I didn’t take one minute for granted.
I was ready and open for all of them, feeling good or not, I knew how special six days of swimming, spinning, and sprinting spent at Winter Smashfest Camp would be to grow my fitness, and enhance my eternal crush on triathlon. What I didn’t know, is the days on location in Encinitas, CA with my coaches and teammates were just the first half of the physical and mental training block I endured the last two weeks; the truth is, when the “official” workouts ended, the real work began.
“Is it your right foot?” My very pregnant coach, Hillary Biscay, asked after chugging back up a hill my teammates just ran down along the Mt. Woodsen trail, that I stood stalled in the middle of.
“No, it’s my left.” I stammered back, trying with every ounce of energy I had I left to hold back my escaping tears.
“It’s not worth causing an injury.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.”
Midway through our first workout, a mellow run on Thursday afternoon. From Left: Rick Phelan, Scott Perrine, Vanessa Foerster, Dan Beaver, yours truly, and Amy Hite. Photo credit: Maik Twelsiek.
I couldn’t imagine a more frustrating and senseless conclusion to a fantastic week of training, but after less than ten minutes into our last workout of the arduous six days of triathlon camp, I landed wonky on my left foot, rolled my ankle, and it hurt. A lot.
Next, we discussed a couple options, I turned back up the hill, and Hillary continued down to meet up with the group. I never saw them again. Once I made it back to my car, I assessed my ankle, which was already swelling up, and decided to drive home.
Assessing the swelling situation in the rain-soaked parking lot.
I couldn’t believe what just happened. I felt numb. I was scared, embarrassed, and suddenly flooded with tormenting thoughts like, “What happens now?’ ‘Can I still run the LA Marathon?’ ‘Will I be healed in time for Ironman St. George?”
Thankfully, the coach inside me calmly answered back, “Yes, you came back from pneumonia, and a crippled foot, you will be fine for St. George. In fact, you’ll probably be fine to race LA. Relax.”
During our progressive run workout Monday morning trying to hold marathon pace tracking pro triathlete, and TeamHPB coach, Alyssa Godesky. Photo credit: Hillary Biscay.
Cut to, Thursday morning when my ankle still sported a technicolor hue, but had trimmed down to pre-twisted size, yet a stomach bug, (I fear literally), invaded my body and has made life challenging ever since. I do find irony in the fact that I have made it my life’s mission to have a healthy digestive system, and that currently it is the headquarters of a rebellion.
Regardless of my random post-camp physical ailments, I wasn’t ready to write about my camp experience last week, and still, right now, want to keep most of the details close to my heart until I write them in my book.
However, I did make a mini-movie about it that you can watch HERE:
And, my friend’s Vanessa Foerster and Julie Dunkle wrote fantastic recaps in their blogs that I highly recommend reading. It was such a treat to share the week with those two amazing women who both echoed my sentiments brilliantly in their worthy writeups.
Julie and I midway during the Mt. Palomar ride on Friday. Photo credit: Julie Dunkle.
Vanessa and I after finishing the Swim/Run event on Saturday morning. Yes, that's mud on my face.:) Photo credit: Hillary Biscay.
I will share one highlight that stands out among the dozens I cherished during camp. It happened as we started mile 85ish of a 120 mile ride on Sunday, at the bottom of Engineer’s Rd., (a short, but tough climb), where we stopped to refuel, and I reattached to the front group of riders; a position I held most of the morning until I fell back after the studs in the group took off on the long descents on the backside of Mt. Laguna.
Feelin' good a few hours into our loooong ride on Sunday. From left: Alyssa Godesky, yours truly, Rick Phelan, Dave Lundberg, ands Dan Beaver. Photo credit: Hillary Biscay.
For the first few miles after rolling out of Engineer’s Rd., we held our train-like form before the descents picked up again, but as the road dipped down, I chanted to myself, “Hang on, hang on, hang on!” Which I did, almost, better at least than I did hours before, I was stronger than I was hours before, improved, but still far away from where I wanted to be, which is the perfect metaphor for camp, a supportive environment to expose and strengthen our weaknesses that inspires us to want to improve during and beyond each workout.
About 100 miles into our long ride, very happy to be among this speedy crew. From left: Alex Watt, Julie Dunkle, and Alyssa Godesky.
That is why I believe Smashfest Camp, held either in Tucson, AZ or Encinitas, CA, provides an opportunity to explore why I care so much about triathlon.
Even when my regressed swim form was on full display during the first pool workout, or when I was a large frozen icicle riding down Mt. Palomar, or dragging behind my swim/run teammate, Vanessa, swimming in the frigid Carlsbad Lagoon excited to try something novel, (and keep it that way), I was aware of why I was there.
Mid-Swim/Run action on Saturday morning. I'm thrilled to be running.:) photo credit: Hillary Biscay.
I knew why I stepped away from my everyday life to be among fantastic people, (fellow campers and coaches), who are lit up by a desire to improve just as much as I am, because I was born to embrace physical challenges, learn from them, and then share what I learn, and triathlon has given me a broad canvas to pursue my life’s pursuit.
On top of Mt. Palomar on Friday afternoon with our coach, and mastermind behind all camp activities, Hillary Biscay, her daughter Aymellia Rose, and my Wunderkind teammate, Alex Watt.
Smashfest Camp was awesome, but it wasn’t easy.
It wouldn’t be fun if it was.
And it was A LOT of FUN.
The song and video choice this week is a classic that sums up the theme of camp.:)