Tucson Training Camp

The past 8 days I have had the pleasure of training in Tucson Arizona.  This place is a piece of cycling heaven.  Our bike team, Project Freeride, had 12 members (9 guys, 3 women - who SAVED the 9 guys!) attend and we had an estate on the peak of Trails End by Gates Pass.   

highlights include:

- 9 days of solid riding for over 1,000kms

- The Shootout, google it, a solid ride.  The Canadian Olympic tri team was in town and I soon realized I was riding beside Simon Whitfield, Kathy Tremblay, Lauren Groves, Kyle Jones and Samantha McGlone.  Not a bad line up!

- Catching up with Nat Faulkner at the start of the shootout (aka, Dreamcrusher) google him as well, pretty neat story.

- Riding the front of the Shootout at 450 watts - felt good to be back into swing of biking HARD!

- Mt. Lemmon, 22 miles and 8,000 feet elevation in 1:45 averaging 269 watts.  I blew up around 9 miles and 5,500 feet but carried on all be it VERY painfully.

- 160km ride around Tucson with the boys.  

- Mt. Lemmon #2: 1 hour up at 280 watts attacking at the spot I cracked 3 days previous.  Made it to 11.5 miles and 6,500 feet elevation at my self imposed 1 hour time limit.  NICE way to end the camp.

- MECHANICALS! The team had 3 broken spokes and about a dozen flats.  Otherwise, we faired very well thanks to Ralph and his team at Fair Wheel bikes.  A GREAT local bike store.

And most of all, the team.  A great group of guys I joined this year.  Train hard, like their wines, and share great laughs.  A superb dynamic!  Thanks crew.

What's next?  10 day mini-run boot camp in prep for Boston Marathon April 20th.