Doing your own training camp...

A few notes and thoughts on doing your own training camp and or early season races.

1. If your training camp will include a training race or competition of some sort, read the article I have written entitled “Training in Training Races”. There is some valuable insight there.

2. Make it a group event: As they say, “Many hands make light work”. Many hands also make hotels cheaper, gas less expensive, and a more enjoyable time all around. But, be sure to keep this group a manageable size! Everyone one should get along on a personal level as well as have similar goals on what they would like to get out of the “camp” experience.

3. Make connections: Just because you have the best group to hang and train with doesn’t mean that there aren’t others out there doing the same thing, particularly at a race. Make friends and invite people to eat with you. You never know what connections you’ll make. On our recent trip to Tucson, we met some great new friends from Alberta, Canada and I ended up signing up a new client.

4. Get someone else to pay! Even if you don’t run your own business maybe you can set up a meeting with a business partner from your day job or attend a conference on the way home. Even simply trying to set this up can earn you huge brownie points at work despite your untimely long weekend vacation.

5. Get some local info: Get information about the good and bad places to go. This goes for everything; food, training rides, bike shop, grocery store, market, everything!!

4. Bring extras: Never get caught unprepared. Remember to bring extra tubes, tires, pumps, wheels, everything!