2006 Florida Triathlon Mini Camp Day #2

On Day #2, my first real full training day, I learned a great deal about Florida that is not in the textbooks. I logged 6.5 hours today, with a breakdown of 45 min running, 60 min swimming and 270 min riding...and aside from the pool, I was on the move. Here is the skinny...

1. Sun comes up later down here. My 5:30 wake up call was pushed back to 6:00 as it was just plain DARK outside. By the time I headed out to run to the pool at 6:30, it was STILL DARK. I knew where the training center was during the day, but now? A bit of an adventure, but I made it.


2. It ain't flat in Florida. Not by a long shot. Well, it ain't flat in the Clermont area where I am this week. I found a bike trail to warm up on, and that was pretty flat. The latter half of my ride was on the second part of the Great Floridian course...there were plenty of hills...nothing killer, but enough to make that second loop seem a whole lot longer for folks who aren't pacing themselves!
   


3. Vultures and Hawks! Every single time I looked up at the sky, I saw a hawk...or a vulture. Woe be the kitty cat who roams outside...I am not talking about one or two, I am talking about seeing 30 over a single housing development. Probably saw over 400 birds on my 4.5 hour ride. That, my friends, is a lot of birds. Better not get stuck with a flat on the side of the road! :)
   


4. Tufo Tires--with sealant--Rule! Once again, a tufo tire saved my life. I got a flat about 30 miles out from home, and had to fight my way back using two CO2 cartridges. It took a bit longer, but I made it on a soft tire. That stuff is unbelievable...don't know why more folks don't race with it...i'd rather spend the money on the tire/sealant now. If you asked Norman Stadler how much he'd have paid to have kept riding at IM Hawaii, I bet it would have been more than what I paid for that tire!
   

Just had an absolutely fantastic dinner, and am going to answer client emails/calls before I pass out...

More soon!

Patrick