Team,

Every week we move the bar a little higher.  We ask you to go farther, we ask you to faster, we ask you to go longer, and we ask you to learn a little more about yourself.   This weekend you responded, just as you have throughout the season, and leapt over the bar that we set for you.

Remember when we climbed Shannon for the first time, in the first month of the season?   For many, it was a struggle to get to the top.  Saturday, we did it again and on Sunday you took on Hicks Rd after 7 hours of intense workouts!  Sure, both of them are still hills, but you zipped right up them like it was routine.  The training is working.  You’re getting stronger… you’re going longer… the bar is moving higher every week, bringing you closer to your goal.

Boot Camp is about challenging you to test your limits.  Most of us came pretty close to those limits by Sunday afternoon. But chances are, the wall you hit was WAY beyond, where you thought it would be.  The coaching staff is extremely proud of how you stepped up.  Even between the swearing at the coaches and the disbelief at what was next (”Really???  Burpees???”), there were smiles.  Smiles of accomplishment, smiles of all-team camaraderie, and smiles of just having a great time on two great days in the bay area.

These long weekend back to back workouts are important to building your strength and endurance. Attendance at both workouts on the weekend builds the body’s ability to do work on tired muscles. And makes recovery that much better. As we start getting longer and longer on the weekends it becomes even more critical to do both workouts. If you’re doing them on your own - that’s great. But as we said yesterday - having a team to rely on for camaraderie and support makes the workout just that much easier. And on race day it is a huge advantage.

Technically, this is week 3 of the current pyramid.  We’ll modify it a bit to enhance your recovery.  Obviously, you deserve it after this weekend.  But also, this sets us up for our final pyramid build and taper to our Half-way to Ironman Weekend on March 27-29. More details about this weekend will follow.

The Build Phase part 2 schedule is located in the Resources Section of the website.  If you have not done so already, please make sure you get your recommitment and travel forms into Katie ASAP!

Please refer to the this weeks Captains’ Update for workout details for this week.

Again, congratulations on surviving Boot Camp.  Get lots of rest. Stretch.  Get a massage.  Generally take care of yourself.  We’ll start tapering for Halfway Weekend next week!

Stay strong, go long, recover well.
Your coaches,
Ann, Chris, Steve and Dan