Camp Day 1
I woke up at about 3:45 and just laid in bed thinking that same thing I have been. What was I thinking?! Why am I here? My body ached, my eyes felt like they only got like 3 maybe 4 hours sleep, oh wait they did only get that much sleep. I got up and made a cup of coffee. Did I mention this hotel rocks? Keurig machine was awesome! I am not a fan of powered creamer but I didn’t care. I chugged that bad boy. My hope was that the coffee would work it’s magic and I would do my business before having to leave at 5 for the lake. I started to get all the things together that I had not thought of the night before (like hello, I need my helmet!). Thankfully, tired as I was I was functioning pretty well.
Yes! Murphy has left the building! Things were smooth sailing in the “do my business” department and that simple thing was a great start to the day. I know, TMI but if you have ever had to do that kind of business in a port o potty than you know how awesome not having to is. I got all my gear packed up, grabbed the bike and headed to the truck. I just hoped the bike was put together right!
I got to the lake and everyone knew each other already so I got to do that awkward “Hi, I’m Cris, I missed the dinner because my flight was delayed” thing over and over again. We had to part outside the area where the lake was because only so many cars can go in and we carpooled in. Me and about 5 other girls got in the back of a pick up truck with our swim gear. One of them said “I hope there’s a bathroom because I swear, I need to take a dump.” We all laughed and I gave my secret thanks for having already taken care of business in the comfort of my room. Not long after, another one advised us that she cut one so she apologizes if it stinks. I chuckled and thought, who are these people and what have I gotten myself into!
I finally met coach in person and we headed to the lake shore. I don’t know if it was just the fact that the fear was creeping up, the fact that I didn’t have much sleep or the fact that this was all going to decide my future but I almost burst into tears. I held it in, but I was seriously loosing it. I won’t even go into what was running though my mind, you might never talk to me again. Let’s just say it was pure crazy town.
We split into two groups, one would go do a workout and swim out to this really far (my view) buoy and the other would work on technique. Thankfully I was on team technique. It was a lot of discussion and motions with our arms in waist deep water. So far, so good. We were told we would swim to coach and critique each other. I don’t mind feedback if I can keep my dang head in the water and swim. I got in the back of the line and then we were told to make a horseshoe shape so we could all see. That ended up turning into me going second because he took one from each end of the horseshoe instead of going in order. Well played coach, well played.
It took me second and I went for it. The entire time I am thinking, don’t freak out, don’t freak out. I finally got to him and stood up, almost hyperventilating. He was super excited. It was the farthest I had gone and kept my face in the water. He said my swim stroke was actually pretty good. He said, “we just gotta fix in here” and poked my forehead. He made me swim back to the group and back to him again. Each time, I felt the anxiety a little more but was able to do it. Then it was time to switch and the other group would come do technique and our group would do the workout. Thankfully, he said I would stay on technique. Bullet dodged. Or so I thought. I said “thanks, I was kind of terrified I would have to try to swim out to that thing and I know I can’t so I was freaking out.” “Oh, you are swimming out to it, just not today”, he said. He went on to say that on Sunday morning we would be back at the lake and I would swim to it. He said he would swim right along side me, but I was going to do it. “It all changes, starting today. You can do this, I just need to show you that you can.” He sucks. In a good way.
We got out of the water and headed over to Starbucks for some sustenance. I had a very small (by my standards) breakfast sandwich and a water. We all headed out to what they call the “Lab”. I stopped at Walgreens on the way to get some waters since I never got to do my Publix run. We got there and got our cycling gear all ready. Coach prescribed our workouts. My group’s was to warm up for 10 minutes, then do 5 laps hard, 1 lap easy, 4 laps hard, 1 lap easy, 3 laps hard, 1 lap easy, 2 labs hard and the transition into our running shoes and run two laps at whatever pace you could maintain. It’s flat and about 1.4 miles each lap, so I thought I’d be able to do ok. He warned us that one direction we would be in a harsh headwind and the other direction we would have a nice tailwind.
Boy did I underestimate the headwind! I also came to realize that what I consider “hard” in daily training, was nothing compared to actual hard. I almost gassed out after the first hard lap so I needed to back off a little if I was going to survive. We were all working at our own pace and version of hard, so it was nice because you could not tell who was ahead and who was behind…. Until the run or so I thought.
Turned out, that the other group (the super fast people) had a much longer workout and since they went fast, some were right with us at times and when I finished my run, there were still people on course. I expected to be dead last because of my group, I was, but since it was spread out that way I technically was not. A very awesome dude by the name of Stuart was waiting at the lap end and giving everyone high fives. Some people went back over to the shade, but he was there to cheer people on, so I joined him. How could I not, when his high 5 motivated me?! Soon, it was 3 of us, then 4, then 5 and so on. Soon, just about the entire team was waiting for the last people to come in and cheer them on. It was a pretty awesome finish to the day. Maybe people don’t suck. Maybe.
I was pleased with the first day, but a little disappointed. I really hoped for that epiphany. I was hoping the clouds would part, the sun would shine down, the angels would sing and my love for triathlon would be reinvigorated. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that moment. Coach asked if I was happy I came. I said “so far.” He laughed and said we still had three more days to either make me love it or regret it and we both laughed.
There was no team dinners or anything planned, which I was thankful for. I was so short on sleep, all I wanted was the biggest hamburger I could find and some rest! I can’t remember the last time I ate Burger King, but either they have made vast improvements to the whopper or I was so hungry it tasted like a gourmet burger….and fries….and onion rings….and the biggest diet coke they had. Time for a shower, and that Publix run.