Breck Epic Stage 2: Colorado Trail

Today's course would take up into some of Breckenridge's finest singletrack riding on the Colorado Trail. After our "neutral" roll out of town, we climbed... and climbed some more including a up a service road known as "Heinous Hill." There wasn't much riding on that one. I had already seen this climb once before when I came up to Breckenridge to do some scouting and thought I was lost multiple times after how awful it was on that climb. While pushing up Heinous Hill, I saw the rider with the #3 race plate. He, like me, is in the unfortunate situation of being a Sport level racer under 30 years old. As a result, we get to race in the Open Mens' Division which is stacked with top racers like multiple La Ruta de los Conquistadores winner, a former U23 national champion and other pro racers. We are not out here to win this but to finish it.

Heinous Hill topped out and sent us racing down towards the Colorado Trail crossing multiple forks of the Swan River. I knew that from the bottom of descent I had about 2 miles to fuel up while riding on the road before hitting the Colorado Trail. We took a hard left turn and ripped a short section of the CT before hitting Aid Station 1. From Aid Station 1 it was a 5 mile climb up to the top of West Ridge with amazing views. My goal for this climb was to ride all of it, which I was able to do bouncing between my small and middle chainring. After topping out, we got to ride one of the best singletrack descents in town. After a series of fast switchbacks, we rolled out through a meadow at high speeds.

The fun ended when we hit the bottom of "Vomit Hill." This short grinding climb just sucked energy. We topped out and down the backside just to climb back over it on another section of the Colorado Trail.

After topping out on that section of the Colorado Trail, I was within 1 mile on aid station 2 and 10 miles of today's finish but with another grinder of a climb to go. I was getting a bit gassed and needed to fuel up at aid station 2 but miscalculated how much time I would have to eat my peanut butter and jelly sandwich before I would need both hands to navigate some singletrack. At the top of the final climb through the Gold Run woods, I was feeling gassed and ready for the finish. I knew that once I hit X10U8 It was all downhill and once I did, I let it rip to the finish line.

I felt good with today's pacing but I was having to hold myself back as I was hoping to go up a spot in the overall rankings after the racer (bib #3) flatted on the first descent. I kept having to remind myself about not overdueing myself in an effort to win, as I most certainly won't do so.