Earlier this year, Alexis Skarda, a fresh face on The Feed’s HPT team, ventured into the massive undertaking of Cape Epic: a grueling mountain bike stage race spanning 8 days in South Africa. Competing alongside her partner Vera, they navigated a demanding course and fiercely competitive field to secure an impressive 5th place overall.
Upon her return to the United States, Alexis graciously took the time to share her insights and experiences from the race, offering a glimpse into the meticulous preparation and dedication required for success in stage racing.
Alexis's journey into mountain biking began over a decade ago, after experiencing overuse injuries related to running. She lived in Grand Junction at the time, where the mountain biking is spectacular – a great place to start.
Cape Epic had long been a coveted challenge for Alexis, though its logistical demands posed significant hurdles, particularly for athletes traveling from the US. You have to get out there, find support for the whole ride, and navigate a lot of expenses and uncertainties that come with races like this. Luckily for Alexis, her partner Vera lives in Namibia and has done Cape Epic before, making the goal a little more comfortable.
Heading into the race, Alexis had really high expectations of just how difficult the race was going to be, and that mindset benefited her in the long run. The terrain, logistics, and temperature all pose separate challenges, so she trained with the idea that it was going to be the hardest race she’d ever do. She trained the best she could with the sauna, dialing in her nutrition, and putting in a lot of volume on the bike, making the days more feasible.
Nutrition emerged as a pivotal aspect of Alexis's strategy, recognizing the individualized needs dictated by race dynamics, environmental factors, and personal physiology. Alexis had to figure out how to optimize calorie intake and electrolyte replenishment amidst the hot temperatures and long days.
She decided to go with the strategy of starting with a hydration pack with Skratch High Carb, dropping it at the first feed zone, and grabbing two bottles – one with just water and one with Skratch Hydration Sport Mix. At the last feed zone, she would take some caffeine for that little extra push for the final leg of the day. Any carbs that she couldn’t get through the drink mix, she would take a gel with 30g of carbs, but tried to rely on liquid carbs as much as possible.
Right after Cape Epic finished, Alexis put her bike away and enjoyed South Africa for a few days. She took five days completely off the bike, and then her first day back was 90 minutes of endurance, picking up the pace from there.
Alexis shared some advice with us for those looking to do Cape Epic for the first time, and it was advice someone had given to her: stay on top of eating and nutrition so you don’t lose weight out on the course. Alexis and Vera had a Chef which helped immensely because she always had food ready for them. Nutrition is the most important part along with getting as much sleep as possible, both of which are cornerstones for your recovery for the next day.
If you want to follow along with Alexis’ season, she’ll be participating in all of the LifeTime Grand Prix races!
