We're Partnering With the Leadville Race Series to Help Runners Do the Right Thing
Quick Read
PACT Outdoors and the Leadville Race Series are continuing their partnership for this year’s Leadville 100 trail race to help runners and crew members better manage human waste on the trail. Their research-backed approach spans numerous touchpoints before and during the race, and is designed around empowering runners with tools and clear information.
The goals are to reduce mis-handled waste along the course, and to ensure all runners leave the event as more experienced trail stewards.
PACT Outdoors and the Leadville Race Series Continue Our Partnership
Entering their second year of partnership PACT Outdoors and the Leadville Race Series are setting a new standard for human waste management at one of trail running's most iconic events.
When more than 1,000 runners and crew members converge on Leadville, Colorado for the Leadville Trail 100 Run, 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.
Race organizers assume that runners understand proper practice and arrive prepared. But on a remote 100-mile course, even well-intentioned runners can find themselves miles from a bathroom when nature calls.
PACT Outdoors and the Leadville Race Series have spent the last two years closing that gap. Today, we're announcing the continuation of our 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, mishandled 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 increasingly shared — and dependent on race organizers and participants stepping up.
"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."
Research Shows the Answer Isn’t More Rules – It’s Better Tools
PACT Outdoors knows this terrain well. We 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 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 human waste pack-out bag was made available at the trailhead, here’s what happened:
92% of those who needed it used one — with no additional education required.
87% said they would consider using a pack-out bag on a future trip
80% said that trying a free bag would make them more likely to bring one in the future.
The data also showed that first-time use drives future use: those who had used a pack-out bag before were significantly more willing to use one again, suggesting that exposure — not attitude — is the main barrier.
The takeaway — that equipping people with tools delivers immediate impact — is exactly the strategy PACT and the Leadville Race Series have built their partnership around.
For a deeper dive into PACT’s research check out the blog post:
A Comprehensive Plan, Not a Checkbox
Unlike single-intervention approaches, the PACT Outdoors and Leadville Race Series program addresses human waste management at every stage of the race experience.
Pre-race communications: Email, social media, and blog content that educates runners and sets expectations before they ever arrive at the starting line.
Tools at packet pickup: Every runner leaves registration equipped with a PACT Single Serve Kit, so preparedness is easy.
The Poop Talk: A dedicated segment at the pre-race athlete briefing that addresses waste management directly.
Vendor activation: PACT is present with a pre-race activation to give out supplies and further educate races on proper practice.
Aid station supplies: additional PACT Wipes, PACT Tabs and Pack Out Kits are stocked at aid stations throughout the course, giving runners resupply options.
On-course signage: Clear, direct messaging at key points along the route reinforces expectations and provides guidance in the field.
Volunteer education: Aid station crews are briefed on waste protocols and are equipped to support runners when needed.
The result is a systematic approach that utilizes numerous touchpoints and communication channels.
“Since implementing this plan with PACT, we’ve seen a huge reduction in human 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.”
What Runners Can Do to Prepare
Being part of the solution starts before race day. If you're toeing the line at Leadville — or any mountain ultra — our guide to pooping while trail running. It covers everything you need to know about managing waste on the course.
But, here’s the short version:
Carry the right kit. The PACT Ultra Lite Kit weighs just 2.3 oz fully stocked and carries everything runners need (trowel, PACT Wipes, PACT Tabs). It’s purpose-built for trail running and ultramarathons where every gram counts.
Bring a pack-out bag for alpine sections. The PACT Pack Out Kit is a compact, double-bagged system for hauling your waste in sensitive ecosystems, like Hope Pass. Dispose of it at the next aid station.
Don't rely on aid stations alone. Supplies and facilities are sometimes available at stations along the course, but carrying your own means you're covered along the entire race.
Keep your diet consistent. Seasoned ultra-runners know this well, but eating the same foods pre- and during the race that you consumer during training season is key.
"Ultra running events take place on 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."
Setting a Standard for Ultra Trail Running Events
PACT Outdoors is partnering with mountain running races across the West to raise the standard for on-course waste management. Programs with the High Lonesome 100, Chuckanut, and the Grand Traverse — among others — have helped build a replicable model that race directors can adapt to their specific courses, terrains, and participant profiles.
With the continuation of our partnership with the Leadville Race Series, the program will reach an even broader slice of the mountain running community — including many first-time ultra runners for whom waste management in the backcountry may be entirely new territory.
The message from PACT and the Leadville Race Series 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.