Beginning in 1994, the Leadville 100 is an annual mountain bike race that has earned the respect of cyclists around the world. Known as the "Race Across the Sky", the course includes 12,000 feet of climbing over the span of 100 miles. Topping out at an elevation 12,424 feet, the course demands a focus on altitude and a specific training regimen to compete at the highest level. To prepare, professional mountain biker Cole Paton and his coach Dennis Van Winden mapped out their strategy months in advance to achieve peak performance on race day.

Product for Daily Recovery Tracking: COROS APEX 2 PRO

Product for On-Bike Performance: COROS DURA + COROS Heart Rate Monitor

Analysis Tool: COROS Training Hub

Altitude vs. Sea-Level Approach

For any athlete racing at altitude, it's critical to understand the difference in power output at altitude vs sea-level. Working with his longtime coach in preparation for Leadville, Cole set out to identify what his limits were when racing above 10,000 ft.

"Leading up to Leadville, we did lactate threshold testing at 10,000 ft...we found my true threshold at this altitude is 330 watts...It's so important to know the difference between your threshold power at altitude and sea level. At altitude, once you go over your limit, there is no going back."

Specific Training In Leadville

Having identified his adjusted threshold power, Cole headed to Leadville the last week of July to test his strategy on the course. "I wanted to execute my full week of training above 10,000 feet so that I could fully aclimate. This included all of my intensity and climbing for a normal week."

Specifically focused on the key climb of Columbine, Cole performed a test to ensure his strategy would work. "In training, I performed intervals the entire way up Columbine. I would ride for 7 minutes just below my threshold, and then recover for 2 minutes on the easier pitches of the climb around 200 watts...It really showed me that if I take a few seconds to breathe on the easier sections of the climb, I can produce that same power over and over again."

Inside the Numbers: Normalized Power Output

• Rep 1: 308 watts (4.94 w/kg)
• Rep 2: 309 watts (4.96 w/kg)
• Rep 3: 316 watts (5.07 w/kg)
• Rep 4: 315 watts (5.05 w/kg)
• Rep 5: 315 watts (5.05 w/kg)
• Rep 6: 309 watts (4.96 w/kg)

Cole uses Normalized Power for all of his MTB training. "Average power doesn't factor in all of the 0's. For mountain bike training, this metric gives a better understanding of what the body is experiencing."

To sustain his power output, Cole was focused on his breathing during the intervals. "Oxygen is critical at altitude. Your body is fighting for every breath... During this sort of effort, I’m thinking about breathing into my back and expanding my diaphragm. Mentally, I think about oxygen as a way to nourish my muscles. The more  you bring in, the better you’re going to feel."

Race Day Approach

Having raced Leadville in the past, Cole knew what the course would require of him and how the field would attack the terrain. "I've really been working on sticking to my plan over the past year. It's easy to get caught up in what's going on around you, but you need to stay true to yourself and your plan." Having his strategy in place, Cole wanted to push for a strong result, but not at the expense of going beyond his own limits.

Below is Cole Paton's COROS DURA screen setup that helped him maintain his plan throughout the 100 miles.

DURA Page 1

DURA Page 2

Leadville by the Numbers

"This year was far different than years past. Straight from the gun, Keegan (Swenson) went to the front and hammered. There was a large group of guys that went with him, but I made a calculated decision to hold back. It was tough to commit to that in the moment, but I'm so glad I did looking back on it."

Following the first climb on course, Cole sat in 30th position. While he was further back in the field, he was still well within his ability. With previous Leadville 100 MTB podium finish times being in the 6 hour range, there was still plenty of course ahead to make up ground.

First Climb Stats

• Place: 30th
• Avg Watts: 289 (4.64 w/kg)
• Percentage of Threshold: 87.5%
• Avg HR: 162

The Flats: 2nd Hour

"After the first hour, a chase group of 12 riders formed. I had caught up to them and could tell they were suffering from trying to hang with Keegan’s group up the first climb. When we hit Sugarloaf climb, I surged for a bit and broke away from that group to chase down the 5 remaining leaders. While I descended down Powerline, I passed both Lachlan and Keegan who had flatted. From there I tried to keep on the throttle for the next hour of riding on the flats."

Section Stats:

• Place: 4th
• Avg Watts: 295 (4.73 w/kg)
• Percentage of Threshold: 89.3%
• Avg HR: 163

Columbine

As they reached the infamous Columbine climb, Cole relied on his prior training to push the effort to a level he could sustain. "As we approached Columbine, Keegan caught back up and surged ahead. Just before we started the climb, we caught Tobjorn and had John, the race leader in sight. I rode the whole climb solo, but was feeling good."

Columbine Stats:

• Place: 3rd
• Avg Watts: 285 (4.57 w/kg)
• Percentage of Threshold: 86.3%
• Avg HR: 168

Powerline to the Finish

Between Columbine and the start of the Powerline climb, Cole was able to hold steady power and link up with another racer, John Gaston, as the end neared. "It was a battle the entire way up the climb. I hate to admit it, but he dropped me on the descent and then I just hung in that unfortunate zone of 20 seconds back for what seemed like forever...It was a great battle and I'm very proud of how my race unfolded. This was the best result I've had on the course."

Section Stats:

• Place: 3rd
• Avg Watts: 240 (3.85 w/kg)
• Percentage of Threshold: 72.7%
• Avg HR: 156

Final Stats Overall:

• Place: 3rd Overall
• Avg Watts: 275 (4.41 w/kg)
• Normalized Watts: 290 (4.65 w/kg)
• Percentage of Threshold: Avg 83.3%, NP 87.8%
• Avg HR: 161
• Total Time: 6:06:40
• Total DURA Battery Consumed: 2%

Training with COROS

Cole leverages the COROS DURA for all of his cycling data. Off the bike though, Cole utilizes the COROS APEX 2 Pro to monitor the remainder of his daily stats. To operate at a high level, chasing peak performance is a full-time focus. Through the use of his watch, Cole gains insights into his daily sleep and HRV data. When combined with his on-bike performance, Cole now has the full picture of how well he is performing, but also how well he is recovering. As Cole continues to push his limits, COROS will be along for the ride as we work together to measure performance and find areas for increased focus moving forward.

For more information on COROS and how it can help in your performance journey, visit www.coros.com