"The last crazy thing I did": Boot Camp Day 1

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Boot Camp Day 1 - "All roads lead to Rome"

Today was first day of our Ironteam Bootcamp Weekend, packed with Swimming, Cycling and Running. The long day ahead started at Burgess Pool in Menlo Park, at 9am. We started off the morning with a 1hour swim, doing 1000 yard repeats broken up into different sets. Towards the end of the swim the rain started, my shoes sitting by the pool ready for me to start the run after of course it didn't take long for these to become very soggy shoes, luckily I had a spare pair in car.

Then for a run in the rain, which took us out from Burgess Pool to Standford Campus for some loops. I took the run easy and chatted with a member of the North Bay Iron Team, as they were join us for our Boot Camp weekend. By about 1.5 into the run my IT band flared up and running became hobbling once again, so I walked back to back to start and got ready for the cycle.

The rain was still coming down as our ride began, just as everyone was heading out I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses, not needed to protect me from the absent Sun but from the inevitable spray from the front tire. I had heard the ride brief so knew the general loop but I was on unsure of the beginning, I had a fifty/fifty chance to make the correct turn at the beginning, seemed those odds weren't good enough so I started out the wrong way. I suppose I should note I could of looked at the map but I still have a sense of adventure :-) It wasn't long before I was back on track and caught up with the rest of the team. I was also drenched to the bone with a nice mud wash on my legs and spray up my back. Despite the conditions it was nice little loop through Portola and I still managed to get a nice speed with safety in mind.

Just as I wasn't sure about the beginning of the ride I wasn't sure about the end either, though I had directions they were some what like a damp rag and unreadable by now. Of course I know the area, so I made my own way back, though a wrong turn did add some extra distance at the end.

After the ride we had a short break for lunch then it was on to sets of Spinning, Running, Strength and Core. The running was out of the question after the morning's hobble and the the spinning while generally ok, though gave me the occasional wince as a sharp pain shot through my leg. This however meant I had plenty of time to devote to the strength and core training, plus some stretching for good measure. By the time we finished (around 3pm) the Sun was finally out and it was looking like a nice day :-)

Ride Details (Click here to view on Google Earth):