Triathlon camp report (very long)
I went to a three-day beginner triathlon boot camp in West Chester, Pa., by Mid-Atlantic Multisport. Everything was beyond my expectations, from the goodie bag to the facilities to the time with experienced athletes — some professionals — with long resumes. I had an amazing time, got tons of motivation and met some truly wonderful friends.
Friday started with a swim stroke analysis. I volunteered to go first, thinking I would get it over with and not wanting an audience. I got an audience anyway because other athletes showed up early to watch because they were nervous, too! A swim coach followed me with a camera both above and below water. Things went OK on the first lap, but on the second I swallowed some water and stopped for a moment.
The swim coach whom I worked with (there was more than one swim coach) gave me absolutely amazing advice. She was a top collegiate swimmer, and now does triathlon and is a nutritionist. Super nice woman. Later she and I were talking about nutrition and being gluten-free, and I told her Desiree Ficker is my hero because she is gluten-free. The coach said she knew Desiree, and she would tell her that! Cool. I was also invited to stop by the Mid-Atlantic Multisport house when I go up to Lake Placid to volunteer at the Ironman.
Anyway, back to the swim stroke analysis. I was shocked when she said my stroke is sound and I need to stop thinking that I need to fix some major flaw. She said I can do any distance triathlon, from sprint to an Ironman, with the stroke I have. I have good body rotation and my head position is fine, she said. She did point out some things I can do better — I don’t fully extend my arm on my stroke, and I was keeping my fingers apart.
After I got her tips, I went into the other pool and couple hundred meters or so. I could instantly feel that I was swimming faster by extending my arm farther forward. I said hello to a few others as they arrived, and then headed out to find a bike shop because I didn’t own a rain jacket and they were calling for rain the next day.
Here I should mention the facility we were using — ACAC in West Chester — was absolutely phenomenal. If there’s a gym in heaven, this is it. Two lap pools, a rehabilitation pool, a kids’ pool and a whirlpool. Amazing fitness equipment. Spa. Starbucks. Café with computers and Internet access. It had it all. One of the cycling mentors told me later that membership costs $140 for one person. Yikes.
Friday night we had introductions, an overview of the weekend and we talked about how to set up a training program. I learned SO MUCH and now see that I’m making a lot of beginner mistakes. I could tell from the questions that others were doing the same things I had been doing. Everything was explained in very easy-to-understand terms.
Saturday started with an optional group run that I skipped because I’m just a beginner there. We then had breakfast and a classroom session on USAT rules. A top USAT judge from the area told us what we couldn’t do and then gave us legal tips to help us out on race day.
We then set out on our bike ride. There were 24- and 35-mile routes. I rode with the beginners and was pleased with the ride. We passed horses, cows and some beautiful countryside. There were some challenging hills for me, especially because I hadn’t ridden outside in some time. I got really tired around mile 20, but a few others were also really struggling and I was so glad to have company. We made it back and I was exhausted but was so happy to be out on the bicycle for several hours.
After the bike, I ran back to the hotel because I forgot my swimsuit. I took a quick shower there and changed, then headed back for lunch. All our meals except one optional dinner at a restaurant were included.
Our next session was very interesting. Ken Glah, a six-time Ironman champion, spoke to us about training, how to fit it into our life, mistakes people make, etc. He was very down to earth and approachable. But I did notice he got groupies throughout the camp.
Then the group broke out into smaller sessions to discuss specific topics. First up for me was bicycle maintenance. This was great because I’m not mechanically inclined. I learned a lot, and I really appreciated this session.
Next for me was the run session, although the focus was on setting up transitions. The advice was to keep things simple.
Finally was the swim session. This was the lesson that was most valuable to me. We talked about the fear, the benefits of wetsuits, how to train, etc. Then we got in the pool to practice siting. And then one of the coaches ran over us while swimming so we could practice that, too. And you know what? I was able to swim and keep going and be OK even with the splash in my face.
Next up was a group dinner at an Italian restaurant. I gave a chef my gluten-free pasta to cook in a clean pot and strainer and also got a plain chicken breast. I had vanilla ice cream for dessert. Yum.
The next morning was the group run. I decided to go on some trails and do my own thing, and I was joined by two other campers. I did some walk/jog intervals, but it was very muddy. It was truly a beautiful morning, however, and we heard some woodpeckers and saw some geese.
Next we headed back for lunch and a talk on nutrition. I learned a lot here, and the nutritionist spoke with me a little bit about weight loss strategies. I thought I was always eating enough on the bike, but I found out that I’m eating less than one-third of what I need to if I’m doing a long ride.
Our final session was a panel discussion. I kicked off the questions by asking about the coaches’ first triathlon, and I got a lot of funny stories. It was nice to hear that these top athletes — people who have competed at the Hawaii Ironman — talk about panicking in the water, not bothering with a wetsuit for their first triathlon because they figured they were fast swimmers, etc. Ken Glah told us that when he started, he was a great runner but could barely finish 25 yards in the pool. He signed up for a tri and only had a few weeks to build up to swimming the distance, so he got in the pool three times a day because he could only do a few laps at a time.
Then it was time to say goodbye. I got the e-mail addresses of some of the people I met, and we’re going to try to set up a time and place to practice open water swimming.
This was a wonderful weekend. I can’t say enough positive things about the camp and the coaches. No question was too basic, and no one was treated like an idiot for asking. They truly welcomed everyone with open arms, and gave us all their e-mail addresses to contact at any time. I also got a hefty dose of motivation. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone for next year, and I’ll even think about doing it again.
