Monday, April 4, 2011

Zoot Ultra Team Camp & Spring Break Training in Southern California

Last week I took full advantage of spring break.  Monday I headed out to San Diego to get out of Chicago, and to get some solid training in.  I had just planned on training and relaxing prior to the Zoot Ultra Team Camp which would take place this past weekend.

California was great, I was able to ride every day, run every day and swim every day!  I stayed in Encinitas and it was really an ideal location.  The local YMCA was only a half mile from my hotel, Nytro was only a mile from my hotel and the Pacific Coast Highway was a quarter mile away.  Needless to say my days looked the same, swim, eat, bike, eat, beach, run, eat, sleep.  Riding along the ocean never got old for me, I am pretty sure that I had a smile stamped on my face the entire time, and I really felt stronger on my bike as the week went on.  It's amazing what a lower intensity and higher volume can do!  I never buried myself on a ride, but just stayed comfortable and enjoyed my surroundings.  I will say that it is hilly in the area that I stayed, at least more hilly than I was expecting.

I did meet up with the Zoot crew a few times before the camp, once for a run, once for an open water swim which I think they invited me as shark bait, and I checked out the Zoot headquarters as well.  What an incredible group of people!  They are so extremely dedicated to the sport of triathlon that their passion helps to motivate everyone around.

Saturday morning I checked out the 70.3 that was in Oceanside, as I knew quite a few people racing.  This is a race that I really wasn't interested in doing in the past, however I think I may have the bug now.  It had Kona and Vegas spots, however that's not the draw for me.  The bike course was somewhat challenging and the run was broken up well mainly along the beach (or very near by).  It sells out quickly, and I'll have to consider whether I want to race that early or not, but I think it might be an option in the near future.

This past weekend we had team camp with the Zoot Ultra Triathlon Team.  I don't think I can really explain how impressed I am with Zoot and all of the people affiliated with the team!  It feels like a family, and the other team members are not only some of the fastest athletes around, but some of the nicest people I have met in the triathlon world.  Many of them raced this past Saturday, and they absolutely crushed it!  I had a blast at camp, the comraderie of the team is incredible, the support from the sponsors is amazing and the hotel we stayed at was sweet!  A lap pool overlooking the ocean, how does it get any better?  Well it could be better if it wasn't like 90 degrees in the water but that's alright.  If you're in the market for some new shoes or apparel, you have to give Zoot a try!  Everything is awesome, and their new wetsuit, the Prophet, is incredible!  When I got home this morning at 6 a.m. (brutal I know) my new Ridley Dean frame was waiting for me.  So I will make sure to post some pics from the trip and of the gear soon.  Thanks Zoot and the entire crew for an awesome camp!!!

1 comment:

Theresa said...

Awesome to see you this past week!! Thanks for hanging with me at the end of 70.3 and rootin for Matt! Can't wait to return the favor at a race this year (even if it is from IL while you are crushing it in Kona! And, I emailed Matt a pic to send on to you...)