Endurance Nation Tour of California Cycling Camp

Endurance Nation Tour of California Camp

There are many high volume training camps.

Our Tour of California camp is the only one that happens during, in, and around a Pro Tour stage race!

You will ride 4 to 5 hours per day on the route of each stage…about 2 to 3 hours ahead of the pro peleton.

  • You will have the unique experience of being chased, literally, by the pro peleton.
  • Along the way you’ll be cheered by crazed cycling fans on the top of KOM’s and at the intermediate sprints.
  • If the 2013 Tour retains the Mt Baldy and Big Bear finishes, you’ll experience two mountaintop finishes. You’ll be joined by tens of thousands of Los Angeles area cyclists and cycling fans!

If you are a triathlete, cyclist, or cycling fan, and love to ride your bike in epically cool terrain with other athletes who share your commitment to a fitness lifestyle, this is your cycling experience of a lifetime.

Space is limited to ensure a quality experience

We limit the camp to 18-20 riders, giving first preference to our ToC veterans, most of whom have done multiple ToC camps with us. Please register today to reserve your space in the camp. This camp will sell out.

2013 will be our SIXTH Tour of California Training Camp

Go here to read about our ToC’11 experience!

Camp photos here!

Don’t worry, we give you a 2-3hr head start to stay away from these guys!

Dates:

While the official dates and stages have not yet been announced, the Amgen Tour of California will likely begin on Saturday, May 11th, or Sunday, May 12th, and end on Sunday, May 19th. Depending on the nature of the first day (ie, prologue or a riding stage), we will meet in the starting city on either Saturday or Sunday and begin riding the next day (ie, Sunday or Monday)

The camp ends after we complete the ride on Saturday, May 18th, so campers can fly home that evening and/or have a day to reset before going back to the real world on Monday.

Cost: $2995

  • Non-refundable $500 to reserve your spot in the camp.
  • Balance due in full by March 1st, 2013.

Early registration discounts available:

  • 15% off before October 31st, 2012.
  • 10% through December 31st.

“Layaway” Plan

We make it easy for you to afford the camp, spreading the cost out over time. If you like, we can put you on a layaway plan: a subscription through PayPal to pay off your balance due over several months. Add $75 to the camp price for this layaway option, to cover our PayPal fees.

Ready to register?

Payment:

  • Email rich@endurancenation.us and then please send a non-refundable $500 deposit payable to Rich Strauss, 607 Parker Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016.
  • Your remaining balance is due in full by March 1st, 2013.

Your registration fee includes:

All riding, SAG, transportation, breakfasts, lunches, training food, and double occupancy lodging from Saturday, May 11th, through Friday, May 18th.

Not Included:

  • Airfare to/from the camp.
  • Dinners each night…given individual food preferences, we’ve found it’s easiest to have the campers self-serve for dinner, using the camp vans as transportation.
  • Transportation to/from LAX, though we have always been able to use the camp vans to get everyone to the airport at the end of the camp.
  • Add $500 to the camp price if you prefer your own room.
  • If you choose to stay in LA on Saturday, May 19th before your Sunday flight, that lodging expense is not included in the camp.
  • Bike shipping to / from the camp. See below.

Athlete Description

Our campers have run the gamut from sub 5hr to 6:30 Ironman bike splits, to Cat3-5 racers, and civilian riders, from 25-58 years old. However, they are all here to RIDE, using the camp to either kickstart an incredible boost to their endurance, or to do something epically cool with their fitness.

In other words, this is a not a wine and cheese, hobnob in the VIP tent kinda camp. We RIDE, as much as we can, every day. Whenever possible we find opportunities to see the race — on KOM’s, sprints, finishes, and especially the time trial stage, depending on the host city.

Riding Expectations:

Many stages have admin miles on the front end, or boring, flat, into a headwind stretches before two laps of the finishing town (which they won’t let us ride), etc. Also, you are not a pro cyclist sitting in a peleton with 170 other pro cyclists. Finally, each day we have to drive to the start town for the next stage. For these reasons we ride “the best parts” of each stage rather than every mile of every stage.

That said, you can expect to ride 4-5hrs per day, every day, on extremely challenging terrain and you WILL be quite thrashed at the end of the camp! Historically, campers have logged 22-30hrs of total saddle time each year of the camp.

Daily Itinerary:

This is how you can expect each day to play out:

  • 8am: on the bikes, whenever possible riding from the hotel to the course.
  • 3 SAG vans on the course providing you with food, fluid, tools, spares, a leapfrog ahead on the course if needed, etc.
  • ~12-2pm: riding ends, sandwiches and other food in/at the vans.
  • ~3-5pm-ish: admin transfer to our lodging for the night.
  • Whenever possible your bags will be waiting for you in your hotel room.
  • 6pm-til: dinner, either on your own, or with the group, etc.

Your bike will be cleaned and inspected each evening so you are ready to go first thing in the morning. The intent for each day is that you hand your bike off to us at the vans, go to your room, your bags meet you there, you shower and eat. The next morning you drop your bag off and meet your bike. You may or may not be happy to see your bike after a few days but we promise you the training experience of a lifetime!

The Tour typically has a not-so-good stage, in terms of scenery, etc. We’ve used this in the past as an opportunity to get in a great day of riding off the course at a much more relaxed pace. Past editions have featured a ride through Sequoia National Forest and ride down the coast from Monterey, through Big Sur and then inland through the Coastal Range.

Questions?

Email Rich Strauss at rich@endurancenation.us with ToC’13 in the subject line

**This camp is not associated with, in anyway, the Amgen Tour of Calfornia. This is a training camp on open, public roads.**