The why, how, what and when of a Triathlon Training Camp
Training Camps, April 24, 2023
A Triathlon Training Camp is a great way to come together with your mates, and new friends, and train specifically for a key event. Plan ahead, have fun and reap the benefits.
What does a Training Camp entail?
I’ve attended (and hosted) plenty of Triathlon Training Camps over the years, and I really really enjoy them. There is something awesome about a group of like minded people coming together and doing what they love…swimming, cycling and running. The cool thing about Training Camps, is you don’t necessarily have to go there and push yourself beyond your limits, in fact a camp that has you constantly in a state of fatigue is probably going to be detrimental to your overall goal. There’s no need to be intimidated by a camp as long as you go to it with a clear understanding of what you want to achieve from it. Simply being in a supportive environment with like minded people will help you reach your true potential.
A training camp will provide you with an immersive environment, where you can focus solely on your training without the distractions of everyday life. You will be amazed at how effective just a couple of days in a Training Camp can allow you to fully commit to your training program and make significant progress in performance.
Another benefit of a Triathlon training camp is that they are often led by experienced coaches who can provide personalized feedback and guidance to athletes. This can help athletes identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to their training program that can lead to improved performance. This doesn’t have to be the case though, simply getting together with a few mates for a productive weekend of training can be highly effective too.
A Training camp is typically located in areas with varied terrain and conditions, which can be beneficial for triathletes who need to prepare for key events. Consider races like the Ironman World Championships in Kona, being able to replicate the conditions there in a Training Camp location will help you on race day.
If you are planning the camp for your training buddies then make sure you have a clear plan in place for each day. Understand the purpose of each workout, have a clear course laid out (and make sure everyone knows it), determine and stick to a time scheduke and make sure everyone knows the purpose of the camp.
Following are a few types of Training Camp that you may attend
Heat adapation
A Heat Adaptation Camp will take place in a location of high heat and humidty, and ideally similar terrain of the goal event (such as the unique features of the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona). You will be exposed to these conditions over each discipline, and in some cases (with careful management), temporary limitation of fluids and hydration at stages of the camp. These sorts of camps help you determine ideal fueling strategies for the the conditions, and will allow you to plan pacing and fuelling for your key race. Outside of the training sessions hydration and recovery strategies will be prioritised. Heat Adaptation can take place in a controlled indoors environment if you can’t get to a suitable location, however there are a number of limitations to this compared to training in a real world situation.
Altitude
An altitude camp will typically take place above 1800m elevation where the air is thinner and the oxygen level is lower than at sea level. The higher you go, the lower the oxygen, and the tougher the enviroment is to exercise in. Training at altitude is already tough enough, so training sessions don’t have to be particularly difficult as there will be a great deal of strain on the body. It’s harder to test race effort and fueling when at altitude as the effects of the training stress are emphasised significantly. Altitude training isn’t suitable for everyone, there are a few people who are non-responders, and may actually fall ill from the effects of the lower oxygen concentration, so keep this in mind if you are planning a camp of this format.
Altitude training can be done at Sea Level with the use of various simulation tools and modalities, and these have proven to have some positive adaptations, so could be incorporated into a training camp at sea level.
Super Compensation
This sort of Training Camp comprises of a very high concentration of training hours into a relaitvely short period of time…3-10 days for example. It requires you to train more than you usually do, so be prepared to suffer. A Super Compensation Camp is best done with a group of athletes to encourage eachother along when the going gets tough. A Super Compensation camp could be very strenuous, and often requires a long period of rest after to recover. The effects of this sort of camp are often felt for many weeks later (once recovered from), so when timed ahead of a key race they can be very effective.
Course familiarisation
This is something undertaken by many of the Professional Cycling teams, before a Grand Tour or other significant event. You will spend a significant number of days doing recon rides over a course you know will be raced over later in the season. It gives you a chance to view the course outside of the stress of a race, and plan strategy around this. Spend some days swimming, biking and running, or a combination of these ,on the course to help you plan ahead for the race and visualise various scenarios.
Sport specific
This is for cases where you feel you have a weakness in one of the disciplines of Triathlon, and want to spend a few days intensifying the focus on this. This is a great camp to do with a group, bring in a Coach who can help dial in on technique and drills and help guide you through a few solid days of just swimming, cycling, running or even flexibility. You will be surprised how quickly you can turn around your form when spending a bit of time on just one aspect of Triathlon for a period of time.
Samoa Heat Camp brought to you by Foot Traffic Coaching
In August 2023 I will be hosting a combination Heat Adaptation / Super Combination Training Camp in Samoa. This is a perfect opportunity to adapt to conditions very similar to what an athlete will epxerience at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, and it’s timed perfectly to bring the gains from a period of Super Compensation.
Timed immediately after the Warrior Half Triathlon, you will get the opprtunty of an open water swim each day and 4-5 bike and run sessions over the week. This is plenty to help you adapt to the conditions, experiment with fueling and pace strategies, and get a good amount of Training Stress while under the guidance of a Coach and staff....the perfect way to do a Training Camp.