Breck Epic Day 3 Race Report

Breck Epic Stage 3
by Drew

Distance 35.8 miles
Time: 5:48:37
Elevation gain: 6,200'

There were several climbs and the course was a little confusing today.  The aid stations were moved (penned in by me on the elevation chart) so I decided to take an elevation profile with me.  I taped it to the top tube of my bike for easy reference.

Stage 3 included two major climbs.  The first climb over French Pass topped out at 12,000 feet.  Oxygen was lacking and even the simplest bike handling skills were difficult to complete.  When we reached the top there were supporters handing out bacon, Skittles, and Coors Beer.  My head was pounding and the air was thin.  I politely declined the support food and descended down the backside of the pass.  High alpine single track trails with stream crossings and loose rocks.  We descended down the back side to an oxygen rich environment of 11,000 feet. We traversed the backside of the mountain ridge on the Colorado Trail and then climbed back up over Georgia Pass to descend back in to Breckenridge, Colorado.

Garmin track here.

Today involved a lot of climbing and I had an old IT band issue resurface.  My performance was off a bit with this issue, but I survived the day and spent the afternoon and evening massaging the IT bands and getting them to loosen up.  Jim and I even went to a local promoter in the race event parking lot called "Elevated Legs". They put big compression boots on your legs and they inflate and deflate over a 20 minute period.

 The premise of the operation is that they inflate the foot chambers, then the calf chambers, then the lower quad, and finally the upper quads.  This helps the blood in the legs flush out the toxins. My legs felt better after this session.


Overall it was a good day and I hope that my IT bands tomorrow decide to cooperate.