Triathlon Camp

As I was riding yesterday I began to think of camp....there is the diatribe of thoughts about Solvang Triathlon Camp

D3 Campers 

New friends, D3 Multisport, 3x Ironman World Champion, cold, shitty roads, Coach Mike,                   El Rancho Market, Canadians, tiny breakfast room packed with starving triathletes, wet,  laughing, nearly  crying, rain, shitty roads, Los Olivas, Orange and Brown,  track workout,  bands, cold,  core work on concrete, church yes really, yummy dinners in the packed room, crashing local masters, colorblind or lack of cycling fashion Dave, smack talk with Andy and Billy Dan, drafting,              getting dropped, shitty roads, really I can change a flat - just not on stage, The Fig (not a food), running at the top of the fig WTF?,                          

     sleeping instead of wine tasting,  cliff bar, coffee, Jalama Beach, Charlie is tiny, Charlie  is organized, Beautiful views, Tim is handy and fast on the bike, cold, wet, shitty roads, salads, giant  sweet potatoes, Otillo ghetto style, 42 degrees and running on the track in my  bathing suit,  laughing, crying, doctors and lawyers, Chris is a really fast runner and apparently a great masseuse but not on this trip, 5 days of triathlon training smells badly,  Beth's Mom-random, big deposit in the fitness bank,  parts of my bike fell off during that week,  I consumed 4x XOXO chocolate bars in 4 days, training when you are tired because you paid for it and because your coach is there,  pool covers, Alaska Bob Funny Tim, 3 x Julie's, fun, tired,….

I wish I could do camp all year  

Next year D3 goes to Solvang!

Going to camp is almost as fun as an adult as as a kid....but

1- you pay for it vs your parents
2- you suffer much more, but actually like it
3- instead of crappy camp food you are craving clean, wholesome

What is the same
1- its fun
2- it's away from home
3- you meet cool new "kids" and some goofy ones, odd ones and funny ones
4- you create amazing memories, even bring some home, nothing like a saddle sore to remind you of camp

We D3'ers stuck together

This is my 11th year in this sport and last week was my 10th Triathlon Camp.  I have done local camps, Tucson, Boulder... all were very different.  This year I went to Solving Triathlon and Cycling Camp  because my coach was one of the 2 coaches.  Camp is great, camp with your coach is generally greater.   We had 5 D3 athletes at camp which was awesome, we had our own little tribe.

Charlie and Chris run this camp and with 15 years experience they have the logistics down to a T, even with rain delays and juggling a few rides to make it the best possible.    Coaches were great  - Mike and Peter Reid (3x IM World Champion) and support from Tim with bike tech and riding support was stellar. 

From Monday 4pm- Sunday 10:00 I am I logged 24 hours of training!
12,000  yard swimming

252 miles biking
27.5 miles running
1 band workout
2x core workouts

So beautiful, I chose this photo bc Dave was matching 

The thing about camp is you do more than you do  at home - that's why you go to camp.  I don't swim at 5pm but at camp I do.   Strength work at 6pm, at camp I do.  When it's on the schedule at camp you show up and do it!  This camp was a bit different as the sessions are optional,  there are shorter ride options and they accommodate all levels and all commitments.  For us with coach at camp everything was mandatory - but that's why I pay for camp.  All in!   You are tired, sore and cold but you get your ass up and get to the pool. It's raining and cold, but you get on the bike and ride.  When everyone is ALL IN, you all stumble about together and get it done!

Panic Training

#itdoesnotwork   We are 19 days to Oceanside 70.3 and many of my athletes and maybe me are freaking out!  Here is the deal, you cannot panic train, triathlon is not like writing a paper in college where you can cram.   That being said, the "window of opportunity" is not closed, that happens 10 days out.  But now is not the time to make up the missed swim, bike, runs, strength from the last few months.  Look forward, not back.

Assuming you have a coach or a plan, follow it!  For my athletes we have a few key days to raise fitness but the rest of the days are about recovery and maximizing those big days.  Saturday we have a race simulation that is one of the hardest workouts I do, and I will be doing, alongside my athletes.  The key to nailing that workout is following the plan this week.   Sure there are a few hard sessions, but the rest are recovery.  Do the easy days easy so the hard days can be hard! 

Riding a recovery ride at 80% because you feel good is not the way to hit 100% on Saturday!  It may be time to tune out social media, if you see others posting epic sessions and you are wondering "should I?"  Again,  #followtheplan

Nuff said!  

2018 race season begins

friends, athletes and teammates!

And just like that the race season is underway.  No my run is not where I want it, my bike is close and my swim is just fine.  If I waited for the perfect fitness to race...well let's just say that maybe never.  So sometimes you need to commit, race and see what happens.

Due to travel, timing and logistics the LA Tri Series Championship Race #1 aligned with my schedule.  This takes place in Bonelli Park aka San Dimas CA.  The distances could not have been worse for me, a 500M swim (which was really 675M),  14 mile bike and 5 mile run.  A run heavy race...but alas, it is a race.

I drove up in pouring rain to the lovely spot of Covina and stayed with Alex at the fine Holiday Inn, which was actually clean and quite comfortable and darn affordable.  We had a nice dinner with her parents, here from Germany. We tried BJ's, never been, but apparently I should try it as there was an 1:15 wait- seriously... so landed at Islands- quick, decent and close to the hotel.   Woke up to drizzle and wondered if it maybe a wet day, but the weather gods aligned and it was overcast and partial clearing.

Luckily Alex was just as happy to turn the light out at 8, after all we had to account for Daylight Savings, and the alarm was going off 4:45.   Holiday Inn coffee is not Peet's but did the job - caffeine and starting the day.  As we were ready and eager not we rolled out around 6:15 and were there to pick up packets at 6:30.  No pre race packet pick up, thank you!.  So it was race day stickers, bibs etc- quite easy. 

I was lazy and did not put on my race wheels, okay not lazy but more logistics.  I am heading to Solvang to play work very hard next week triathloning and my car was packed for 6 days of camp, 1 day of "real work" which means dress clothes and shoes + race bag and well the race wheels just seemed to much or maybe I was lazy.   I changed my cassette not lazy for camp and had not taken a spin more bad race prep.   But I did decide to do so at the race site and I pressed Di2 - nothing, again noting- OMG, I was not lazy and had charged my Di2 or apparently I had attached the cord and plugged it in and then either had a faulty outlet or who knows.   So now I have a 100% dead battery.  Minor panic. Okay I had my charging cord, not lazy, and turns out it would charge form the USB in the car.   So in 15 min I had 30% which was plenty for the race.

NOTE TO SELF ( and my athletes)
1- always bring the charging cord
2- Show up early!  It was 6:30 and we had an 8:15 start.  You just never know what will happen.

I was a bit rattled for sure but faked it sort of that I was not.

Race was uneventful, not really, it was eventful and painful.- but that is racing.  Racing = Pain  Swim was cold and I was anaerobic immediately as the 30yo speedster sprinted out of my sight.  Shit!  I swim hard and the ran up the long bit hill to T1.  I had practiced my transitions on Thursday so it was "respectable"  - only 2 women transitioned faster and they are both 30 so they move faster and bending over is easier ;)  Welcome to being 52- age is an excuse for EVERYTHING!

Bike  plan was go hard the whole time. My legs were tired and a bit sore, I was hoping lap 2 would be better since I would be warmed up, but it was not, seems I was tired or sore or old.

T2 - I was 4th in T2- blaming old age- hard to bend over

Run- I have been running, reasonably, well on tired legs.  Not so much today. The course was hillier than I thought and when the pace was not there I shifted my focus to keep my cadence up and get re-acquainted with suffering, its what racing is all out.  When the 3rd place, another 30yo, passed me I tried to go with her and oof that mile hurt, but hey I tried.   Another reason to race is to suffer- whether it is a PR or a shitty race, it hurts a lot! 

All in all-  a podium finish is a good day!  But even better was racing along side 2 of my athletes, Alex and Alexis!  It's about as good as it gets to hang out, race and celebrate their podium finishes in person. 



Looking back I was definitely under fueled.  360 calorie breakfast of baby food pouches ( I did not know we had a fridge and microwave so this made sense)  and 120 calories Gatorade Endurance was not enough for the entire race.  I WISH I had grabbed a Gatorade Endurance Gel for the run, but well , again why we race early in the season!

I asked for banana and PB and it was delivered

 But a REALLY nice volunteer hooked me up post race and post bonus 5 mile run, post race with a banana and peanut butter treat.

I love coaching, love my athletes and life is pretty darn good right now!  The cobwebs are off! 

Next up Oceanside 70.3 April 7th

and BTW first time racing in a "onesie"  LOVE LOVE it- Betty Designs of course!  Comfortable, aero and no chafing