Thank you so much again for the wonderful opportunity the WSBA gave me by granting me a scholarship to the USAC Road Talent ID Camp in Forest Grove. I had a spectacular time there full of meeting great new people, expanding my knowledge of all the elements that make up cycling, and, of course, riding each day!
From the moment I entered the dorms, old and new faces welcomed me alike. Once everyone was arrived and settled into their dorms, we immediately threw on our bibs for an easy spin, followed by dinner and team-building exercises. Within the rest of the week, each camper performed a five minute then twenty minute time trial on separate days in order to calculate each of our watts per kilogram power numbers. It was very informative to be able to see our updated power and be able to compare it to others’ across the nation throughout the years. Actually seeing watts you could produce on the bike paired nicely with the afternoon sessions, which focused more on bike handling and racing skills like bumping drills, pace lines, cornering, and overall being able to make quick decisions to maneuver your bike. All of the coaches and staff provided wonderful advice that I feel definitely helped me improve my skills while having fun.
But camp most definitely did not just focus about your body during races. Each camp staff member gave inspiring talks daily discussing different topics such as training plans, mental and physical preparation, coaches, balancing your life with cycling, and much more. We were also blessed with multiple outside visits. A physical therapist provided us with dynamic stretches and core workouts. A nutritionist spoke about the importance of real food on and off the bike, hydration, and recovery. And additionally a bike mechanic taught us about bike maintenance and how to pack bikes into a bike box for transportation. Honestly I have pages and pages of notes all from what I learned from camp. Each night my mind was full, my body tired, but I was certainly happy and so grateful for everything I was able to experience at this camp.
The staff was absolutely exceptional. I always felt open to seek advice from them whenever I felt the need. They were able to always make everyone feel comfortable and were witty and hilarious. I thank them for that very much.
My overall take away from this camp cannot be put into words. I am amazed by how outstanding this program is, and I sincerely hope that they will continue with it. Once again, thank you so much to the WSBA for making this trip of a lifetime possible.
Sincerely,
Megan Doherty
From the moment I entered the dorms, old and new faces welcomed me alike. Once everyone was arrived and settled into their dorms, we immediately threw on our bibs for an easy spin, followed by dinner and team-building exercises. Within the rest of the week, each camper performed a five minute then twenty minute time trial on separate days in order to calculate each of our watts per kilogram power numbers. It was very informative to be able to see our updated power and be able to compare it to others’ across the nation throughout the years. Actually seeing watts you could produce on the bike paired nicely with the afternoon sessions, which focused more on bike handling and racing skills like bumping drills, pace lines, cornering, and overall being able to make quick decisions to maneuver your bike. All of the coaches and staff provided wonderful advice that I feel definitely helped me improve my skills while having fun.
But camp most definitely did not just focus about your body during races. Each camp staff member gave inspiring talks daily discussing different topics such as training plans, mental and physical preparation, coaches, balancing your life with cycling, and much more. We were also blessed with multiple outside visits. A physical therapist provided us with dynamic stretches and core workouts. A nutritionist spoke about the importance of real food on and off the bike, hydration, and recovery. And additionally a bike mechanic taught us about bike maintenance and how to pack bikes into a bike box for transportation. Honestly I have pages and pages of notes all from what I learned from camp. Each night my mind was full, my body tired, but I was certainly happy and so grateful for everything I was able to experience at this camp.
The staff was absolutely exceptional. I always felt open to seek advice from them whenever I felt the need. They were able to always make everyone feel comfortable and were witty and hilarious. I thank them for that very much.
My overall take away from this camp cannot be put into words. I am amazed by how outstanding this program is, and I sincerely hope that they will continue with it. Once again, thank you so much to the WSBA for making this trip of a lifetime possible.
Sincerely,
Megan Doherty
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