Week #15 - Boot Camp!

This week's workouts ended in a Boot Camp. Boot Camp was a two day coached workout that tested my nutrition strategy and my fitness level up to this point in the season. I passed!!!
Saturday we were in Livermore at Del Valle Reservoir for Day One.
The lake is one of a few locations in the Bay Area where open water swimming is permitted. Now I know why, the water temp was around 52 degrees. Of course I was wearing a wetsuit but still, that water was COLD. When I first got in, I thought to myself - this is going to be a VERY long day. My swim coach was with us and said on the count of 3, everybody go under water. She counted 1, 2, and 3 and she was the only person to go under water. LOL - yep it was that cold. I doggie paddled for a little bit until my hands went numb, then it was time to put my face in the water. After my face stopped burning from the cold water, I was able to swim for a little bit. I do not like cold water! So, we did that for about an hour or so and it was time to get out. I was sooo excited. Our coached prepared some hot chicken noodle broth for us to drink so we could warm ourselves up from the inside out - literally. Then we headed out on our bikes. Since we were at lake level we had to climb out of the area and starting off a bike ride with a climb after being in cold water was a challenge. My muscles were cold and did not want to function the way I needed them too. I made it up the hill, eventually. The entire ride was around 30 miles with a 4.5 mile climb back into the park at the end of the ride. When I got in from the bike ride, it was time for a 1 hour run. We ran along this trail that followed the water. It was a 30 min out and 30 min back in. As I was returning from the run part, my teammates were all there at the finish line cheering every single person in. That was a GREAT feeling! Day ONE of Boot Camp completed in 6 hours and we finished with everyone cheering everyone.
Day TWO of Boot Camp was down in San Jose.
We started off in a heated pool - a great way to start your day. We swam for about an hour and then got on our bikes for a 17 mile bike ride. Off course there were two hills on the course and of course it was raining so I was soaking wet. Why were we riding more hills when the day before, there was plenty of them? Well, it was called Boot Camp for a reason. After I got in from the bike ride, it was time for a run. Yep - another 1 hour run. So, I'm thinking to myself - Ok, so far I am doing pretty well. When we got back from the run, it was time to get on the bike trainer for a spin workout. Ok, really? Yep so that's what I did. Oh but wait, there is more. After the first bike trainer workout, we went back out for another run. This time we were on a track and had strength exercises thrown in there too. My body was holding up well and I was feeling pretty good despite everything. After we were done with that track workout, we went back to the trainer for another bike trainer workout. I was starting to feel the hill workout on the trainer now and I really felt the multiple all out sprints. Believe it or not, after the second bike trainer workout, we went back to the track for another run workout. I was doing really well until we had to climb stadium stairs in the middle of the workout. That's when my knees told me off. And we had to get down on the ground for crunches - wow that was really hard to get down on the ground and just as hard to get up. Oh but we were not done yet. After the second track workout, we went back to the pool for another swim. Although, it felt great to do some drills, allow my muscles to stretch and kinda relax. After 2 swim workouts, 3 bike workouts (1 road and 2 trainer) and 3 run workouts (1 road and 2 track), and 7.5 hours later, I was DONE WITH BOOT CAMP!
I was thinking I was gonna be REALLY sore today but surprisingly my knees are the only things that are sore. Now that the weekend is over, I am very please with how my body responded to all the things I put it through. I am very much looking forward to the week ahead which is a recovery week.

Have a great week.
Cheers,
Dana