Training Camps in Anaheim and Nashville

~ I forgot my camera, however the camera would not do justice to the experiences of Camp Alpha or Bravo ~

I figured the best way to start off the triathlon season was with a solid training camp. I wanted to get in a good block of training time; so far I have done just that. I spent the first week of the season training at Base Camp Alpha in Anaheim. The 70 plus degree weather was just what I needed to get out the door and have fabulous run training. My favorite run was a loop that went right by Disney Land.

After a week I jetted off to Base Camp Bravo in Nashville, Tennessee. While both camps have been great, I will be dedicating the majority of my time in Bravo location. The weather is 85 percent gorgeous in Tennessee, the other 15 percent is perfect for building mental toughness that I miss from Spring time training in Montana.

Like Anaheim, I have had a phenomenal training camp here. I have been putting in great run training. On top of that, I have been doing 2 hour swim sessions at the swim center. They like their pools hot in Nashville, 85 degrees hot, so that has been a great element of mental training to add in the top physical conditioning.

My swimming has been great, I have been doing a bunch of different strokes and everyone is so nice.   My fly is coming along nicely, I have made a lot of improvements by training such a demanding stroke.  In the pst I have not trained a huge amount of swimming or alternative strokes, but Camp Bravo is all about breaking the routine of what I ordinarly do for training.  New ideas and training tactics have the potential to bring huge amounts of progress.

I have 3 more weeks in Nashville, by the time I return to the Tri Palace I will be ready to enter final prep for the early summer races. It is a new experience to train in the South, I don't know if triathlon is big down here, but it seems like everywhere I go everyone is so interested in why I am here to do swimming, biking, and running.  When my training is done for the day and I have down time, I retreat to the relaxing confines of my 4th floor studio suite for recovery.

It is important for me to travel to a base camp.  I have always done my best training when I am alone and isolated, Peter Reid, a crazy character, is the same way.  Some do well with large groups, I do not.  My best training is distraction and interaction free.  My time spent training day after day, after day, alone in Bozeman a few years back or at the Tri Pad the last 3 summers have gained me the most measurable physical and mental benefits of any other type of training.  Being alone while training makes you tough period. 
 
Three more weeks of Nashville, training camp, and country music.  Ahh the life of a triathlete…