Lucie had been running very casually since they met and started getting intense about the sport very fast. She got so excited about things, that she let it cloud her judgment which led back to an eating disorder relapse. It was hard for her and the relationship, but he supported her through it. She often must ask herself; “How can I prioritize what I want out of life, while still keeping him a priority?” She has been lucky enough to be able to be a full-time journalist, psychologist, and athlete, so she can make time for her relationship.

Julia: “I see you’re going to race in the Spin Infinities, what do you like about them?”

Lucie: “They have a low profile but are still bouncy with a lot of support! It’s hard to imagine racing in anything else.”

Julia: “What’s your projected pace per mile?”

Lucie: “14 minutes per mile.”

Julia: “What is your strategy when it comes to nutrition?”

Lucie: “I eat a balanced diet, and I do not restrict anything. I eat 3,000+ calories every day and that is the baseline. Many athletes make the mistake of under-fueling, and it will hinder their progress. If you want to do big things, you need to fuel for big things.”

Julia: “Do you have any final thoughts?”

Lucie: “The decision and the fortitude to work hard in both running and climbing has brought a lot of confidence in the ability to chase what makes me feel most like me. I never want to have to choose, I never want to limit myself – I don’t know what’s possible, but this is what I love.”

Lucie went on to place 2^nd for the women at the race over that weekend. She finished in an astonishing time of 23 hours, 16 minutes, and 51 seconds, finishing within her goal of a sub-24-hour race. We watched in wonder as Lucie fought hard and gave her all, and it was amazing to be a part of her amazing accomplishment. We gave Lucie some time to rest and then caught up with her again to catch her post-race thoughts.

Julia: “Thoughts off the top of your head that you feel like sharing?

Lucie: “I was very concerned about having a good race strategy. I learned the best thing I can do for myself moving forward, is to trust the feeling of effort and not put too much cognitive thought into anything. I should be leaning into what feels challenging and sustainable. To think less and feel more. There’s no feeling like the feeling of the last 10-15 miles of that race. It was the most physical pain I’ve ever felt possible, but I pushed through. I realized my mind can decide to keep going even when my body feels like it can’t.

Julia: “You took a fall; how did that go?

Lucie: “I took a big fall coming down from Hope Pass – The person behind me was right on my heels. My muscles were shot, I tripped on a rock, fell, caught myself on a pole, and hit my head on a rock. I shook it off – but I got dirt all over myself.”

Julia: “What was the hardest part of the race for you?”

Lucie: “The last ten miles I felt like I didn’t have the energy to keep going. I had two panic attacks at that time, and I feel like I need to continue to work on my emotional control.”

Julia: What was the best part of the race for you?

Lucie: “Starting to go up Hope Pass on the outbound, I was feeling discouraged. I was all alone so I decided to put on some music. Taylor Swift was a game changer - I got into an amazing rhythm listening to Taylor Swift!”

Julia: “What do you think was the key to your success?”

Lucie: “I got a new burst of energy every time I came into an aid station. The crowd was electric. My pacers were incredible - Lina knew exactly what to say. My pacers helped me save a bunch of time at aid stations- I got in and out fast. Mental training was a huge help- breaking up the distance into pieces was so helpful. I really leaned into the environment and the vibe. I said something to every runner that I passed. I wanted them to know that I recognized their efforts.

Julia: “When you were neck and neck with 3rd place, what was going through your mind?”

Lucie: “Coming down to Hope Pass, the woman behind me was giving me a run for my money. I didn’t feel forced or stressed; I was grateful to her for the competition. I passed Colleen going back up the back side of Hope Pass. She was struggling, so I gave her some ginger and kept going. Towards the top of the Powerline, Colleen was right behind me, and it pushed me in moments where I didn’t really want to push. Being neck and neck turned out to be beneficial because it forced me to dig deep and give my all.”

Julia: “How does the outcome of this race change your goals going forward?

Lucie: “I’m really excited for the future- I want to slow my roll so that I don’t leapfrog over this accomplishment. I’m going to spend a week without running and go back to projecting climbing. I’m working on a 5.14 project – I’ve got big thoughts for next year and lots of room to grow!”

Julia: "Do you have any final thoughts?"

“Leadville has taught me more lessons about racing at the limit than I can count; I’m sure even more will arise over the coming weeks. But for now, the most important one seems to be the realization that there’s no pacing strategy that compares to racing with your heart. I didn’t race “conservatively”, and there were moments (like the last ten grueling miles) when I wondered if I’d burned myself out too soon. But those last ten miles are always going to feel like that. I want them to because scraping the bottom of the tank means I gave everything I had to give. For me, I think that starts with taking chances from the very beginning and trusting my gut and all the ingrained training to guide me.”