IronCamp EastCoast Day Three - Final Wrap Up

Still wet, even colder, and we are all mentally and physichally beat...another day of fun in IM paradise!

After Saturday's 7-hour training day, I think we all could have used about 10 hours of sleep (at a minimum). But since we came to train, there was little else to do but get out on the road again. When you have eliminated all the excuses, you have little chice but to get outside!

We awoke to the heaviest rain of the weekend, with temps in the low 40's. As today was the 2nd annual Lake Placid Marathon (and Half Marathon), both slated with an 8am start time, there was a strong sense of focus for the group. We managed to beat the crowds to the local breakfast joint (Soulshine Bagel - definitely check it out when you are on Main Street and need some quick caffeine) and so we had no excuses. We decided to split up for the day, with half the group taking another tour of the 56-mile loop and the other half heading to Mirror Lake for a short swim and a longer run. It might be worth pointing out that both groups thought the others were crazy! Frozen and wet if you do, wet and frozen if you don't.

I went on the ride as it's where I need the most work...and the 56-miles was pretty straightforward. Except for the crazy descent out of placid with killer winds...then beautiful sunshine in Keene...a nice out and back where we even saw our shadows...and then, the merciless climb back into town. Crazy head / cross winds. One of the campers was blown right off her bike!!! It took an awful lot to keep moving up the pass - definitely the hardest return trip of the four, but the most telling. After we got back to the hotel, some folks ran, others did core work.

Then it was time to pack up and leave. After a world-record turnaround to avoid any late fees, we hit the road and all met up for breakfast / camp wrap up. Personal time for me was 224 miles of riding, 6 miles of running, 2 hours of core and 1 hour of swimming. About 15.5 hours in three days! Time to rest up for our next camp in Wisconsin!!!!

Hope to see you there...

Coach P

IronCamp EastCoast Day Two - Update
Hard to believe it, but Saturday was wetter, colder, and windier than Friday. Serious race-day karma was earned today by all campers.

So after Friday's single-loop and 1.5 hour pool swim at Lake Placid Health and Fitness...and a lot of guacamole, I went to bed ready to tackle whatever Saturday threw at us. I woke up feeling like a champ. Then I opened the curtains and saw what I was in for...a whole lotta wet. It was killer...rain, clouds, and a stunning 43-degrees. After considering our other options (there were none), we decided to head out for a stiff cup of coffee with a shot (or three) of courage.

The agenda called for two loops of the course followed by a short run. I knew things were tough right from the start when, on the way out of town, before we even started descending, my fingers and toes were frozen. Absolutely frozen. At the 24 minute mark. Freakin' great. Crosswinds were brutal, but having 40+ mph on the wheels made it easier to hold on. The rolling hills were enough to help us warm up...and that was very welcome. Out and back was the usual, with the standard tailwind in, headwind out situation. We saw a lot of folks from other camps out here...including some miscellaneous groups. That made a real difference in terms of keeping us focused. Climbing back into town was rough with some wicked shifting winds, and I don't think many folks wanted to hit the hotel rooms for food/fluids and then leave again. But with racing around the corner, we really didn't have much of a choice!

Thankfully with a two-loop course, lap two kinda flies by on its own. After we got back, it was time for a quick change and head out for a run. Or an organized limp. At least with running, you warm up a lot faster. That made a nice difference even though we were all hurting. Seriously.

After this epic day, we hit the local brew pub for some serious eats and then went to see the new X-Men flick.

See you on Sunday!!!

IronCamp EastCoast Day One - Update

Cold. Wet. Hilly. Forecast for the weekend? 100% chance of being seriously challenged. Intermittent breaks of concentration, followed by possible loss of morale.

Lake Placid is in typical form for early June. We have done this camp for four years now, and only on one occaision was is sunny and warm. Otherwise, it has been a character-building, bike mechanic's nightmare of a weekend. 2006 appears to be headed in the same direction. Today was wet, about 54 degrees with minimal wind. As we all arrived late last night, we did one-loop of the course followed by a swim technique session / workout. There were no real issues to speak of, but the new folks are pretty humbled by the course. This will be my fourth time racing LP, and I am only now becoming comfortable with the rhythm of the 56-mile loop.

There are 9 campers up here this weekend, with 4 prepping for IM USA, 2 for Roth, 2 for Great Floridian and one for Canada+Hawaii. Once again, we have been fortuntate to get a great group of just really easy going, fun-loving folks. Everyone has different race day goals with one nine-hour dude and another guy hoping just to finish. This had us all over the course today, but with so many other folks up here to train, there weren't a lot of secluded parts of of the course. It's a busy weekend here in Placid, with at least one other camp in town and the local half/full marathon on Sunday. That makes for a lot of skinny people with shaved legs!

Anyway, here are a couple of key tips for racing placid that came out of our afternoon debrief session:

1. Do Not Go Hard On Loop One: There are plenty of places on this course to ride your brains out and end all hopes of a good marathon. Conservative pacing on loop one will ensure you have the energy to competently approach loop two. This will help you pass a lot of folks at the end of the ride...not to mention the run.
2. Set A Nutrition Plan...: With the weather so variable, it's really important to have a set plan for eating (drink X every 15 mins, eat Y every 30, etc.). Even more important, it is critical that you actually practice eating the stuff (can you hold that gel? reach that bottle? get those salt tabs?).
   
3. ...and Match Your Plan To The Course!: There are a lot of hills on the course, so make sure that you aren't trying to stuff a gel in your mouth as you climb a 6% grade! :) We worked a lot today on now only capturing the knowledge of the course, but also in applying it towards our actual race day plans. Something as simple as this not only gives you focus on race day -- a specific task to look forward to and execute upon -- but it can mean the difference between success and failure.

Tomorrow is a full 112 miles w/ an optional run. Then a late PM dip in Mirror Lake to check out the cables, etc.

Praying for dry weather,

Coach P