31 miles
3660 feet elevation gain
3:01
8th GC (40-49)Video Recap
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:
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
- 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.