My how time flies!!!!!!

Sorry for the long delay since I last posted! Life has been very hectic around here with racing season in full swing, and lots of changes in the personal lives as well!!!

Lots to report on, so I will get going!

First, the team had a great race waaay back at the end of June at the Adventure Xstream 24 hour in Breckenridge, CO. Starting at midnight, we ran with our paddling gear to the marina, and braced for a lap around Lake Dillon in the painfully slow duckys. After some good navigation by Boyd and James getting around some small inlet islands, the team was tied with Eolus and Boulder Performance Network for the lead arriving at CP 3, the halfway point of the kayak. After battling a fierce side/headwind, some seasickness, and a back spasm for the remainder of the kayak, the team lost some time on the last leg, but was feeling strong again after the run back to the nordic center, and TA1. We hit the Orienteering course hard, and managed to maintain our deficit to the top teams, and went out on the trek ready make up time and conserve energy for the bike. Heading out at around 7 am after 4.5 hours in the boats, and 2.5 hours on the O-course, it was a beautiful morning as we crested the Continental Divide on Miners Creek, and headed down toward Copper Mountain. As we hit the intersection with Wheeler Trail about 1200 vertical feet below and West of the divide, we took a hard left, and headed back up to the top of Peak 9 above Breckenridge resort and our 2nd divide crossing. Passing another team on the Way, we crossed the Divide again heading East, and started the long descent down Breckenridge Ski Area. Thanks to Boyd's "local knowledge" we had some good Navigation down the mountain, and hit TA3 in Breckenridge just as the skies opened and started pouring rain! With Boyd and Brooks on inline skates, and James and Tiffanie on kick bikes, the team flew from Breckenridge to Frisco despite the rain, and the practice paid off with our team having the fastest inline skate of the whole race!

Once on the mountain bikes it was a long climb up Tiger Road, but the climbing was only getting started. After a looonnnggg climb to CP15 on the Colorado Trail just below Georgia Pass, it became all worth it with an amazing CT singletrack descent made even better by ultra-tacky trails following the rain. Unfortunately, the long climb had taken its toll on the team, and although our team and strategy was strong, we missed a time cutoff by only 5 minutes, and was unable to proceed to CP19. The 2 hour penalty dropped the team two spots in the final rankings, but we are still happy with 5th place. The team dynamic was amazing, and we nearly all agreed that this was the most fun we had ever had in a race.

As usual, special thanks goes out to our sponsors. Our GoLite Virga jackets and Smartwool socks performed flawlessly in the high-alpine downpour, our Maxxis tires made a tricky descent sooo much fun, and the testing at BPL and Alta PT paid off in our training. As usual, our AY UP lights were the envy of the Orienteering course, and our Tifosi optics not only look great, but kept the muck out of our eyes in the rain and mud.

Cheers!