A lot of people have asked how camp out at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs went so I decided to write about it. Before I go on let me just say how grateful and thankful I am to have had this opportunity. Getting the chance to go to the Olympic Training Center made me feel like a little kid on Christmas morning. There was SO much to see, so much to learn, and so many incredible people to meet. Two of my outstanding Pain Pathways teammates, Nina Laughlin and Lauren Komanski, went as well. Both are super strong athletes and represented Pain Pathways like Usain Bolt reppin' Jamaica. I digress.
You are probably wondering what this camp is all about. Here is the purpose, according to USA Cycling:
“to identify athletes that would potentially benefit from USA Cycling Women’s Endurance Program. This camp is focused on athletes that are not currently involved in our program and have shown growth and interest in their cycling performances. The primary objective of USA Cycling’s Women’s Endurance program is the growth of American female cyclists in becoming world class cyclist. The goal of the camp is to identify athletes that have future goals of competing with the USA Cycling Women’s Program. The camp will also focus on educating the athlete’s on certain aspects of cycling as well as provide information about USA Cycling Women’s Endurance Program”.
Day 1: Myself, along with 12 other cyclists, arrived at the Olympic Training Center on Wednesday afternoon. We were given a map of the training center and each assigned a dorm-style room with two other cyclists from the camp. Besides being plain and boring, our rooms each featured a small refrigerator, sink, and TV. The next activity was dinner. The dining hall was pretty similar to a university cafeteria- a salad bar, cereal, cooked food, and deserts. The only difference was that almost everything- especially desert- had the nutrition information next to it(ice cream isn’t as much fun to eat when you know exactly how many calories you are consuming). There was also a “recovery station” with high-protein foods, soy milk, smoothies, and chocolate milk. The other significant feature of the dining hall was the TV’s. Everywhere I turned, there was a TV with some sort of Olympic competition playing. I have never felt so surrounded by the Olympics. No wonder America wins so many medals- the athletes literally eat, sleep, and breathe the Olympics. Just in case you were wondering, there were several other resident athletes who were either preparing for the upcoming Paralympics or training for the 2016 games.
That evening, we met our coaches for the week- Renee Eastman(www.trainright.com/tag/renee-eastman), Ainslie MacEachran(www.geminitrainingsystems.com), Katie Compton(www.fuckyeahkatiecompton.com), and guest-rider/coach Alison Dunlap(www.alisondunlap.com). ALL amazing people and athletes. We were given a run-down for the week of our schedule, rules, goals, and, of course, the time-trial that we would be doing in 36 hours.
Day 2: Our first full day of camp began with a short breakfast and a bike ride starting at 8am. The air was crisp and a little bit chilly as we made our way out to Cheyenne Canyon where we would be doing our time trial the next day. We chatted on our way out there and got a chance to “preview” our time trial course which happened to be a 3.1 mile climb up the mountain. When we reached the end of our climb, we were left with two options: go down an unpaved road that took us over to the other side of the mountain, or descend the same way we came. We had pro mountain bikers Katie Compton and Alison Dunlap with us. Need I say more? I’m sure that we were quite a site as we went flying down the side of the mountain on our skinny little wheels. Most of us made it without crashing. As we rounded the corners, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of Colorado Springs. It was gorgeous. We then rode to one-way streets through “Garden of the Gods” to work on our descending skills. It was an ideal location and we divided into groups so that we could get more individual instruction.
After a long and satisfying lunch, we attended a session by USADA about doping and the different drugs that athletes are not allowed to take. I was surprised by all the clever ways that athletes have tried to hide the fact that they take drugs. Needless to say, we were all sufficiently motivated to avoid drugs before, and after, attending the session. By 2pm, we were all back on our bikes and rode to a park to work on bottle feeding, crashing skills, bumping each other, and bunny hopping objects in the road. Katie Donovan, Nina, and I all hopped in the training center’s ice pool for 15 minutes of excruciating-and-then-numbing cold. Coincidentally, it started raining as we biked back to our dorms. I’m pretty sure that my lips turned a solid blue. Was it worth it? Totally. Ice baths work magic on my legs.
That evening had a roundtable discussion with Alison Dunlap and Katie Compton about training and racing on a professional level.
Day 3: Similar to day 2, we were on our bikes by 8am and heading toward Cheyenne Canyon for our time trial. Once we got there, we were given about 20 minutes to warm up. As I rode my bike around, I spotted a huge(by South Carolina standards) deer. I rode up to it, expecting it to run away, but was surprised to find that it just stayed there and looked me right in the eye as if to say, “this is just as much my place as it is yours”. After warming up, we went off in 30 second intervals and rode 1 mile up the mountain for our first time trial. Our second time trial was the full 3.1 miles up the mountain. The first 5 minutes were absolutely excruciating. My lungs felt like they were the size of a pea as I gasped for air and struggled to maintain a satisfactory speed. It wasn't long until I reached a point where I literally thought they were going to have to scrape me up off the side of the road. It was then that Psalm 23 popped into my head. It played itself over and over in my head struggled with each rotation of the pedal and reminded me that my self-worth is in Christ-alone. I don't need to prove anything because He has redeemed me and bought me with His blood. The pressure that I so often put on myself to perform was lifted and it made it so much easier to pour every ounce of effort into reaching the top of the mountain. The USA Cycling van parked at the top of the mountain with icy water, Gatorade, and chewy bars was a sight for sore eyes! Water never tasted so good.
That afternoon, we rode east towards the countryside to practice pace lines, echelons, and the Australian pursuit. We were divided into teams of four and sent off at different times to chase each other down. The combination of the wind on our backs, rolling hills, and teamwork made for a fast and thrilling ride.
This time it was Caroline, Nina, and I in the ice pool. I was slightly more prepared for the cold and was glad for the company. I’m pretty sure everyone else thought we were crazy, but once again, it was worth it! My legs felt so much better afterwards.
After dinner, we convened for a session on nutrition, hydration, and race tactics. Renee Eastman told us that we should be drinking at least 1-2 water bottles every hour and consuming at least 250 calories per hour. Wow! She also said that some people can sweat up to 5,000 mg of sodium per hour. If you sweat a lot, it’s a good idea to get as much sodium in during your rides as possible. Ainslie MacEachran talked about race tactics and identified two types of racers- offensive and defensive. Offensive racers “make” the race and defensive racers “follow” the race. He encouraged us to be aggressive and learn how to take chances in our races. He also coached us on what types of breakaways are more likely to succeed than others based on the teams that are represented in the breakaway and the strength of the riders.
That afternoon, we had individual meetings with the coaches about our goals, strengths, weaknesses, and the camp. It was a good chance to reflect and look towards our future as cyclists. It was encouraging, challenging, and exciting to talk about some of the opportunities that are out there. Later in the day, Renee demonstrated the proper way to wash a bike and showed us a few ways to keep our bike in top condition. That night, we had a short “camp wrap-up” session and just hung out with each other. It was fun and sad at the same time. A few of the girls left that night while rest of us packed up to leave the next morning.
Leaving the Olympic Training Center was hard. The time went by so fast and there was still so much to do, see, and learn.
Getting through security at the Colorado Springs Airport was a nightmare. It all started when I took my bike bag up to check it and the lady asked, “is this a bike?”. I answered, “it’s exercise equipment”. She then proceeded to pull out her measuring tape and stretch the bag out as much as possible so that she could charge me for “oversized luggage”- a solid $200! Oh helllll no. I was upset. After all, I only paid $25 to get there thanks to the staff at the GSP airport. So I told her it was a bike(which is a flat $150 fee). She was obviously peeved that she couldn’t charge me the full 200 and asked me point blank why I told her it was exercise equipment. I just looked at her incredulously and answered, “because it IS!”. I was tired, frustrated, and about to blow a fuse. Afterwards, I kinda felt bad for being such a smart ass. She probably deals with people like that all the time. Nina had an even more frustrating experience with a lady who thought she ruled the airport.
Well, there you have it! The experience was unforgettable and I will miss everyone that I met there. I am so thankful for the opportunity and hope that I have the chance to pass on what I’ve learned to others new to cycling. Thanks for reading!
A huge thanks goes out to Renee Eastman, Ainslie MacEachran, Katie Compton, Alison Dunlap, and, of course, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
