The Life Time Leadville Race Series and PACT Outdoors Are Making It Easier For Runners To Do The Right Thing

August 11, 2026

Entering their second year of partnership PACT Outdoors and the Life Time Leadville Race Series are setting a new standard for human waste management at one of trail running's most iconic events

GUNNISON, CO, August 11, 2026 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – When more than 1,000 runners and crew members converge on Leadville, Colorado each August for the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 Run presented by La Sportiva, they bring with them everything a 100-mile mountain ultramarathon demands, including the need to answer nature’s call somewhere in the San Isabel National Forest.

On a remote 100-mile course even well-intentioned runners can find themselves miles from a bathroom when nature calls.

PACT Outdoors and the Life Time Leadville Race Series have spent the last two years closing that gap. Today, they’re announcing the continuation of their partnership, bringing a comprehensive, research-backed waste management program to Leadville’s marquee summer running event.

The Problem Is Bigger Than It Looks

At elevations above 10,000 feet, where thin soils and freezing temperatures slow decomposition, mis-handled waste can have lasting environmental consequences. In addition, budget and staffing reductions have left federal land managers with fewer resources to support large-scale endurance events. The responsibility to protect these places is shared by all who visit, including race organizers and participants.

“Mis-handled human waste on the course has been a growing issue that was affecting the community, land managers and the overall race experience. We want the LRS events to serve as a springboard for runners’ education and stewardship practices. So we called PACT Outdoors to help.” said Tamira Jenlink, Leadville Race Series Race Director

Research Shows the Answer Isn’t More Rules — It’s Better Tools

PACT Outdoors knows this terrain well. The company recently partnered with The Pennsylvania State University and Leave No Trace on a field study conducted on Mt. Elbert — the 14,440-foot peak that forms a backdrop to the Leadville Trail 100 course.

That study, which surveyed 410 hikers at the Mt. Elbert trailhead, delivered a clear finding: people aren’t refusing to be responsible. They’re unprepared. When a free pack-out bag (aka “WAG Bag”) was made available at the trailhead, 92% of those who needed it used one — with no additional education required. The takeaway — that equipping people with tools delivers immediate impact — is exactly the strategy PACT Outdoors and the Leadville Race Series have built their collaboration around.

A Comprehensive Plan, Not a Checkbox

Unlike single-intervention approaches, the PACT and Leadville Race Series program addresses human waste management at every stage of the race experience— from pre-race emails and athlete briefings, to tools distributed at packet pickup, supplies stocked at aid stations, on-course signage, and dedicated volunteer education. No runner has an excuse to be unprepared, and no point on the course is left unaddressed.

“Ultra trail running events take place in spectacular but fragile public lands. The Leadville Race Series cares about protecting those places, and so do the runners. What we’ve built together isn’t a compliance program — it’s a culture shift. When you give people the tools and make the conversation normal, they rise to the occasion.” — Jake Thomas, Co-founder, PACT Outdoors

“Since implementing this plan with PACT, we’ve seen a huge reduction in waste on the course. Runners feel more supported, and they leave our events with a clear understanding of why they need to be prepared, as well as how to follow LNT practices.” – Tamira Jenlink, Race Director.

Setting a Standard for Ultra Running Events

The Leadville Race Series collaboration is part of a growing portfolio of event collaborations through which PACT Outdoors is helping mountain running races across the Mountain West take a more structured approach to on-course waste management — including programs with the High Lonesome 100, Chuckanut, and the Grand Traverse, among others — and building a replicable model that race directors can adapt to their specific courses, terrains, and participant profiles.

The message from PACT is the same one the Mt. Elbert research confirmed: people want to do the right thing. Give them the tools, and they’ll answer the call.

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About PACT Outdoors

PACT Outdoors is a Colorado-based outdoor company building modern tools for outdoor hygiene and waste management on public lands. Founded in 2020, PACT’s core belief is that better tools drive better behavior — and that responsible stewardship of public lands begins with equipping the people who use them.

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**Media Contact:**

Jake Thomas

PACT Outdoors

jake@pactoutdoors.com

610-334-5597

pactoutdoors.com