Our first real "EPIC" day - BreckEpic #4

Today was planned to be the "big day" of the race, and it was in more way than one.

Here is today's stage profile.



I got up a little earlier this morning to have have plenty of time to stuff myself with enough calories to take me through what we had planned to be a 5-6 hr day on the bike. Nick got up a little after me and was not feeling well at all. (Later he told me he went back in to his room to lay down because he thought he was going to puke)We decided that we were going to take it very easy for the first climb and see how we felt.

Here were are at the start line waiting for the gun and the police roll out. Thankfully today the Police escort kept things slow for a while to get in a little warm up.




The Belgians lined up next to us for the start. Once we started moving we moved up the out side of the pack and got a little better starting spot. We hit the dirt and the pace started to pick up. We stayed on a mellow pace and let people pass us if they wanted to, no one flew by us so we thought everyone was worried about the stage as well.

Here is the start of the first climb. Most days stay bunched up for the first half hour to hour before everyone settles into their place and things get pretty strung out.





After the first climb and aid station we turned on to what can only be called a goat track or a small hiking trail. We were on this up to 12,050+ feet. Two sections were next to impossible to climb and we were reduced to pushing our bikes up a 25% slope.




Over the top we were faced with about 150yard snow field. You can see the tire tracks in the snow. The best way we found to get down it was to un-clip one foot and skid down. The single track (still a goat track) was very rough with tons of rocks and stream crossings.





After two more super long climbs and some nice single track downhill, we made it to the finish with very tired legs.

Turns out we put the screws to the Belgians today and beat them by 21 minutes to take our position back on the podium.

Bouker has been send us inspirational quotes for the past few days, they have been awesome so I thought I would share - Thanks B.

Here is Tuesdays -

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt

Todays quote -

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

Our quote for Thursday -

"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will."
-Mahatma Gandhi


Today's GPS file - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8283131

Here are a few more photos from the day. Tomorrow is another long day that tops out above 12,200, the highest elevation so far.