Coeur d'Alene Training Camp (4/30 - 5/2)
Every year I spend some focused days away from home getting ready for the season. These are mostly focused on getting in some significant miles on the bike early in the NW season to jump start my bike mileage.
This year I'm doing my mini camp in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho as I'll be doing the Ironman there in late June. I'm inviting others to join in the fun this year the details are below:
The Details
Schedule (Tentative)
Thursday (4/29)
AM: Optional training day and main arrival day for most participants. I'll be doing some hard riding this day and if you want to ride this day feel free to arrive on Wednesday but you'll be on your own for training this day. Evening
PM: Most Athletes arrive.
Friday (4/30)
AM/PM: IMCdA Course Ride (6-7 hours) - Ride the IMCdA course. You'll have the option of doing 1 or 2 loops on the course. If you're doing IMCdA you should plan to do 2. We'll spend time discussing sections of the course. This is an easy effort group ride with the goal of putting in the miles. Optional short transition run off the bike.
PM: There might be a chance for a very optional recovery swim if I can find a pool with appropriate open swim hours. Group dinner.
Saturday (5/1)
AM: One loop of IM run course - (1:45 - 2:30) - We'll run half the IMCdA run course (1 loop). It will be 13-14 miles. Active stretching warmup. We'll start at the downtown park talk through logistics of transition, head out on the course through town, into the surrounding neighborhoods before running along the lake shore to the turnaround.
PM: Hayden Lake Loop Ride (2.5 - 3 hour Ride) - We'll ride out of CdA towards
Hayden Lake and ride around Hayden Lake. It's a great ride with lots of climbing and descending, this ride will focus on working the climbs. We'll intersect the IMCdA course and then riders will have the option of heading back to CdA or adding on a little additional mileage. Remember you've got another day.
Sunday
AM: Ride - course TBD (3 hour ride) - I'm still asessing rides and options for a final ride but the goal will be to get another ride in with a quick transition run. If your legs weren't a little tired or sore they will be after this one.
PM: Head for home knowing you've jump started your season.
Logistics
Accomodations: Working on a group rental of a house. Campers may perfer to find their own accomodations.
Getting there: Coeur d'Alene is about 6 hours east of Seattle 35 minutes past Spokane off of I-90.
Food: There are lots of dining choices in Coeur d'Alene. For the camp we'll probably plan to have one group dinner that we cook and one group dinner out. This will be optional for all campers.
Weather
The weather can be a little unpredictable this time of year. I've done two mini camps this same weekend in past years one was beautiful with temps in the 50's and 60's and the other was cool and moist (and even a little snow) with temps in the low 40's.
Pack for a varied set of conditions and don't rely on the forecast as the weather can vary day to day and even between Coeur d'Alene and Hayden Lake. Load up your car with layers and you'll be ready for whatever the NW weather throws at us.
Bikes
If you have both a Tri specific bike and a road bike and you have room you may want to bring both. It does make sense to try and ride the bike you're going to ride in the race but tri bikes aren't great for riding in wet weather so you may want to consider that in your planning.