This past week, triathlon coach extraordinaire Matt Dixon hosted his first-ever triathlon training camp, and CycleOps Power was there to help the athletes optimize the benefits of training with power. We brought a fleet of PowerTap wheels for the riders to use, and we had our video cameras rolling for some exclusive footage of the inside world of a professional triathlete. We’re working on editing the videos, so stay tuned for those, but in the meantime, here are some notes from the trip.

1. There is no “I” in the word triathlete

Well, okay, there is an “I” in the spelling, but Matt Dixon’s group of Purple Patch pro triathletes displayed that while triathlon might be an individual sport, these athletes have a great deal of camaraderie and respect for each other. In an interview with Meredith Kessler, she mentioned that if she couldn’t win a given race, she would be very happy to see her teammate or friend win instead.

2. Matt Lieto and Linsey Corbin have mad handling skills

As a passenger in the sag vehicle descending Mount Lemmon behind a group of time trial bike-equipped triathletes led by Linsey and Matt, I watched the group catch, paceline with, and then drop a professional road cyclist. I was impressed.

3. Triathletes are ambitious

I assumed as much, since anyone juggling three athletic disciplines must be very dedicated, but when Matt Dixon handed me the daily itinerary for the training camp, I thought it simply wasn’t possible to do all of it. The days were packed from 6 AM to 6 PM with not only swimming, biking, and running, but also training lectures, functional training, and (of course) eating. The daily schedules were continually modified a bit, as there really wasn’t enough time to do everything, but they came close. This leads me to my next point…

4. Any successfully training camp requires improvisation

Matt Dixon and the Purple Patch crew worked like a well-oiled machine, adjusting to whatever was thrown at them. With multiple athletes and multiple activities come endless opportunities for something to go wrong, but Matt and his team rolled with the flow and kept things moving smoothly. For example, when the grounds keeper at the local community college wanted the group to leave the track, Matt figured it out and the group was allowed to finish their workout. No problem.

5. Linsey Corbin eats toaster pastries

Yep, that’s right folks. You heard it here first. We were sitting pool-side listening to a lecture from expert swimmer Gerry Rodriguez after the Mount Lemmon ride and brick run, and Ms. Corbin pulled out the Pop Tarts. Fast, convenient, easily available fuel for when you’re in a pinch. It’s nice to know the next time I have a craving for Pop Tarts, I’ll have a good argument of “if it’s good enough for Linsey…”

Thanks to Matt Dixon and the Purple Patch crew for welcoming us on their training camp. It was a great trip and a fun time getting to know all the athletes better. Best of luck to all of them in their 2011 seasons!