'25 Breck Epic Stage 5

 

Stage 5 - Wheeler Pass

24.5 miles 

5259 feet elevation gain

4:12

10th (40-49)

8th GC (40-49)

Video recap 

The Wheeler pass stage is hard to describe. I've only seen parts of it when I was spectating in 2023 but based on Karel's feedback, it is a trail that he would never ride on a mountain bike. It's rocky, technical and sketchy. Karel mentally prepared himself for the stage but he woke up incredibly sore, tired and empty. With over 5000 feet elevation gain in 25 miles, much of the ride over 12,000 feet and another 4+ hours of racing, Karel questioned how he would be able to pedal, let alone get through the stage. 

I was really looking forward to cheering Karel on and also looking forward to a run (well, hike/jog) up the mountain. I set out at 7am, dropped off Karel's bag at the aid station drop off and continued up the mountain. I jogged when I could but the 6 miles and 3200+ feet of rocky uphill required a lot of walking. I'm finally feeling a bit acclimated to the elevation which did help me out today. I carried 2 x 10 ounce flasks - one with water and one with Never Second and I also carried 2 x 16 ounce flasks in my USWE vest - one with water and one with Never Second. 

I decided to head towards Peak 9 as this would allow me to see Karel around mile 6.7 of his ride and I would be able to run back down without getting in the way of the other riders. I continued to check my phone to make sure I was going the right direction but I must have gotten on the wrong trail to start (which looking back is kinda silly because it was a straight forward rocky road all the way to the top) and I ended up on the wrong trail. I ran back down to the intersection and then I found myself stuck. It was getting close to 8;30 (Karel's wave of 10 riders went off at 8:36am and it would take him at least 80 minutes to get to the top. I had two options, run back down the mountain for 1.3 miles or crawl up the mountain under the gondola. I was feeling adventurous and remembering all of our recent XTRI events, so I slowly made my up the mountain. Below is a picture of what I climbed. Probably not the best decision but I was laughing at myself as I was crawling up and holding on to tree branches and rocks to not fall down. 

I finally made it back on County Road 751 and finished up the 2 mile climb on very rocky terrain. I wasn't able to jog much because of all of the rocks so it was a fast walk up with 20 min/miles. 

I finally made it to the top of Wheeler Pass. Elevation ~12,300 feet. 6 miles in 1:48 (18 min/mile) and 3570 feet elevation gain. The views were incredible. There were a few other people at the top who had biked or walked after driving half way. 

I stayed up there for 52 minutes and watched Karel come through. I could tell he was struggling with feeling so tired, sore and low in energy. I watched him take a tumble as he was trying to pass another rider right as he was going from one trail to the next. 

Below is a picture of the trail that he went through before I saw him. 

After cheering for Karel and the other riders, I made my way down the mountain. The first few miles were slow due to all of the rocks but then the road turned to gravel and I was able to run much faster. I really enjoy off-road running, especially ones where there is a lot of elevation changes. 

I ran 5.9 miles down the mountain in 54 minutes (9:08 min/mile pace). In total my run (hike/jog) was 12 miles, 2:44, 3576 feet elevation gain and 13:40 min/mile. 

When I got back to our Airbnb, I took a quick shower and had a recovery drink and banana and got on my bike and made my way up to the Grand Lodge on Peaks 7 (2.2 miles up). I waited around 10 minutes and Karel rolled in. As to be expected, he was exhausted. He told me he took a really hard fall and cut up his shin and had some cuts on his arm. There are a lot of crashes, mechanicals and issues every day so I consider Karel pretty lucky that he hasn't had anything major happen to him over 5 stages. 

Karel and I rode down the mountain and back to the Airbnb. His bike had a few issues that he needed to fix in the afternoon due to the falls and the roughness of the trail. One more stage to go! 

'25 Breck Epic - stage 4

Stage 4 - Aqueduct 

42.3 miles

6473 feet 

4:43

9th 40-49

8th GC 40-49

Race Recap Video

In 2023, I didn't see much of Karel racing as I was preparing for XTRI Icon. My workouts were long and I was gone for most of the day because the pool was 30 min away. This time around, although I am preparing for an Ironman (IM Chattanooga - I signed up a few weeks ago), I want to share as much of this experience as I can with Karel. 

Karel woke up exhausted and his sinuses are bothering him because of the dry air. He once again questioned how he would get through another 4+ hours of racing. The courses at Breck Epic are incredibly challenging with a lot of rocks, dust and climbing. Every stage has over 5000 feet elevation gain. 

I dropped off Karel's bag around 6:30am and had a very early start to my day. I started my ride at 6:45am as I my plan was to ride to the top of Loveland Pass in Keystone and then head a few miles back to watch Karel come through aid station #2. My plan was to be at the aid station by 10:30am. 

I started to make my way up Swan Mountain and noticed that the road was closed at the top. This had me worried that I would have to reroute and go around the lake to Dillon/Keystone but thankfully I was able to cut over and get on the bike path at the top. The bike path around Swan Mountain is a piece of art. Switchbacks and a smooth windy road around the side of the mountain. 

I made my way towards Keystone and noticed a sign that said "Loveland Pass closed." I looked it up on my phone and sure enough, the pass was closed indefinitely due to a recent landslide. I had over 2 hours left until I would go to see Karel so I backtracked and headed back up Swan Mountain from the Keystone side and down to the bike path and then around the lake. I wanted to get in a good amount of climbing and Swan Mountain is a nice 2.5 mile climb with a little over 600 feet. 

The bike path on the Dillon side is a little more rough (not as smooth) but still very pretty. The Keystone path is very pretty with a rocky river alongside the path.

After 3 hours of riding, I finally made my way to a gravel road to aid station #2 by Keystone. I waited around 20 minutes and finally saw Karel. While he went pee in the grass, I got him a small can of Fanta, topped off his water bottle that had precision hydration 60g and gave him a new hydration pack w/ 3 scoops INFINIT in it. Karel told me that he had a bit of a tumble on one of the descends but he was ok. It was getting warm out and it was very dusty. Karel was having a hard time breathing today. The aid station volunteers are incredible and once again, the riders are very nice and considerate. There were several mechanical issues that riders had to stop and fix. 

I made my way back to Breckenridge, dropped of my hydration pack in our Airbnb and then rode my bike a few miles up the road to the B&B trailhead. I ended up with 4:56 ride time, 74.6 miles and close to 5000 feet of elevation. I waited around 20 minutes and Karel finally rolled through. 

Karel couldn't stop coughing and he said his lungs hurt really bad. He did really well considering all that his body is going through. He ended up 9th on the stage (40-49) and is maintaining 8th overall (GC - general classification) in his age group. Karel drank the tart cherry drink that I made for him and he filled up his bottle w/ Skratch chocolate recovery from the aid station. 

After thinking about life and why he is doing this event, we finally made our way down the mountain. Karel rode to the lodge to wash off his bike and I went back to the Airbnb and ordered Karel a burger from Flipside Burger (per Karel's appetite :) 

Around 5pm, Karel went to pick up his aid station bag and I went to the Rec center for a swim. 

Tomorrow's stage is short - only 25 miles but incredibly challenging with over 5200 feet elevation gain. The Wheeler pass is rocky, steep and technical and requires a lot of hike-a-bike. Two more stages to go! 

'25 Breck Epic - Stage 3

Stage 3 - Circumnavigation of Mt. Guyot

39 miles 

6200 feet 

4:47 

9th AG 40-49 

Flat tire 😔

Video Recap HERE

Karel went to bed and woke up very tired, sore and exhausted. Shortly after he got out of bed around 6am he said to me "I'm not even half way through the event. I don't know how I'll get through today." I knew the stage would be challenging for him based on Karel's feedback from last time so I gave him lots of words of encouragement. Karel was feeling nauseous and had a hard time eating his oatmeal. 

Around 7:10am I drove up the street to drop off Karel's aid station bags. He decided to use two bags today. In aid station #2 bag he had 1 bottle of sport nutrition (INFINIT) and in aid station #3 bag he had another USWE hydration pack (1.5 L) with INFINIT. He started with a USWE hydration pack and had a bottle on his bike with sport nutrition. 

A little after 7:30am, I headed out for my ride. My plan was to go to the village of Vail and back and then climb up to the B&B trailhead to see Karel finish. Based on his time from last year, my goal was to be back at the finish by 1pm. It was chilly out this morning but not as cold as yesterday. I wore knee warmers, light gloves, a base layer tank and arm warmers. I warmed up quickly once I got to Frisco as I started to climb on the bike path towards Copper Mountain (7.7 miles, 652 feet). I rode through the town of Copper mountain and made my way onto the bike path towards the Vail Pass. I enjoyed this 4.4 mile climb (705 feet) as it was a gentle grade (for most of it, with a few pitchy sections and a narrow section due to construction). The bike paths are incredible in this area. I was riding from Breckenridge to Vail all on a car-free bike path! I descended 11 miles which meant I had been on a bike path for 2 hours and 34 miles! I then made my way on to the bike lane and descended into the village of Vail - 37 miles, 2:12, ~1600 feet. I kept track on the time to make sure that I would be back in time to see Karel finish. I was a little worried about the 15 mile, 2300+ feet climb back to Vail pass but overall it wasn't too bad. There were some really pitchy sections which had me breathing heavy. Overall, I feel like I am getting a little more used to the altitude but I still can't push hard without my legs hurting and breathing heavy. I enjoyed the 15 mile descend back into the town of Frisco and then I made my way 8 miles back up to Breckenridge (into headwind) and then a few miles up to the B&B Trailhead. In total, my ride was 5:10, 80 miles, ~5600 feet.

I arrived to the stage finish a little before 1pm and around 20 minutes later, Karel rolled through the finish line. He looked disappointed but I was just so happy that he made it to the finish. Unfortunately, he got a flat tire on one of the very rocky descends. Thankfully his foam insert helped to not destroy the rim and he was able to plug the tire, use some CO2, plug again and then at the next aid station, get another CO2. Seeing that several riders had much more serious issues like broken wheels, broken chains and broken spokes, Karel got lucky with only a puncture that he was able to plug (2 plugs). He ended up losing around 8 minutes but he rode really well throughout the stage. He finished 9th in his category and continues to sit in 8th GC (40-49). 

In any race but especially in off road cycling, it's not about if something happens but when AND how you deal with it. Karel was bummed about the situation and it made him lose some of his mojo but he acted quick, fixed the flat and continued giving his best. 

After the stage, I gave Karel a cup of tart cherry juice (I brought the concentrate packet and added water from the finish line area) and Karel also made himself a bottle of skratch recovery from the finish line area and we shared a coke. I consumed 4 bottles of INFINIT 90g carbs throughout my ride. 

We rode back to the Airbnb and after Karel cleaned up, he went to the village to have Orange Seal fix his tire. Karel brought another tire so he had them fill with sealant and put the tire on. This saved Karel lots of time and energy as he was not looking forward to spending time fixing his bike this afternoon instead of recovering. While Karel was fixing his tire, I went for a 38 min, 4.5 mile run. At first I thought I was getting used to the altitude but then after I turned around and started the net incline back to our Airbnb, I quickly realized it's still incredibly hard to run here. 

Karel is now officially half way through the Breck Epic 6-stage event. He is really tired, sore and exhausted but he is also performing really well. Although he is 2 years older than the last time, his skills have really improved and he is feeling much more confident on the descends. 

Hoping for lots of mechanical luck for tomorrow! 

A few pics from yesterday late afternoon at the bike week expo....

Free local cookies! 

Several female-run bike businesses! 

'24 Xterra Oak Mountain Race Recap

 

Greenville crew

The last race in our 3-week (15 day) racing block was Xterra Oak Mountain. For several years, we always dedicated this weekend to IM 70.3 Chattanooga (one of our favorite events) but with Xterra Oak Mountain being the same weekend, we went to Pelham, Alabama instead. Karel participated in Xterra Oak Mountain in 2021 (his first off-road triathlon) and in 2022 they didn't have the event. In 2023 we both participated (my 4th Xterra event) and I placed overall female amateur. When Xterra announced that Oak Mountain would be the home of the North American Championship, we knew that we couldn't miss this event. We love the trails at oak mountain, as well as the lake. It's a place that makes us super happy. The trails are proper mountain bike trails with rock gardens, technical turns, roots, climbs and descends but the trails are also nicely made with good rhythm and flow. 

As for training going into Xterra, we had intentions of riding our mountain bikes on Tuesday and Wednesday but it rained both days. On Monday we did a morning swim (3200) and an evening easy spin on the Swamp rabbit trail (1:06, 17 miles). We swam again on Tuesday (3650) and in the early evening I did a "system check" workout on Rouvy (1 hour) and followed it up with a feel good brick run (25 minutes, 3 miles). My legs felt surprisingly good just three days after Gulf Coast 70.3. Karel's legs were feeling heavy and he was not sleeping so great so he was careful not to overdo it in the bridge between Gulf Coast and Xtera. On Wed morning I did a 6.73 mile, 53 min run with a main set of 4 x 6 min tempo efforts w/ 90 sec EZ between. Again, my legs felt really good. I just got the Saucony Endorphin Pro at Run In and I really like them (I wore them at Gulf Coast 70.3). My other (and long time) favorite shoe is the New Balance Fuel Cell. In the evening I rode the trainer for an hour and did a mix of big gear and high cadence intervals to keep the legs sharp.

On Thursday we left our house around 8:30am to make our 5 hour drive to Pelham (we gained an hour) and arrived a little before 1pm. We paid $5/person to enter Oak Mountain State Park and when we arrived we noticed several professional Xterra athletes as well as professional triathlete Eric Lagerstrom.  

After we changed, we went out on the bike course and rode the 21-mile bike course (~1650 feet elevation gain). We rode easy and took note of certain sections of the course that may be difficult on race day. The weather was predicted to be 100% heavy rain on Fri and Sat which made me nervous about a repeat of Whitewater off-road triathlon where I had a lot of falls due to the slippery roots and tight turns. It took us ~2:17 to ride the course (~8.4 mph). I had a lot of difficulty in the tight turns and a few rooty sections as I felt like I had no confidence or skills. Karel helped me through these tough moments and as the ride went on, I felt better and better. When we got to blood rock (the most technical part of the course) we spent a little time looking at the trails to study the best line, even though I knew I wouldn't be riding all the way down blood rock. Karel didn't feel comfortable riding it all in training as we didn't spent a lot of time sectioning it. After blood rock, there is a super rocky downhill and then my favorite part of the course, Jekyll and Hyde. It's super flowy and covered in pine needles. I was really happy that we rode the entire course because I forgot about two drops that require the proper line choice so I was glad that we experienced that in our recon. 

After the ride, we went for an open water swim in one of my favorite lakes. I love how clean the water is and the water temperature is perfect.  Karel wore his short sleeve swimskin for the first loop (which he said felt really restrictive on his shoulders) and I wore my swimsuit. We swam two loops in 25 minutes (~1700 yards, 1:30 pace). We finished our swim a little before 5pm and I ordered Chiptole to be delivered to our hotel (Sleep Inn). We unloaded the car into our hotel room, ate dinner and worked on the computer until we were ready to go to sleep around 9pm. 

We expected rain all day on Friday but the radar was looking like the rain would hold off so we went to the park around 9am so that we could ride the first few miles of the course again. I felt so much better than on Thursday. After our ~30 min recon ride (4.3 miles) I went for a 10 min, 1 mile EZ run on the trails and Karel went for a 33 min (3.66 mile) shake out run with his friend Darren. Our athlete Danielle joined us for the bike. Although it was cloudy, it was very humid. We made a quick stop at Publix grocery before heading back to our hotel. 

We returned to the park at 2pm to pick up our packet and to meet up with our athletes who were racing for a course chat. Thankfully no rain all day which was great. We were excited for our athletes and team members who were participating in their first off-road triathlon. 

In addition to working on the computer all day, we got our things ready for the race, filled up our hydration packs and run bottle and went to bed around 8pm for a good night of sleep. 

With a 8:30am start, we didn't have a super early alarm. We woke up around 5:30am and ate around 6am. I had a bagel w/ PB and honey and Karel had oatmeal and OJ. We also each had a cup of coffee (Karel brought his aeropress). We did some foam rolling in the room and Karel went for a short jog. We left the hotel at 7am and drove the 2 miles to the race venue. There was a line to get into the park but it went by quick as there were two rows. We paid our $10 to enter. and parked around 7:15am. 

With ~400 athletes in the full and sprint distance, parking was easy. We found a spot on the racks for our bikes (first come, first serve) and set up our transition area. We picked up our chips and swim cap and spent the next hour getting ready for the race start. I watched our athletes in the swim for the sprint race (which started at 8am) and then put on my wetsuit (water was 75 degrees according to the officials but it felt warmer) to go for a warmup swim. I spent ~20 min in the water warming up, which I feel is one of the reasons why I am able to swim so well at this venue (or anytime I can do a swim warm-up before the race start). Karel also did a swim warmup. I watched the pros start at 8:35am and then we got ready for our start after the pros started their 2nd swim lap. I had a Never Second gel around 20 min before the start. Karel's wave started at 8:51 (49 and under males) and my wave (everyone else) started at 8:52am. 

I positioned myself in the front and to the far left and I was able to take out fast when we started. I had clean water for most of the race as I was able to swim past many of the guys who started in front of us. I went out really hard and tried to hold this pace until the 2nd turn buoy. I was able to settle into a strong rhythm for the rest of the loop and when I got out of the water to start the second loop, I was 2nd in my wave. I continued to pass the guys ahead of me and felt strong the entire swim. Sighting was easy in the lake. I wore my Roka goggles with a light tint. 

As I got out of the water, I saw Karel right in front of me. He said he felt good in the water but his perceived effort didn't match how he was swimming. He felt like he was swimming strong but he felt like he wasn't able to move up in the pack or pass other athletes around him. 

We ran to the transition and I gave Karel a big cheer. We racked our bikes on the same rack row but several bikes down and we both left transition around the same time.  

SWIM
Marni - 23:26
Karel: 24:21

T1
Marni: 1:50
Karel: 1:51

When we got on our bikes, I tighted my shoes (which I put on in transition with my socks, along with my helmet, sunglasses and USWE hydration pack) and then started working to keep my lead on the swim. I was first female out of the water but I wasn't sure how long this lead would last. 

The course can be broken down into 4 sections. 
The first section is a few miles and very twisty, tight and up and down. True single track. Karel has fallen in this section twice (last two times he raced here) as it's easy to ride too fast and take the turns too quick. My goal was to ride controlled and to make sure I kept my hands light and moved my body to offset my weight in the turns. I was passed by a few guys but everyone was very nice when passing. I would move over and let them pass. 
The second section is a ~3 mile climb on a jeep road. However, it's rocky and has a few dips. I locked my front suspension on this section and rode as strong as I could up the climb. My legs felt really heavy but I kept on pushing for ~18 minutes. When I got to the top, I looked behind and didn't see anyone. The next few miles were back on single track and a little more rocky but flowy. 
The third section is Blood Rock - which is the most difficult part of the course. I rode 1/2 of it and then got off my bike and walked the rest. Two guys passed me in this section but otherwise, I had been riding by myself for well over 20 minutes. 
The fourth section is my favorite - the last hour is so much fun. I didn't want it to end. I did have one spill where I took a tight left turn a little too fast and my weight was to much in the inside and I washed out but I got back up right away. I finished the ride with 2 other guys and they were really nice, letting me stay ahead even though they were better with their skills. I was really happy with my bike as I rode 5 minutes faster than last year. 
Karel felt like his fitness and skills were good but his hand cramped neart the top of the jeep road climb and he had to spend a few minutes unlocking his fingers so that he could hold the bar (and brake) before Blood Rock. This is a common issue for Karel in his wrist where he had surgery (and now has a plate in it). Karel was planning to ride the entire blood rock section but the guy in front of him (who he had passed on the climb but passed him as he was fixing his hand) got stuck on blood rock which caused Karel to get off  his bike. No biggie. Just a quick run down with the bike. 
I filled by USWE pack with 1 bottle + 3/4 bottle, each with 1.5 scoops INFNIT Fructose (~70g carbs per bottle). Karel filled his pack with 1.5 bottles (~37 ounces) of Maurten 320. 

BIKE
Marni - 1:50.35 (10.9 mph)
Karel - 1:38.30 (12.3 mph)

I was having so much fun on the bike that I didn't want it to end. I was careful in the final 2 miles as it was a tight and twisty single track section and I didn't want to crash. I was still leading the female race (I passed one female pro) and I wasn't sure how big my lead was so I needed to keep pushing it until T2. 

I heard some cheers from our athletes who raced the sprint which made me smile. I couldn't wait to hear about their race. I had a quick transition, put on my New Balance Fuel Cell shoes and grabbed my bag of my stuff to put on as I was running (flask in back tri kit pocket, bib number belt and hat). It was warm and humid but I was happy with the weather. 

T2
Marni -:40
Karel - :44

Karel and I don't wear gloves in most Xterra races (if it was raining or cold we would) and we have recently been running on less technical trails in our old New Balance shoes (road shoes). Karel actually wore his new New Balance Fuel Cell shoes for this race. It's a rooty up and down run but not too technical that you need a lot of grip. We were both planning to wear our trail shoes if it was wet/rainy. 

I really pushed myself on the run from the start on the road. I love bumpy trail runs and I couldn't wait to get into the trails. It was hard to push myself and not know how far my lead was. And after the first mile, I was all by myself for the rest of the run. I really pushed myself and had several moments where I thought "wow - 6 miles is loooong." I sipped my flask (1 scoop, 120 calories Never Second) throughout the run when I could get my HR lower on the downhills and I grabbed water at all three aid stations to sip and cool myself. 

Karel felt good to start the run and he was excited for the trails but as soon as he stepped foot on the trails, his legs felt very heavy and tired. He really struggled on the run but he never gave up. 

Run
Marni - 50:33
Karel - 47:34

RESULTS
Marni: 3:07, Overall female amateur 
Karel: 2:53.02, 1st AG

I crossed the line with relief as I gave it everything I could for the entire race. I felt very accomplished and I had so much fun. I was listening to a podcast during our drive and they mentioned that it's hard to have fun when racing because it hurts so much. Although off-road racing does hurt (it's challenging!) it is so much fun to race in the woods. You are in nature and it almost feels like you are playing. I ended up winning the overall title by 11 minutes. 

Karel and I received jerseys as North American champions. We each received a slot to Xterra World Championship in Molveno Italy but we won't be going this year due to our other planned races. 

We chatted with our friends and athletes and took a dip in the lake to "clean up." After the awards we changed and hit the road so we could return home to our furry crew. 

It was a fun and exciting racing block. Now time to recover and get ready for our next training block as we get ready for our upcoming XTRI events. 

'24 PE Plett 4 stage MTB event

We enjoyed our experience at PE Plett. Instead of writing a recap of each stage, I'll provide some thoughts on our overall experience from this 4-stage MTB event. 

COST

• Total cost: $2171
• Event: $690 per person (includes 4 days of riding, 3 nights luxury tent accomodations and 10 meals)
• No hassle package: $134 per person (shuttle pick up/drop off at Port Elizabeth airport, pre-event luxury tent accomodation, dinner and breakfast)
• Hotel in Port Elizabeth (Courtyard Port Elizabeth): $93
• Hotel airport shuttle: $12 each way 
• Bike transport: $96 one way (bikes and bike case transferred from Cape Town Giant Bike Store so we didn't have to fly with the bikes to the event)
• Flights (Cape Town to Port Elizabeth): Safair $280 ($140 per person, round trip)
• Safair Bike fee from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town: $30 ($15 per bike)
  
  
  

LOGISTICS
As with most stage races, the start and finish are in different locations. I would say that most people who were local had someone drop them off at Kurland on Wednesday morning before the start of stage 1 and then pick them up at Zwartenbosch on Saturday, at the conclusion of the event. The distance was 84 miles between the two locations. There was also an option to drop off your car at Kurland and pay someone to drive it to the finish. People who were not from the Plett or Port Elizabeth area used this option. Then there was the shuttle bus option (which we used) which was very convenient and affordable. The drive from Port Elizabeth airport to Kurland took about 3 hours (140 miles), which includes a 30-minute stop for road construction. From Zwartenbosch to the airport, it took a little less than 2 hours (64 miles). We opted to use a service to transport our bikes (and bike cases) from Cape Town to the start of the event (instead of flying with our bikes) because we didn't want to risk anything happening to our bikes or dealing with the hassle of transporting them around. We had paid for our bikes to be transferred back to Cape Town but there was an issue with not having enough drivers so we ended up flying back with our bikes, which wasn't an issue. Cape Town holds the biggest timed bike race in the world in March (35,000 cyclists) so the smaller airlines (like SAFAIR) are used to transporting bikes. We were allowed one luggage each to be transported from stage to stage. We packed one suitcase and Karel brought his Trimarni transition bag. We left our other suitcase of items we didn't need at our hotel where we would be staying for 3 nights in downtown Cape Town after our event. With over 200 athletes participating in the event, I'd say the staff did a great job with organizing everyone with all of the logistics of this stage event. We flew into Port Elizabeth on Monday evening and it was nice to see the area (home of IM South Africa and the host of the 2018 IM 70.3 World Championship). 

Morning run in Port Elizabeth 

Photo from PE Plett

Routes/Courses
This was my first mountain bike stage race, my 2nd stage race event and my first time camping. I really enjoyed the experience. Although my mountain bike skills are improving, this course was not very technical in that it was primarily jeep roads with very little single track. The first stage had the most single track, which was only a few miles. The event could have been a gravel bike stage race because of the vast amount of gravel/dirt/forest roads and trails. There was a lot of climbing which I enjoyed. Whereas I really enjoyed each stage and felt like I was able to keep up with the race dynamincs and feel confident with my skills, Karel would have preferred more single track as that is where his strength lies. We both have a lof of experience with group riding (Karel has much more experience than I do but I learned from him) which helped us perform well on each stage. The scenery was beautiful as we rode through the garden route and Tsitsikamma Forests and had many views of the Indian Ocean. Karel and I found ourselves riding with similar people for each stage and we got to know others while also getting to know their strengths and weaknesses. Because Karel and I were riding solo (not as a mixed team), we both had to look out for ourselves, whereas other riders were on a team and could look out for one another. I found myself with 2-3 other teams (one was the leading women's team) and another solo rider so I often had to work extra hard as I knew no one was going to be there to help me out if I got dropped or had any issues. Stage 1 was the most enjoyable stage for me as I felt like I wasn't really racing but just riding my own race. Stage 2 was the hardest stage for me as I felt like it was full on racing and the descends were fast and there were several switchbacks (descending) on loose gravels. Stage 3 was nothing like I assumed it would be as I thought it would be flat and fast until the final climb but it ended up having a lot of technical climbing (loose rocks/steep short climbs). Stage 4 was challenging with the wind and a lot of short steep climbs and with it being the last stage, there was a lot of fatigue in the body. Karel had two mechanicals on stage 2 (seat post dropped down and a chain link got stuck) which cost him a lot of time and he moved from 3rd solo male to 4th. I heard a clinking noise throughout most of stage 2 and after the race when I told Karel he realized I had broken a spoke in my rear wheel. I would have preferred slightly longer stages. Stage 3 was supposed to be a little longer but forest fires caused the route to be shortened. 3-3.5 hours is still a long time on the mountain bike as the miles go by slowly (10-15 mph). The terrain was mostly dusty and sandy. There were a few muddy sections.

Food
I had paid a little extra for vegetarian meals throughout the event but at our first dinner (Tuesday, pre event) they forgot to prepare me a meal. So I ate salad and rice. For two lunches I had vegetarian 'sausage' (which was just ok) and for dinners, my vegetarian meals were veggies and cheese (which I am learning is what most people associate with the vegetarian diet). With so much great vegetarian food in South Africa, I was really disappointed with my meals. Breakfast was fine as I could eat eggs, yogurt, granola, fruit and toast but the lunch and dinner meals were really lacking in protein (and flavor). Karel enjoyed his meals and there were plenty of meat options. I had brought protein powder (which I had after every race) and I also had a few Honey Stinger protein and nut/seed bars. There was plenty of food for lunch and I never found myself hungry after a meal but the meals were not well balanced for me. I did enjoy all of the options for lunch, especially the fruit. I was also disappointed in the lack of bottled water. There was always a big jug of water to fill our bottles but there was an endless amount of free Heineken beer (including non alcoholic) and wine but water was not as easy to access. 

Photo from PE Plett

People/vibe
We met a lot of people throughout the four stages. It was easy to get to know those who we rode with each day. Most people were from South Africa. We met a couple from Germany and a few guys from France. We were the only people from the United States. The event had a mix of fitness levels. There was a category for E-bikes which was great because it allowed for a variety of fitness levels. There were several couples participating in the E-bike team category and several older individuals who may not have been able to complete an event like this without the added assistance. There was a battery aid station for the E-bikes and most people used the assist on the climbs. The E-bikers were also very nice and supportive to us "muscle" assist athletes. Cape Epic is a popular 8-stage MTB race in March and a lot of teams were using PE Plett as preparation for Cape Epic. This brought the competition level up as there were a lot of very fit and skilled mountain bikers. But there was also a large handful of people who were completers. They were not racing for a podium spot but they were there to have fun, chill and socialize. I'd say the majority of participants were between the age of 40-65. In the afternoon, there was a lot of relaxing happening. This was a little challenging for me and Karel as the Wifi wasn't strong and we really wanted to use the afternoon period to work on the computer. We did a short run of 3-4 miles in the late afternoon of stage 1 and 2 to add in a little more training stress to the event. The weather after stage 1 was cool and drizzly so we didn't take advantage of the pool at the lodge. We dipped into the cold pool after stage 2 as the weather was a little nicer. Stage 3 was hot and the pool was crowded. There were stretch classes in the late afternoon and we joined in for a 45 minute session after stage 2. Dinner was at 6pm (lunch started at 12pm) and the award presentation was at 7pm. We loved the beanbag chairs for relaxing. There was also a charging station for our gadgets (we brought portable charging banks as well). I will say that when I had the solo female leader jersey on for stage 2, 3 and 4, I felt like I had more support/respect in the field as a solo female, compared to stage, 1 so that was a nice feeling. 

Event staff
The event staff was awesome. With these smaller events, the event staff got to know everyone on a first name basis. As the women solo leader, I received a leaders jersey and got to line up at the front of each stage (2, 3 and 4) and I was often greeted with nice words from people of the staff. The photographers and media crew were amazing and they did an exceptional job with pictures and highlights on social media throughout the event. We received a lot of cool stuff in our registration packet and we also received pillow gifts in our tent in the afternoon of each stage which was a nice surprise. We got a nice water jug, headlamp and drip drop nutrition. Everyone was really nice and really helped to make this event extra special. The courses were well marked and Mike and his family really put their heart and soul into this event (which has been happening for 12 years). This year they also added a Tour (more laid back, non competitive version of the 4 stage event) which started the day after we finished. One of the coolest parts of the event was the helicopeter that followed the racers around for each stage. They took some great pictures! 

Camping
I really enjoyed the camping experience. It was nice to have our tents set up for us and the tents were large. Karel and I could have easily shared a tent (like the teams did) but we received our own tents as solo riders. We had a cot in our tents and comfortable pillow and beddings. Our tents were assigned to us. It was easy to get our luggage to and from our tents before stage 1, 2 and 4. I liked that we stayed in the same place after stage 1 and 2. Immediately after each stage we went to the showers. The showers were cold and we were limited (encouraged) to a few minutes to help save water. There were several portopotties and they were incredibly clean. There was a company there cleaning after every use. We never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a shower. There was a bike cleaning station where we paid $2 per bike (the money went to the Kwamo cycling academy). There was a coffee truck to purchase coffee, drinks and snacks. There was also instant coffee available at breakfast. The only issue with the tents was where they were placed. They were near the race venue and this meant that trucks would drive through the tent area early in the morning or there would be a lot of noise from staff workers in the evening. I slept just ine but Karel is a lighter sleeper and he really struggled with sleep. The weather was great in the evenings and I was never hot. It was the perfect temperature to snuggle under the blankets. Stage 2 was the coldest night and Stage 3 was the warmest night (but still comfortable). 

Overall, we really enjoyed the event. This was such a cool way to see a different part of South Africa, meet people and make new friends, ride our mountain bikes and be competitive in a race environment.

Here are some pictures from the event (I took the most pictures during stage 1, no pics on stage 2, and a few in stage 3 and 4). 

 

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

Photo from PE Plett

RESULTS
Karel - 3rd solo male, 11:03.43
Marni - 1st solo female, 11:36.56
157 miles of mountain biking and over 13000 feet of climbing over four days. 

Here's a video recap from the event, including our tips for racing in an international event. 

'23 Breck Epic - Stage 3 and 4

 Stage 3: THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MT. GUYOT
42.6 miles
5:00 time
6115 feet
8.5 mph
Crossing the Continental Divide twice today.
17th 40-49 AG

The fatigue was building going into stage 3. This stage required a lot of hike-a-bike. Here's Karel's recap of the event. 

Before stage

After stage

I left our place shortly after 7am to drive to the Buffalo Trailhead in Silverthorne for my run/hike workout. It took ~30 minutes to get there and I wanted to arrive early as the AllTrails reviewers said the trail parking lot is small and fills up fast. I arrived around 7:45am and there were several spots open. I packed a lot of snacks and drinks for the day as I knew I would be exercising for most of the day. 

My plan was to do a long run of ~2 hours on the trails before hiking up Buffalo Trailhead. I chose this trailhead because it had an elevation gain of ~3000 feet in 3 miles. For my upcoming ICON tri, I cover 3000 feet in the last 6 miles of the marathon. This was a great opportunity to practice hiking on tired legs and to also see how my body does with the altitude while running on the trails. 

I started off with a 11 mile, 2:15 hr trail run with ~1400 elevation gain. I ran the Lily Pad Lake trail twice and ran the buffalo cabin trail to Royal Buffalo and back. I stopped at my car twice to refill my flasks. I wore my Naked Running belt and used two 10 ounce Nathan hard flasks. The trails were very technical so I had to walk a lot. It was very peaceful and the scenery was incredible. I read about moose sightings but I didn't see any. I was on alert as I didn't want to encounter one and her babies. 

Then it was time to hike. My legs felt pretty good after the run. I swapped shoes (more grippy trail shoes), put on my USWE hydration vest, refilled my flasks, grabbed my hiking poles and set out up Buffalo Mountain.


This is what I climbed up.

I made it two miles up before the trail turned into boulders. The first mile I was making great pace but in the 2nd mile, there was a lot more elevation gain and I could feel the altitude. I was able to make my way up some of the boulder sections but it was difficult to make out the cairnes to lead me up the steep rocky mountain. I really wanted to see the mountain goats at the time but I was nervous to climb the boulders by myself. It was much more difficult than I anticipated. I was bummed I didn’t make it to the top. The four mile hike took me 1:56 and I climbed almost 2000 feet up in an hour (11,000+ elevation).

After the run, I had a snack and recovery drink and drove to the pool (which was in the same town). The swim felt really good on my body and I felt like I was able to swim a bit better than the prior days. The lap pool wasn't busy. I swam 4050 yards and did a few sets throughout the swim. Afterward, I picked up Chipotle for Karel, got a few things at the grocery and then drove back to our place just before Karel left for his meeting at 5pm.

I looked forward to hearing about Karel's race. I tried to time my swim so that I could hear that Karel finished before I got to the pool. Thankfully, he finished as I was finishing my hike. Somehow he found the energy to go for a 3 mile run after his stage. 

When I got back, I mixed together rice and tomato soup (and a veggie burger) for dinner. We were both pretty exhausted in the evening. Karel was struggling to sleep as his body was exhausted. I was sleeping ok - a little restless throughout the night. 

Karel officially reached the half way point of the event. 
Stats so far:
~124 miles of mountain biking
~14 hours of ride time
~17,200 feet elevation gain

STAGE 4 – AQUEDUCT
46.5 miles
4:48 time
6332 feet
9.65 mph
11th 40-49AG

This was a good stage for Karel. Interestingly, many riders who excelled on stage 3 struggled on stage 4. Karel was really finding the terrain technical and difficult but this stage seemed to suit him well. 
He was feeling really sore and tired but he was able to put together a great ride for stage 4. 



Today was my big day of training. I was looking forward to the ride but also a bit nervous to ride so long and so far all by myself. My new friend Tommy suggested the Copper Triangle route (79 miles) and said it was a great route. I decided to start the ride from Breckenridge which would add at least 30 miles to the ride. This made for a long ride but I loved it. I was a little nervous when I got on the first main road but then I realized that the cars were very used to cyclists. I felt very safe throughout the entire ride. I had plenty of fluids and nutrition with me so I only had to make one stop to refill bottles. I stopped around 4:15 into my ride (in Minturn at a gas station), just before approaching Vail. The section from Leadville to Minturn was about 30 miles and it was really windy. I was in a valley and those miles seemed to take forever. The scenery was incredible and I really enjoy riding through the different towns. I made sure to take a picture of each town that I passed by/through. When I got to vail, I started the longest climb of the day, which happened to be on a bike path to Copper Mountain. 14 miles of climbing with several steep grades. I just couldn't believe that I was doing this on a bike path. The paths are really well marked and it makes it easy to go from town to town. The trail was also really busy with lots of people/families on bikes. There was one section of construction but other than that, the trail was well maintained. I felt like this was the first time that I could push a little more power.  Karel texted me that he finished and I was very relieved to hear from him. It was hard to focus on myself when I knew he was out racing. I felt really good throughout the entire ride and was able to finish feeling strong into Breckenridge. After the ride, I went for a 43 minute, 4.7 mile run. Legs were tired but I made it. Karel wanted pizza for dinner so I ordered him pizza and walked a mile (there and back) to pick it up for him. It felt good to loosen out after my long brick. I ended up riding 116 miles in 7:05. The elevation gain was around 7800 feet. Suprisingly, this didn't feel like a "hilly" ride as there were only a few longer climbs. Here's a video on Instagram that I put together from my ride. 

Karel went to bed feeling very anxious and nervous for stage 5: The Wheeler "time trial." He was warned in the athlete briefing about the difficulty of the route, all the hike-a-bike he'd be doing and the technical descending. 

'23 Breck Epic - Stage 1 and 2

Stage 1: Pennsylvania Creek 
37.7 miles
3:42 time
5207 feet
10.1 mph
10th 40-49 AG

The stage started at 8:30am at the ice skating rink a few miles away. We set the alarm for 6am. Karel left around 7:30, which he said later on was too early. As he was warming up, I got ready for my ride. I left around 8:00 on my road bike to see Karel one more time before he started. During Karel's race, I went out for my ride to Loveland Pass. 

Pre Race

Post race

Here's Karel's recap of the event.  

This was a really big deal for me to go out on a ride by myself on roads that I didn't know. Unlike Karel, who will ride anywhere, I am not as adventurous on two wheels. As I'm riding, I'm thinking about not getting lost, wondering if I am allowed to bike on certain roads and worried about the unknown. I have gotten a lot better, hence why I had the confidence to go out solo and climb a mountain. 

I plugged in a route to Loveland pass on my computer that I found on Strava. Because much of the route was on the bike path, it didn't require too much navigating. I rode from Breckenridge to Swan Moutain to Keystone and then got on the main road and started the ~8 mile, ~2400 feet climb to the Loveland pass (which sits at almost 12,000 feet). The climb was steady and averaged around 6-8% with no steep pitches. There were some cars but I never felt unsafe. The scenery was beautiful. I wore my USWE hydration pack as I wasn't sure where to refill bottles. The bike path through Keystone was beautiful. When I got on the climb, I could feel the altitude. I only had one effort and I tried to keep it easy. Interestingly, as I got to the top, I felt like I could ride a little stronger (perhaps it was mental that I knew I was almost at the top). The temp started off a little cool but I warmed up quickly. It's interesting how 50 degrees at altitude (and in dry conditions) feels so much warmer than where we live. 

When I got to the top, I took a picture by the sign and chatted with another guy (Tommy) who I passed on the way up. He is somewhat local and he connected with me via Strava/IG and gave me some suggestions for other rides. I put on a jacket, gloves and arm warmers for the descend (which I had tucked in my hydration pack). The descend was fast. It took me an hour to climb up and 15 minutes (33.5 mph average) to descend down. 

As I was making my way back on Swan Mountain, I realized I had been riding for around 3 hours and I was wanting to ride for at least 4. I extended my ride on the bike path through Frisco and Dilon reservoir. The bike path around Dilon res was twisty and a lot of fun. My ride was 4:41 and 70.6 miles and 5700 feet elevation gain. After my ride I went for a 6 mile/55 minute run. It was tough running off the bike with the altitude, especially back into town. Between my bike and run, I chatted with Karel on his day (he also did a short 3 mile run off the bike). After my workout, it was time to relax before spending the rest of the day on the computer. 

Karel attended the nightly meeting at 5pm outside the resort. I was looking forward to stage 2 because I was volunteering at aid station 2. 

Stage 2: The Colorado Trail 
44.9 miles
5:17 time
8.5 mph
5800 feet
33rd 40-49

A few weeks prior to the event, I completed the volunteer form for Monday. I was assigned aid station 2. I was really looking forward to this volunteer position because I have experienced the kindness and support of volunteers in aid stations (triathlon, mountain biking, gravel biking) and their help is really appreciated.

We woke up a little before 6am and got a little work done before the day started. Karel left a little before 8am and rode to downtown for the start. I walked down to the volunteer area behind the resort around 7:30am to get my volunteer badge. Around 8:30am I left for my volunteer duties. I decided to ride my bike the 7 miles to the aid station instead of driving as I wanted to spin out my legs, get some fresh air and use today as an active recovery day. The weather warmed up quickly and it turned out to be a warm and sunny day. 

I helped set up bags for around an hour and shortly after 10:30am, the first pro riders started to arrive. It was fun running to bags, grabbing bottles and handing them to the athletes. Everyone was really nice. As the hours passed by, the athletes were not in as much of a rush but they were still very appreciative. 

I was getting a bit worried that I didn't see Karel when I thought he would be coming by. A friend from Greenville, Naomi, who was in the race, told me that Karel had a few flats. I felt so bad for Karel. When he finally rolled in, I could see the frustration and sadness on his face. I filled up his hydration pack, handed him a bottle of coke that I brought with me and collected his trash from his pockets. 

I volunteered until 2pm (with only a few riders left on the course) and then rode back to the resort. I felt really sad for Karel but he didn't let it get to him. He was just exhausted for being out on the course for over 5 hours.  Although I brought snacks and drinks with me, I was pretty hungry when I got back to the room. I made us veggie burger sandwiches on bagels, served with chips.

Karel attended the briefing at 5pm and I got some work done before bed.

Pre Race


Post race

The Whole Enchilada MTB event recap

 

After enjoying our race experience at the Whole Enchilada in 2022, we were really looking forward to participating again. I swam with our masters group at the aquatic center in the morning and Karel swam at Furman. We were going into this event with a solid week of training in us. We left Greenville around 12:30pm and had homemade sandwiches, grapes and chips during our 2 hour drive to the Whitewater Center. We did a 90 min recon ride on the East Main loop (11.7 miles). I could feel the fatigue in my arms and legs from the previous workouts this week but it felt good to be out on the trails. Last year when I participated in the event I had only been mountain biking for a few months so to have another year of riding behind me, I could notice that my skills had improved. However, I still struggle a lot with tight/twisty turns  but I'm determined to continue to work on it. I was looking forward to one specific obstacle that I really struggled with last year. It's a short steep climb with tiny rocks, followed by several big exposed tree roots and then another set of roots. Karel showed me what to do and after 4 attempts, I finally made it. Karel's rear brake wasn't working and he didn't bring his brake bleeding kit so after we rode the loop, we went back to the car for him to put on different brake pads and then we went back out for him to test it again. He was frustrated that this happened as he was tinkering with his bike before we left and he said he must have gotten an air bubble in the brake. 

After the ride, we did a quick change in the car and then at 5pm, we picked up our bib number and compimentary pair of socks. I forgot to bring a recovery drink/powder on this trip so we stopped by Smoothie King in route to my friends house where we were staying the night. 

I met my Christie in 2005 when participating in a trail run on New Years day in New Port Richy at Starky Park. I was living with my parents after graduate school and we were both leading the race and decided to just run together. We then met up at the Boston Marathon the year later and then from 2008 until 2012, we would stay with Christie during USA Cycling speed week when Karel would race the Dilworth Crit. I came across this picture from 2010 when Campy was just 3 years old. He loved his buddy Milo (who has sinced passed) - they had so much fun together. Christie has taken care of Campy a few times during our international travels and she loves getting updates of her "little man." 

Christie made us vegetable lasagna for dinner (along with salad and bread) and it was so delicious. Christie, her partner Pamela and Karel and me enjoyed chatting over dinner. We went to bed around 9pm as we were super tired. Neither of us felt nervous for the race but excited to ride our mountain bikes for a few hours on new trails. 

We arrived to the venue around 7:30am and we had on and off rain for a good 2 hours. Thankfully it wasn't cold out and the rain stopped around 9:30am. The race started at 8:30am. As I was waiting for the start, a random guy and I were chatting and he said to me "see that guy with the green Specialized. He just did 6 hours on the ridge and won the race and did 10 laps. He was really nice to me when he passed me." I then responded "that's my husband." It was such a sweet thing for him to say and I couldn't wait to tell Karel after the race. I was planning to start in the 2nd wave (like I did last year) but after hearing that the race course changed from last year with more single track to start, I decided to start near the back of the first wave.  

As for the race itself, I was really proud of my skills in the first hour. I was able to get over several obstacles that other guys were struggling on. I have no idea how I was able to manage the roots and technical climbs. My legs were feeling good. I didn't have any falls but near the middle/end, I certainly got more tired and couldn't get through obstacles and had to quickly unclip and hike a bike over the obstacle. There were purple directional arrows for the whole course but several athletes went off course in the first hour and since I was following the group, we had to turn around and backtrack. At that point, I realized that the new course (somewhat reversed from last year) was a bit confusing with all the arrows and signs. Since both the whole and half started together and had a similar course, there were athletes going all different directions and it was very confusing. 

Around 2 hours into the event, I came across two signs "Parkway" and "East Main Loop." At this point I was by myself and wasn't sure where to go. Last year we did the Parkway first and finished with the East Main loop but even though the course was somewhat reversed, I wasn't sure where to go. My gut said go straight because prior to those signs, there was a sign that said "course split ahead." Right after I passed the parkway sign, I saw a purple arrow so I thought I was going the right way. I even saw tire tracks in the mud so I figured others had gone this way. After 2 miles of riding, I came across a group of riders that I had seen early on in the race and they were coming from another direction. I asked them if they went the East Main Loop and they said yes. So I did an extra 2 miles but missed 1.76 miles. I continued on the course with relief that I was actually back on the course but I couldn't shake the fact that I had missed some of the course. For the next 23 miles and 2:26 hrs, I couldn't stop thinking about this mistake and what I should do. I went through several scenarios but what was interesting is that the scenarios changed depending on where I was on the course. I decided I would just finish the race and get a DQ when I was in the back part of the course. It was super mudy and the trail was not well groomed and I was getting frustrated and tired. But then when I would get to an easier section, I decided that I would make up the part I missed. It wasn't about awards or overall placement but I wouldn't be able to be ok with the fact that I knew I missed some of the course. Even if it was not my fault, I new I did it and I didn't want to finish the race with that on my mind. 

The only problem was that I wasn't sure where I would be able to get back on the course to where I missed the turn. As I was nearing the parking lot, I spotted the enterance to the main loop where Karel and I rode the day before so I got myself off course and did the 1.76 mile loop that I missed. It was very technical and I was so tired at this point so I had to walk my bike a lot. My detour to re-ride the route I missed took me 20 minutes and it was three miles. So that was over 7 miles extra that I did on the course. After I finished the loop, I felt relieved knowing I did it all. I thought I was nearing the finish but I still had 4.5 miles and 31 minutes to go. Ugh, part of me just wanted this to be overwith as I was feeling so many different emotions. But I kept my mind calm by just focusing on having a solid training day and doing what I felt was the right thing. 

I finished with 51 miles in the 43 mile course and rode for almost 5.5 hours. It was a long day but I would say, a productive one to have that much time on technical terrain - and in muddy conditions. 

After I crossed the finish line, Karel came hobbling over to me and I thought that his back was bothering him (which is usual) but then he told me that he had several falls. The first was hitting his knee when he fell on a tight turn. This also caused him to hurt his left thumb. Then he had a few more slips on wet roots but just when he thought things were going better, he made a tight turn off a bridge (none of the bridges had chicken netting which helps with traction when wood is wet/damp) and the bike slipped out from under him and he banged his right hip really hard. He was on the ground for over 3 minutes in tremendous pain. He still had a little over 10 miles left in the race so he continued riding but at that point, he was hurting, frustrated and just ready for it all to be overwith. He also experienced confusion with the arrows and at the results, the placees were inaccurate as so many people did not complete the entire course. 

Soon after I finished, they were announcing the results and they called my name for winning the 40-49 age group. There were only 7 females who did the whole. The first place lady likely didn't complete the course as she wasn't at the results and she rode almost 80 minutes faster than me (and beat Karel) so since she didn't show up, the announced me as overall female. I recieved a hydration pack and a Whole Enchilada (which had meat in it so I packed it up in a to-go box for Karel). 

I was speaking to the 2nd place female and she told me that she also found the course to be confusing. I told her my situation with the course and although I did complete the entire course, I still don't feel right for winning the event. 

The girl who was 2nd overall is in the background with her husband. I found her on Facebook and sent her a message that I would like her to get the hydration pack as her award for being the first overall female. 

Well, it was a muddy, fun, crazy, adventurous, unpredictable day of racing. These situations are tough and many athletes have been in them. While you are told that you are responsible for knowing the course, it's also important for the race director to have correct signage to keep you safe and on course. Instead of putting blame on the race director or feeling upset about your mistakes, the best thing you can do is admit if you cut the course by accident and when in doubt, make up what you missed. This way you finish what you intended to start AND you get in a bit more time doing what you love. Always race with integrity. Remember, for most of us, this is a hobby. 

I drove home to let Karel relax a bit from his crashes. He was in a lot of pain. He felt a bit better after some ice cream and he is feeling a bit better today (no worse) so hopefully he will feel better as the week goes on.