Sivota Triathlon Training Camp
jojo
Posts: 76
in General Chat
Hi Guys
Well I made it back in one piece and as requested I thought I'd tell you all what I've learnt and feel free to to ask any questions.
The Camp was excellent - set in a beautiful place high up in the mountains. We did lots of open water swimming and learnt how to go round bouys, how to correctly and quickly take off your wetsuit (and of course how to get it on), drafting (ie swimming up to the person in front of you's legs so it uses less energy), and were given general swimming tips on breathing and technique.
The cycling was amazing (my fave bit) we went on rides for up to 6 hours on hill that we'll probably never have to encounter (certainly in race conditions). Again we were taught, how to deal with punctures and other mechanical problems (don't ask me this bit - I wasn't really paying attention), drafting again, best use of gears and most importantly the transitions. How to jump on and off a bike - how to set out your stuff etc etc.
Then on last day we did a proper race condition sprint tri.
For people like me who aren't going to get the experience of open water swimming and practising transitions and a practise race it was invaluable. I've still got a couple of months to my first London Tri and loads to do but really looking forward to it now.
It was a fantastic experience and have definitely come back way more confident.
Jojo
Well I made it back in one piece and as requested I thought I'd tell you all what I've learnt and feel free to to ask any questions.
The Camp was excellent - set in a beautiful place high up in the mountains. We did lots of open water swimming and learnt how to go round bouys, how to correctly and quickly take off your wetsuit (and of course how to get it on), drafting (ie swimming up to the person in front of you's legs so it uses less energy), and were given general swimming tips on breathing and technique.
The cycling was amazing (my fave bit) we went on rides for up to 6 hours on hill that we'll probably never have to encounter (certainly in race conditions). Again we were taught, how to deal with punctures and other mechanical problems (don't ask me this bit - I wasn't really paying attention), drafting again, best use of gears and most importantly the transitions. How to jump on and off a bike - how to set out your stuff etc etc.
Then on last day we did a proper race condition sprint tri.
For people like me who aren't going to get the experience of open water swimming and practising transitions and a practise race it was invaluable. I've still got a couple of months to my first London Tri and loads to do but really looking forward to it now.
It was a fantastic experience and have definitely come back way more confident.
Jojo
0
Comments
Sounds fantastic- I'm green with envy[:'(]!
Did they give you an individualised training plan for the next few months?
jazdog
JoJo
Gonna rest today though and get right back into it tomorrow - just wish I could get rid of these shin splints - any advice anyone?
If you need more let me know
Phil [:D]
Did you take your own bike?
How much roughly is somethig like this?
What sort of levels of people are there at the camp?
How long does the camp last, and is it over a long weekend or something?
Sounds bloody awesome to do though.
I love training in the heat, glad you enjoyed it.
Yes it was pretty good.
I didn't take my own bike - they gave me a bike for the whole week - but most people did. I had a mountain bike which is quite a bit slower than a racing bike - but I will be buying a racing bike
It cost around £700 (a bit more) but that is the one I did - I think some are a bit cheaper
Re the levels. To be honest I thought I was in pretty good shape - but I have never done any sort of tri so I was by far one of the weakest - there were very mixed people ie one was training to do an ironman and some that had done a few tri's before and a couple like me who were complete beginners - but they put us into groups - elite, intermediate and beginners and everybody was as supportive and helpful and as encouraging as could possibly be. Plus there is always someone there with good tips.
My camp was a whole week - could have done with a couple of days at the end ie 9 days in total as we were pretty exausted after the main race and by that time the group had bonded really well so it would have been great. But us triathletes - we're not really ones to just sit by the pool without at least doing 50 lengths first!
If anyone wants some of the trainers email addresses I can probably pass them on. Email me if you do.
Jojo
Question: what is the correct way to take of a wetsuit? I always struggle and end up having to sit down and wrestle.
as you get out of water unzip it whilst running and still whislt running to the bike pull it off your shoulders so its just resting on your hips then when you get to bike transition area pull it right down and get one leg out first then stand on it with the other leg and pull it off - really hard to explain in words. But basically you shouldn't need to sit down.
But practice is needed before my first open water of the year in 2 weeks ......
After the excitement of the camp I bet it's hard to settle into 'real life' again!
Regarding getting wet suits off in a hurry, another tip I was given which does work is to stretch the neck collar to the side just as you stand up out of the water. This forces water inside your suit and helps break the suction.
Hope it helps
Nigel
The best thing to do is if you are doing a practise or not serious tri just watch how the obviously 'elite' athletes do it. Baby Oil is good though I did manage ok without it.
Jason - can you email me and I'll give you the addresses and yes the resort was beautiful and there were a couple of people who brought along partners who did other things whilst we trained.
phil
Thanks for your message. Basically - my last run was two weeks ago last Friday (so three weeks on Friday) so it couldn't have hurt me that much - I reckon I just aggrevated them coz on Saturday I was limping.
I went to a physio twice in the week before I went away and the first session she did a painful massage and ultrasound treatment and strapped me up and it didn't help all that much - the next session 3 days later she said that she didn't think it was shin splints but that I'd hurt my anterior tibialis muscle and said that I should just rest (hardly likely seeing as I was doing this training camp the next day) and that another ultrasound treatment wouldn't help.
Anyway saw the camp physio after a couple of days (when I still couldn't run) and he said it was definitely shin splints and that really I need to rest etc etc - he did an ice pack thing.
The main problem is that I am a freelance personal trainer and although I haven't been running - I've had to do a lot of walking so its really hard for me to rest though am trying really hard to.
How long did they take you to recover - do you think the ultrasound will really help and also what stretches - the physio told me to take my foot away from a wall and bend my knee so its touching it (ie stretching my calf) and hold it for 30 seconds. I can definitely do it more easily now but I can still feel my leg seizing up even if I go into a slight run. Strangely the cycling and swimming is fine and even now just come back from a good swim session and went bounding up the stairs and it seems fine.
Am soo desparate for it to go - I can't tell you.
stick with it & it will all come good in London - if not then me & the loon have found a little tri in the lakes in september .. you more than welcome to come along [:D][:D]
phil (madnurse)
ps have a look at my link [8D]
Sorry to hear your legs are giving you problems still. The lake tri will definately cure shin splints though only on account of having to have your legs removed post event (I have my surgery booked already)...
I can vouch for the cold bath ... I used to get sore knees(dislocated my patella more than I would have liked) after a hard work out but after readin g that some elite athletes use cold (ice) water to aid recovery I started getting in the shower before it had warmed up and get the cold water on them and it seems to work...Haven't yet got to the stage of filling up the bath with cold water..
For walking with clients (and you may already do this) you could get a pair of trainers with alot more cushioning than your normal trainers so reduce the impact..I wouldn't have thought losing any motion control you might need for running would be a problem when walking....Nurse might not agree and I sit to be corrected.
Ian
p.s.
Your camp sounds cool as well and is good to know that "non-active" partners went as that gives me a shot of one.
update re my shin splints ...
well the 'bruising' as in what I can feel when I rub hard the area has practically gone so even when I massage my leg its not at all painful like it was. So whilst I can definitely still feel them - I do feel better - so today as I was seeing two clients who I know are desparate to go running (really light runs though as in 4 mins max) I decided to give it a go with one in a park on soft grass.
I can run but the shin splint is definitely still there and not nearly as bad as it was before (I couldn't even run width way across a tennis court) and i've been doing the stretches since I've come back home and touch wood it feels the same.
Am really hoping that I am on the road to recovery and have given it till next friday (4 weeks) otherwise going back to physio.
Also yesterday bought my bike for london tri - hnaven't ridden it yet but looking for some riding clubs in n london. Any ideas?
Jojo
tread careful you have come too far to throw it away ...
phil
I have been where you are and i totally agree with Mad, DON'T run if there is any pain, you are understandably elated that they are getting better, don't ruin it now.
Use the time productively to train hard in the other disciplines and possibly also on the rower. The ellipical trainer is good for low impact work but the stepper is possibly to high impact. I tried doing a spinning class when i had shin splints but that caused problems.
supress the urge to run, wait don't ruin your chance
David
Have been doing swimming and got tri club tonight so that's cool and now I've got my bike am looking for a local cycle club - it's not the same cycling on your own.
Anyway most people pray for a lottery win - me I just want my shin splints to go.
JoJo
But likewise having had one to many injuries for my own good, don't go out and ruin the good work you've done so far by aggrivating them again. Otherwise it just becomes a vicious circle.
Thanks for the info on the training camp - I'm tempted to try one now....
Regarding the shin splints, I attended the beginners training day at Dulwich in April and the running coach made a couple of suggestions to reduce shin splints. He said that they were caused by repeated stress on the bone coming from the same direction (i.e. running forwards in a straight line always stresses the same part of the bone) - the best way to reduce the risk was to run backwards/sideways as part of your warm up/warm down and so balance the stress and exercise the other bits of the bone. He said that, apparently, no basketball players ever get shin splints despite jumping up and down all day, as they move in different directions rather than just forward.
No idea if this is medically sound or not - the running coach was a British olympic tri coach from Loughborough. It may also be more use for prevention than for cure, but I hope it is some help.
Mike