Para Athlete Resources

Meet our Para Athlete Program Leader, Sam Summers!

Sam Summers is a scientist and para athlete based out of Longmont, Colorado. In her free time, Sam enjoys mountain biking, skiing, surfing, and sled hockey. Sam promotes the High Fives Foundation, the Kelly Brush Foundation, and Craig Hospital--organizations that have supported Sam and others who have sustained life-changing, permanent disabilities.

If you have questions for Sam, you can reach out at srs5333@gmail.com.

Learning & Growing

In 2022, we at Foco Fondo added a para category, and, in 2023, worked with our para leader and the community to further develop an enjoyable, accessible, and competitive experience for para athletes. In 2024 with community partners like Adaptive Adventures, we continued to grow our para cateogry! In this and future years we aspire to continue to learn and make changes to FoCo Fondo so we can better serve this community.

  • Registration: There are no International Paralympic Committee classification standards for gravel biking. For our event, an eligible para athlete is anyone with a permanent disability. 

    There is a separate registration category in each distance for para athtletes that provides additional questions so we can best support you! All participants who register in the para category will receive an email from Sam to further discuss event details.

    Para athletes can also register a support rider with no additional cost at registration. Para athletes desiring a support rider should email Sam at srs5333@gmail.com for a 50% discount code for the total cost.

  • Parking: Accessible parking available + Volunteers to assist in getting equipment out of vehicles (if desired).

  • At the Expo: Accessible toilets will be available.

  • Podiums/Awards: There WILL be podiums & awards for the para category in the 32, 60, 100, and 118 mile distances.

    Yes! This is the first year we will be breaking down the para category into the following subcategories for podiums:

    • Visually Impaired 

    • Trike – no assist 

    • Trike – e-assist 

    • Stand-up – no assist 

    • Stand-up – e-assist 

    Answers when filling out registration will inform us as to which subcategory each athlete is in.

    Prizes will be awarded when a subcategory has at least two or more competitors.

    Please reach out to Sam Summers (srs5333@gmail.com) if you have questions around podiums and awards for para category. 

Off-Course What to Know

On-Course What to Know

  • Courses: There are five course lengths: 12-, 32-, 60-, 100-, and 118-mile. Courses are mostly double track gravel roads, with some courses having short segments of single track. More specific information about course sections are pending. Please reach out with any questions you may have.

  • Safety: FoCo Fondo routes are not a closed course and are open to car traffic. To foster the safety of less visible riders, all three-wheeled bikes (i.e. handcycles) will be required to have flags on course. Bringing a support rider is encouraged to increase visibility to car traffic.

  • Batteries & Equipment: If using e-assist, know the range of your batteries and bring however many batteries are necessary to complete the course. As with all categories, each rider is responsible for bringing and carrying tools and spare equipment for their bike.

  • Aid Stations: There will be an accessible toilet at aid stations + hospital chair to allow access for wheelchair users.