Final Post-Camp Thoughts

In completely random order because that’s about as well as my brain is functioning on little rest.

Wind: I may not like wind, and I may become an incredible crankypants knowing I have to face it for 30 straight miles (though I was crankier about the 5+ miles of VERY bumpy road), but I proved again I can keep going and get through it anyway.

Bugs: The Illinois bug population threw a hoe-down in celebration upon my arrival.  Jen Harrison said they don’t have any bugs right now.  The bite marks all over my body beg to differ. 

TRX: It was great to find out I’ve been doing my TRX moves correctly, as well as learn new ones.  Turns out my core strength is pretty good these days!

Pacing: Makes all the difference.  I didn’t think I could get back on my bike the 2nd day but using the ride as an easy spin/recovery ride ended up being a blast.  The surroundings of the Morton Arboretum weren’t too shabby either.

Heat vs Humidity: I got a solid dose of heat acclimation this weekend.  It’s always good to get a chance to practice hydration and fueling in extreme conditions.  I remembered again though why I like Arizona and California so much and that’s our low humidity.  I spent enough summers in the Midwest and East Coast to know I do NOT enjoy the high humidity days, but I hadn’t been an athlete when I lived there.  I can’t believe how much trouble I had breathing on this trip.

Hills: We may have been walloped by the weather conditions but I’d argue the California girls had no qualms about riding/running the hills.  We’re lucky to have them everywhere here!

Camps: Going to camp has multiple functions for me…I get to train with my coach in person and there’s nothing as valuable as that kind of feedback.  I get technique reminders/corrections/adjustments in all 3 sports.  And I get a good dose of “overtraining” to push my limits and get me to the next level.  If there’s a camp out there you are considering and you wonder what you will get out of it, go for it! There are so many things that can help you, plus the intangibles – like making a group of new friends, surrounding yourself with swim/bike/run for a concentrated period without annoying your family with it (haha), and so on.

Food: The only way to survive camp is to eat, eat, and then eat some more.  I also possibly drank the most water I’ve ever had in one day on Sunday (swim-run-strength in 90 degrees).

Swimming: Hmm, I seem not to have mentioned swimming.  I guess that’s because my swimming wasn’t the dramatic horrify-the-coaches stroke it was last year.  I enjoyed the open water swim, if a little more slowly than everyone else, and I did the pool workout.  Liz’s feedback was helpful and something I can incorporate into all my swims, but we agreed it’s come a long way.

Trashed: Pretty much sums up my body right now.  Or even my body yesterday before running 3.1 more miles.  All the good soreness has kicked in today though.  I’ll be working out the kinks at yin (yoga) class today and then letting my wonderful massage therapist (nicknamed Raccoon Fingers for her ability to dig) deal with the rest of the mess tomorrow (anyone have some heavy duty painkillers I can borrow to get through that?).  If past experience is any measure, all cylinders should be up to speed and firing by Sunday’s race.

Totals for May 2010: 23,913 yds swim/236.25 mi bike/55.83 mi run