LP Camp come and gone

I've mentioned too many times that "I'm back" after taking a blog hiatus - it's getting old and so I'll save the bullshit. Yes, I've been lazy about blogging. Funny, I still feel as though this is just a personal journal and that no one would be interested in reading it - it still seems so self absorbed. I have been called out quite a bit lately though, from many that I haven't blogged in awhile, and especially while I was in Lake Placid.

I just finished up my Lake Placid Camp and I'm quite tired! This camp was busy from the get go. Here's my documentation/notes on each day:

Tuesday: Camp begins on Wednesday evening, yet I recruited Molson and Gus to meet me up there earlier and do some reconnaissance. Jeff and I got a swim in in Mirror lake, my first swim (besides a quick splash in Tucson) since Kona last year. I actually felt ok?! The Vasa trainer must pay off a bit. It's always great seeing Jeff and Gus who have become two of my better friends.

Wednesday: The three of us ran from the Marriott about a mile and half to a trail that was great! It was hilly and well maintained and we did ran a few loops and a bit over an hour later were back and ready for breakfast. Next, we worked on Jeff's bike a bit then watched the US beat Algeria in extra time before heading out on the bikes. We rode the course in reverse including checking out the new out and back section. The roads were in really shitty condition, but the weather was good. The long climb up rt 73 (the big downhill on the course) is not that bad to ride up. It's just long. But ride Whiteface and this seems like a bump. The group began arriving and we met for another swim. Mirror Lake's water temperature was great - very comfortable. This early day up here really allowed me to escape CT and relax I guess. I really do love it up in Lake Placid. I mean, if you are an outdoor person, how could you not.

Thursday: First official day of camp. We started with a wet trail run near Mount Marcy (the highest peak in NY). This was a 1 hour 45 min trail run through pine forests, bogs, up steep hills, to an amazing lookout, then back. It rained on us, but when your running, rain doesn't matter. In fact, it kept the deer flies away and the conditions cool. The pace was comfortable and I kept the group together for the most part. Shoes were lost temporarily in the bog, Gus was thrown into puddles, and all laughed and played as though they were 10 again. Next was a bike ride on the course where we stopped every 20 minutes or so and I described the course and how to race it. The rain let up and actually, the sun popped out. We then met at Mirror lake for a swim. Afterwards, mvp awards were passed out to Scott B. and Mark M. and then it was already dinner time! Day one done.

Friday: Early start as we were riding up the Whiteface Mountain access road to the top of Whiteface, and you need to be off this road by 8:30am when the open it up to cars. Ive done the climb up Whiteface numerous times and it's always been rainy, foggy, freezing, ... This day, conditions were ideal - cool and not a cloud in the sky. the views were absolutely amazing. There were many training camps taking place this week/weekend and I never saw any of them leave the IM course. To miss out on this climb and these views is a shame! I guess if they have never seen it, they don't realize what they are missing. Still, in my view, it's a shame. We descended Whiteface where I had some amazing speed wobbles on my road bike to the point where I thought for sure I was going down. Need to figure out what's going on there. Then we took a back road we call "the land of the lost" which is once again, off the course, yet connects in Ausable Forks on Rt. 9. We then road the course in reverse. The sun was getting strong, yet riding up rt 73 once again seemed easier after ascending Whiteface earlier in the ride. five hour day in the saddle. We followed this up with a brick run on a nice shaded trail, then we drove down 86 and soaked our sore legs in the gorge while and had a discussion. We followed this up with stretching and Brennan gave an overview of MyAthlete. More MVP's to the chicks (Dena, Morgan, and Gus) and then dinner.

I'll finish Saturday and Sunday and an overview later. I did a lot of thinking at this camp which can be dangerous and I have a lot to express here. Although I'm not promising anything!

Cheers,

EH