Summer Vacation aka Ironman training camp...let the fun begin!

Most people seek out a nice warm place to retreat from the daily grind in the summer time, but if you are a desert turtle from Arizona, you might consider a little cooler climate to escape to. This summer we decided to spend a few weeks in California after dropping my son off at a 3 week music camp. I decided that I deserved a 3 week summer camp too....so I have officially started my own 3 week ironman training camp to break up the regular routine. I packed up my bike, wetsuit, and running shoes along with all the necessary gear and plenty of reading material including nutrition books, yoga and strength training for triathletes and most importantly mental training for peak performance. So, for the next three weeks the theme will be about the turtle tri-ing California, a long state which has an abundance of bike routes, water, and trails along with triathletes to ride, swim, and run them! First stop: Annaheim Hills to train with teammate Luis who I like to refer to as Wineman (cause he is training for Vineman and Ironman and he knows a lot about wine and is planning wine tasting outing for our team). We arrived with a truck full of triathlon gear and music gear for our camps and headed directly to the beach. Luis took us to Long Beach to swim in the bay while my family walked across the street to frolick at the beach. We donned our Zoot suits and dunked right in. As we were getting our feet wet, Luis had to share with me that he saw a baby stingray in the water the day before to get my adrenaline going! There was actually a swim lane roped off to follow and the temperature was perfect. We swam side by side for a while and then got into school formation. We were aiming for "the bridge" which Luis had gestimated the mileage based on that of the road that parallels the shore (not sure if that is an accurate way to measure, but who am I to judge). We then proceeded under the bridge which was kind of creepy as the water was very high and I felt like I was in the sewer like in the movie flushed away and might bump into some river rats....could not be any worse than Tempe town lake....on the other side, we swam along the line of boats and enjoyed the taste of salty gasoline. It did not matter too much because I was swimming in cool water at the beach in Cali! I was happy as a Sea Turtle and it is always nice to have a companion for when your imagination runs wild as to what you are swimming with. When we finished, I requested to feel what the ocean water was like to swim in. It is just another fear to overcome. After a few minutes, I realized it is a totally justifiable fear, but one I would like to face and that it is a totally different sport. Now I am beginning to feel like I am made out of aluminum and not iron! We capped the swim off with a walk through the beach town and a yummy Mexican meal. By the time we got settled in for the night, my alarm clock was ringing before I knew it at 4:30 am and the pre-bike ride rituals began. Luis decided to take us on an urban path that many cyclists ride to the beach since we had a brick workout that morning. The weather was perfect and it was a nice change to ride a fairly flat course with short curves and hills to maneuver from section to section. I had to remind myself to look up at the shore once we arrived at the beach. The surfer dudes were gathering and lots of groups of runners and cyclists were all around. We passed the arenas where the Ducks and the Angels play. I even got to change another flat tire despite it being a very clean, glass free route. My tire managed to pick up a thorn from a plant or possibly one of the wooden bridge crossings. Tire changing time is getting faster and I finally successfully used a co2 cartridge! With short breaks due to needing a photo and the unplanned tire change, Luis and I made the quick change to our running shoes and got our 3 miles in. It was nice to feel comfortable for the whole time without feeling sick or cramping...the feeling I hope to have on ironman day which is now officially 20 weeks away. I love my aero bars and seem to have made the transition to them with ease thanks to my wonderful bike fitter. Finished with good food and friendship the part I love most that keeps the turtle tales going. We dropped my son off at his camp and headed north to Pleasanton, CA. Our drive was much tougher than our bike ride as we were stopped in California road construction at its finest adding a few extra unwanted hours to our trip....much more enjoyable to save those for the bike. I wonder which one of us will be having more fun at their summer camp, me or my son. Stay tuned for More CA adventure to follow.