Trimarni All-Levels Camp - Behind the scenes

Thanks to our amazing camp SAG/photographer Joey, here are some of the behind the scene moments from our camp. In no particular order.....enjoy!!

Trimarni All-Levels Camp - Day 4 recap

The last day of training camp is typically filled with mixed emotions - happiness, exhaustion, satisfaction, sadness, joy. Friendships are formed and the realization that in just one more sleep, it's time to return to normal life. One of the best parts of a triathlon training camp is the escape from every day stressors, responsibilities, excuses and distractions and the ability to focus only on training and doing things well.

The other great part about a training camp is putting yourself into environments that would otherwise feel slightly out of your comfort zone. New terrain, conditions and weather are likely to be experienced at a training camp but with the support and enthusiasm of fellow campers, it's easy to shut off the brain and just get to work with a great attitude.

For our last workout of training camp, we started with a long dynamic warm-up at the camp house/lodge before the start of the run. All of our campers had about 30-minutes to warm-up around the Furman Lake (off the Swamp Rabbit Trail) whereas some campers covered more/less distance than others. However, every camper was given the opportunity to warm up as needed without feeling pressure to run faster/slower than what was comfortable, with coach Karel, assistant coach Joe (on a mountain bike) along with myself running alongside our campers.

Once we arrived to the meet-up point for our main set (back gate of Furman University, close to Roe Ford road), Karel explained the main set which was:
3-4 x .67 mile loops on rolling terrain with each loop covering about 200 feet elevation gain.
90 sec - 2 min rest between each loop

As you can see from the course profile, there's a gradual downhill section before a gradual uphill, which then gets a little steep at the top. Then a downhill, followed by a false flat uphill, finishing with a gradual downhill to finish the loop. There are two turns on the course (not counting the start to each loop). 

Our campers ran a warm-up loop (to make 5 loops total) to understand the terrain. The focus was to start with good form, gradually build the effort on the uphill, finishing with 8-10 strides bounding to activate the posterior chain (hamstring/glute/calf muscles), followed by a quick recovery while running downhill. For the false flat, the focus was to run strong and then carry quick foot speed running downhill to the finish of the loop. This is a perfect course to work on terrain management and also to apply all components of good form running to an undulating course. 

As with all of the past workouts, although some campers are faster/slower than others, everyone gave the same work ethic and nobody felt excluded from the workout. Everyone cheered for one another to keep the positive energy high on the last day of camp. It was very impressive to see our campers work so hard on the last workout of camp but with so many of them racing in the next 2-3 weeks, we could tell they were focused on their racing goals and not willing to give anything short of their best on the last day of camp.

With our 12th group training camp behind us, we are relieved and sad that it is all over with. Karel and I just love putting on training camps, despite them being mentally exhausting and very time-consuming. We gain so much valuable feedback from seeing our athletes/campers in action and it helps us become better coaches. We may be a little bit biased but we feel we have the most amazing team of athletes as everyone is so supportive, kind, enthusiastic and positive.

Thanks for reading along over the past few days of my camp reflections. And that's a wrap of the 2018 All Levels Triathlon Training Camp in Greenville, SC!

We'd like to give a huge thank you to our SAG support and photographer Joey, along with our assistant coach Joe and our friend and superstar swim coach/swimmer Kristen for helping out with our camp. Also to the Swamp Rabbit Lodge for providing the most awesome lodging for our campers (in the most perfection location).

Also, a big thank you to the following companies who provided products for our athletes to use/consume at camp: 

• Amrita - bars
• Base Performance - bars and hydro
• Veronica's Health Crunch
• Mg12 - balm and roll on
• Clif Bar - blocks, Luna Rice bars, gels, hydration, recovery
• Pjuractive - anti-chaffing cream
• Klean - recovery protein, BCAA, hydration
• INFINIT - sport drink
• Carbo Rocket - half evil 333 and hydration

And to Canari for shipping our team kits in time for camp, Furman University for letting us use the pool and track, Sidewall pizza for our Friday camp pizza party, BOCO gear for helping us design the coolest backpacks ever and to Greenville, for providing us with the perfect triathlon playground for our training camps.

Trimarni All-Levels Camp - Day 3 recap

When finalizing the workouts for camp, I become fixated on the weather. Every day I am checking and rechecking the weather to make sure that our campers have the best weather possible for cycling workouts. While we can't control the weather, we can control what workouts we do and when to keep our campers happy and safe.

For day 3 of camp, due to a big chance of rain in the morning, we decided to start the day with a transition clinic - slightly modified as we were indoors so we transitioned without swimming or biking. Although this was more of circuit training than triathlon training, this transition workout was so much fun to watch and all the campers were laughing (with a high heart rate) while transitioning from each circuit station.

Karel and I set up the transition area in the Furman gym so that each athlete had to run and then perform an exercise to simulate swimming, biking or running and still transition equipment similar to a triathlon. So yes, we made our athletes wear goggles and swim caps which made things so much more fun(ny). We added in kicking on the back, kicking on the tummy, medicine ball twists, squat jumps and jumping jacks between each transition to help our athletes simulate the high heart rate that occurs when transitioning between swim to bike and bike and run. Oh and they also had to sprint from wall to wall between those exercises. Our campers broke into small groups for round one of transition practice and then we had everyone go through the transitions in relay style.

After the transition clinic, our campers had a quick break to clean up and grab a pre-ride/run meal/snack before heading out by car to Hotel Domestique (about 20-minutes a way) to start our big brick for the day.

Luckily, the weather held out for us. No rain! However, as the afternoon went on, it did get a little chilly as we rode into North Carolina/Saluda. But we will take cold over cold and wet.

Although our campers were tired to start the bike, they had a very specific bike workout to accomplish in the early part of the long ride. The first part of the ride was a steady ~4 mile climb up the watershed with big gear work. Thus the climb brought the effort to each camper. After descending back down it was time for intervals on a more "flat" road. Thus the purpose of this part of the workout was to make the effort by building the intervals. Our campers had the option of riding 2 or 3.5 hours depending on fitness ability so after we dropped off the 2-hour group at Hotel D, the 3.5 hour group headed back out on the bikes to re-climb the watershed (about 10 miles total), into North Carolina, all the way to Saluda. We turned around in the downtown of Saluda and headed back to Hotel D for run.  Everyone in both groupsdid amazing and stayed mentally tough throughout the entire workout. 

Because of the dropping temps, we gave our 3.5 hour group the option of not running off the bike but it didn't surprise us when all of our campers decided to run off the bike. Now that's some mental toughness!

As always, we have our awesome SAG support (Joey) with us for all of our rides and she made sure our campers had everything they needed (included a few yummy snacks/drinks).

After the conclusion of the brick, our campers went out to dinner in downtown Traveler's Rest to celebrate the conclusion of day 3 of camp and Karel and I got some work done before we finished off the day with a birthday celebration for Kevin (Happy 60th!!) followed by our evening discussion to highlight the accomplishments of each of our campers throughout camp (and athlete/coach Q&A). 

Here's a recap of day 3 of camp:

9am - 10am

• Transition clinic at the Furman Gym
• Individual transitions and then relays

12pm - 4pm

• Endurance ride (2 hours for group 1, 3.5 hours for group 2)
• Workout part 1: Heavy gear work up the Watershed (about 4 miles)
• Workout part 2: 2-3x's: 8 min steady, 6 min strong, 4 min very strong w/ 1 min EZ between
• Workout part 3 (for group 2): Endurance ride to Saluda and back (~90 minutes). Over 3000 elevation gain throughout the ride. 

4-4:30pm

• Brick run - 15-20 minute run at Hotel D. This run included a downhill section followed by a steady uphill, flat section and then another uphill, finishing with a short downhill. Let's just say it had a lot of climbing! 

7:30-8:30pm

• Birthday celebration for Kevin (60th birthday)
  Coach discussion/reflect on day 3 of camp

Here are some pics from day 3 of camp: 

Swimming before T1. You can check out the full transition video on our Facebook page. 

Ready for transition practice!

Transitioning from bike to run with  medicine ball twists in cycling gear. 

Ready to swim! 

Head referee Karel explaining the rules of the mixed-relay. There were a few 5-sec penalties issued but in the end, everyone was a winner. 

Campers getting ready for the start of the Sat brick. This was the only bike workout that our campers had to drive to (about 20-min away). 

Ready to head to the mountains. 

Justine - riding in style. 

All smiles for day 3 of camp. 

Pulling along the group to start round two of the bike workout to Saluda. 

An inside look into what it's like to be a camper at the Swamp Rabbit Lodge. 

Coach Karel hanging in there with only one more day of camp. 

Happy 60th Birthday Kevin!! Welcome to your new age group! 

Trimarni All-Levels Camp - Day 2 recap

The energy and enthusiasm was still high on day 2 of camp. Now that our campers had a full day of training behind them, it was time to step things up a notch with more workout specificity and applying the skills that we focused on in day two of camp.

After we let our campers sleep in and get in a good morning meal, the first workout of the day was an endurance swim. We gave them one of those sets that if you see it on your training plan, it's much more "fun" to do with others than alone with your own thoughts.

After the swim, our campers had a little break to refuel and rest before an afternoon brick workout. The bike portion of the brick allowed our campers to work on the end of ranges for cadences with heavy gear work when climbing and high cadence work when descending. While not necessary to force/apply these end of ranges on race day, it's important to train the end of ranges as an available tool in the race day physiological resource tool box.

After the bike, it was time for a run. The run off the bike is one of our favorites and a very specific run. While the early season bricks are focused on finding form while keeping the running off the bike very short (10-15 minutes), now is the time in the season when our athletes need to be able to adjust efforts while running - without chasing a pace. The brick run was very specific to half IM racing and one that we love to use for our athletes in the weeks leading up to a race to "feel" certain race efforts.

After the brick, day 2 of training camp was complete and per tradition, it was time for our pizza party + coaches Q&A. 

Here's a recap of day 2 of camp:

8:45am-9am

• Dynamic warm-up/mobility work
• Coaches discussion on swim workout

9am-10:30am

• Swim workout at Furman University (entire pool reserved for campers)
• Endurance focus swim

2-4pm

• Bike workout applying end of ranges cadence work on a 2.5 mile rolling hill stretch of road (out and back) 
• Smooth ride back to the camp house

4-5pm

• Brick run on Swamp Rabbit Trail (staying on one stretch of road so that campers can pass by one another for support)

6-7:30pm

• Pizza party (coaches treat) from Sidewall Pizza Company
  Coach discussion/reflect on day 2 of camp
• Athlete/Coach Q&A

Here are some pics from day 2 of camp: 

Swim workout for lanes 5-6 (more experienced swimmers)

Workout for lane 4


Workout for lanes 1-3

Snapping a pic/video of our campers in action

Campers in action at the Furman Pool 

Quick stop for a pic. 


Ready for intervals.


Doogie (aka Mr. Llama) loves a visit from a passing-by cyclist. 


Run workout (two options) for off the bike.

Campers finishing off their brick run. Teamwork makes the dreams work!


This way for pizza for Trimarni athletes!

All Trimarni athletes recognize the importance of fueling/hydrating while running and always run with a hydration belt/pack. 

Pizza and salad from Sidewall!

Campy loves the camp pizza party, especially when he food "accidentally" falls into his mouth.

It's time for camp!

When I was young, I loved going to summer camp. I still have so many unforgettable moments from my many camp experiences. As I grew older, my summer camp experiences were replaced by swimming......lots and lots of swimming. There were swim practices, swim meets and even swim camp (aka "hell week"). Regardless if I was attending summer camp to improve my life skills or attending swimming camp to improve my fitness, there are so many benefits of attending a camp:

• Trying new things
• Stepping out of the comfort zone
• Discovering new strengths
• Building friendships
• Discovering the value of hard work
• Learning to take healthy risks
• Setting goals
• Being responsible 
• Being attentive 
• Teamwork
• Learning
• Improving decision making skills
• Overcoming obstacles

Every time we plan a triathlon training camp, we look forward to providing our campers with all the benefits of a training camp, like improving fitness, learning new skills, breaking bad habits and making training fun, but also providing our athletes/campers with the opportunity to escape the day-to-day responsibilities, stressors, distractions and excuses so that they can put all energy, time and focus into training. By creating good habits at camp, there's a great chance that our campers/athletes will bring those habits back home to their familiar environment in order to make better, faster and bigger gains in fitness while keeping the body in good health. And above all, we want our athletes/campers to enjoy this sport for many years to come so we hope that our training camps remind our campers/athletes how much fun the sport of triathlon can be and why all that solo training is "worth it". 

Before I start my recap of camp, I'd like to send a HUGE thank you to the following companies who provide products for our campers at the 2018 Trimarni Greenville All-Levels Triathlon training camp.

• Amrita - bars
• Base Performance - bars and hydro
• Veronica's Health Crunch
• Mg12 - balm and roll on
• Clif Bar - blocks, Luna Rice bars, gels, hydration, recovery
• Pjuractive - anti-chaffing cream
• Klean - recovery protein, BCAA, hydration
• INFINIT - sport drink
• Carbo Rocket - half evil 333 and hydration

Also a big thank you to Canari for shipping our team kits in time for camp, Furman University for letting us use the pool and track, Sidewall pizza for our Friday camp pizza party, BOCO gear for helping us design the coolest backpacks ever and to Greenville, for providing us with the perfect triathlon playground for our training camps.