Yakima Training Camp 2014

One of the things I enjoy about triathlon is long days of training.  Once the sun comes out and it gets hot I love to train big volume.  Every year I go to Yakima, WA for a week to ride, run, and swim in the hot sun. Most people speak ill of Yakima, but I like it and have nothing but nice things to say about it.

*Loving the 2014 Hammer Bergmo hot weather kit...buy it...with your money.

The whole week was eat, sleep, train repeat.  It was so simplistically satisfying to wake up knowing that all I have to do today is bike for a couple hours, run, swim, and eat, simple, right?

Over the course of the work-week I put in a great camp of 250 miles cycling, 30 miles running, and 10,000 meters of swimming.  I ate biscuits and gravy every day and went through two bottles of aerosol sunscreen (one of my favorite things in the whole world, fyi).  Not to mention all the Hammer products that were so enjoyable and delicious out on the road.

*Cycling the open road

*Lions Pool

*Franklin Park outdoor lap pool (during rec swim).

*Yakima's Greenway bike and running trail

 

*When you are training 5 hours a day you gotta' eat!!  I love biscuits and gravy, but I only eat it at hotels.  I had B&G every day when I woke up, heaven on a plate before expending 6,000 plus calories during the day.

*I always stay in the same room, top floor with a view of the pool.

I will admit that these trips are bitter sweet at times.  I have shared so many great memories with people in Yakima over the past few years.  I am torn between being selfishly sad for me because I never see those half-dozen people anymore, and being happy for them that they have found new interests and adventures.  I admit that the biforcating lives of me and my Yakima friends hurts at times.  I hope they are all doing well with their new interests and paths, and that they know I think about them often during my time in Yakima.

*Climbing out of town on Thursday's big 80 miler

 *Miles and miles of Yakima orchards and sun

I am not exactly sure how the racing season will look this year, but I am enjoying the simplicity of riding, running, and swimming for the time being.  Maybe that is my path this year, who knows.  I am very lucky to have opportunities like this to be healthy and do what I like to do.  I am convinced that the true satisfaction in life is in the simple things. 

Eat, sleep, train, love, and blog. :)

Thanks to the wild Wyman bunch for getting my camp started right with plenty of secret family recipes. Grandma Wyman never lets me miss a meal when I am in eastern Washington. lol

Happy first week of summer everyone.