I'm in the middle of my much needed rest week, still adjusting back to my normal schedule. It seems like I'm always tired and always hungry right now. But I'm very happy the weather in Chicago is moderate enough for outdoor riding. Going back to the trainer after a week in California would be too depressing. Today there's even a bit of sun.

I can tell that I built more muscle at camp. That has been my experience every year. 8 days of hard riding is SUCH great prep for the racing season. I read that sentence and I marvel at the person I have become. An athlete. An honest to goodness athlete, not a dilettante or dabbler. Camp is really a place where we bond as athletes, where we learn from each other and learn how to push ourselves. We remember, after a long winter of base training, how to suffer. I wouldn't be the rider I am now without a lot of help from my teammates.