High Altitude Adventures

I never turn down a good excuse to go to Colorado so I lived the dream for a bit racing, training, and visiting family!  Teammate and training partner, Max Jones, and I loaded the car for a road trip to the Rockies and it was anything but a smooth ride.  After being detoured through Aspen due to a rock slide, hail, and epic white-knuckle driving rain, we finally made it to NoCo about five hours after expected.  Thankfully, I was able to meet up with Patrick of PR Triworks to help me get the 15 pounds of water out of my frame/wheels before heading down to packet pickup.  Then, it was off to Parker to relax post-race with my brother's family. 

A little weather climbing past Aspen

Unexpected detour

Already winners

The post-race smile is deceiving

My cheering squad!

 

Race day was a bit of a mixed bag for me though I'd say it was an overall success.  Despite some nausea I was able to come out of the water in my Blueseventy Helix wetsuit with a PR before riding my pretty (and well cared for by Pro Cyclery) Miss Cleo and HIE Cycling wheels to another PR on the bike, woohoo!  Unfortunately, things fell apart a bit after that as nausea and that nagging glute issue getting the best of me.  Thankfully CoachMace was there at the start of lap two to talk me off a ledge and inspire me through the finish.  I'm glad to be making consistent progress in the first two legs though, just need to put it all together!

Following the race, I hung out in Recovery Pump boots, spent more time with family (my nephews are just the cutest), and enjoyed a rare relaxing day (including big fun at the Parker Days festival) before heading up to the mountains for camp.

MPMULTISPORT HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CAMP 2015

Camp was a whirlwind of incredible awesomeness.  We saw new friends and old, spent quality time with coach, got nourished by the brilliant John Lawyer of Licksillet, took in some of the greatest views on the in the country, and trained our butts off!  Time flew by way too fast but I enjoyed it all.

Patrick and Max doing some bike maintenance

Individualized plates from John

And we feast!

View from the living room - not too shabby

Rainbow siting from our porch

View from right outside the pool

Sunset view from the back porch



Day 1

The traffic woes continued as we made our way to Granby but once there it was well worth the drive!  The views from our cabin were absolutely breathtaking (though that may be partially the elevation).  After an insightful FMS (functional movement systems) presentation from Max, we hit the trails to shake out our legs and find our lungs.  I was fairly certain that death was knocking on my doorstep as my heart rate surpassed 150 while shuffling through miles way below "normal" pace - this made me more than a little nervous about the training ahead.

All stocked up and ready to go!

 

FMS Training and talk from Max



Day 2

Tuesday began with a great pool swim led by Coach Tess.  Swimming at altitude is tough but sharing a lane with a few of my college chronies made it all worthwhile.  After breakfast, it was time for our first ride.  Unfortunately, some big black clouds filled the sky just as we were about to start.  Fortunately, however, coach just happens to be a former meteorologist and confidently held us back for all of ten minutes before we were in the clear.  Because it's me (and these things just seem to happen), I was amongst the group that got a little lost on our way to Winter Park, but technology is a key and we all found our way eventually!

Waiting out the weather

 

Right after being "found" - thanks Max!

 

JT looking so aero ...



In the afternoon, we were fortunate enough to have some metabolic efficiency knowledge dropped on us by the legendary Bob Seebohar of eNRG PERFORMANCE.  Feeling all inspired, we then hit the trails for another gorgeous run.  Of course, three workouts is never enough so Steve ran me through a tough core workout before dinner (which served to show where a few of my weaknesses remain). 

Thanks eNRG!!! 

 

Steve about to lead me through a workout while Paige and Mike stretch, JT and Hannah roll ... and coach watches from the comfort of his chair - hmmmmm

Day 3

A few of us greeted the day with a short pool swim before loading up the trailer for our day of training.  The group started off at Lake Granby and rode from there.  With our time limitations in mind, Coach Frost said something along the lines of, "Only the studs will make it to the peak," which basically meant "Bailey is about to get stubborn."  The ride was a gorgeous  rolling climb through green woods and meadows and the summit was reached (even though it meant only seven minutes of our allotted hour lunch break was left).  Next it was time to freeze our butts off in Lake Granby (a mountain lake in June isn't too toasty) with an open water swim and tactics lesson from Coach Tess before warming up again with a light run.  After this successful day of training, we relaxed by taking over the party room at a local restaurant (where I thoroughly grilled and annoyed the manager to determine the one item on the menu that would be edible). 

Ready to ride!

 

Thanks Frosty, Mike, and JT for getting me to the divide!

Made It! (continental divide in the background there)

 

Just in time for lunch

 

... and the ladies' lunch photo

Grateful for our Blueseventy suits!

 

And we feast

 

 

Friends new and old: Tess, Paige, and JT

 

 Day 4

Call me crazy but I wanted to enjoy every last second of my final day at camp so I dragged myself out of bed for one last solo trail run (of course, it was time to leave right around the time I started to get used to the elevation).  Then, it was off to Lake Granby to begin our biggest ride yet!  We rolled out from the lake in the opposite direction of the previous day and headed towards Rocky Mountain National Park.  30 miles later, we hit the summit at 12,213 feet after climbing switchbacks across the continental divide.  I think one of my favorite parts was the looks of surprise mixed with both awe and disgust that we received from trail-mix eating, selfie taking, couch potatoes parked at the scenic overlooks.  Speaking of scenery, however, the views were awe inspiring.  That ride was something I don't think I'll soon forget!  After a team photo at the visitor center, it was back down the mountain for a final swim in the lake.   

 

 

So worth it

Still a little snow on the roads

Mike was a great riding partner (and the sole reason I got ANY sleep Thursday night as he prevented my detour to the airport - thanks Mike!!!)

If only all the roads were like this

2 miles above sea level and still climbing!

Bikes need a break too

Whole team made it to the top!

#MPTrainingcamp2015

Love these super legit ladies!

Tess, Paige, Hannah, and Elise

 

And best of all, I saw a moose on my way down!

 

Unfortunately, I had to leave camp a day early and drive through Thursday night to get back for Friday morning clients.  Fortunately, I was armed with the adrenaline rush of camp coupled with audio books and some fantastic mariachi music on the mountain radio stations of Utah (and maybe a few too many cups of coffee). 

 THANK YOU so much to everyone involved in making this trip a success.  Thank you to Coach Mace for convincing me it would be worth my time, to Max for basically signing us up to go before actually receiving my consent, JT, Tess and Frosty (and of course Mace) for superior coaching, Patrick Ray (PR TriWorks) for the daily sag/bike support, John Lawyer (Lickskillet) for putting up with my dietary shenanigans, and to my TEAM (new friends and old) for being a constant inspiration.  I'm already counting the days until camp 2016!

 

 

Thank you for the continued support Pro Cyclery, Hammer Nutrition, Blueseventy, HIECycling, Pro Motorsports of Fond du Lac, Las Vegas Multisport, Riplaces, It'sYour Choice Training, Duro Tire, and Anthem Fitness!