Post Breck Blues

I've heard people talking about it - the dreaded mental let-down after a huge race. I've never really dealt with it before though; I've always been able to move the focus to the next race or event without much of an emotional toll. This was different. After the Breck Epic, it's been hard to refocus and recharge for that next event. I can't figure out why either - there was so much logistic stuff involved with the Breck Epic (drop bags! mandatory meeting! awards! repeat, repeat, repeat...) that it seemed hard to just settle down and ride my bike. Amber and I were a great team - I can't actually thing of another person I'd want to race as a Duo with. We communicated, helped each other out during bad patches, kept the mood positive and fun throughout the week and generally had a blast. We met some really fun people during the race - some I already "knew" through social media and some complete strangers. Every day was an adventure and capturing the emotions of the day was often hard. I tried, but I know the short reports were lacking in what we really experienced throughout 27 hours of racing. There were so many stories, so many people that went unmentioned. It's impossible to capture fully the enormity of the Breck Epic. Even if you combined all the race reports and blog posts now coming out, there's still so much left unsaid. Six days of racing, six hundred different stories each day - from the fastest pros to the last finisher on the stage.

Putting on an event like the Breck Epic is no small undertaking. From the course markings every day to the aid stations, it was one of the smoothest events I've raced. The meetings got a little tiring near the end of the week, but the information from the course review helped with the next day's racing. Things ran mostly like clockwork - drop off bag at correct aid station in the morning, go line up with some new best friends, follow the arrows around the back country of Breckenridge, collect needed goodies at aid stations, finish event to LG's announcing, go clean bike then back to condo, cram some food in before the meeting and awards, go to bed - rinse repeat! While I never really knew where I was, I always knew I was on course - there were enough arrows and flagging for a small army to follow. The aid station volunteers always had our bags ready - even when we didn't need them. Sometimes I think the volunteers were having more fun then we were! And for anyone to get mad at them - chill out, it's only a bike race. To all the race staff, course crew, sweep riders, aid station volunteers, course marshals and anyone else I forgot - thank you. I'm sure Amber and I said it many times throughout the week, but we would have been riding our bikes for six days straight without your hard work and time.

I may have been the only person smiling up there! The Wheeler Pass HAB.
Photo Timothy Faust

It was a long, hard week through - even though it was fun. I'm torn between the physical fatigue that such an event does to a body and the mental fatigue of staying focused for six days straight of racing. Which one is leaving me unmotivated for anything, cranky and just generally unhappy? The physical comes back - I have two weeks of recovery left before the next major undertaking. The mental? I'm not so sure that will bounce back as quickly. I'm not giddy to ride my bike right now, or even run for that matter. I want to be lazy and rest. Swimming is good, but there's minimal motivation for anything else. That's okay for now - the recovery is much needed and hard earned.

But in two weeks, I have to have my mojo back. I need to be ready to ride my bike and giddy to take on the next challenge. Four. On September 9th, I'll be once again lining up with the Vapor Trail 125 crazies - looking to attempt something only one other women has tried. Starting the Vapor Trail 125 - only Cat Morrison has started 4 times at the Vapor Trail 125. Simply by lining up and pedaling my bike, I will join her in history. If I keep the cranks turning and the rubber side down, I have the chance to make history. And that is my goal. I may never be the fastest women out there - but I can be damned persistent when I want to be!