Just in case any one else happens to make there way to this blog I wanted to write briefly about my recent trip to Lake Placid for a training weekend.
There was a grand plan several weeks ago for all my buddies from the Granite State Triathlon Club who are racing to get a couple of training weekends at Lake Placid in before race day. There are five of us. Then there were four. Then there were three. Then the day before we leave there were two - Me and Paul.
We were able to get an awesome deal at the High Peaks Resort right in the middle of town and had a room overlooking Mirror Lake. If you are ever in Lake Placid, definitely check them out. Bill, their marketing guy is also definitely worth following on Twitter.
The Swim
We arrived on Friday afternoon and after unpacking headed to the local pool at North Country Community College to get a swim in. It was a nice pool and we were pretty much the only ones there.
After grabbing some dinner we called it an early night to try and prepare for what would turn out to be a hellish day on the bike.
The Bike
The plan for Saturday was two loops on the Ironman course, excluding an out and back section for a total ride of 85 miles. We had cool weather with mostly sunny skies and LOTS of wind. The last 12 miles or so are mostly uphill, and, the wind was also in our face. The first loop went well. The 2nd loop was going well, until the last 12 miles. After that it sucked. My legs were cramping whenever I got out of the saddle so I stayed seated and ground out the last section of the ride.
Thank goodness Paul was there. I think we needed each other to keep motivated not to get off our bikes and walk the rest of the way. At least I did.
Suzan, my coach, in her slightly evil but do what you need to do kind of way, also had a short run on the schedule after the ride. When I first got back to the hotel room I thought to myself there is no way I can run. But, after 10 minutes of taking in fluids and some Hammer gel I felt good enough to get a short run in along Mirror Lake.
The Run
Sunday was run day. The High Peaks Resort is about a mile from the run start of the Ironman course. So the plan was to run to the start of the course and then do 1 loop, 13.1 miles, making a total of 15.
We had another great day of weather, cool and mostly cloudy. The first 10 miles I felt pretty good, the last 4 sucked, which also happens to be mostly up hill, including an incredibly steep section coming into town. Notice my total only equals 14 miles instead of the 15 planned. I skipped an out and back section along Mirror Lake since I was pretty certain that I would pass
out if I tried to squeeze it in.
Paul was feeling good and did the out and back section. He came back to the hotel to find me sitting on the recumbent bikes in the hotel fitness center trying to loosen up my legs. We were going to try and do a 1 hour spin outside after the run but quickly realized while driving around Lake Placid that it sits up on a peak. No matter what direction we went would mean a downhill out and an uphill back. We'd had enough of hills for the weekend.
Wrapping Up
After showering, packing up and splitting an entire large pizza (the 2nd of the weekend) we made our way back to the New Hampshire seacoast. But not before taking one last picture. No one can argue that Lake Placid is not an athlete's town.
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