By Joe Lewis
Brute Squad 2025: Season Recap — Hard Things, Good People
The 2025 Brute Squad season brought changes: a new structure, new coaching, and more volume than many riders had tackled in past years. Everyone rose to the challenge. It wasn’t just about logging hours; it was about pushing limits, riding with intent, and trusting the process. Through it all, this group showed up with consistency, resilience, and a sense of humor.
As we worked toward the Emerald Mountain Epic, we took on more training than ever before with a clear progression: starting with base work, moving into tempo, then threshold, and finishing the year with a short taper and peak period. Our longest intervals ran from the base of Chapman all the way to the amphitheater on Flagstaff. We practiced “spiked” efforts, those short, hard surges at the start of longer climbs that mimic real race demands, and we climbed a lot. The work wasn’t always easy, but it paid off.
Season Highlights
Big gains:
Many riders set PRs during the second FTP test, a direct result of the time and effort invested during early season rides.
Memorable group rides:
We’ll remember the wild hailstorm at Marshall Mesa, a muddy first mock race at Loreland (shoutout to Michael, the owner, for literally doing irrigation mid-ride), and the weekly meetups that made training feel less like work and more like purpose-driven fun.
Community:
Tuesday and Thursday night rides, pre-ride banter, and shared suffering during intervals turned a solo pursuit into a team effort. Hard things feel easier when you do them with good people.
Racing:
From 12 Hours of Royal Gorge to Winter Park P2P, the Fraser 50, and BJC’s short track events, Brute Squad athletes were out there competing, learning, and representing the group with grit.
Staying present:
At the end of the season, Scott Gurst brought out his “Simon Says” game, reminding us to stay in the moment. A simple message, but a powerful one for athletes who often spend so much time looking ahead.
I’m incredibly grateful to work with a group like this. The pursuit of athletic goals has always been a source of meaning for me, and helping others chase big, maybe even intimidating, goals is something I deeply enjoy. I hope the fulfillment I get from coaching is mirrored in the athletes’ experience.
We love doing hard things. It’s even better with friends.
Thanks to the entire squad for making this season one to remember.
Click on the image below to see full gallery
