Leadville organizers outline race‑series changes after 2025 recap, prioritize 'be a good human' and safety steps

Tamara Jen Link, lead for the Lifetime Race Series, briefed the Lake County commissioners on March 10 with a detailed 2025 recap and a list of operational changes planned for 2026 aimed at reducing community impacts and improving safety.

Jen Link provided participation figures and event‑specific attendance estimates and described local economic spending tied to the series (food, catering, medical services, local shuttles and charitable contributions to local teams and organizations). She said the race series and an affiliated foundation separate how they allocate funds and highlighted that many event services were procured locally.

Organizers presented measurable mitigation steps taken in 2025 and planned for 2026. They measured sound near the finish area (example reading ~61.8 dB), adopted evening/night decibel targets, and reduced amplifier wattage. "We did decrease the wattage of the shell," Jen Link said. They added more portable toilets (16 on the boulevard section), moved to a distributed toilet plan to reduce backyard use, and tied enforcement actions in some cases to bib numbers when rule violations are observed.

Local engagement was a major theme. A 'Leadville local team' of residents and business hosts performed pre‑event outreach and provided on‑the‑ground support during events; ambassadors were deployed to protect private property and assist residents. Organizers also launched an 'instant contact' hotline and incident log to triage complaints and reduce calls to city and county administrative lines; the log showed a small number of DNFs, medical calls, a few parking incidents and two duplicate calls about helicopter operations.

Emergency planning and evacuation readiness drew sustained attention from commissioners, who asked organizers to coordinate tabletop exercises, identify evacuation landing zones and loop in OEM, the sheriff and state partners. Organizers said the county and race staff modified courses in prior years during fires and lightning and will continue to make real‑time safety changes.

Organizers also discussed permitting, suggesting earlier review timelines and the possibility of multi‑year permits (forest service expressed interest in a two‑year renewal before moving to a prospective five‑year agreement). Jen Link proposed an end‑of‑August recap to keep reviews timely and recommended continued partnership with local law enforcement, rangers and search‑and‑rescue partners.

Next steps: Race organizers will continue 'be a good human' messaging, add the planned toilets and barricade adjustments, refine incident response, and coordinate emergency planning with OEM and the sheriff’s office. Commissioners asked to be notified in advance of permit and policy changes and requested follow‑up on multi‑year permit feasibility.