Many runners called The Leadville Trail 100 Run's near-20 year record "unbeatable." David Roche raised the bar with an astonishing 2024 performance.
David Roche is an elite trail runner and running coach. He's a two-time USATF trail national champion, the 2014 Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year, and former Mountain Runner of the Year.
As of August 2024, David is also the new course record holder of the Leadville 100 Mile Endurance Run, finishing in 15:26:34.
In this episode, we talk about:
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How David blends consistency with fun in his training
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The recovery routine that helped him perform at Leadville
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Specific workouts he used in preparation for the race
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Weekly mileage, strides, steep hill work, bike workouts, and uphill treadmill sessions
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Fueling and pacing strategies he planned for Leadville, including precision caffeine and consistent effort levels
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Using heart rate to ensure a proper and consistent effort throughout the race, and the confidence monitoring it gave him
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The mental side of training and racing, and how the support of loved ones helped
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How a 2024 near-death bike accident impacted his mindset around both life and his running career
Share this episode with your running friends who want to apply lessons from an elite runner into their own workouts!
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