PRT Training Camp Recap
October 6th-8th marked the annual Padyak Racing Team (PRT) mini-camp at beautiful Big Bear Lake during a perfect fall weekend. Fall gatherings are a pivotal time to refocus and plan the 2024 season while spending some quality time with your teammates. Joining together for a cycling training camp is beneficial for team camaraderie, setting goals for next year and setting a positive tone for the upcoming training season. This year Source Endurance coaches Taylor Warren and Adam Mills were able to join the team and not only participate in the team rides but offer some coaching guidance on and off the bike.
Friday the 6th was a loosely structured shakeout ride, with only about half the team in attendance, Taylor was able to join the team on the ride. The main goal of the ride was to spin the legs after a long drive and promote some blood flow and recovery to prepare for the couple days at high elevation. Friday evening, Taylor gave a lecture on How to be a Holistic 24/7 Athlete. The premise of the lecture was to shed some insight onto the importance of living a healthy lifestyle that complements your cycling training, as the life you live off the bike has a large impact on your cycling.
On Saturday, PRT training camp officially kicked off with a longer training ride skirting the edge of Lake Big Bear before doubling back and making the ascent up Onyx Summit. Riders were encouraged to ride a steady, easy pace and if they couldn’t hear talking behind them, they were encouraged to slow down. The main goal of the ride was to get to know your teammates and to have fun getting in some base miles. The total mileage of the day ended up being just under 60 miles, with the 7 mile climb up to Onyx Summit where riders were encouraged to ride at their own pace. That afternoon, Adam and Taylor presented another lecture series on bike racing tactics and strategy.
Sunday was the final day of training camp and was highlighted by an on the bike skills session. After warming up, coaches Taylor and Adam led a series of drills including paceline work, proximity drills, attacking/bridging drills and chase drills. Not only is preseason a great time of year to start building fitness, but also to revisit (or learn for the first time) the bike skills, as race success requires a high degree of skill.
After the skills session, stories and good times were shared over pizza before starting to pack and clean to head home. The PRT Training Camp was a great success and marked the soft launch of the 2024 season. If you didn’t attend, make sure to put this one on the calendar for next year to kick the season off right!
About the Author
Taylor Warren has raced at the elite level since 2014 and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Physiology from Colorado State University in 2015. Taylor continues to race at the elite level with CS Velo Racing, gaining experience and wisdom to help impart to the athletes he works with. Taylor is also a student of the game, with a passion for human performance and physiology, he is able to combine his race experience with an understanding of how the human body responds to training to deliver the best possible coaching experience. Taylor believes in a practical, holistic approach to coaching and training that values the athlete’s lifestyle and understands how to make the process approachable and enjoyable.