Ramp up Ladder Races

I think before ladder races become boring, with people playing them like clockwork over and over, there could be some stuff to spice it up.
"Special" ladder races should be uniquely designed, with completely different quest rewards, different enemy balancing or putting locks on equipmentslots like rings or amulets.
You could get an enormous exp boost as a quest reward for finishing quests people usually skip in ladder races, or insert a sudden very hard boss in areas that usually doesn't even have one.
You could disable vendors from selling/buying items or release monster periodically into the towns.
Something to stir up the routine of running through it knowing every inch and every enemy. Something that forces players to improvise.