The Crucible: Colorado -- June 25-28th, 2015
The Crucible: Colorado
I'm restarting a series of epic training camps that I did back in the Day, as Crucible Fitness, to offer you epic opportunities to do cool stuff with your fitness in cool locations with some cool cats (other EN members 
). The first Crucible was held in SoCal in 2004 over Memorial Day weekend, during which we swam 10k, biked about 350 miles, and ran 20+ miles over four days.
First in the revamped series will be The Crucible: Colorado, June 25th through 28th, based out of Evergreen and Beaver Creek, Colorado. The camp will feature the route of the Triple Bypass, with some extra spice added for flavor.
The schedule:
- Thurs, June 25th: campers meet at the host hotel in Evergreen, Colorado in the afternoon for a camp reception and 6 mile group run.
- Fri, June 26th: 3 mile AM run, then ride the route of the Triple Bypass, from east to west. 120 miles and 11k of gain
- Saturday, June 27th: Triple Bypass, from west to east. 120 miles and 11k of gain
- Sunday, June 28th: 11 mile long run in Evergreen, camp ends.
- Camp Totals: 240mi cycling with 22k of gain, 20 miles running
Camp Price: $1099
Minimum 6 campers needed to make this camp happen for 2015.
The IN List (min 6 required)
- Paula Nystrom
- Al Truscott
- Rich Amaya
Support:
- Coach Rich
- Mrs Coach Rich
- Riley the WonderPup
Price includes:
- 3 days of double occupancy lodging in Evergreen (2 nights) and Avon (1 night). Single occupancy available for an additional $250.
- All meals and training food.
- Full SAG on the course
- Sponsor schwag
- Limited edition, one of a kind, you gotta do EVERYTHING to earn it t-shirt
Not included:
Transportation of you and your bike to/from the camp to wherever you're coming from. However, with enough planning we can probably figure out shared rides from DIA, help you find a shuttle service, etc.
Ready to Join Us?
Go here to send your $200 fully refundable camp deposit. I need to have six campers registered by May 1st, at which time we'll officially pull the trigger on this camp and send you an invoice for the balance due. If we don't get our six by May 1st, then I'll refund 100% of your deposit.
.jpg)
The Future of this Camp
June and July are excellent times for you to put in high volume in preparation for your races and also excellent opportunities to train in epic locations in the American West. I've got significant game when it comes to knowledge of the pretty much everything west of Denver and between the Canada and Mexico borders. So my intent with this camp is to plant the EN flag some place cool in June and/or July and offer you a unique opportunity to trash yourself in incredible venues. This year it's the Triple Bypass Route. I hope you can join me!
Comments
Sounds awesome, Rich! This is great timing for IM Boulder. I need to talk to the wife and see how this lines up with her schedule. I should be able to make a go/no go decision in the next couple weeks.
This is awesome, I really wanted to do the Tour of California camp but not in the cards for me. This will be my first opportunity to participate in an EN Camp, I am really stoked about it.
A couple questions I am 99% sure I can do this, but if work interferes ( I hate it when that happens), what is the cutoff on the refund. Also, I eat a plant based diet only (vegan), will that present too much of a challenge from a support perspective? I am assuming the intent is to do this on road bikes correct?
@Paula: 100% refund on the deposit. Note that I need to get at least six people committed, with deposits, before this camp is officially a "go." At that point I'll circle back to everyone with their balance due.
I expect that all of ^this^ to happen (ie, camp green lighted and full payments made) by May 15th, by which time I expect that most people would know if they are in or out for the camp. I'm willing to work with people on refunds though. I really, really want to do this camp, for my own selfish training / exploration reasons so I'm fine if this camp is a wash for me. I'm more interested in planting a Cool Camp with Rich flag(s) in the June and July timeframes, creating recurring events that become hallmarks of the EN calendar, etc.
My experience with running the ToC camps for years opens up the possibility of similar point to point to point / traveling roadshow type camps in CO, UT, ID, who knows.
Ok, I am in how do I make a deposit?
I've done the Double Triple Bypass - it's no joke, either up or down. But a lot is 2-4%, very conducive to hammering in a paceline. High point of 12,000 feet, grand views. Just leave at the crack of dawn to avoid afternoon storms in the high country - its no fun traveling 40 mph down a 3000' descent in 40F wind/rain.
Great! Link for the deposit is in the first post in this thread.
Done, need to get my butt in shape now!
Great! I've started an IN list in the first post.
Cool. For '16 I'm also scheming how to take my ToC systems to CO to do something similar for the US Pro Tour.
Keith,
Great! Let me know if you have any questions
Awesome! Not sure what the climbing is like in Austin, but best to show up light, strong, and with plenty of gears on your bike. Climbing long stuff like this is really more about perspective than fitness. IOW, not thinking about the length of the climb, your lack of experience with stuff like this, and instead just "riding." But once you put up 12k in one ride...and do it again the next day...you perspective on hills will forever be changed.
^That^ is the real benefit of doing rides like this, putting this very powerful perspective in your head so you're literally not skeered of anything on the bike.
Really looking forward to this camp, as the climbing and some other targets local to me are serving as great "get out and climb!" goals for me right now.
If you're IN, please see the first post to make your 100% refundable deposit. Again, I need a minimum of six campers to make this camp happen.
Semper Climb,
So when you say a lot of gears on your bike... I just changed my cassette to a 28 with 10 speeds, that's all it can accommodate, (I bought in '08 in So Fla. Is that going to be adequate? A new road bike is definitely not in the cards for me. I anticipate the answer will be, it's the engine not the gears
When I ride in CO, I find having 28 with a compact in the front lets me spin up most everything.
What chainrings do you have? 50/34 (ie, compact crank) would be ideal. Also, if you really wanted to be good to go, you could put a mtn bike rear derailuer on for this camp specifically, which would accommodate a 32 or even a 34t rear cassette. I have ^this^ specific setup in a box, to be installed for ludicrous climbing rides.
I have a 50/34 and and lot's of good loops to ride here. I live West of Denver so I am going to test my self and see what my baseline is. Hopefully additional equipment changes won't be necessary.
Thanks Al, I appreciate the feedback!
I made a commitment to them first. They finally committed.
I will definitely make 2016 if it goes.
Cool. Again, looking forward to putting epic stuff on the EN calendar in June, July, August
I finally finished doing my taxes, and discovered I can afford this. Since I'll be in CO anyway @ that time, why not? So I sent my deposit in...
If this doesn't happen, like I said, I'm in CO then anyway. So I invite anyone (including, but especially Rich) to come and ride/run/?swim with me on those days in Aspen/Snowmass as a consolation camp. Lodging will only cost you $10/night. We can do as much climbing and/or miles as you want, cause I'll be a month out from IMLP, and will need it.
And, anyone wanting to see at least a part of the August Pro race, I'll be there again during that week, intending to ride at least two days, maybe 3 or 4, worth of the USPCC
Al,
Awesome! I added your name to the IN LIST on the first post.
That makes three ... we need six!
Cool! Will be great to ride with you again!