Leadville 100: The Crew Experience
At 4 a.m., more than 700 runners line up in the quiet mountain town of Leadville, Colorado. Headlamps glowing, crowds pressed in close.
The shotgun goes off, the cheers erupt…suddenly everything you’ve been preparing for (months, sometimes years) is happening. Not just for your runner, but for you too.
Because while they’re running 100 miles, you’re managing logistics, emotions, timing, weather predictions, food, communication, and a thousand small decisions that don’t show up on a race results page.
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📋 When Logistics Become Everything
Leadville isn’t just any race. It’s navigating altitude, shuttles, parking restrictions, tight cutoffs, and long stretches where you can’t simply “follow your runner.”
We learned:
Where you stay affects how much rest you actually get
Getting to the right aid station on time takes more planning than you expect
Some stops need to be fast, others emotional, and some both
Crewing here is less about improvising and more about preparing.
🏔️ The Part No One Prepares You For: Waiting
At Twin Lakes, I got a single text from my runner: stomach’s upset. Then nothing.
Cell service was spotty. All I could do was wait and be ready when he came in. That kind of waiting is a huge part of crewing and it’s rarely talked about.
You spend hours doing very little while everything important is happening far away from you. You run through scenarios in your head. You try to decide what you’ll say when you finally see your runner again…and what you’ll not say.
Waiting isn’t passive. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s staying steady when you don’t have control, when you can’t fix anything yet, when the only thing you can do is be ready when your runner comes into the aid station.
🫶 The Moment You Realize You Did This Together
One thing that is so special about Leadville is getting to join your runner for the final mile. After spending the day driving, waiting, checking cutoffs, watching the clock, and standing at aid stations wondering how they’re really doing, you finally get to step onto the course with them.
You’re tired, they’re exhausted, and suddenly the role you’ve been in all day shifts from watching and worrying to simply being there, side by side, as you cross the line together.
💛 Download the Free Guide
If you’re crewing Leadville this year (or hope to one day), this guide walks you through:
Pre-race logistics that make or break your day
Each crew-accessible aid station and what to expect there
How to handle long waits, spotty communication, and cutoff pressure
What changes after dark — and how to stay steady through it
✨ Welcome to the Ultra Widow Crew
Feeling a little overwhelmed? Whether this is your first time crewing or you’ve been doing it for a while, you’re in the right place.
Welcome, we’re glad you’re here! You don’t need to have it all figured out. This community exists to help you feel prepared, supported, and confident through every race, every distance, and every season.
Follow along on social for real-life crew moments, practical tips, and reminders that you’re not doing this alone. You belong here.
HEY THERE, I’M ASHLEY
I’m the creator of Ultra Widow during the week and my ultra runner husband’s Crew Captain on race weekends.
This is a place for those of who didn’t sign up for the race but still show up anyway.
I’m glad you’re here, welcome to our crew!
