SJBC Training Camp Paso Robles, CA

SJBC held their yearly training camp in Paso Robles, CA.  The weather just 2 hours south of me is gorgeous this time of year.  I was excited to be apart of this.  I have never had the opportunity to be apart of an organized training camp before.  It was packed with 3 days of riding, some excellent speakers, great food, and friends.  It was all about bonding as a team.  Once the race season begins it is a balance of family, work, training, and racing.  Most of us train on our own because each day calls for a different type of training, and we are at different levels.  It's nice to take time and come together as a team.  Get away from the structured lifestyle and just ride together.  Each day we spent hours with each other on bikes.  As we are rolling through some of the best cycling roads and views it makes you feel like a kid again.  Those warm summer days when you told your parents you were heading over to a friends house and you hopped on the bike to get there.  Hearing the stories everyone had while riding in our pack, watching guys taunt each other to a sprint, and having someone go off the front on a climb, then turn around to see who is going to chase!  Those are the memories you get from these team camps.

Day 2 was an awesome ride.  100 mile ride with 7,500 ft of climbing.  We traveled from Paso Robles out to the Pacific Ocean Highway 1.  Rode down Highway 1 from Cambria to Cayucos for the first time!  Rode up Old Creek Rd, back down through Cambria to finish the day off on Santa Rosa Creek Rd!  After riding 70 miles, riding up Santa Rosa Creek Rd was a huge challenge.  Especially the last 5 miles to the summit!  That night we had two sponsors talk to us from Fluid and Vertical Empowerment.   I learned a lot from each of them. We ate dinner and then it was time for stretching and recovery. Tomorrow was still going to be a big day of riding.

Day 3 was another epic ride.  52 Miles and 4,600 ft of climbing.  The weather was still working to our advantage.  We rode out to Peachy Canyon Rd. via Adelaida Rd.  Beautiful rolling hills.  Attacks started as soon as we began to climb.  My legs felt great today, and I should have jumped earlier, but waited a few minutes and then began to try and chase the Clark, Chris, Daryl, and Todd M.  I made some hard efforts to try and catch them, but too strong of a group :)  Chad came by will a group of three and I rode with them till we got to Vineyard Dr.  Peachy Canyon Rd was a mix of rollers and some 1-2 mile climbs.  We rode it front and back.  As we approached back at the hotel I began to wish for another day of riding like this.  Soon the warmer weather will be coming back to the Bay Area.

Glad to be riding with such a great group of guys and gals from SJBC.  This is going to be an awesome season.  This week of training was my biggest yet.  255 Miles, 16 hours, and 22,858 ft of climbing.

My next race is Sea Otter Classic in Seaside, CA.  Road Race and Circuit Race.  35 + 4's.