'25 Breck Epic - FINISHER!

 

Stage 6: Gold Dust 

31 miles 

3660 feet elevation gain 

3:01

19th (40-49)

8th GC (40-49)

Video Recap 

The last day. Karel woke up wondering how he would move the pedals with his exhausted body, let alone gather the energy to get on his bike. Ever since the first stage, he's been struggling but somehow he finds the strength to give his best. Compared to 2023, he is actually performing better overall (and on each stage) thanks to improved skills and having prior experience at this event. However, today was rough for Karel. Although "shorter" in terms of time, distance and elevation, he had no more fight left in him. He tried to give his best but his body had other thoughts. 

I dropped off Karel's bag at the aid station 2 drop off at Beaver Run Lodge (although he didn't end up stopping for it) and then I drove to the rec center. I swam from 6:45-7:45 and managed to get in 3000 yards. I was very tired this morning. Although I can't compare to what Karel is going through, my body is in need of some recovery days after a solid week of "exercising" (non-structured training) at 9700 feet. 

After my swim, I went back to the Airbnb for a quick change and got on my bike to head to the ice rink for the stage start. The start was a time trial start, 10 riders at a time. Karel set off at 8:36am. I saw Karel before he got into the corral and reminded him of all that he has accomplished and today is all about getting to that finish line. 

Once Karel was off, I went on my bike for one last ride. I rode on the bike path to Dillon and back (1:51, 33 miles). Although I am looking forward to getting back to Greenville, SC (I miss the humidity and being at 1000 feet), I have really fallen in love with this area and I've filled my cup with happiness over the past 10 days being in the mountains and in nature. 

I arrived back to our Airbnb, took a quick shower, made a recovery drink and had a snack and walked a mile to the ice rink to see Karel finish. Karel finished - appropriately, done and dusted. 

Although stage 6 was Karel's lowest age group placement, he ended up staying in 8th in the GC (general classification). 

KAREL'S STATS

• Total mountain bike miles: 222 miles
• Total warm-up/cool down miles: 27.6 miles
• Total elevation gain: 34,574 feet (including warm-up and cool down) 

To help with Karel's recovery, he did few things each day: 

• A bottle of tart cherry juice (concentrate + water) immediately after each stage. 
• A bottle of Skratch recovery (mixed with water) immediately after each stage (from the aid station). 
• Sitting in the normatec boots for up to 10 minutes before each stage and using them throughout the afternoon/evening after each stage. 
• Morning mobility + foam rolling.
• Warming up and cooling down before/after each stage.
• Eating before every stage and having two meals after each stage (post race and dinner).
• Staying hydrated throughout the day (this is hard for Karel as he isn't a big fan of plain water so he drank seltzer water and tea).
• Using sport nutrition for every stage. Karel consumed around 90g carbs per hour and at least 26 ounce fluid. He used his hydration pack (he brought two with him) as well as a bottle in the frame of his bike. He relied mostly on sport drinks (ex. INFINIT Fructose, PH 60g) and consumed some gels/chews as needed. 
• Staying positive. This was a hard one as he was very exhausted and sometimes mentally broken, but he tried to focus on the positives and not waste energy on things out of his control. Although he questioned his abilities before each stage, quitting was never an option. 
• I helped Karel out as much as I could so he could focus on each stage. I dropped his aid station bags off in the morning, I did the laundry, I rinsed out his hydration packs, I got groceries and made sure he had food to eat (sometimes laying a plate of food in front of him when he had no appetite to eat) and offered support on each course as much as I could. 

I picked up a few yummy eats from Clints Bakery and Coffee house

I would say that this was a very successful trip. Karel completed his second Breck Epic and I was able to get in a lot of great "exercise" in the mountains. If you are in the area and are interested in cycling, here are my favorite routes: 

• Breck to Loveland Pass (closed this year due to a landslide)
• Breck to Leadville 
• Copper triangle (I started from Breck when I did this route in 2023 but that makes the route 116 miles instead of 79, starting from Copper mountain). 
• Breck to Vail 

The trail system here is incredible. I highly recommend bringing your bike or renting a bike if you come to visit Breck. This town is very kid friendly (especially if your kids love to ride bikes/MTB/Skateboard) and the weather is perfect in August - 40-70's but it feels much warmer. The air is dry and the altitude is rough but this area is very beautiful. The downtown is filled with lots of shops and places to eat and it's very easy to get around (walking) if you are staying within a mile of downtown. The rec center is a little costly if you are purchasing a day pass so I recommend a 6-visit pass (which can be shared by others) or a monthly pass. There is also a rec center in Silverthorne. The pool is small (4 lanes) but I never found it to be too crowded. There is also a nice indoor play area in the pool for kids (at both rec centers). 

Thanks for following us along over the past ten days.

Our "cup" is filled and now it's time to return home to our furries in Greenville, SC. 

I hope these blog posts inspired you to challenge yourself. Life is too short not to work hard and try new things. Challenging yourself drives personal growth. When you step outside of your comfort zone, you develop yourself in ways that wouldn't happen if you stayed in familiar territory. Growth comes from discomfort, struggling and sometimes failing. Achieving something difficult proves to yourself that you are capable and stronger than you thought. When you question your abilities, you are staying within a mental boundary. Pushing those limits expands your capabilities. Challenges are important because they give you a sense of purpose. Whether it's in work, sports or any area of life, challenging yourself helps you become a better, more resilient and more capable version of yourself. 

'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! 

'25 Breck Epic - stage 2

Stage 2: The Colorado Trail
43 miles

6500 feet elevation gain 

4:28

8th AG (40-49)

8th GC (40-49)

Results 

Race Recap Video

Today was my "recovery" day and I was really looking forward to a break from training. The altitude makes everything so tough! 

I woke up a little before 5:45am and Karel got up shortly after 6am. Around 6:45am I drove up the street to drop off Karel's aid station #2 bag w/ a bottle inside and then drove 1.2 miles to the rec center for an easy swim. I once again wore my snorkel for most of it although I did feel better with short intervals without the snorkel. I swam a total of 2500. I drove back to our Airbnb and then walked to Main Street to watch the start of stage 2. 

Karel was feeling pretty good this morning. He took some extra time to do mobility and sit in the normatec boots to help his body warmup. He then went out for a 16 minute warmup. He was hoping to get a bit closer to the back front of the corral but ended up further back than he wanted. It was a bit cooler this morning in the low 40's but like usual, once the sun pops up, it really warms up. 

After Karel set off on his adventure on the Colorado Trail, I went back to the Airbnb for breakfast, got some work done and then around 10:30am I got on my bike and rode to Aid station number 2 (which was around 32 miles in the stage) to see Karel. I arrived a bit early as the top riders were just coming through so I spun around the road until I was feeling like Karel would be coming. Around 20 minutes later, he rolled in. He made a quick stop to pee in the porto potty and I refilled his hydration pack and topped off his bottle. He looked really good and he didn't appear to be struggling. 

After Karel rode off, I biked back into town and the up to the B&B trailhead to see Karel finish (~3 miles out of town). It was a nice steady climb with beautiful views. Some of the road turned into light gravel but otherwise, it was a nice ride up. 

I waited a bit for Karel and he finally came. He looked to be in good spirits and I was happy that he had a good day. After he told me about his day, we rolled down to the post race tent so Karel could get a Skratch recovery drink (sponsor of the event) and some snacks. We then rode back into town. I went back to the Airbnb and Karel went to the Beaver Run resort (race headquarters) to rinse off his bike. 

Karel was pretty tired this afternoon. The stages get more challenging as the event goes on so he is hoping that he can recover the best he can tonight so that he can do the best he can tomorrow. 

'25 Breck Epic - Stage 1

  

If you'd like to skip the blog post and listen to the recap, you can check out Karel's post race report from stage 1 HERE.

Stage 1: Pennsylvania Creek 

Start time: 8:30am

36.4 miles

5700 feet elevation 

3:44 

10th 40-49

RESULTS

I woke up at 6am and Karel got up around 6:35am. A little after 7am, I walked up to the Beaver Run resort (~8 min walk) to drop off Karel's bag (bottle of sport nutrition) for transport to aid station 2. I then started my run. My plan was to run ~10 miles while spectating Karel but I ended up running a bit longer (and a lot more elevation than planned). 

It was another cool morning in the upper 40's but as soon as the sun comes out, it warms up quickly. Karel did a 25 min warm-up around the ice skating rink/stage start and I ran to the point on the course where I would be seeing Karel for the first time. I continued to run on the trails and road for the next 40 minutes. I then ran to the start to see Karel. I then ran back up the hill to spectate. It was nice to see Karel in action. 

Using my navigation on my phone and looking at Karel's stage 1 in training peaks from 2023, I found a spot on the course where I would be able to see Karel cross trails. I didn't realize it until I plugged in the navigation that in the 4 miles I would be running to see Karel, I would be running on trails and up a long climb. 1300 feet in 4 miles! The picture above is from the run down but it was a looooong gradual incline for many miles on the road. It reminded me of Zombie Hill at Norseman so I just focused on keeping myself moving forward. I was nearing 11,000 feet starting from Breckenridge (at 9,700 feet). 

I made my way on to a gravel road and a mile later, I was finally at the point where I would be able to see Karel. 

I wore my hydration belt (Naked Running) w/ two flasks and refilled the flasks before heading up the mountain. I loved being able to give Karel a cheer as he was riding. He looked good in a small group of other riders. 

I then made my way down the mountain. The views were incredible. 

2 hours and 5 minutes later, 13 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain and averaging 9:40 (with a lot of stops to catch my breath and to spectate), I made it back to our Airbnb. I did a quick shower and change, had a recovery drink and snack, prepared Karel's recovery tart cherry juice drink in a bottle and walked over to Carter Park to see Karel finish. 

I was super proud of Karel and he looked happy at the finish line. He was a bit frustrated that his legs were cramping and he couldn't push harder (this is a chronic issue for him, 10+ years of inner thigh cramping coming from his back issues and tight hips), but he was happy to learn that he was 10th in his age group. We joked that he is first in the "sea level" category in this age group. 

Karel spun out his legs for ~15 minutes and I walked to Clint's bakery to get some bagels and then checked out the local market in downtown. We really love Breckenridge (minus the altitude). The people are really nice and there is so much to do around here - especially for those who love to live an active lifestyle. And everyone at the Breck Epic staff and all of the riders are very friendly. It's a really cool atmosphere here. 

Karel and I had lunch (bagels w/ eggs and fruit) back in our Airbnb and Karel relaxed the rest of the afternoon in the normatec boots. He wasn't too sore or depleted, just tired. Around 4pm I went to the rec center for a 4000 yard swim. I did most of it with the snorkel as I was struggling with my breathing in the water after my morning long run (and tired). But it felt good to loosen out in the water. 

We had pasta and veggie burgers for dinner and around 8:00pm we were tired and ready for bed. 

VIDEO RECAP FROM STAGE 1

'25 Breck Epic - day 2

On Friday I told Karel that my plan was to ride to Leadville CO (40 miles away) to check out the Leadville 100 MTB event. I rode by Leadville last time we were here but did not go into the town. With the event starting at 6am for the elites, I figured the first finishers would arrive before noon. Instead of biking first thing in the morning, I did a 44 min, 4.7 mile run. I find running very difficult here in Breckenridge because of the altitude so I include a lot of walking while I run. Around 9am, I headed out on my bike for my ride. While I was away, Karel did a ~90. min ride on his mountain bike and watched the Leadville coverage on YouTube. 

These pictures are all from the bike path system around the area. 20 miles of my 40 mile ride to Leadville were car-free on the bike path. I rode from Breckenridge to the town of Frisco and then to Copper Mountain. I then got on to the hwy and continued climbing until Fremont pass. Around 20 miles of continuous uphill. 

Although the cars/trucks were driving fast on the highway, I felt safe. When I ride, I carry a few things with me to help keep me safe. 

-Cycplus E-pump

-ID card 

-Garmin Varia rear light 

-Bike computer with navigation loaded 

-Dynaplug 

-Multitool 

When I go for long rides on my road bike, I like to wear my hydration pack as it limits stopping. Plus I don't have to worry about finding places to refill my bottles every 2 hours. It's also nice for holding a light jacket or gloves/arm warmers. The weather was a bit chilly this morning so I started out with arm warmers and gloves but quickly removed them after around 20 minutes. 

I had headwind for the entire climb up to Fremont pass and then more headwind while descending for 10 miles. This climb is really challenging as it's an uncomfortable 7% and a long grind for 10+ miles on the highway. 

2:36 and 40 miles (and 2500 feet later), I made it to Leadville, which sits at 10,000 feet. The male winner finished just as I was rolling in to town. The town was small but very cute with lots of old buildings and local stores. 

I hung around the area for around 30 minutes. 

I chatted with my friend Bill who is with Never Second (my favorite sport nutrition for running) and then made my way back to Breckenridge. 

I was super happy that the wind direction stayed the same and I had tailwind for most of the ride back. I averaged 15.5 mph on the way there and made it back in 2:16 at 18 mph. The 16 mile climb back was not as steep as on the way out. 

I made it back before 3pm for a total of 4:51 hrs, 81 miles, ~4700 feet of elevation and 16.6 mph. I still find the altitude to be challenging while exercising as I'm constantly feeling like I am working harder than I am but the views are absolutely incredible so I am not complaining. 

Karel and I watched the T100 pro race on YouTube and at 5pm we went to the rider meeting at the race village by the Beaver Run resort. Karel is feeling good and is looking forward to 6 days of backcountry riding and working through all the highs and lows that come with stage racing. 

'25 Breck Epic - travel and Day 1

 

In 2023, Karel completed Breck Epic. He finished feeling accomplished and slightly unfulfilled as he felt like he could have done better. 

Breck Epic is a challenging 6-day (Sun-Fri) mountain bike stage race held in Breckenridge Colorado. Breckenridge sits at 9700 feet so each stage of Breck Epic takes place between 10-12,000 feet. Within 6 days, riders will cover over 220 miles of backcountry trails. The race includes long climbs, fast descents and varied trail conditions. There are a lot of rocks! Even the best elite riders are known to "hike-a-bike" certain sections. Known as one of the hardest mountain bike events in the world, Breck Epic will test the riders in many ways. You need skills, fitness, endurance and a lot of mechanical luck. 

We are back in Breckridge for round 2. Karel is ready for a second attempt at Breck Epic. 

Our travel started on Thursday morning. We left for the airport at 4:50am and could not have asked for a smoother travel day. 

5:20am - arrived at GSP (our local airport). I dropped off Karel with our bikes and luggage and I parked the car in the economy parking lot. 

5:40am - through security (TSA pre-check) 

5:40am-6:45am - enjoy some coffee and food in the centurion lounge 

7:10am - board the plane. 

7:30am - flight to ATL

8:15am - land in ATL

8:30-9:15 - enjoy some food (and more coffee for Karel) in the Delta lounge

9:45am - 3 hour flight to Denver. 

10:45am - land in Denver. 

12pm - pick up TURO rental car in the Pikes Peak parking lot (via airport shuttle)

12:15pm - pick up Karel w/ the bikes and luggage and start our 2:20 hr drive to Breckenridge. 

En route to Breckenridge we stopped at Cuisine of the Himalayas. We went there two years ago for lunch as we were driving to Breckenridge as it's on the way and only 45 minutes outside of Denver in Evergreen, CO. The food was amazing (especially the Naan) and we couldn't wait to go back. Karel got the lunch Buffett, which he enjoyed so he could taste a little of everything. I got the Chana Masala w/ tofu. We also got a variety basket of Naan (SO good). We then made a stop across the street at the Bread Lounge to get some fresh sourdough bread (and a croissant for Karel). I drove 1/2 way to Evergreen and Karel drove the rest of the way. We rented an older minivan which wasn't stylish but did the job for transporting two bikes, two suitcases and our carryons. 

When we made the turn off the highway into Frisco, we stopped at the Safeway to pick up groceries. We made a big shop since we will be staying in Breck for 10 days. We finished the 20 minute drive to Breckenridge and checked into our Airbnb at Pine Ridge around 4:15pm. 

We are staying on the 4th floor of the building so we had to make several trips up and down with our stuff. Both Karel and I were a bit winded from walking up and down the stairs. The weather was warm in the 70's (although it feels much warmer with the sun being so strong). After we unloaded everything, Karel sat in the normatec boots for 20 minutes while I unpacked my stuff. Around 5:30pm we walked downtown Breckenridge to move some blood. The town was busy and just like last time, we felt good energy in the air. 

We had a light dinner around 6:30pm and Karel went to bed around 8:00pm. I did a bit of work on the computer to catch up after the long travel day and went to bed around 9pm. Neither of us slept great but also not bad. We woke up around 6:20am looking forward to start our first official day in Breck. 

Day 1 - 8/8

I was feeling a little tight from travel so I was looking forward to a morning swim at the local rec center. The last time we were here, the Breck rec center was being remodeled so I had to drive 30 min away to the rec center in Silverthorne in order to swim. I am so happy the local rec center is now open as it's only 1.5 miles from where we are staying. I payed for a 1-month pass ($69) as it was cheaper than a 6 visit pass of $100. 

Swimming at altitude can be very challenging so for my first swim, I kept with mostly easy swimming. I did 1000 WU w/ buoy, 500 kick w/ fins, 1000 w/ snorkel, 500 kick w/ fins, 2 rounds of (3 x 100 w/ snorkel tempo and then 4 x 50's no toys strong), 200 kick EZ CD for a total of 4200 yards. After the swim I sat in the outside hot tub and stretched out. I changed clothes and went for a run. Whereas I didn't feel too bad swimming, the run was another story. Leaving Breck is a net downhill so the first 3 miles of my run weren't too bad but the way back into town were exhausting. I added stops every mile and anytime I felt like my heart rate was increasing too quickly. It was a challenge to run for 6 miles but the views made it worth it. I tried keeping the run as easy as possible to make sure that my body didn't overdo it on my first day of training at altitude. While I was out running, Karel went on the mountain bike and did a 2 hour ride up to 11,000 feet. He explored some routes outside of our Airbnb and ended up at the top of Peaks 8 and descended down. 

Karel and I got some work done in the afternoon and around 3:30pm I headed out on my road bike to ride to the down of Dillon to check out REI to see if they had a Garmin charging cord for our watches (I forgot to pack one). The bike path system in this area is incredible. I biked through the town of Frisco and into the down of Dillon and I stayed on a bike path for all 18 miles. Thankfully REI had the cord. It was a nice 2 hour, 33 mile ride with beautiful weather and scenery. The weather was in the 70's for most of the day but felt much warmer. We don't have AC in our place but we have fans and it feels really comfortable with the window's open in the early morning and evening.  Karel went for a short run (3.7 miles) when I was out biking. 

Tomorrow I plan to ride my road bike to Leadville, CO in the morning (~2.5 hour bike one way) to check out the finishers at the Leadville 100 MTB event and Karel will do a short warm-up MTB ride before picking up his packet in the afternoon and then attending the pre-race meeting at 5pm. 

'23 Breck Epic - Stage 5 and 6

 

Stage 5: Wheeler Mountain
25 miles
5300 feet
5.89 mph
4:15 time
21st 40-49

Karel heard the horror stories about Wheeler. Although his body was extremely tired, he mentally prepared himself for a lot of hike-a-bike up the Wheeler trail. The state was set up as a "time trial" so that the early single track wouldn't get too crowded. Although his mind was in a good place for the uphills, he was not mentally (or physically) prepared for the downhills. He said it was the scariest routes he has ever done and he just wanted to finish. I think his stats tell the most. When it takes over 4 hours to ride 25 miles and when you can accmulate 5300 feet in only 25 miles, you know it's a really tough course. Here's Karel's recap of stage 5. 

Since I had completed my big workouts, I was really looking forward to seeing Karel in action today. I left our place around 7am and drove to the trailhead on McCullough Gulch Road. A little after 7:30am, I started my 3 mile, 2300 feet hike up the mountain. It took me around an hour to make it to the first top of the mountain (~12,750 feet). I had my USWE hydration pack with Skratch Clear to stay hydrated and also brought some snacks and a bagel sandwich with PBJ. I waited around an hour before I could see the pros far in the distance. 

I didn't know what to expect but I have never see so much suffering. Although almost everyone was in good spirits, there was a lot of huffing and puffing to ride, walk, push the bikes up the mountain. 

I had a lot of fun cheering for the riders. The scenery was incredible. 

Eventually I saw Karel and he was in a group of 6. He wished he had different shoes as his MTB shoes are very stiff which makes it hard to hike. But he felt pretty good walking his bike up the hill. Although some sections were rideable, it was either too steep or too rocky to ride through. Some of the male pros were able to ride most of the way but the majority had to get off the bike and walk. 

Around 10am I made my way down the mountain. I had a lot of fun cheering for everyone as I was jogging down. The trail was narrow so I did a lot of stopping to make sure the riders had plenty of room to push their bikes up the mountain. It took me ~43 minutes to run down the mountain. I ended up with 6 miles of run, hike, walk. 

I drove back to our place, got my bike and rode to the finish of the stage, ~3 miles away (up Ski Hill). I waited and waited and waited for Karel and I was surprised that it took him so long to finish. I was really worried that he crashed or had a mechanical. When he finished, he rode over to the field and couldn't wait to get off his bike. He said that he got very dehydrated and messed up his fueling. He also mentioned how scared he was on the bike during the descends. He was completely empty - mentally and physically. 

We rode the 3 miles back to our place and as Karel rested, I drove to the pool around 3pm for a 3600 yard swim. I picked up Chipotle for Karel (and me) on the way home and also stopped at the grocery store to get a few things. Karel was really exhausted, he didn't sleep well and had no idea how he would get the energy to complete the last stage. 

Stage 6: The Gold Dust Trail
31.8 miles
3500 feet
11.6 mph
2:44 time
11th 40-49
16th GC (overall in AG after 6 stages)

Karel woke up very sore, tired and exhausted. But with his stage racing experience, he knows that you can never count yourself out, no matter how horrible you feel. You just have to show up and do the best you can. I had a really good feeling about stage 6 as I felt like the course suited Karel was some long steady climbs up gravel-like roads and single track to start and finish (and throughout the stage). Plus, no matter how tired Karel is when he races, he always finds a way. I felt like he was going to deliver something great on this last stage. 

Here's his recap of stage 6. A completely different Karel from the previous stages :) 

Karel left our place around 8am as his start time was in the 7th wave. This stage had a "time trial" start in groups of 10 because of the tight single track to start. 

My plan was an easy 2-3 hour ride. I hadn't made my way all the way around Dillion Res so I was looking forward to riding on the bike path that I hadn't seen before. 

I surprised Karel and watched him start the race and a little before 9am, I headed out on my ride. 

I really enjoyed my ride. I still can't get over all of the bike paths that connect from town to town. 

I rode 36 miles and less than 5 of those miles were on the road. Everything else was on a bike path. 

I returned to Breckenridge at the ice rink before 11am and waited ~45 minutes until Karel crossed the finish line. I was so relieved to see him as every stage had me nervous about a crash or mechanical. 

I could tell with his riding style and expression that not only was he happy to finish Breck Epic but he had a great stage performance. 

Karel placed 11th in his age group on the last stage and he said he felt pretty good and was able to pass several riders in the last climb. 

After hanging around at the finish for a little, Karel was eager to get to the local french bakery. The service was slow but the pastries were worth it. 

We rode back to our resort (one last time up the hill). 

And Karel was officially DONE. 

Although it was incredibly difficult, Karel said he would do it again. He learned a lot and he would have approached it differently with training, gear/equipment and tactics. 

At 6pm he went to the finisher banquet/awards. I walked around the town while Karel was at the banquet in the hotel. Karel received two black and white pictures of him after the first and second stage, as well as a cardboard cut out to frame the picture and bib plate. 

He also received a belt buckle as an official Breck Epic finisher. 

6 days
~227 miles
~26 hours
~33,330 vertical feet
relieved, exhausted, broken, sore, proud.

The only way to discover your physical and mental limits is to pursue challenging goals.
Doing something hard will quickly expose your weaknesses and reveal your strengths.

Breck Epic tested Karel’s mind, body, fitness commitment, character, problem solving skills and abilities. Although it was incredibly hard, he rose to meet the mental demands and physical rigors of the 6-day Breck Epic mountain biking event.

Push past your self-imposed barriers and crush those hard, scary goals.

'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

'23 Breck Epic - Travel, Fri, Sat

 

8/10 - Thursday
We got up around 2:45am to leave for the airport at 3am. We are so thankful that Karel's mom is here through all our trips to take care of our furry crew. We made the 30 minute drive to the GSP airport and Karel dropped me off w/ our suitcases and bike cases before parking the car in the economy lot. I've booked all of our GSP trips for the first flight out as it makes for smoother travel with less chance of delays/cancellations. The check-in process was smooth and no issues (or charge) with our bike cases on Delta since we have all of our checked bags/bikes at 50 lbs. I love traveling with Delta as they are reliable and always kind and helpful. 

TSA was quick thanks to our pre-check status (highly recommend for the one-time payment of $85 for 5 years). We were through security shortly after 4am and waited for the Centurion lounge to open at 4:30am. I was able to get a little work done on the computer in those 30 minutes. Thanks to this credit card, we have lounge access at Delta Sky Club, Centurion and many others, which makes for a more enjoyable travel when we have access to a quiet place to work (with free Wifi), unlimited food and as many espressos as Karel wants. 

We had a little over 2 hours in Atlanta so we want to the Delta Sky Club and had breakfast and got some work done. Then it was time to board our flight to Denver. Our flight was ~50 minutes delayed due to storms but otherwise, it was a smooth morning of travel. 

I got my period the day before we left. For some reason, this months cycle left me feeling really awful. I mention this because the flight from Atlanta to Denver had me feeling really stiff and my right knee was really bothering me for some reason. The 3+ hour flight to Denver was uncomfortable for me and I couldn't wait to get up and walk around outside. 

When we arrived in Denver, Karel collected our suitcases and bikes and I took the shuttle to the Peaks Parking lot to get our rental SUV (I reserved on Turo as it was a lot cheaper than renting a car at the airport). I found the SUV, put my bag in the backseat of the car, plugged in my phone from the passenger side (after folding down the backseats) and went to the drivers side to get in the car to pick up Karel. When I went to the driver's side door, I couldn't get in. The door was locked. Before freaking out, I rushed to the passenger side. Locked. I checked all doors and the trunk - locked. Somehow, the keys were in the car and the car was locked. I panicked. I didn't have my phone and I had no way of reaching the owner of the car or Karel. Thankfully, there was a guy cleaning out a car a few rows down and I asked if I could use his phone to call Karel. The guy mentioned there was a free service for lock-outs so he let me borrow his phone to call. I thought I was going to be saved by this service but the lady on the phone told me that because it wasn't my car, she couldn't order the service. At this point, I feel completely helpless and I started to cry. She passed me over to the manager and he was very helpful after I told him the situation. Around an hour later, someone came and unlocked the car (which was pretty impressive to see :) I finally picked Karel up after 12:30pm (over 90 minutes after we landed). 
I was so exhausted from everything but Karel helped me through it all. 

Karel was really tired so I started the drive. We stopped for lunch around 50 minutes into our drive at a Himalayan restaurant. It was SO good. We love this type of cuisine (so many great flavors) and enjoyed a basket of Naan and we each got a delicious bowl of curry (mine had chickpeas and Karel had chicken). 

After we ate, we drove to Frisco and met up with our friends Peggy and Anthony as they were driving to Avon. We chatted for about an hour outside of Starbucks. It was so nice to see them (and meet their dogs). Around 4pm, we drove across the street to Safeway and got a lot of groceries for our apartment and then drove into Breckenridge. The air was refreshing at 9,600 feet. 

We checked into the Beaver Run Resort (host resort of Breck Epic) and unloaded all our stuff in our room on the third floor. I really wanted to do some type of exercise but my knee was really bothering me. We opted to take a walk but then it started to rain. I guess it was a sign to rest. I unpacked my stuff, we had a light dinner and then went to bed around 9pm - we were exhausted. 

8/11 - Friday
Karel had a hard time sleeping but I slept pretty good. I woke up around 6:30am (Karel was up around 5:30am). We spent a few hours working and Karel built the bikes in the morning. I was craving a swim but unfortunantly the local rec center pool (2 miles away) was closed for renovations. The next option was ~15 miles (~30 minutes) away in Silverthorne. At least I had another option. I drove to the pool around 10:30am and purchased a 6-visit pass for $70 (normally one visit would be $14). It was really important to me to swim throughout our trip, even though the pool location wasn't ideal. Swimming at 9,000+ feet was challenging and I needed to give myself a lot of rest. I wasn't able to do any intervals so I just focused on swimming easy and moving my body. The aquatic center was very impressive but the lap pool only had 4 lanes (and was warm). I swam 4,600 and then went to the hot tub to stretch. while I was out for my swim, Karel did a 3-ish hr, 25 mile mountain bike ride on the first stage of his event. He said it was really technical. 

After the swim, I picked up a few things at the grocery and then drove back to Breckenridge. At least the drive was really pretty. In the afternoon, I went for a bike ride to spin my legs. I was so impressed with the bike paths around the area. I biked 2 hours (35 miles) from Breckenridge to Copper Mountain - all on a bike path. It was incredibly beautiful. It felt really good to spin my legs. I wanted to do a short run off the bike but then it started to rain. I guess it was a sign that I needed one more day to let my knee calm down. It was nice to have a full kitchen (minus an oven) in our studio. The resort was like a hotel but the studio made it feel more like an apartment. We walked around in the evening and then went to bed around 9pm. Suprisingly, I was sleeping much better than I anticipated at altitude. 

8/12 - Saturday
I was planning a long ride to Loveland Pass (12,000 feet) this morning but the weather forecast didn't look ideal. I wasn't sure how my knee would do with a run so I spent some time doing ECFIT mobility and foam rolling before I went for a run around 9am. Karel left a little before I did. Since we were staying at the top of a hill, all of our running was net downhill to start, then a tough run back uphill to where we were staying. The terrain is very deceiving too as it doesn't look hilly until you start running or biking up the incline. It's more like a false flat. My knee ended up being just fine for the run and I was so thankful that I took those two days to let it calm down. I think my hips/SI joint got irritated from all the sitting and due to my period (loose ligaments). I ran 5 miles out and back and I could really feel the altitude coming back. I had to do a lot of walking. I wasn't worried about pace but just focusing on staying fueled/hydrated and enjoying the run. I ran 10 miles in 1:28 with almost 1000 feet elevation gain. I got a bit of work done before heading to the pool (30 minutes away) later in the afternoon. I swam 4000 yards and it felt really good to loosen out after the morning run. The aquatic center was really busy with kids playing on the slides and in the various pools but thankfully the lap pool wasn't too busy. While I was swimming, Karel picked up his stuff at registration and then attended the nightly meeting at 5pm (to learn about the upcoming next day stage). Karel made pasta for dinner (he made chicken for himself and I cooked a Beyond Beef burger). 

Our Epic and Xtreme events

We are approaching our last key events in our 2023 season. I will be participating in XTRI ICON on September 1st and Karel will be participating in Breck Epic on August 13th - 18th. These events will test us mentally and physically and we are excited (and nervous) for the unknown. If you'd like to learn a bit more about these events, I'll share some info about the events. You can also follow me on social media (Instagram and Facebook) as I will be sharing updates from Karel's race (and then Karel will share updates from my race). 

KAREL: Breck Epic - Breckendridge, CO

• ~220-240 miles
• ~40,000 feet of vertical gain
• All stages start at ~9,600 feet

1. Stage 1: Pennsylvania Creek, August 13th 35.7 miles, 5700 feet
2. Stage 2: The Colorado Trail, August 14th: 42.5 miles, 6565 feet
3. Stage 3: The Guyot Loop, August 15th: 40.5 miles, 7100 feet (crossing the Continental Divide twice)
4. Stage 4: The Keystone Loop, August 16th: 42.3 miles, 6473 feet
5. Stage 5: The Wheeler Loop, August 17th: 24.6 miles, 5227 feet - Time Trial 
6. Stage 6: The Gold Dust Loop, August 18th: 30.2 miles, 3740 feet 

MARNI: XTRI ICON - Livigno, Italy 

• September 1st (Friday)
• 5am start time
• Average air temp - 36-57 degrees F
• 2.4 mile swim in Lago Del Gallo - ~60 degrees F
• 121 mile bike, ~16,400 feet elevation gain
  -Starting at 6000 feet
  -Up the Forcola pass 
  -Bernina pass (switzerland)
  -Into St. Moritiz to Zernez
  -Fuorn Pass to Val Mustair 
  -Prato allo Stelvio (48 mountain switchbacks, second highest pass in Europe at 9,000 feet)
  -Bormio to Foscagno pass
• 26 mile run, ~4,920 feet elevation gain
  -Primarily off-road
  -Last 6 miles has an elevation gain of 3600 feet
  -Crew support (Karel) is required in the last 6 miles
• Finish at Carosello 3000 (9130 feet) 
• Winter/rain gear is required throughout the race in case of rain/snow