The last stage of the Breck Epic!!! 33 mi. 5500k of climbing up to 11,500, twice. The first climb was up Boreas Pass to part of the Firecracker route. I was in the top 50 or so going into the single track -- a position I hadn't found myself in at all this week. I saw my competitor for 3rd pull off the course and play w/his cycle computer. I figured I had only one strategy -- hit him hard right now, on the first climb, and hope he blew spectacularly trying to follow. How else, other than him crashing, was I to claw back the 15mins?? So I played my card. There was a spectacular blow up for sure, but it was me that blew, not him! I tried to recover and keep him in my sights as he started to pull away on some flat dirt sections, but to no avail. Never saw him again. Rode tempo on the long road climb back up to 11,500 and had a super fun descent back to the hockey rink. Finished in 4th, again, and 4th overall.
The Breck Epic was epic. My hats off to Mike Mac and his crew. It was obvious that a lot of work and care went into the event, particularly the race routes. I found there is a mtb racing subculture in endurance events. Many people I met I have never seen before in XC races, and they were fast, talented and fun to hang out with. Everyone was very supportive of each other and offered encouragement and congrats all along the way. Not what I'm used to seeing in XC races. I actually had several people offer wheels to me on some of the long road sections, hoping to help me get to 3rd. It was cool they offered; it was amazing they even knew about my little race w/in the race. I tried, but I simply had no legs on the long second climb. The brain said, "Push!". The legs said, "F you!!"... To all of you, Sonya, Jeff, Stewart, Steve and others, thanks! Sorry I couldn't pull it off... Next time. And to Bruce, who took 3rd overall, congrats, you were clearly the stronger...
j
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