Week 1: Training Camp

This week marked the start of my first ever training camp. For 2 weeks I have headed away with the Northern Irish team to prepare for the Commonwealth Games. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I don’t go away from home often, but when the training set up is perfect where I’m going, I know I will be happy.

Eat sleep train repeat.
Don’t get me wrong, my life on a daily basis at home is training orientated. My whole day is structured around training. However, it also comes with having to fit in daily life jobs, which can be more stressful than you realise and also take up quite a lot of time. I also spend a lot of time in the car driving from home to training locations. Going away for a training camp has erased all of that. I have continued to work remotely, but all the life jobs and travel time has been erased. The track, gym, run routes, physio and everything else you can image is on the doorstep. This means I can also focus on recovery. As soon as a session is done I can hop in an ice bath and start recovering without the delay of travelling. If I need a nap, I have time to nap. Not having to travel also allows me to maximise the amount of sleep I’m getting as I don’t need to wake up super early.

Super-friendly people with the same goals.
Living in the middle of nowhere, I am used to training solo, which I love, but the lack of other athletes also means there is a lack of people trying to achieve the same thing. For this reason, the training we have to put in to get to where we want can seem a bit crazy to some. Being surrounded by athletes all working towards the Commonwealth Games, all with the desire to give their best ever performance, and all guided by training, makes training that bit easier. It is lovely to be able to share the journey with others in a similar boat.

Amazing facilities.
At home we are very lucky to have access to some great facilities. The gyms and the track are all of a decent standard. However, being at a location where the facilities are the driving force means they are going to be impeccable. There is everything you need and more. This takes all the usual stress associated with going abroad. Most of the time you are unsure whether the place you are heading has all you need, and it can mean hitting a few of your usual things on the head. However, there is zero stress of that here because EVERY piece of equipment I could need is here.

Ultimately, training camps are not the be all and end all. They are not going to make you any better just by going away. Hard work is hard work wherever you are. However, the ease of training and focus they provide can be immensely beneficial. If you get the opportunity to head away training, go for it! A training camp is the least stressful trip abroad, because it has everything you could possibly need!