2017 Trimarni Advanced Greenville Training Camp - Photos Day 3 & 4

We knew day 3 of camp would be tough for our campers, physically and mentally. But we couldn't resist giving them a challenging and scenic route to finish off 4 consecutive days of Greenville riding. Many of the campers enjoyed the challenge of getting to the top of Caesar's head (7 mile climb) but the hills were unforgiving as we made our way into the Dupont Forest, in NC. Our riding is not easy here but it is never boring, the cars are friendly to cyclists and you get endless views of nature. I have never been happier riding my bike than in Greenville and I feel so lucky that I can call it my home.

The 87- mile bike route that Karel planned (with over 10,000 feet of climbing, with elevation correction) was sure to stretch comfort zones but with great team spirit, our campers did not complain and they toughed it out until the end.

Joey managed to capture some amazing shots of our journey on two wheels. I don't know how she did it as she not only made sure that we were all safe by driving behind us but she managed to always be at our SAG stop, before we needed her, stocked with drinks, snacks and water...and her contagious, friendly smile.

On Sunday, the last day of camp, we headed to Lake Summit for a long run on the gravel trail, followed by an open water swim. Although the cooler temps were welcoming, our campers were carrying around a lot of residual fatigue. But once again they impressed us and they all gave their best effort for the run and swim workouts, which made another quality day of training to conclude 4.5 amazing days of swim/bike/run in Greenville, SC.

Enjoy the pics! 

2017 Trimarni Advanced Greenville Training Camp - Photos Day 1 & 2

With a photo, you can capture a moment in time and have it with you forever. A picture doesn't quiet capture every moment but it does change the way that you see things. I love pictures because they document important moments in time.

We are thankful for our camp photographer (and SAG support) Joey for taking most of these amazing shots of our athletes in action at our recent training camp. Not only do these pictures show our athletes working hard but they also showcase our amazingly beautiful Greenville. Enjoy!

              

2017 Trimarni Advanced Greenville Training Camp Recap

The other morning I saw a Furman student with a t-shirt that read "I love you Greenville." I NEED that shirt.

I am so in love with where we live and I just love to show it off. With this being our 4th (and last) camp of 2017, we wanted to make sure that our 14 advanced campers left with a lot of great memories of Greenville, SC.

Knowing that our campers came to Greenville in great physical shape (many of them gearing up for Ironman Chattanooga, IM 70.3 World Championship and IMKona), we wanted to challenge everyone with specific workouts that would require focus, skills, determination and commitment, not to mention the ability to to stretch the comfort zone.

After the conclusion of camp, I received an email from one of our campers/athletes and the last line read "Camp made me realize that I need and can handle more challenges. Stepping out of your comfort zone is not all rainbows and butterflies but it's not always tears and frustration either." 

I really appreciated her thoughts about camp because many athletes avoid the unknown out of fear and worry. Yes, we live in an area that is extremely hilly, which makes for difficult cycling and running routes but in a group environment with two experience coaches, we knew that our campers could handle so much more than what they could accomplish alone. Plus, suffering with others is so much more fun than suffering alone!

Although our campers were fit and prepared to handle many training hours (and feet of elevation gain) over 4.5 days, we still wanted to include education and skill instruction throughout camp. From our experience, athletes can be very fit in a familiar environment or on a treadmill/trainer but when placed outside, in an unfamiliar setting, the skills don't match the fitness and thus athletes feel frustrated that they can't perform to their physical abilities. By seeing our campers in action, we were able to prescribe specific workouts to match the education that we provided them. By the end of camp, our campers had improved skills to match their fitness and they can all return home more confident to handle future challenges and obstacles.

We could not have asked for better weather and the slightly cooler temps certainly helped with workout execution. Our campers did an exceptional job with mastering daily and workout nutrition (pre, during and post) and everyone came with an open mind to learn and to apply new information, in a new setting, with new friends. The attitude around camp was always "can do" and it was amazing to once again, see all of the campers support and work together so that nobody felt excluded or too slow.

Our campers put in a lot of time, energy and miles over 4.5 days. Being able to check out of life for a few days made for quality training with distractions or interruptions. Their only daily pressure was to show up on time and daily responsibilities included eating, training and sleeping. What a great life, even if for just 4.5 days.

We want to give a huge thank you to our Trimarni sponsors who provided swag for our training camp, along with Wendy at the Swamp Rabbit Lodge for providing the perfect location for our campers. And thank you Joey for being the best SAG support!

Xterra Wetsuits - wetsuit bag and hanger

Cheribundi - regular and protein drink
Clif Nutrition - products (bars, gels, hydration)
Infinit Nutrition - Speed sport drink
Hot Shot - product
Boco Gear - Trimarni camp hat

Oobe - Trimarni camp t-shirt

Veronica's Health Crunch - yummy crunch
Mg12 - bath salt, roll on and balm

For those who want the full stats of camp, here you go!

(All distances are approximate and varied from camper to camper depending on the workout. All workouts had a specific set and focus, all with coaches supervision.)

Wednesday: 
70 min social ride - ~15.5 miles, 970 feet of climbing

Thursday: 
90 min AM swim - ~3900 yards
90 min AM track - ~8 miles
2 hour PM ride - ~33 miles, 2100 feet of climbing

Friday: 
4 hour AM ride - ~70 miles, 5100 feet of climbing
35 min AM hill run - ~4.5 miles, 340 feet of climbing
60 min PM swim - ~3100 yards

Saturday: 
5.5-6 hour AM ride - ~89 miles, 10,624 feet of climbing
25 min AM brick run - ~3 miles, 100 feet of climbing

Sunday: 1:45 hr AM trail run - ~12-13 miles, 200 feet of climbing
25 min AM open water swim - ~1500 yards

TOTAL: 

~18 hours of training (in 4.5 days)~8500 yards swimming

~207.5 miles riding

~28.5 miles running~19,934 total elevation gain (bike and run)

Stay tuned....I'll be sharing some pictures from camp in my next blog post. 

It's time for another Trimarni Greenville camp!!

Karel and I love training camps. It's crazy to think that this will be our 4th training camp in 2017! And sadly, this our last camp for the year. But not to worry if you are interested in attending a future Trimarni camp because we already have our dates for 2018! You can check them out here.

If you haven't put on a triathlon camp before, it requires a lot of hard work, planning and attention. I often feel like an event planner for several months leading up to the camp and then I feel like a race director (worrying about everyone and hoping everything goes smoothly) for the duration of the camp.

But when the camp comes to a close and I can finally relax, I find great relief that our campers have made improvements, mentally, physically and nutritionally, while building confidence with their skills and in the end, all of the planning was well worth it. 

The hands on experience is extremely valuable at our camps as we can see athletes in action and provide immediate feedback on how to train and race better/smarter. We also find group training, in a new environment, so beneficial for athletes as you can always give a little more with others, than what you can give when you are alone.

Considering that all age-group athletes have other responsibilities in life to balance alongside training, a training camp allows you to wake up and have no additional responsibilities except to train, eat and sleep. Although many triathletes try to stay present during workouts and squeeze in the training without distractions, it's very difficult to turn off your parent, work or regular life responsibilities.

Triathlon training requires a lot of discipline, alongside a very organized life. Strict schedules, for months at a time, can often leave you overwhelmed and exhausted. Every athlete, regardless of fitness level, deserves a break from life, so that you can focus on doing something amazing with your body. And because a triathlon camp typically lasts between 3-5, you can gain so much in a short amount of time to help you get more out of your training, in your home environment, when you are always time-crunched and in a rush to get things done. 

For the upcoming campers who will be attending the 2017 Trimarni Greenville Advanced camp, here's what they can expect to gain over 4.5 packed days:

1. No distractions - The focus of our camp is triathlon training. Therefore, we minimize the distractions and keep the attention on skills, nutrition, sleep and of course, training, all in an effort to help our campers create success at their upcoming triathlon events. There's no doubting that leaving the pressures of life, even for just a few days, can help an athlete make a significant amount of athletic progress, all while learning new skills and tools for better training.
   
                      
   
2. Learning - At our camps, we provide a great amount of education so that the focus is not on accumulating training miles but making each training mile count. In addition to the education, Karel and I are always alongside our athletes - either on the pool deck, on our bikes or side-by-side when running. We don't believe in sending our athletes off to workout on their own but instead, "coaching" our athletes in every training session. We want our athletes to learn as much as they can at camp so that they can apply good training habits/strategies in their home environment. Karel and I put our own training on hold as we make Trimarni camp all about our athletes.
   
                          
   
3. Group training - For most triathletes, tight schedules and inflexible life demands require a lot of solo training. Our training camps offer the perfect environment for group training where no athlete feels too slow or excluded. We specifically plan routes that cater to the abilities of our athletes and provide workouts that will help each athlete gain something special from each training session. By the end of camp, our athletes have created new friendships and have an extra dose of motivation to bring home, all thanks to the group training environment at camp. I really do believe that group training brings out the best in an athlete as you can train with like-minded individuals who "get you".
   
                          
   
4. Confidence and skills - The best way to improve your skills and confidence is to train in an environment that is safe and slightly unfamiliar/uncomfortable. With the right instruction, you can learn how to break bad habits that have been keeping you from making progress. Greenville offers beautiful scenery and safe roads but the terrain is not easy, specifically for cycling. Our challenging terrain provides our campers with ample opportunities to learn, practice skills and gain confidence. There's no point completing workouts if you are not doing things well - the focus of training is self improvement and personal development.
   
                            
   
5. Fun! - I believe that if you want to improve as a triathlete, you have to be dedicated, consistent and patient but you also have to have a lot of fun. Seeing that performance improvements take time, you need to have fun along the way, all while keeping your body in good health. Being able to call yourself a triathlete is a gift and it should not be taken for granted. Training should not be a chore, but it should be something that you want to do because it enriches your life and keeps you happy and well.