There really is something about riding bikes. I love the freedom I feel while riding, it's always worth the effort. Even more than just riding, I love racing . I appreciate the challenge, and the fact that I will push myself harder during a race. The Breck Epic was a true challenge and test for me. In all honesty, I was ill for most of the race. I chalk this up to bad luck on my part and am not too upset about the outcome. It could have been worse and I am lucky to be out the

The mountain views here in Summit County, Colorado really are breathtaking. Today, I got to experience some of the best views that these mountains have to offer. It was a long day, it was a difficult ride, and I gained a lot more tenacity. Around 3 a.m. I woke up with an upset stomach. The symptoms continued, and worsened all morning. I decided to try and eat breakfast and start the race anyway. In all honesty, I would claim that I started today's stage depleted. Within the f

I know I've mentioned it, but I love riding on single track in the high country. Today's course featured some amazing trails, exposure, steep climbs and fast descents. With a huge smile on my face, I rode my own race and enjoyed the process. I found it easy to not focus on the negative today. The route was still difficult, 41 miles and around 6,000 ft of climbing, but I had fun. Any time a negative thought popped into my mind, I turned my focus to the route, the reason why I'

Climbing. I both love it and hate it at times, and today's course was filled with some epic climbs. I slept really well last night, but Sunday night I got only about three hours of sleep. For some reason, it felt like I was riding on Sunday's, not Monday's night of sleep and I struggled. Once again, the negative thoughts came and I had to fight them too. While spinning my little heart up the first major climb, I started to dwell on some of those unproductive, crap thoughts. I

All I notice is the single track trail in front of me. The bike underneath me is an extension of my body. It's almost magical and it doesn't happen too often. Today, I caught a few glimpses of this magic. In short, I felt better today. Today's course was filled with an enormous amount of climbing, but the route had more single track and I loved it. It was mountain biking at its finest. Fast descents and some smooth flow sections helped me make up some time. I was thankful for

Ready. Set. GO!!!!! Not even a minute into the first stage of the 2017 Breck Epic, and my heart rate is bumping. I always love those "neutral rollouts" where I have to work like hell to not get dropped... The real truth about this race is I'm lucky to be here. I have the Amy D Foundation (www.amydfoundation.org) to thank for this. I would not have been able to be here without the Foundation's help, and it's what will keep me going all week. As I have mentioned many times over