AthletiCamps - The Perfect Gift!

Wondering how to spend your hard earned money on your favorite cyclist this holiday season? Why not give them the gift of cycling with AthletiCamps.   We have a wide variety of camp, coaching, and performance testing services that will help any cyclist improve in 2008.  Contact us for specific information.  We would be more than happy to discuss options.

Have a great holiday season,

The AthletiCamps Staff

Weekend Camp Summary - Incredible!

Sorry we you missed our last weekend camp. Hope you can make the next one scheduled for January '08! Here is a summary of what happened over the two days:

• All athletes went thru Performance testing to determine their unique heart rate and power training zones. We do real lactate testing to help determine these numbers. Most books you read and camps you attend use formulas to estimate these important numbers. Not at AthletiCamps - we put each athlete thru physiological testing at EVERY camp.
  
• We were honored to have Dr. Franco Navazio come on Saturday morning. Franco is a valuable resource and helped the athletes understand many medical components that are applied to sport. Thanks again Franco, we look forward to seeing you at the next camp.
  
• Marlia Braun, our Sports Nutritionist gave 1.5 hour presentation on nutrition and sport. The relaxed, open discussion opened alot of athlete's eyes to the importance of nutrition on the bike.


• Detailed review of testing results, overview of performance testing benefits, and training. Serves as an introduction to the training rides over the next couple days.


• Great training ride on Saturday afternoon, that focused on recovery from hard efforts!


• Sunday saw us do a 3 hour ride in the beautiful foothills. Temps were in the high 70's without a drop of wind. We reviewed specific workouts that all athletes could then go home and apply to their training programs.
  
• The final event was an incredible presentation by Dr. Rob Schott, a local cycling/cardiologist. Rob focused on the benefits of a solid exercise program from a doctor's point of view. Needless to say, everyone was fascinated on how that they were learning at camp not only helps their performance, but also helps them live a long, healthy life.

What an incredible weekend of testing, riding, information and great food!

Hope to see you soon!
Bruce, Owner

Transition Camp a Huge Success!

This year's Transition camp was a great experience for all involved. Here's the Reader's Digest version of a great week:

• Day 1 - Meet and greet in the comfortable Rocklin Park Hotel (http://www.rocklinpark.com/), which is our host hotel for all camps.


• Day 2 - Performance testing, bike fitting, pedal analysis, and health check at UC Davis Sports Performance. What a great experience for the athletes! A day filled with an incredible amount of information.


• Day 3 - 3.5 hour ride in the lower foothills north of Lincoln. Traffic = zero!


• Day 4 - 4 hour ride in the foothills towards Auburn and Meadow Vista


• Day 5 - 5 hour ride thru the Tahoe National Forest and some of the most incredible scenery in this part of California (see picture below)


• Day 6 - Short 2 hour ride with an emphasis on workouts and recovery tips.

Dinners every night at local restuarants that are known bythe locals, as they are hidden away in small foothill towns....Great technical support....Nutrition...Training program development....and a great persentation given by Dr. Rob Schott, a local cardiologist/bike racer, who gave us a presentation on the health benefits of an good cycling training program.

Wow! What a week!

We hope to see you soon!

Only a Couple Spots Remain for the last Weekend Camp of 2007 - November 3rd - 4th

For those cyclists who have limited time, but who still desire to improve, AthletiCamps offers a number of weekend camps throughout the year. These two-day camps are focused on determining your individual heart rate training zones through a true lactate threshold test. You will gain a clear understanding of what these results mean and learn how to apply them to specific cycling workouts.

Space is limited - Contact AthletiCamps today to sign up!

AthletiCamps Wins the Iowa Hill Time Trail

Every September, the Iowa Hill time trial dominates the Auburn area cycling scene. Iowa Hill is a small town outside of Colfax in the foothills on the way to Lake Tahoe. The hill that "guards" this small town is like a shark infested moat that surrounds a medival castle: 1.75 miles at 14.5%. There are switchbacks so steep, that when driving up the road in a car, you can't even see over the hood!

This year, Susan Lannoo won the women's division with an incredible time of 16:33! Congrats to Susan. She worked very hard in preparation for the event and looks forward to the challenge again next year.

The Ever Popular Group Ride

We've posted a new article on the website about taking part in Group Rides and whether they can benefit your training.

Group rides are plentiful, and can easily be found in most locations across the country. In some places during the summer months, you can not only attend rides on a daily basis, but, you’ll have the choice of different “levels” of rides. We at AthletiCamps are frequently asked whether our athletes should join a specific group ride or not.....

Read the rest of the article as well as many more on the AthletiCamps website.

AthletiCamps Takes 1-2 at the Mt. Tam Hill Climb

AthletiCamps' athletes Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine) and Maria Monica (Touchstone) took 1-2 in the Women's Pro 1-2 race this past Sunday at Mt. Tam in Marin County. Congratualtions to both for their fine efforts and success this past season.

Jane Robertson Wins Giro di San Francisco!

Congratulations to Jane for her victory at the Giro (Pro 1, 2) this past Monday, Sept 3rd. A NorCal racing tradition, the Giro is one of the top races of the year. What a great way to end the season! Again congrats to both Jane and her Metromint team.

The Complete Athlete - Identifying Your Weaknesses

In Part 1 of thise series, we defined the many elements of being a successful athlete and called them the “Essential Ingredients.” Now that those elements have been presented, we can address the other side of the equation; identifying your weaknesses or “limiters.”

Read the complete article here....

AthletiCamps Makes the NY Times!

Nice to see that AthletiCamps made the cut in the monthly New York Times magazine called "Play." A writer for the Times called us about 6 weeks ago while investigating a story and he then went on to list AthletiCamps as one of 4 possible camp destinations. We are honored!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/sports/playmagazine/0819play-master-side.html

AthletiCamps Adds Two More Performance Tours for 2007

AthletiCamps added two more Performance Tours for 2007. The first will be October 4th - 7th; the second on November 8th - 11th. Performance Touring targets individuals who want more of a cycling challenge than the typical luxury cycling tour can offer. Rides are designed to help bring you to a higher level of cycling proficiency, ranging from 50 - 100 miles per day, with proportional amounts of elevation gain. Participants can obtain feedback on their riding technique, and will be provided with the included on and off bike informal coaching sessions. An experienced coach will be able to further assist you by creating an individually tailored training program should you wish to continue your improvement upon your return home.

For more information about our Performance Tours visit:

http://www.athleticamps.com/cycling/performance_touring/scheduled_cycling_tours/

AthletiCamps Takes Home 3 More Championships

AthletiCamps athletes Monica Neilson (Velo Bella), Jane Robertson (Metromint), and Dan Martin (Safeway) won their respective age groups at the NorCal Masters District Road Championships in Diamond Valley, CA. on Sat, July 28th. Congratulations for their fine efforts as they wear the jersey proud for the upcoming year.

Jane Robertson Wins at Superweek!

Jane won the Point Beer Tour of Alpine Valley Road Race in East Troy, Wisconsin. Overall, Jane took 6th overall in the week long historic event for Pro, 1, 2 women. She also helped her team mate finish 2nd overall for the week. A great week for Jane, a great week for her team (Metromint.)

The Complete Athlete - Essential Ingredients

As I’ve watched the Tour this past week, I watch these pros in amazement and notice there are many elements that go into being successful in cycling. Because of the nature and number of elements of success, training becomes an inexact science and can sometimes seem more like an art. Over the next few articles we are going to attempt to simplify this rather complex science into usable information that can be applied to your training strategy. In this first article, we will identify the key elements essential to succeed in bike racing. These are referred to as the “Essential Ingredients.” In upcoming articles we will help you identify your weaknesses or “Limiters,” so that you can focus your training on specific areas which will make you a more complete bike racer and better your chances of winning.

Read the rest of this article:

http://www.athleticamps.com/cycling/coaching/id0041/

AthletiCamps at Sharp Bicycles in Lafayette - July 28th

AthletiCamps will be at Sharp Bicycle in Lafayette, CA on Saturday, July 29th to perform lactate testing. Performance testing is the optimal method to determine proper heart rate and power training zones, based on your unique physiology. Call or email us if you have any questions. We would be happy to discuss this process that has benefited so many of our athletes and led them to improvement on the bike.

www.athleticamps.com

Showing Off Our New Kit!

We rode 45 miles uphill from Auburn to Robinson Flat at 7000ft, just to take this picture of our new kit with this incredible view of the Sierras behind us! And THAT is what is so amazing about this area and why we hold our camps and performance tours here. Who needs France! Come join us and also learn something that will help improve your cycling, no matter what your level or goal.

RAAM has Started!

AthletiCamps is the official training resource for Team Donate Life, whom has entered 4 teams into this year's Race Across America (RAAM). Their primary purpose is to create awareness for organ donation. Check out the RAAM site for online updates and information about all competitors. Best of luck in this unique event:

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/

You can also check out the TDL website:

http://www.teamdonatelife.com/index.php

Winning Update

AthletiCamps athletes have been busy winning the last few weeks. We congratulate all of them for their hard work and effort:

Clark Foy (San Jose Bike Club) - 1st, Pescadaro RR (Cat 4). Congrats to Clark, as this completes his needed upgrade points to become a Cat 3.

Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine) - 1st, Pescadaro RR (Women's Pro 1,2)

Dan Martin (Safeway) - 1st, Mt Hamilton (Masters 35+); 1st, Mt Hood Stage Race (Master's 35+)

Camp Alert: Upcoming June 21st Camp Still has 2 Spots Available

There are still a couple spots available for the June 21-24th camp in Rocklin. Performance testing at UC Davis Sports Performance Lab is first on the agenda, followed by coaching and great training in the foothills. Contact AthletiCamps for more information at:

info@athleticamps.com

Hope to see you there!

Wow!! Way to Go Dan Martin!

Alot of people would have called Dan's victory at the historic Cat's Hill criterium (Pro,1,2) this past weekend an upset. It was no upset. Dan works hard, plans his season with great detail and tracks his progress with regular performance testing. That is why to those who know and work with him, it was no upset. Congrats Dan on a victory that makes it all worthwhile. You deserve it!

Camp Alert: Two spots remain for this week's 4 day camp

While climbing one of the many hills at a recent 4 day camp, one of the athletes remarked, "I love the climbs in this area!". I responded with "And what do you like about them?" He responded, "They are the perfect length to improve my climbing skills and the view at the top of the Sierras!!"

Only a couple spots remain to be able to climb in the foothills for next week's 4 day camp starting Thursday May 10th. We begin the camp with performance testing, bike fitting and medical assessment at UC Davis Sports Performance. If you wish to sign up, email or call AthletiCamps:

info@athleticamps.com
1-866- 370-6516

Hope to climb with you next week!
Bruce

Congratulations to Jane Robertson (again)!

Jane (Metromint) picked up her second victory of the year in Sunday's road race of the Madera Stage Race(Cat 1,2,Pro) this past weekend. That victory gave her 2nd place in the overall G.C. Great job Jane!

Performance Testing for Effective Training by Corey Hart M.S.

Assessments are an integral component of a well-designed training program. They can also be used to systematically track physiological changes over a period of time and make comparisons relative to the cyclist’s competitive group. Perhaps the most important purpose of assessments are to prevent overtraining and provide direction for a future training program.

Read the rest of the article here....

Dan Martin Wins La Vuelta de Bisbee

Dan Martin convincingly won the La Vuelta de Bisbee this past weekend by a 1'+ margin over his nearest competition. After winning the first stage, Dan and his teammates controlled the race and took home the overall on Sunday afternoon. Congratulations to Dan and it's on to the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico!

Another 2007 Wente Winner!

Congratulations to Nick Agate for winning the Wente RR (Cat3) this past weekend. Nick has been working with AthletiCamps for 8 months and his hard work has paid off! Continued success to Nick the rest of the season.

Want to work with AthletiCamps to improve your ability to win races? Contact us at www.athleticamps.com

And the Winning Continues - Clark Foy Wins Wente RR!

Clark Foy added yet another win for AthletiCamps athletes, winning the 2007 edition of the Wente RR (Masters 35+ Cat 4,5) this past Saturday. Congrats to Clark and his San Jose Bike Club teammates.


Contact AthletiCamps if you are interested in improving your race results or any aspect of your cycling.

More Victories for AthletiCamps Athletes

Congratulations are in order for three AthletiCamps athletes over the past two weekends. Their hard work and dedication continues to pay off:

Renee Ridgely (picture) - 1st place overall omnium (Elite 20-29) at the Nova Nationals in Arizona.

Corey Brand - 1st place - Hell of the North (Cat 5), Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jane Robertson - 1st place - Copperopolis RR (Women's 30+) - Milton, CA.

Recovery: One of the Basics of a Successful Training Program

We've posted a new article on recovering from races and hard training efforts. Written for AthletiCamps and PezCycling News, you can view the article here:

Recovery Article

Congratulations to Dan Lam!

Congratulations to Dan Lam for his victory at the Rhonde Van Brisbeen Crit this weekend, as well as winning the overall omnium! One of Dan's goals was to move up to Cat 3 this season. Well, it didn't take long! It just shows that hard work and dedication pay off. Continued future success to Dan this season!

Camp Alert: Upcoming Four Day Camps Are Almost Full

If you are thinking about attending one of upcoming four day camps, they are filling up quickly and urge you to sign up soon. Dates for those camps are:

May 10-13th, 2007

June 21-24th, 2007

Four day camps are a great way to take part in performance testing, learn to utilize those results on the road, and enjoy some GREAT riding in the foothills of NorCal.

URL - AthletiCamps Four Day Camps

Roemer Wins Santa Rosa Crit

Congratulations to Craig Roemer for winning the Pro 1-2 Santa Rosa Crit this past Saturday, March 24. Craig lapped the field in a break and proceeded to win the race. Thanks Craig for another AthletiCamps athlete victory!

AthletiCamps (almost) in New York

AthletiCamps will be at the Bicycle Workshop (http://www.bicycleworkshop.com/) in Tenefly, NJ from May 23-30th to do performance testing, clinics, coaching and mini-camps. If you are in the area and interested contact the Bicycle Workshop or AthletiCamps to schedule an appointment. This is our third year in the area and each trip gets better and better!

Who is this Person (on the right)?

We ran (or rode) into this person at the Sacramento stage of the Tour of California? Anyone know who this is and what he does now for a living? I'll give you a hint in that he was voted one of the top 50 cyclists of all time....

2007 Victories Continue where 2006 Left Off

Last year, AthletiCamps athletes logged over 45 wins and many podium finishes in bike races around the country. In this young season, we already have put up 6 victories. Congrats to all of our athletes for their hard work, dedication, and believing in this unique and successful program. AthletiCamps not only teaches you how to train and physically takes you to the next level, but also teaches you what it takes and how to win!

Making the Winning Break

We've posted a new article on the website written for AthletiCamps and Pezcycling news. Making the winning break in bike racing can be a very difficult chore. I took a subject with infinite possiblities and condensed it into some major points. Special thanks to my old friend Kevin Metcalfe (picture) and Dan Martin (coached) for helping me out with some good info. Here is the link:

Making the Winning Break

AthletiCamps at the Tour of California

AthletiCamps was involved in this year's Tour of California in a big way. About 2 weeks before the event was to come into Sacramento, I was just planning on going and watching the race. Then, about a week before the race, the Sacramento Bee called to interview me for an article. That started a chain reaction which led me to working for the local KCRA - Channel 3 station by doing live interviews about the race and a 2 hour live webcast with one of their anchors. It was a blast...being right there...interviews great names in cycling. Next year will be even better and we are planning on doing a camp that corresponds with the race.


On another side note, AthletiCamps (Dr. Testa - Director of Coaching) coaches both Levi and Ivan Dominguez...Levi of course, won the overall and Ivan won the last stage.