South Carolina Training Camp (March 2-10)

This year, training in South Carolina marked the end of my Track racing Season and the start of a new season. It was nice to get away for a "holiday" with a great group of people and train our butts off in the mountains.

Our group consisted of: myself, Celeste, Diana, Emma, Michelle, Jana, Steve and Susan.

We were training near Greenville, South Carolina, which is a 16 hour drive from Toronto and we usually do the drive in 2 days. This year, my friend Diana and I decided to do the drive straight through, thus "saving" a day. We left my place at 9am and arrived at the doorsteps of our cabin at half past midnight. I was pretty tired by the time I got there and took a couple days to recover. I was still recovering a bit from the travel and jetlag from Manchester, but some rest, riding and fresh air in the mountains was all I needed.

We did all the classic rides that I'm so familiar with after going to SC for the last 9 years - the Blue Ridge Parkway, Saluda, Caesar's Head, Pumpkintown, the Continental Divide Sassafraz, which is a 7.3 km steep, leg busting ascent - as hard of a climb as you'll find anywhere! Fun times! Every year, we do the Caesar's Head climb as a time trial, and this year I did a personal best, both in terms of time and wattage!

What a life! Eat, sleep, ride...

Getting ready for my first road ride of the year.

Diana and in beautiful Pumpkintown.


Steve is exhausted after the Blue Ridge ride.

Our chefs for the evening: Diana and Michelle

Barbecue night. On the menu? Steaks and Veggie Kebabs. Yum!
We made a friend in South Carolina - Officer Joey.

How cute is this guy?!

Photos courtesy Susan Brown