Going Camping!!

Well, 2 days until we start our TTE training camp and the weather still appears to be free of rain (knocking on wood) ... unlike last year when it rained non-stop! We'll kick things off with a welcome gathering and then straight to the pool Friday morning. If getting through the camp isn't enough of a challenge, we do have some categorized competitions up for grabs with support from our GREAT sponsors! Aria Velo & Rand Libberon are hosting the camp so big THANKS to Rand!!

- Overall Points Winner presented by: Echelon Cycle & Multisport

- TrainToEndure.com Most Impressive Athlete
- TYR Swim

- Clif Bar "KOM"
- AlCis Toughest Athlete
- Fuel Belt "CampVirgin "

So, until we get you more camp updates. A little something I wrote a couple years ago that ties in with the camp!

Build Your Own Training Camp

One of the more popular activities in endurance sports lately are training camps. At first glance they seem glamorous, attractive and fun. The reality is they can be all of those things, but some of the packaged and organized camps can get very pricey. When looking for a camp you may need to decide: are you looking for a high profile “camp with the stars”, an education camp with lots of technical teaching, or a camp where you can go push yourself physically to prepare for a particular race or bolster your fitness for an upcoming race season.

If you decide you don’t want to dish out the big dollars for a packaged training camp I’d like to share with you an option for building your own “training camp”. Therefore, the focus here will be on building a camp that is specific to stretching yourself physically and mentally to help build raw fitness. I will discuss this in broad terms so that athletes across all distances might be able to apply some of these details to their own camp.

Here are the first things to consider if you decide to build your own training camp.

1) Whatever the duration of your camp, it’s best to eliminate distractions and anything that does not relate to training and recovering. For example; consider traveling away from home, staying in a place that has a full kitchen, and ideally have someone come that may do a portion of the training but will help prepare meals and organize the logistics! (Or stay near an all you can eat buffet!)

2) Bring at least one training buddy along. Better yet, bring more than one buddy along in case you get sick of one another! I think having a trusted training partner to push you and motivate you a little is a key factor to the getting the most from your camp. There are only a small handful of people that can do an effective training camp solo.

3) Prepare your equipment, food, and supplements in advance. Have your schedule and details prepared before you head off to the camp. Bottom line, do your homework before leaving home or before starting your camp.

EXAMPLE: 3 Day “Volume Camp” – This is a great option when you have a long weekend or three days in a row off from work to focus on training. I especially like this option as it seems quite reasonable for working folks and can provide a nice training stimulus without an overly long recovery period. This is more applicable to long course athletes and experienced short course athletes.

Day 1: Run :45 aerobic, Ride 3:00 - 4:00 Aerobic. Be sure to re-fuel and relax after the morning run.
Day 2: Swim 1:00 aerobic, Ride 3:00-4:00. Be sure to re-fuel and relax after the morning swim
Day 3: (usually a tough mental day for many people) Ride 3:00–4:00 aerobic / Run :45 aerobic. Be sure to re-fuel and relax after the ride.

NOTE: As a guide for setting up the volume of the 3 day camp, use the total of your average training week for starters. For example; if your average training week is 14 hours, your total hours for the camp could be about 14 hours. Of those 14 hours in 3 days you should shoot for 75% of the volume to be on the bike. That is generally how the example above is structured. The more experience an athlete has in the sport the more aerobic volume they could add on to the overall volume.

Finally, give yourself at least 4 VERY easy days for recovery after a camp like this.

Until Next Time ...