Tim Don’s latest blog – Lanzarote training camp
So you have heard of the 12 days of Christmas, I have just had the 14 days of La Santa; no presents each day, just lots of hard work and (sorry) warm miles, hey they were bloody windy ones mind you. I was lucky enough to be invited on a British Federation camp, well kind of as there are always triathletes at La Santa training together avoiding the cold and snow this time of year, wow it’s been crazy stuff !!
I took my wife Kelly out and my daughter Matilda, it was here first camp and I wanted her to get some good sessions in (she is only 10 weeks old !!) So we had to plan very carefully. Turning up to a Ryan Air flight with 7 pieces of luggage can be dangerous and very expensive but we got the weight right on all the separate bits and had pre paid the rest, sorted.
The camp did not start that well as the flight was a nightmare (Matilda was a saint slept the whole way), but some people got to rowdy and well, were idiots and the police were waiting for them at the other end. What a way for them to start their holiday. Well, I have not been to La Santa since May 2000 with Lessing to get ready for Sydney; it has not changed, I think I even recognised the waiters at the pool bar !! It is such a productive place – everything is there Olympic pool, track, gym, supermarket (so expensive) and the pool bar.
It was great to hit the ground running and with Joel (Filliol) as our leader we commenced on a very good 2 weeks of training. Here is one of my rides from the second week: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61509730. I managed to get in just over 50 hours which I was most pleased about as I had had 2 chest infections since Matilda was born and except for a 2 week solid block and my adventure race in mid November (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61513388), I had not done too much.
It was good to have the nutritionist there to calm me down in the buffet after a hard days grind and in the second week the physio came out to sooth all those aches and pains from my winter miles. Also in the second week my main man LL cool Frase came out (Fraser Cartmell) to keep me sane in the wind and on my build runs along the coast; he is a top man and very talented, so thanks Frase .
The last few days were all talk about getting home in time for Christmas as the 'big freeze' had hit the UK . Fair play to Ryan Air, we were just 60min delayed and only had 40 people on our flight, result. Taxi man was there to whisk us home and living on a farm, one of the lads, Pete, had cleared the snow with the red tractor from our door and put the heating on, love that.
I have survived the family all coming over to ours for Christmas and am now heading out to Stellenbosch to get ready for the season and a good opener in Sydney WCS.
Winter miles means summer smiles.
Tim
