Final thoughts on Breck Epic

I woulda loved to do a timely spew about Lance's current situation, but I wasted most of my wit and wry humor on facebook over the past few days. I've written about doping before, don't think I'll go there again. Didn't watch much of the Tour this year. Will probably watch less of it next year. I've lost interest in road bikes in general, so I find myself giving somewhere in the neighborhood of two fucks about anything related to skinny tires and skinnier dopers. Not saying they all do it, just saying I don't care anymore.

Breck Epic.

The first thing that got me excited about doing the inaugural Breck Epic was the solo category. Breaking away from the tradition of having a teammate for a stage race was brilliant. No more looking for an independently wealthy, compatible partner. I turned my back on the duo category, and with both Breck Epic and Trans-Sylvania Epic having solo categories, I was pleased as punch.

But doing the same old same old can be tiring.



Just like that, with fewer leather bras.

That's why Peter and I teamed up for the 2012 Breck Epic. Sure, we would get to poach some podium photos, but it had been since 2007 since I had been part of a team (2006 for Peter). It was fun and probably the only time Peter and I have been able to ride together other than a drunken Stage Seven of the 2010 Trans-Sylvania Epic. We've known each other since 2008, so it was a pleasant experience (aside from all his unpleasantness).

And here's my big theory about riding at the Breck Epic, and more to the point, riding for six days at elevation when you are a flat-lander.

It's just like living paycheck to paycheck. You've only got so much to make it through the week... every day for that matter. You want to make a big purchase? You best get it on layaway. You can't afford that flat screen TV just like you can't afford to pedal over that next steep grade. Walk it.

You've got a credit card, but it only has a $100 limit. You can pull it out of your wallet, but it ain't gonna get you very far and the exorbitantly high interest rates will kill you later.

Example? I was giving everything I had one day to catch Jeff Wu on a climb... for no reason other than to yell at him. I was plugging away, standing on the pedals, maintaining a pace, and passing lots of other racers on the way up. Wu was in sight. I was approaching a steep pitch, one that Jeff was pedaling up, albeit with gears.

I punched it. Traction was lost, forward progress halted. Out of breath, I bent over and picked up a couple choice rocks. I hurled them in Jeff's general direction and screamed "Damn you, Wu!" over and over.

And then I felt like I was gonna pass out.

I spent my paycheck, maxed out my credit limit, and even eBay'ed one of my lungs trying to make that climb. I was not able to start walking up the climb right away since I was hyperventilating. Stupid move, but at least I got close enough to throw rocks at him.

I learned a valuable lesson this year. I can ride a great Breck Epic in 2013 as long as I stay within my budget. 85-90% efforts are fine. I can do them all day long, but when I need an extra 15-25% more to stay on the bike? Best to just keep the credit card in my pocket and walk.

Am I doing the 2013 Breck Epic?

Certainly.

Promoter Mike McCormack suggested that there will be some new courses and the Single Speed Stage Race World Championships will be renamed the Trans Gender and Aspiring Trans Gender Single Speed World Championships in order to keep things "less douchey."

2013 Breck Epic... More Gnar, Less Douche.