Colorado's Courage Classic brings cyclists together to help kids in need of medical care
Anyone who's looking for a challenge and a beautiful ride should check out the Courage Classic. This two-day bike tour in Colorado's Rocky Mountains raises money for Children's Hospital Colorado. It is organized and fully supported by Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation.
Doctors and caregivers at Children's Hospital Colorado conquer mountains every day as they provide innovative, lifesaving treatment to thousands of patients. Once a year, the entire Children's Hospital Colorado community gets the chance to literally conquer mountains during the Courage Classic. There are routes ranging from 2-miles to 80-mile that go over Vail Pass.
"I don't want the mileage to intimidate folks. There's all sorts of range of challenges that you can choose. Anywhere from the 2-mile Courage Cruise, that's sort of a fun run for parents and families all the way up to the 80-mile big kahuna, but again the mileage is so well supported," said Dr. Diana Tsen, who works in the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado.
Tsen has been riding the Courage Classic for 14-years. She started during medical school in 2012, and she said she loved it so much that she kept coming back. Even when she was doing her residency in California, she came back to participate.
"The thing about the ride is that it's really not a race. I think people think about it as this really intense thing that you need to be an ironman or an ironwoman in order to complete, but really it's a weekend to celebrate all of our children in Colorado, all the milestones, and the challenges, and the obstacles they've overcome," Tsen explained.
Tsen describes a great atmosphere with everyone having a good time and supporting each other along the different routes. She said that the most important goal of the event is the millions of dollars it raises for Children's Hospital Colorado.
"The money that we raise from Courage Classic is really pivotal in order to allow us to keep brining that top notch quality care all the way through Colorado but also to other states as well," she said.
Tsen works in the Heart Institute which is the cardiology department at Children's Hospital Colorado. Heart defects are the most common problem that baby's are born with. The Heart Institute provide care for those patients from before birth all the way through adulthood. Tsen encourages everyone to support Children's Hospital Colorado by getting involved with the Courage Classic.
"You probably know a kid who's been hospitalized or been through something difficult, and the kid's overcomes such awesome obstacles, that if they can do it, you can do it. You don't have to ride. You can volunteer. You can donate. There's so many ways to get involved," Tsen said.
LINK: To register or get more information about the Courage Classic
The Courage Classic is July 19 & 20, 2025 with the start/finish line at Copper Mountain.
