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!