7 reasons why a training camp could be for you
Mar 02, 2022
Hello triathletes,
It's March already and Spring is round the corner. At Mojo HQ we are getting ready to host the first training camp of the year, and it got me thinking about how much they have changed over the years.
Training Camps have had a HUGELY positive impact on my racing and training seasons in the past. From the very first camp I attended 10 years ago in Majorca with 2 friends, to running my own camps in both the UK and Majorca for Mojo, plus many others in between, I am a true believer in the many benefits of a camp.
Excitingly, there is now so much more choice, and I feel there is a camp out there for every triathlete now, regardless of experience, race goals, affiliation to a club, age or budget.
Yes of course being on your bike in the sunshine is great, but there is so more to it. Here I explain why I feel training camps are a 'must have' in your training season;
7 reasons why a triathlon training camp may be for you
1) VERIETY Sure the original camps were in hot sunny places, 7 night minimum, full of middle aged men on more carbon than you can shake a stick at, and almost always priced so high it was more expensive than your car (& involved significantly less cocktails than the average holiday too!)
But nowadays you have variety. A chance to go for a weekend, stay in the UK, use it as a holiday, find female only camps, take your own cocktails, or 'build your own' camp (I'll explain more on how this works in the next email)
2- TIMING
You don’t need to use the camp as a week long beasting towards your A race, you can also use it any time in your season to get to know other likeminded triathletes, use it when work is quiet, use it for a birthday celebration or at the end of a season to make the most of your increased fitness. Or simply as a holiday!
3- REST
Use the camp as a rest. A rest from working, training, life, commitments, cooking or cleaning. It's often easy to think you will come back from a camp exhausted and need a rest, but if you get it right, you will come home more rested, energised and feeling like you have had a holiday.
4 – NEW CONNECTIONS
This is a huge one for me. Many of us use the likes of Zwift, Facebook groups, Instagram, turbo trainers and treadmills to while away the hours of training.
However many of us train in isolation, work in isolation, do triathlon when our friends or partners do not. It can be a lonely process. Sometimes having the ability to be part of a like-minded group on the camp can bring a better sense of connection with those as passionate as you. This can leave you feeling revitalised, and it’s not uncommon to meet life-long friends at training camps.
5) TRAVEL
You will no doubt experience new cultures, traditions, views, climates and often bum-pleasingly blissful road surfaces!
Camps are an opportunity to lift your head up from the TT position and see whats around you! In Europe in Spring the colourful wild flowers are such a treat after the UK winter. UK camps can be in areas you have never experienced, with wild animals, stunning vistas and new cafes with local delicacies. Let that lift you and give you energy, a break from the norm can be so enriching. You know what they say… Travellers come home richer!
6) FOOD (most important part)
I am hoping you have picked a camp based on the deliciousness of the food!! Fuel is key, you are asking your body to train more frequently and with more intensity than at home, so you need to fuel VERY well right from the start of the week. It’s also a great chance to try new foods, maybe even new pre-race or race day nutrition. If you’ve slipped into bad food habits recently or stuck in a rut, don’t panic, use this camp to get you back on track.
7) CONFIDENCE
Successfully getting yourself and your kit to a tri camp in one piece, in my opinion, is a challenge greater than completing your first ever tri! You have a holiday to pack for, flights to catch, bikes to squeeze into boxes, personal items to remember, logistical issues of transfers, worries of charging all your technical kit. And you have THREE sports to do all this with.
However do not let that put you off. There is a lot of help out there, if you pick the right camp, and they will talk you through it all in plenty of time for you to get organised. Once you return home in one piece your confidence will soar that you have managed to achieve it all, and probably already thinking about booking the next one!!! 😊
If you would like any help from Mojo on how to plan for a camp, let me know, I can happily add any tips to the Mojo Community Facebook group if it helps.
To join 👇
COST
This can be a real limiting factor for many with some camps coming in at around £1200 for the week, plus flights, bike hire & food on top. This is a lot of money. But there are many ways you can get the cost down:
- Stay in the UK
- Find a weekend camp
- Arrange one yourself with a friend/group (more tips next week on that)
- Have a staycation and ask your coach to give you a full training week. You sort the food the week before & freeze it, have lots of recovery time, and you get the benefits of a camp at virtually no cost.
Hopefully this helps answer some questions you may have about camps, and feel that one day a camp could be part of your tri season.
I've experienced all types of camps, so if you have any questions you would like to ask please hit the reply button and I'd be more than happy to help.
Have a great day
Lou x
