2012 M2 Mt.Shasta Training Weekend

View from 'end of road' on Mt.Shasta

The annual Mt.Shasta Century was reason enough for a group of M2 athletes to make the trip to the curious little town of Mt.Shasta, just south of Weed, CA at the base of monumental Mt.Shasta. With it's laid back atmosphere and crystal healing powers it feels like a place unlike any other. 

10 M2 athletes drove up from the city by the bay on Friday. Early birds met at the local hot spot "The Goat Tavern" and performed a carbo-loading routine. Note to Virgilio, 'tavern' and 'red wine' don't go together. Weather was a perfectly toasty 90+ degrees throughout the day and the night. As you can imagine Bay area folks are well accustomed to these kinds of conditions. 

The Crew getting ready

Saturday morning we were off to an early late start  for the unofficial 'Mt Shasta Everett Memorial Hill Climb'. We are talking 13.4 miles of a steady ~6% uphill beauty midday with no water stop. Nicely done! Here are some impressions:

QOM Jessica Yin

The Stallion

Andy - could not be more ready for IM Canada

M2 - fighting the early start

Chris - all smiles

After a much needed stop at the local Rite Aid for refueling we were heading to Castle lake to preview tomorrow's 3rd climb, have lunch and go for a swim. Castle lake is a spectacular mountain lake filled with beautiful clear water surrounded by pine trees. It was so warm, even Andy went with no wetsuit. However only after being mocked by the local crowd ;-)

Lunch'n Learn with M2

Majestic Mt.Shasta view

SuperDave taking in secret drink mix

The evening was spent at the 2008 Gold Plate Award winning restaurant Lalo's. M2 sure knows how to treat his clients!

Saturday Dinner

We called it a night after introducing the 2012 London Olympics to the locals at the 'Veteran's Club'. Inspired by Phelps last Olympic performance we found our way to the various sleeping HQ's. Everyone was fired up for the next day and the Shasta Century.

 

After a quick coffee and snack - ready to roll at 7.30AM!

We did a modified version of the century, tackling all 3 remaining climbs from the Super Century, since we did Mt.Shasta on Saturday, that one was off the list. Here are some memorable impression from the day:

The 'helping hand'

Getting insights from M2

 

The group at the top of the first climb

Pace lining through Weed

Done for the day? Not these guys!

Sami on top of climb #3 - Bravo!

Chad powered through and gets bragging rights

Virgilio after climb #2

We closed the weekend with a refreshing dip into Lake Siskiyou. Oh yea, we will be back in 2013. For anyone doing IM Lake Tahoe - you don't want to miss it.

Calling it a perfect weekend!