Its been a while since I last posted but I've been away training in Florida with some amazingggggggggggggg people. Did I say amazinggggggggggggg, people. First of all I got to travel with Maris who is fast becomming one of the funniest people I know and a really great friend thank goodness she could put up with all my many ( issues, GI, etc.....) as a roommate in Florida, God love her.
We got to Florida on Wednesday and settled in quite nicely, it was sunny and hot which was so different than the weather we have been having in Beverly, we had dinner, relaxed, put our bikes together, it was great. We definitely were a bit nervous going into this training camp given the amount of talented people coming to the camp, we were just hoping to hang on and learn something and make some friends.
Thursday morning was day 1, 3800 yd swim, 2 1/2 bike, f/b a 30-40min T-run. Everything but the run went well for me, it was so hot, I definitely wasn't used to weather and I got crushed on the run, I couldn't get my HR down and I felt miserable. I was able to recover with some good food, water and a glass of wine and a great nice sleep. Maris and I would set the great expectations to go to bed early but always stayed up chatting and laughing and then realizing that we just screwed ourselves of about 1-2hrs of sleep. Oh well, it was great to just laugh and be funny. I also got her hooked on American Idol, we both new that Paul Macdonald would be voted off, so funny.
Thursday was the first day that we met some really great people, Tim and Cait Snow, Pat Wheeler, ( Jesse wasn't there yet), Jaqui Gordon, MIchelle Sinclair, Molly, Charlie, Duffy ( who by the way is probably the most hysterical person I have ever met), Kevin, Rick, Ray, Kelly, Shaun, Sindy, Bryan, the people who didn't come until later were, Courtney, Jessie, Mary and Barbara.
All these people were amazing, so unassuming, very approachable, very easy to talk to and ask questions, it was great.
Friday was the long ride f/b a 30-40 minute run, this ride was soooooooo much fun, first of all it was pretty much all of the New Englanders 2nd ride outside, the weather was perfect 75-80 to start to 90+ to finish, good wind, some rollers at the beginning and end of the ride but otherwise fairly flat. The group got split up at the beginning separating the elites/pros with the age groupers, however, that being said, our little group of 7 women and men held a great average of 18.5mph for > 100 miles that day and for 45 mintues of pace riding where we each took a 5 minute pull we averaged > 22.5mph, it was awesome. Everyone was great, there was no heros, nobody being the superman out there, we all laughed, peed in the bushes ( I swear Shaun I didn't see the bathroom house) shared our beverages when someone ran out, it was really great teamwork. This was also a time when we all got to know each other better, long rides tend to do this to you but up in New England when you ride single file because of the road rules you don't get a chance to really talk but here in Clermont they found us a great bike path to ride on and we could double up and play around with positioning so everyone got a chance to chat with each other, that's when I realized that I wished that all these girls could come back to Beverly with me and ride and train, that all of us were very similar in personality and temperment and that with so many people everyone got along, how cool is that.
Anyway, the ride ended up with us getting a little lost but we made it home in time to do our T-run and then go out to dinner with the group. Again we all had a blast laughing it up and eating a ton ( sorry not completely in the Core) but just a great time. Both Maris and I were a bit " Saddle Sore" if you know what I mean and were a bit concerned about the next two days of riding but in the end another great day.
Saturday was our " long" swim, in the National Training Center;s 50 meter pool. It was awesome, the sun was out, it was warm, the water was great, it was awesome. We swam about 4600 meters in just over 1:15, so a great workout, myself, Duffy and Kevin, along with Michelle, Maris and some others were really picking it up at the end, I also taunted poor Duffy into sprinting the last 50meter to almost the brink of Puking- so much fun.
After the swim was the bike f/b a run, all of which was great. Today's bike was a recovery bike so their was a " HUGE" bet on the table on who could average the lowest watts, I beat out the King of recovery, Mr. Pat Wheeler and averaged a whopping 67 watts. So Pat, I'm waiting for my Power bar.
Saturday also took us to looking at our run video analysis, all of which wasn't too shocking on my side, my left hip is weak, I need to rotate more in lumbar/thoracic spine, my arms need to come in more, I need to look forward more and not down and my right trap is higher than my left ( which is because I primarily breathe to my right when I swim an we just got back from the pool when we shot the video). Anyway, lots to learn and take away from that video analysis.
Sunday was a 2hr bike in the early morning with Charlie, Maris and Duffy, nice and easy f/b a 1 1/2 hr run in the heat, all of which was successful and fun. We went back showered,c hanged and broke down our bikes for the first time in our lives, so proud of myself. Traveling home was really sad leaving our new friends and wanting to continue to train with some of the nicest people and coolest people in the sport. I also have to say that I had so much fun laughing and joking while training that it just reminded me again why I love doing this everyday, just great.
Maris and I got home late last night around 1am, so tired but feel completely satisfied, excited and motivated to have a great season. My life is really busy right now and I need to figure out how I will fit it all in but I will try to manage something. I need to make every workout count for something and I also learned that I need to remind myself that I can become a " bad ass" runner. This is the area I learned at camp that I need to work on the most, its r/t a lot of factors but I know now what I need to do.
So in closing I want to thank QT2 for hosting a great camp in Clermont, Florida, thanks so much for putting together the greatest group of people this weekend that was intense when it needed to be and easy when it needed to be and "FUN" all the time. I'll miss everybody. Keep training everyone and lets hope for a kick ass season.
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