Train To Endure
2008 Winter Training Camp
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A chilly foggy morning turned to bright sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s as the first day of camp rolled through Sonoma and Marin County. Day 1 saw the group on the bike for over four hours and everyone ended up with the same amount of run points … only because some rules were broken by a few folks doing excessive running. Sorry, it’s too long of a story too tell!

The day was highlighted by three early KOM Competition chances and a first look to see who was willing to take some risks OR to see who has more fitness. Come day two we’ll begin to see who has the fitness and also the result of those risks. I was fortunate (or maybe not) to be in the top three for all the KOM competitions. Honestly speaking, it felt like a little bit of a “gang up” on me as various people tried to take out others. Phil Johnson proved his strength and caginess by hanging around during all the KOM’s and managed to take the third with a real hard finish into the town of Occidental. Phil almost took the second KOM from me in a sneak attack from behind and we battled hard for third one along with “The Instigator”, Layne Scoggins. The photo above shows Layne taking the first KOM.

All in all it was a great first day with the group already starting to work nicely together. Nancy Russell, our eldest women in the group, has proven to be quite strong but it’s something you would expect from a Death Ride finisher. By virtue of the “excessive runners” I ended up in the leader’s position but have justly relinquished that to Phil Johnson (trailing by one point) in lieu of leading in the KOM. We will both be wearing Oomph! Leaders Jerseys tomorrow for our respective “divisions”.

Tomorrow is a full swim, bike, run day with a tough forty minute climb looming in the middle of our ride. The weather looks to be shaping up nicely for day two. Again I’ll do my best to get an update to you tomorrow evening.

Until then … DL