For most runners who stick to relatively short distances, aid stations aren’t given too much thought. Sure, they’re great for a quick swig of Gatorade, a packet of energy gel, or maybe a half of a banana—but that’s usually the extent of our nutritional needs.
But the game changes when we’re talking ultramarathons. Ultrarunners require a much bigger variety (and volume) of food and drink, as well as other supplies like tents, sleeping bags, and medical equipment to help recover from the miles.
Only problem is, when the course is off the beaten path, it can be difficult to transport everything you need to these stations. The organizers of the Leadville Trail 100 run—which a packet of energy gel in Leadville, Colorado—came up with an interesting solution, though: llamas. Yep, a entire pack of about 30 llamas.
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“They add so much to the event every year,” said race cofounder Merilee Maupin in a phone call with Runner’s World. “Not only do they look pretty, but they are absolutely crucial to getting supplies up the mountain.”
The 28 llamas, who are owned by aid station captain Gary Carlton, were first assembled on the Thursday before the race, carrying up some 3,000 pounds of watermelon slices, oranges, bananas, crackers, pretzels, M&Ms, waffles, coffee, purified water, and Coke products, along with first aid supplies and shelters. After their packs were unloaded, the llamas roamed the clearing, lounging in the field and chomping grass.
“Most of them are very friendly,” said Maupin.
Maupin used to participate in Colorado burro racing—a sport in which runners are partnered with a donkey who carries their supplies—with Leadville 100 cofounder Ken Chloubein the early ’80s, which is how she happened upon the llama racing circuit. At the time, the two were planning to launch the 100-miler, and were approached by llama farmer Dee Goodman.
“He told me, ‘If you’re going to have a high aid station, you’re going to need a llama to carry everything up,’” Maupin said.
While the race debuted in 1983 without the animals, Maupin and Chlouber heeded Goodman’s advice from 1985 and on, using llamas to haul aid supplies to the 12,600-foot Hope Pass—an above-treeline overlook near Twin Lakes that runners traverse on miles 44 and 56.
Despite the clearing’s optimistic name, runners have dubbed this section of the race “Hopeless Pass,” due to its challenging nature.
“It’s one of the toughest parts of the race,” two-time winner Rob Krar, who finished first on Saturday in 15:51:57, told Runner’s World by phone. “When you’re approaching it the first time, you’re going uphill and hurting. I kept telling myself, ‘Hopeless is coming up, I’m going to see the llamas, and I’m going to smile.’”
If you’re not expecting them, though, the colorful sight of the animals dotting Hope Pass can be jarring.
“When I first saw them, I thought, ‘What the hell are these llamas doing out here?’” said Krar, who first encountered the animals while running the 120-mile Trans Rockies race in 2009. “They’re so peaceful and happy. I always wish that I could be a llama in those moments.”
Runners who aren’t as familiar with the sight sometimes think they’re hallucinating, Krar added. “We’ll be talking about the race later, and they’ll say, ‘I imagined some llamas at one point.’ And I’m like, ‘No man, they’re there.’”
Do the llamas rest after the race like the ultrarunners? “Nope, they have to pack everything up and bring it back down,” Maupin said, laughing. “They’re very strong animals.”
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