If you don’t read any farther, just know that the CHAIN TRI Team pre-season training camp was so much fun! There was no better way to start 2019 triathlon season with a weekend filled with endurance training, beautiful scenery, almost perfect weather, lots of good grub and team camaraderie. This year the SISTER CHAIN TRI team was invited to join the men for the weekend. Coach Allen Stanfield did a fabulous job with every detail of the weekend.
The setting for camp was Flint Creek Water Park in Wiggins, MS. If you haven’t been to this neck of the woods it is worth a visit. Beautiful rural community lined with rolling hills, pastures, and tree canopy lined roads. Our accommodations were the rustic cabins that was waterfront to Flint Creek– for some team members this was about as close to camping as they wanted to get – a few cockroaches, plastic lined twin beds and single shower for 4 to share. Definitely a team building adventure.
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The training was 3 days – Friday, Saturday and Sunday – composed of all 3 elements of triathlon. LOTS of long distance training. Cycling 50-65 miles daily, run 5-10 miles daily and only a splash of swimming.
The cycling was filled with lots of speed and the challenging Mississippi hills. The Strava geeks were killing the segments and taking over KOM’s. A favorite segment – the Snow Booger Dash – which is a cute ice cream joint. Soon this iconic ice cream hut in the middle of rural Mississippi became the rendezvous spot for the group rides. But with a name like Snow Boogers no one could miss the opportunity to try out some of their mouth watering treats – more details later.
The cycling was filled with lots of speed and the challenging Mississippi hills. The Strava geeks were killing the segments and taking over KOM’s. A favorite segment – the Snow Booger Dash – which is a cute ice cream joint. Soon this iconic ice cream hut in the middle of rural Mississippi became the rendezvous spot for the group rides. But with a name like Snow Boogers no one could miss the opportunity to try out some of their mouth watering treats – more details later.
The run’s were challenging – HILLS galore. For us that don’t like running hills it was time to mentally embrace them and know “hills will only make you stronger.” The long runs consisted of 6-10 miles along the Flint Creek. A combination of hills, running atop a dam, and some trails made for a serene experience. The brick runs were 2-5 miles. It was a good chance to get the legs equipped to bike to run set up. Add some hills in the mix and my exact quote “hardest 5K ever” as I finished my transition run. I usually don’t run these distances over the course of a weekend but I attribute the air recovery boots and a cold beer to feeling relatively strong for each run.
Swimming – we had 2 swims scheduled. We set up for our first swim along the Flint Creek swim area. The water was brisk – my bet low 60’s and requiring a wetsuit. First time in a wetsuit for 2019…watching 10 people struggle to get that wetsuit on was comical in itself - the “why is my wetsuit soooo tight”…. was pretty much the concensus amongst all of us. I quickly realized I would not be doing any wetsuit legal races and cut short my swim. Our second swim was scheduled for Saturday afternoon but with all the talk of Snow Boogers we decided to do a team building trip to the pink ice cream hut in no-where Mississippi. They make some of the most decadant ice cream extravaganza’s and also serve Booger (snow cones). A good time was had by all as the joint is filled with southern charm – corn hole game, dirt slide, kickball, football and swing sets. We all left fueled and happy.
This endurance style triathlon camp meant lots of food was consumed and optimal recovery. Allen Stanfield is not only a fabulous athlete and coach but he can cook up some mean meals. He came prepared to feed the masses – homemade spaghetti sauce, roasted vegetables, sous-vide chicken, poached eggs adorned with smoked salmon and avocado and the list goes on. No one left hungry. Others brought their air recovery boots to share and of course a little hammock time is great for recovery. Good times were spent just reminiscing about the day’s events and catching up after a long winter. Lots of laughter and good times for all.
As all of us get excited for the 2019 triathlon season this weekend reminded of our connection as a CHAIN TRI TEAM. We as a team are connected to each other and connected to the triathlon community. Our CHAIN is connected as we support the multisport and healthy lifestyle. Our CHAIN is strong both on the course and off. Looking forward to a great 2019 and seeing everyone on the race course.