27 years after starting the Leadville 100 running race, Ken Chlouber has grown the Leadville Trail 100 family of races to 8 and include the 100 mile mountain bike race. He’s now in his early 70’s. Merilee Maupin, the race co-director, isn’t young anymore either and it’s been a tough year for her with the sudden death of her daughter earlier this year.
Over the past few months, I’ve had fleeting thoughts a couple times about what would happen if Ken and Merilee were no longer running the Leadville 100. I didn’t expect it would be this soon but yesterday it was announced Life Time Fitness now owns the Leadville Trail 100 races. At this point I really don’t know what this means for the races but I’m sure a publicly traded company won’t run them the same as a wild west miner. I hope that Ken and Merilee will continue to be at least somewhat involved for a couple years.
I know of Life Time Fitness for their gyms but they also have an athletic events division. From looking at their site, it looks like they promote a small number of events in the Chicago and Minneapolis areas.
Below is the press release.
LEADVILLE, Colo., August 05, 2010 – A sold-out field of more than 1,500 riders, including some of the sport’s best professionals, will take to the hills of Colorado for the Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 Race Across the Sky August 14. The event, which is now owned and produced by Life Time Fitness, is the original 100-mile (160 km) ultra-distance mountain bike event, beginning and ending in the heart of Leadville, Colorado, located 100 miles west of Denver.
Participants from 48 states and 21 countries will race on single- and double-track dirt roads that consist of steep climbs and descents ranging from 9,000 to 12,620 feet along the 52-mile out-and-back course. Based on past course results, approximately 65% of riders are expected to finish within the event’s 12-hour time limit and receive the coveted Leadville Trail 100 silver and gold belt buckle.
The Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 will be led by major stars of the sport, including six-time Leadville Trail 100 Champion, Dave Wiens, who was defeated in 2009 by seven-time Tour de France Champion, Lance Armstrong. Both will be joined this year by Pro cyclist, Levi Leipheimer, along with some of the best mountain bikers in the world.
“We are excited to add this renowned series to our growing Athletic Events portfolio,” said Ken Cooper, vice president, Life Time Fitness Athletic Events. “With our growing presence in Colorado and nationally, the Leadville Trail 100 supports our commitment to provide Life Time Fitness members and sports enthusiasts with a wide range of world-class event opportunities. Furthermore, we are proud to be a part of the Leadville community, which is a significant part of what makes this event series so special.”
Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville Trail 100 Race Series added, “I am very pleased that Life Time Fitness will continue the long tradition of endurance events and sportsmanship that the Leadville Trail 100 Race Series established back in 1983. We are excited that Life Time will bring added resources and expertise to take yet another giant step forward in the notoriety and exposure of these events in support of the local community.”
Prior to assuming ownership of the Leadville Trail 100 Series, Life Time Fitness served as title sponsor of the event in 2008 and 2009.
Life Time Fitness also is proud to present the Leadville Trail 100 10K Run on August 15, beginning at 12:00 p.m. The run features paved and dirt roads on an out-and-back course that spans the first and last 5K of the Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 Run course. All 10K finishers receive a commemorative cup.
Several of the greatest endurance events in America are presented under the Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 Race Series banner, including:
* Leadville Trail 100 Race Across the Sky, August 14, 2010
* Leadville Trail 100 10K Run, August 15, 2010
* Leadville Trail 100-Mile Run, August 21-22, 2010
* 12/24 Hours of Leadville Mountain Bike Race, September 4-5, 2010
* Leadville Trail Marathon, July 2, 2011
* Leadville Trail Heavy Half Marathon, July 2, 2011
* Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Mountain Bike Race, July 16, 2011
* Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Trail Run Race, July 16, 2011About the Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 Race Across the Sky
Founded in 1983 by Ken Chlouber, the Leadville Trail 100 has emerged as the leader in ultra-endurance races, adding the 100-mile Mountain Bike Race to its series in 1994. Starting and finishing in downtown Leadville, Colorado, a boom and bust mining town in the heart of the Rockies, the race takes place on a 52 mile out-and-back course within high altitude mountains and valleys. Each year, thousands of participants compete in a series of “Race Across the Sky” events presented under the Leadville Trail 100 Series banner. For more information, visit leadvilletrail100.com.About Life Time Fitness, Inc.
Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: LTM) is a healthy way of life company based in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The Company is dedicated to providing programs and services that help its members connect and engage with their areas of interest, and achieve success with their health and fitness goals. Life Time Fitness designs and operates distinctive, multi-use sports, professional fitness, family recreation and spa/resort centers that help members lead healthy and active lives. As of August 4, 2010, the Company operated 89 centers in 19 states and 24 markets. Additional information about Life Time Fitness centers, programs and services is available at lifetimefitness.com.
– UltraRob
Related Links
- Leadville 100 FAQ
- 2010 Leadville 100 Entrants
- Leadville 100 Course Google Map
- Lance Armstrong Wins 2009 Leadville 100 Wiens 2nd
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Tags: Colorado, Leadville 100, Life Time Fitness, mountain biking
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Lifetime actually puts on some high quality events, and can put some real $$ behind them. Their triathlon in Mpls is very well run, and with the higest payout of any tri in the U.S. (and it’s only Olympic distance!), it attracts an impressive, top-level field.
But yeah, I’m sure the event will lose some of it’s folksy, mom-and-pop type feel.