Good morning.

Has anyone here gone through one of Charmichael's training camps?

I have been considering signing up for their climbing camp and/or spring traing camps.

They have a training facility in Santa Ynez, California. Santa Ynez is about 90 minutes away from me and I have gone riding in the area many times in the past.

I am having an angiogram done this Tuesday. If the cardio OKs me, I am getting back on the saddle with a vengeance.

BTW, I already know that Charmichael is associated with LA. So please no cooments about "evil" LA. I am just interested in your experiences (or even second hand info) aboutthese camps.

Thank you (and wish me luck this Tuesday).

Still thinking about you so good luck with the results.

Lol climbing camp ... today I did Old San Marcos and I was planning to continue on up Painted Cave
both about 1200 feet of climbing. I made it to the beginning of Painted Cave and decided to call it a day.
No climbing camp for this old man.

Charlie

Sounds like fun. Regardless of his association, I'm sure he has some great tips for anyone wanting to get better. Pro cyclists are elite athletes with great training programs before they make the decision to go down one path or the other.

Why worry about what other thinks . Its your life so enjoy it .

Check with the user "merlinextraligh".
IIRC, he rode the USA Pro Cycling Challenge with Carmichael's "team",
i.e. they rode each days course prior to the actual race.

As for Carmichael and LA; Carmichael was just LA's "beard".
i.e. a mutually beneficial arrangement where LA claimed to be getting coaching from a legitimate source,
while Carmichael got his name associated with the most successful American pro cyclist ever.

I've been angio'd twice. The biggest issue here is to let the incision heal. This will put you off the bike for at least three weeks. Poping that incision can be real serious. Myne were both emergency angioplasts. I was ready too get back in the saddle right away after both, were it not for needing to be very careful with plastic pop rivet they close you with.

As far as LA. It isn't true that every thing he touched turned to mud.

Good luck.

I've not done a Carmichael camp but I did use their coaching service for several years with good results. I talked to my coach about the camps but never attended one. From what I was told, they, at least in the past, did a bike fit and Functional Threshold power profile for each rider. The FTP was used to formulate training zones and you put that data to use on the bike. There probably are technique sessions too which emphasize both climbing and descending position and efficiency. My impression is these camps tend to attract more weekend warrior well to do clients than super serious mega mile cyclists. That doesn't mean you won't get something out of the camp regardless of where you are in your training.

I had another coach unassociated with CT, that used to meet me on the road once a month for technique and conditioning drills. It was some of the best time I spent on the bike. I think anyone can benefit from having an experienced eye take a look at their cycling as a whole. Whether is is worth the time and expense will depend on expectations and how prepared you are to take advantage of what they have to offer.

Carmichael goes way back to the days when he rode in the Red Zinger/Coors Classics and he ought to know his stuff. Armstrong was introduced to him by his mother who sought Carmichael out as a trainer while Armstrong was still doing triathlons. He was reportedly a little dismissive of the idea of turning a triathlon competitor into a pure cyclist at first until realizing the potential in this one. Whatever Carmichael realized or didn't about Michele Ferrari's association with US Postal it should be a beneficial experience to anyone gleaning knowledge from him. He's been recognized as a leader in the field for some time.

OUCH!!! I just got a new pair of shoes and I am sooooooo eager to try them out on the road.

Oh well...time to catch up on my gardening.

Thanks for the input. I am still up on the air about trying out his camp. For me the big pluses are getting help to improve my riding and the fact that Santa Inez is fairly close to home and I love riding in that area.

Bike, I fall into the "weekend warrior" but not "well-to-do" middle-aged rider category. You are right, a training camp is only as good as how prepared I am to put to use the lessons learned there. I have a friend who lives in France and he attended a similar camp in France. He loved going through it and learned a lot about the "science of cycling." He feels that he is now a better rider for the experience.