Triple Bypass
“What the mind wills the body follows.” – Dick Bass
On Saturday, August 20th, I completed my hardest ever endurance racing test, Colorado’s renowned “Triple Bypass” road biking race. The Triple Bypass starts in Evergreen, Colorado just outside of Denver and finishes in Vail. The course involves climbing up three intimidating mountain passes, hence the name Triple Bypass. The three passes, Juniper, Loveland, and Vail Pass, each involve thousands of feet of elevation gain to reach their summits followed by exhilarating downhill descents. The ride totaled over 10,000 feet in elevation gain and nearly 110 miles of distance, and we reached an elevation over 11,900 feet at the top of Loveland Pass.
This post will tell my story of the ride, how I decided to participate, and my takeaways.
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Why did I sign up for this crazy race?
In early March of this year, I had no intention to bike the Triple Bypass. The months of January and February were clear setbacks in my efforts to optimize my health and athletic performance. Although I stayed active by skiing many days during those months, my workout routine of swimming, biking, and running fell off completely. My diet and sleep habits also were detracting from the excellent shape that I had worked toward in the Fall of 2021. On top of that, I was drinking alcohol most nights, and perhaps taking advantage of Colorado’s lax laws for other indulgent substances. Sorry Mom…
When my friend Daniel told me he had signed up for the Triple Bypass and tried to convince me to do the race with him, I immediately told him: “Hell no.” Luckily, Daniel kept pushing me and other friends to consider doing the race. He convinced our friend Charlie that it was a great idea, and the growing peer pressure gradually changed my mind. I officially signed up on a whim at the same time as Charlie, knowing that the sign-up would mentally force me to commit to the challenge.
I am now very grateful for Daniel and Charlie’s peer pressure. We all successfully finished the race along with a group of five other friends, and it was one of the most rewarding challenges I have completed in my life. Signing up for the Triple Bypass just 6 months ago created the momentum for me to commit to 4 other endurance races, as well. After now completing 2 out the 5 total races, I am in some of the best shape of my life, but I also am building momentum to reach an entirely new level of athletic performance.
Below are more details on the experience of the Triple Bypass.
Starting before Sunrise
My phone’s alarm went off at 3:15am on the morning of August 20th. I had only slept about 5 hours, but adrenaline and anticipation immediately began coursing through my body as I jumped out of bed. The day before the race I made the decision to start so early because the weather forecast for race day looked grim. Rain was expected to start in the morning and continue off and on throughout the day. By aiming to start at 4:30am, I potentially could avoid most of the rain. Everyone else in our group decided to prioritize some extra sleep and start around 6:00am, so I set out on my own.
The night before I had prepared my assortment of beverages and snacks for the race. Besides a large Camelback filled with 2 liters of water, I had three other prepared drinks for the race. First was a bottle of a product called Beet Elite, which is basically beet powder. Beets are an excellent fuel for endurance racing, so I would drink this one en route to the starting point. Second, I had a bottle of LMNT (pronounced “element”) electrolytes ready to refuel my electrolyte stores about halfway through the race. Third, I had prepared a bottle of pre-workout, but my plan was not to use this as “pre-workout” but instead as a revitalizing boost of energy after completing two thirds of the race. (It worked like a charm, but more on that later). In addition to fluids, I had a variety of “fuel” (food) to consume during the long day, including U-Can energy gels, fig bars, and protein bars. I ended up using about four of those energy gels. They are not the most delicious thing to eat, but they kept my energy levels decently high throughout the day.
I am also very grateful that our friends Jack and Andrew generously agreed to help drive us and our bikes to the starting point before sunrise. Andrew did the extra early wake up for me at 3:45am, and I nearly hit my goal to start at 4:30am. I officially clipped into my bike at 4:32am to begin the first mountain pass climb up Juniper Pass. Because sunrise would not start until around 6:00am, my bike was outfitted with both a front headlight and red backlight. Starting that early helped to avoid most of the crowds at the typical 6:00am race time, but there were a fair number of ambitious early risers like me on the roads.
Juniper Pass
As I methodically began my climb to the top of Juniper Pass surrounded by darkness, my fitness felt incredibly strong, and I knew I was prepared for the challenge ahead. I passed dozens of other bikers in the first two hours, and I had very little fatigue from that initial 3,000-plus foot climb. Because I had started so early, I was rewarded with sensational views of the sunrise as I neared the top of the pass (photos below). Seeing those views mitigated any potential regret for the early start.
The descent from the top of Juniper Pass down to Idaho Springs was fast, fun, and safe. I had learned from my bike ride to the top of Mt. Evans a few weeks before that I needed to be prepared for the descents to be cold. I came prepared with gloves, a fleece, and a windbreaker for that reason. The cold and the wind still played a factor in the comfort that I felt on the descents, but I was warm enough not to have any major mental roadblocks to overcome.
Loveland Pass
After reaching Idaho Springs, the climb up to the top of Loveland Pass began slowly and gradually. We passed through the old mining town of Georgetown, experiencing rolling hills that gradually increased our elevation. After Georgetown, the inclines began to gradually get steeper as we came closer to Loveland Pass, and we were rewarded with the third Aid Station about 4 miles before the Loveland Pass Summit. That aid station was a critical time to refuel and get a quick rest because the subsequent 4 miles would be the most challenging part of the whole day. I do not know the exact amount of elevation we gained over those 4 miles, but my guess would be over 1,200 feet, a big amount for such a short distance. Those 4 miles were the biggest test of my fitness as we had already been biking for 55 miles upon reaching that steepest part of the race, but I was able to complete the mileage without stopping.
I took a brief break at the Loveland Pass summit because I was eager to take on another epic descent and to trudge along toward the finish. After another brisk downhill portion, we passed by the Keystone Mountain resort and began another portion of the ride with a variety of rolling ups and downs. During that final section of rolling hills, my energy levels had waned to their lowest levels yet, and I could feel the fatigue beginning to set in. I successfully waged some mental warfare to fend off the negative thoughts caused by exhaustion to reach our fourth and final Aid Station. I took my longest break yet at that aid station to make sure I ate enough food and drank enough fluids to make the final push. I also used my secret weapon—the bottle of pre-workout. The boost of caffeine provided the perfect spark to reignite the fuel in my reserve tanks.
Vail Pass
The next 15 miles were another section with rolling hills that gradually inclined toward Copper Mountain. My pace was much slower than early in the day in this section, but I stayed consistent enough to maintain about 12 miles per hour. Once I reached Copper, I passed a sign that read “Vail Pass Summit – 6 miles,” and I was elated. I knew that was going to be my final climb, and the easiest of the three big climbs. Although my pace was the slowest of the three passes, those 6 miles flew by as I eagerly anticipated the finish line.
Upon reaching the Vail Pass Summit, I felt a huge sense of relief pass through me as I knew almost all the hard work was done. I just had one final downhill portion of 15 miles. I donned my layers of warm clothing and gloves one last time, partially for the cold, but also because ominous storm clouds were beginning to roll in. About 1 mile into my descent, the rain began falling hard, so I took this descent much slower. I was relieved that I had avoided the rain until the very end of the ride, and luckily, the rain stopped after about fifteen minutes of the last descent. I was able to cross the finish line in Vail’s Ford Park dry and warm. 110 miles and 10,500 feet of climbing done and dusted.
Takeaways
The biggest takeaway from the Triple Bypass experience is that my discipline and commitment toward excellent training paid off. Throughout the summer, I stayed committed toward preparing my body (see my blog posts on “Aerobic Endurance”, “A Need for Speed,” and “Mt. Evans – 7,000 Foot Climb”). Although I sacrificed a few nights out on the town with friends to prioritize sleep and long weekend workouts, I have no regrets for my choices to commit fully to my training. The months of discipline translated into a deeply rewarding experience biking through the Colorado Rocky Mountains with confidence and mastery. The final 40 miles of the Triple Bypass required mental fortitude despite the focused training, but I never had a doubt that my body, mind, and spirit could push to the finish.
Completing the race was a big achievement that I will cherish, but I know that my endurance racing journey is only at its beginning. My three remaining races this year—a half marathon in Sydney, the NYC Marathon, and a Half Ironman in Indian Wells—will be opportunities to continue building momentum as an endurance athlete, but I see even loftier goals on the horizon.
I am now officially signed up to race in the full Ironman in Juneau, Alaska on August 6th, 2023, so the training will not stop for at least a full year. My goal in that race will be to qualify for the Ironman World Championships usually held in Kona, Hawaii. I will talk more about that goal in a future post. On top of the Ironman goal for next year, I have other ideas and races on my bucket list that I will continue to explore next year and beyond.
Completing the Triple Bypass is illustrative of the hugely positive impact that endurance racing has had on my overall life. I am a happier, healthier, and more vibrant person than I was two years ago. Being a triathlete and endurance athlete is now a part of my identity, and I hope it will stay that way for many years. I am eager to see what crazy races I will try to do next.