Ultra Uncovered

Silke Koester has spent nearly two decades running trails and ultras, piling up strong, remarkably consistent performances at races across Colorado and beyond. But somehow, despite living in Colorado for more than a decade and helping build one of the state's most recognizable trail running communities, she's never run the Leadville 100.

That's about to change.

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Silke joins Corinne and Russell fresh off a fourth-place finish at the High Lonesome 100 and a whirlwind European vacation to talk about her decidedly unconventional Leadville build: recover from a mountain 100, "train" for a week, taper, and do it all over again.

Silke shares why Leadville has held a place in her running story since long before she moved to Colorado. In 2010, while still living in New York City, she traveled west to pace a friend at the race, giving her both her first experience in Colorado and her first taste of a 100-miler. More than 15 years later, it's finally her turn to toe the line.

We also dive into the story behind Rocky Mountain Runners, the community Silke and her husband Ryan founded after moving to Colorado. Inspired by the club culture they'd experienced in New York and the UK, they wanted to create something built by runners, for runners, with no brand affiliation required. The now-iconic green shirts came before they even had a website or an official group run.

Silke talks about stacking two high-altitude 100s just weeks apart, what years of mountain racing have taught her about managing altitude, why she hopes Hope Pass survives the 2026 course changes, and her refreshingly simple philosophy toward racing.

Her A goal? Finish.

After nearly 20 years in the sport, Silke isn't chasing one sensational performance. She's chasing longevity, consistency, community, and the ability to keep doing this for another 20 years. If her Leadville race is completely "uneventful," that will be just fine with her.

This episode of Leadville Uncovered is brought to you by OpenFuel Nutrition. We're big fans of OpenFuel's commitment to supporting athletes and the trail community, and Corinne's personal favorite is Radical Raspberry Ripple. Use code UU25 for 25% off your order and to support the show.

For Matt Vira, the Leadville 100 has never been just another race. It's home.

A Twin Lakes local and longtime Colorado mountain runner, Matt has spent years living, training, and racing on the very trails that make up the Leadville course. But despite his success in shorter mountain races, Leadville has remained unfinished business.

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Matt shares his journey from Division I cross-country runner at Bucknell University to one of Colorado's fastest and most consistent ultrarunners. Like many collegiate runners, he initially considered the marathon route, but a move to Leadville during the pandemic completely changed his trajectory and introduced him to ultrarunning through the Silver Rush 50.

The conversation dives deep into Matt's complicated relationship with the Leadville 100. In 2022, he unknowingly ran 50 miles while experiencing rhabdomyolysis. Then, in 2023, he found himself leading the race by 10 minutes at Winfield before making the difficult decision to drop and avoid another hospital visit.

Rather than immediately returning, Matt stepped away for two years and approached the race with a different mindset. Instead of simply becoming fitter, he focused on identifying the small details that ultimately determine success in a 100-mile race: nutrition, hydration, cooling, race execution, and preparing his body for the relentless climbing that defines Leadville.

Matt also offers practical insights into racing at altitude, explaining why heat may be the most overlooked challenge at Leadville and why cooling strategies can be just as important as acclimatization. He shares his thoughts on Hope Pass, his surprising affection for Powerline, and why he believes the race isn't won on Hope but can certainly be lost there.

More than anything, this conversation is about growth. Matt's goal isn't necessarily a specific finishing time. It's something much deeper: putting together a complete race.

And if his prediction for the post-race newspaper headline comes true, perhaps this will finally be the year that "third time's the charm."

This episode of Leadville Uncovered is brought to you by OpenFuel Nutrition. Corinne and Russell both rely on OpenFuel during training and racing, including their preparations for UTMB and Leadville. OpenFuel is built on transparency, integrity, and personalized fueling designed specifically for endurance athletes. Use code UU25 to save 25% and learn more at OpenFuel.co.

Whitney Dancaster's path to Leadville isn't defined by perfect training or ideal circumstances. It's defined by resilience.

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Whitney shares how a Coast Guard memorial relay honoring fallen shipmates eventually led her into the world of ultrarunning and, ultimately, toward one of the most iconic 100-mile races in the world.

Whitney opens up about using difficult races as a way to prove that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things with the right mindset and preparation. She discusses moving from Florida to Chattanooga to chase bigger mountain-running goals, improve her climbing ability, and continue pursuing her long-term dream of earning a spot at Barkley.

But this year's Leadville build has been anything but normal.

After suffering a serious leg injury earlier in the season, Whitney was involved in a devastating car accident just weeks before the race when a drunk driver struck her vehicle while she and her coach were stopped at a red light. The crash left her with a concussion and traumatic brain injury that completely altered her training and forced her to rethink her goals.

Rather than focusing on finishing in the top 10, Whitney is now simply focused on giving herself a chance. Throughout the conversation, she shares powerful insights about mental toughness, recovery, self-doubt, and why showing up despite uncertainty can be one of the greatest victories in ultrarunning.

The conversation also dives into lessons learned at Silver Rush, acclimating to altitude, her partnership with Rossignol as the legendary ski brand expands into trail running, and the importance of having a supportive crew and community behind you.

Whitney's story is ultimately a reminder that growth rarely happens inside our comfort zones. Sometimes, the bravest thing an athlete can do is simply show up and keep moving forward.

This episode of Ultra Uncovered is brought to you by Open Fuel. Whether you're training for your first ultra or preparing for a race like Leadville, Open Fuel provides high quality, delicious, and eco conscious sports nutrition designed specifically for endurance athletes.

What happens after you achieve the breakthrough performance you've been chasing for years?

For Jacquie Manhard, winning the 2023 Leadville Trail 100 didn't bring the dramatic life changes she expected. Instead, it taught her one of the most valuable lessons of her running career: external validation isn't what fuels her love for the sport.

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Jacquie returns to the race where she experienced one of the most magical days of her athletic life. But this return feels different. She openly shares that this could be her final 100-mile race and explains why, if she were only going to run one more, Leadville would be the obvious choice.

The conversation explores her journey from collegiate track and cross-country runner to ultramarathon champion, the influence of her endurance-minded family, and the friend who convinced her to lace up her shoes after her second child was born and sign up for her first ultra.

Jacquie also reflects on the lessons she's learned since her Leadville victory. After chasing bigger races, UTMB qualifiers, and Golden Ticket events, she's come to appreciate that running no longer defines her identity the way it once did. She's learning to hold the sport more loosely, valuing longevity over results and finding more joy in the daily process of training than in any finish-line outcome.

And perhaps most surprisingly, this former Leadville champion still lights up when she talks about putting on cross-country spikes and racing a fast 5K. Whether it's 3.1 miles or 100, Jacquie's passion for movement remains exactly the same.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder that success isn't always measured by podiums, sponsorships, or race results. Sometimes it's measured by whether you're still having the time of your life.

This episode of Leadville Uncovered is brought to you by OpenFuel Nutrition. Whether you're training for your first 50K or returning to tackle 100 miles, OpenFuel's clean, effective products are designed to keep you moving. Visit OpenFuel and use code UU25 to save 25% while supporting the show. Free shipping on orders over $30.

For someone who has spent more than a decade competing at the highest levels of ultrarunning, it's hard to believe that Tim Tollefson has never raced in Colorado. But that changes this year as the longtime professional athlete, race director, media personality, and Mammoth Trail Fest co-founder heads to the Leadville Trail 100 for the very first time.

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Tim talks about why Leadville remained on the periphery of his racing calendar for so many years. The timing of UTMB, the changing priorities of professional racing, and the realities of a busy career all played a role. But when plans for Chamonix changed this summer, an unexpected opportunity opened the door to finally experience one of the most iconic races in American ultrarunning.

The conversation explores everything from wildfire-related course changes and race directing to the evolution of professional trail running and how races build value through competition, storytelling, and media exposure. Tim offers a thoughtful perspective on why heritage matters, why Leadville deserves more attention from elite athletes, and how influencers may have done more to expand the race's reach than professional competition itself.

There are also plenty of lighter moments. Tim learns that pacers can legally mule gear at Leadville, admits he hasn't lined up a crew, and jokes that he's probably the last person in ultrarunning to discover this uniquely Leadville tradition.

Despite decades in the sport, Tim is approaching this race with the mindset of a beginner. He's intentionally avoiding the start list, keeping expectations in check, and embracing the uncertainty of racing at a higher altitude than he's ever experienced. His goals are refreshingly simple: run a race he's proud of and leave Leadville with a buckle.

This episode is part race preview, part state-of-the-sport discussion, and part love letter to one of trail running's most historic events.

This episode of Leadville Uncovered is brought to you by OpenFuel Nutrition.

When you're preparing for long days in the mountains, your fueling strategy matters. OpenFuel delivers clean, effective nutrition built around the values we care about most: people over profit, environmental responsibility, and positivity.

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What happens when one of Leadville's fastest runners stops racing for himself and starts racing for an entire community?

In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, six-time Leadville 100 finisher and longtime Lake County High School teacher and coach Pat Cade joins Corinne and Russell to discuss his new role as the 2026 Leadville Trail 100 Dream Chaser. Instead of starting with the rest of the field, Pat will begin the race two and a half hours later and spend the next 100 miles chasing down runners while raising money for the Legacy Foundation and the local Leadville community. Scholarships, students, the senior center, and other community programs all benefit from every runner he passes.

Pat shares how his students were instrumental in encouraging him to pursue the role and how meaningful it was to receive the blessing of outgoing Dream Chaser Rodrigo Jimenez. The conversation dives into race strategy, pacing, training, and the unique challenge of running much of the race completely alone before eventually working his way through the field.

More than anything, this episode highlights Pat's identity as a teacher. Whether he's coaching cross-country athletes, developing new training philosophies, or grinding through the final miles of Leadville, his students remain at the center of everything he does. He explains how racing for something bigger than himself gives him another gear and why he feels such a responsibility to embody the lessons he teaches every day.

The result is a conversation about legacy, leadership, mentorship, and what it means to use running as a vehicle for creating opportunity in your community. If there was ever a runner perfectly suited for the role of Dream Chaser, it's Pat Cade. And if his prediction comes true, Leadville will have a lot to celebrate this year. His ideal headline?

"Dream Chaser crushes it for his community."

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When you're preparing for long days in the mountains, your fueling strategy matters. OpenFuel delivers clean, effective nutrition built around the values we care about most: people over profit, environmental responsibility, and positivity.

Russell's current favorite? The Passion Mango Tango Carb + Electrolyte Drink Mix.

Fuel your next adventure and save 25% with code UU25.

At just 18 years old, Kathryn Tubb is already preparing to take on one of the most iconic races in ultrarunning: the Leadville Trail 100. In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Kathryn shares her unlikely path from high school cross-country runner in San Antonio, Texas, to becoming the youngest athlete in this year's Leadville field. After progressing quickly through the distances and earning a coveted Leadville qualifier at the Silver Rush 50, she decided there was no better time to chase the opportunity.

Kathryn opens up about the mentors who helped shape her running journey, especially her ultrarunning coach, whose advice to break overwhelming goals into smaller, manageable pieces has become one of her guiding principles. She also discusses the incredible support of her family, including her brother, who will pace her through the final 40 miles of the race.

The conversation explores everything from training on Hope Pass and debating poles versus no poles to balancing the nerves and excitement that come with a first 100-miler. Kathryn also shares how ultrarunning has influenced her academic interests as she prepares to begin her first year at Harvard with plans to study pre-health or medicine.

What stands out most is Kathryn's perspective. Rather than focusing on finishing times, she's approaching Leadville with curiosity and gratitude, eager to discover how she'll respond when things become truly difficult. Her maturity, humility, and enthusiasm offer a refreshing reminder of why so many runners fall in love with the sport in the first place.

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In this episode of Leadville Uncovered, Corinne sits down with Michael Mitchell, one of the most entertaining and unconventional athletes lining up for the 2026 Leadville Trail 100. What makes Michael's story so unique is that Leadville wasn't just his first 100-mile race; it was his first ultramarathon, period.

Michael reflects on toeing the line in 2021 as a former collegiate runner with virtually no trail-running experience, leading the race through the opening marathon before discovering just how unforgiving 100 miles at altitude can be. That experience sparked an obsession that ultimately transformed his relationship with running.

The conversation explores how Michael has evolved from an inexperienced runner surviving his first hundred into a legitimate contender. He discusses the importance of nutrition, gut training, recovery, and sleep, and how learning to fuel properly has completely changed his performances.

The episode also dives into Michael's unconventional training philosophy. Rather than following a rigid training plan, he builds fitness through mountaineering adventures across Colorado's highest peaks. Massive days linking multiple 14ers, skiing steep lines, and spending hours above 13,000 feet have become the foundation of his preparation.

Michael also shares how social media has allowed him to pursue running full-time while creating content that extends far beyond racing. As a former journalism major, he explains his passion for storytelling and his desire to use his platform to highlight the broader trail-running community.

From a crew composed entirely of "girls and gays" to glitter-filled aid stations and race-day celebrations, Michael makes it clear that Leadville is about far more than chasing a finish time. It's about community, joy, and honoring the race that introduced him to the sport he now loves.

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In this episode of Leadville Uncovered 2026, Corinne Shalvoy and Russell Ditsworth sit down with Colorado ultrarunner McKendree Hickory as she prepares for her first Leadville Trail 100. What begins as a conversation about race strategy quickly turns into a deeper discussion about resilience, community, and the intentional pursuit of discomfort.

McKendree shares her unconventional path into ultrarunning, from playing volleyball and dancing to working as a backpacking guide in the mountains before eventually discovering trail running. Although she'd initially dismissed Leadville as a race that didn't fit her strengths, a combination of encouragement from friends and the experience of pacing Katie Asmuth last year completely changed her perspective.

The conversation also touches on one of the most difficult experiences of McKendree's life: losing her home in the Steamboat Springs fire. Despite that unimaginable loss, her ability to find humor and maintain perspective reveals the mindset that has made her such a respected member of the trail community.

McKendree discusses her training partnership with coach TJ David and explains how this year's training has centered on one specific goal: becoming more comfortable with discomfort. Instead of simply building endurance, she's intentionally sought out situations that force her to stay engaged when things become difficult. That approach shaped her recent race schedule, including a standout performance at the Aspen Backcountry Marathon, where the women's podium swept the overall podium.

From crew and pacer plans to fueling, altitude, shoe selection, and the possibility of a rerouted course, McKendree offers a thoughtful and authentic look at how she's approaching her Leadville debut. Her goal isn't simply to finish the race. It's to stay present, keep moving forward, and remain fully engaged when things inevitably become hard.

If her race-day mindset can be summed up in a single phrase, it's simple: stay in it.

Thank you to Open Fuel for their support of the series!

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Two-time Leadville 100 champion Adrian Macdonald returns to the Race Across the Sky in 2026 chasing a third victory, but this year comes with a major wrinkle: a different course.

Adrian joins Corinne and Russell to talk about preparing for Leadville without knowing exactly what race day will look like, why he has increasingly approached Leadville as a race that requires both mountain strength and serious speed, and how shorter, hard efforts at races like Gorge Waterfalls, Broken Arrow and Speedgoat have helped build his fitness for 100 miles at altitude.

He also takes us back to his breakout 2021 Leadville victory, a race that changed the trajectory of his running career and introduced him to the possibility of becoming a professional trail runner. Adrian shares how he went from a 2:25 marathoner who discovered trails during the pandemic to one of the most consistent performers in Leadville history.

We dig into his race-day strategy, his experienced crew and pacers, altitude preparation, and why he prefers to stay patient early before really beginning to race about a third of the way in.

And when asked what he hopes the Leadville Herald headline says the morning after the race? Adrian doesn't hesitate: “Macdonald wins third Leadville 100.”

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