It's coming up to that point in the year when we start planning for next year. Maybe you are thinking about attending your first training holiday? Maybe you're a serial offender and have signed up for yet another? Below you can find the less than exhaustive Tri Training Harder guide to training holiday etiquette. These suggestions will leave you fully equipped to tackle your warm weather training holiday!
1. Bring all your equipment with you
It sounds crazy, but the number of people we have had turn up without helmets, the wrong pedals, or forgotten key items like swimming costumes or shoes is actually quite high. Almost as high as the number of people putting items of clothing on backwards... Remember that the training element of your holiday will be significantly improved if you bring everything you will potentially need to the location! This is one holiday where overpacking is definitely not frowned upon - what triathlete in their right mind wouldn't want to flaunt all of their newest kit...
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| Kurt wished he had packed his swimming arms to Portugal... |
2. Bring your can–do attitude
Everyone on a training holiday is there to have fun. If it was going to be easy, you would probably hang around at home and not go, so don’t say "I can't"! You can make it to the top of the hill, you can do one more rep and you will have one more pastel nata! If you are struggling a little, chances are that you're not the only one in your group! Take comfort from this and remind yourself that you don't want to be the one in the group always moaning! Everyone knows that once you're relaxing in the spa all the struggle will be forgotten anyway!
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| It can be Foia or a 15km bike ride: everyone has their summit, the view from the top looking back at where you came from is always spectacular. |
3. To aerobar, or not to aerobar
Probably the biggest contender for this list: should I bring my bike with aerobars?! Firstly, if you are on a cycling holiday, then don’t even think about brining a tri bike or aerobars, you will more than likely be asked to ride on your own (or sit on the front the whole time). On triathlon holidays however the rules are slightly different and it is worth checking before you head out. On our holidays, we allow aerobar use only when on the front or on your own – not when in the middle of the group. This is due to safety for others and to save your own embarrassment!
4. Look the part
It may be that you are already an avid member/follower of Velominati. Following such a cult is probably a good starting point but if not, taking even a few steps in the right direction towards perfection in cycling aesthetics will most certainly make you feel more at home with a bunch of cyclists….you could even dismiss others with a disdainful look in the eye saying to them politely that they need to adhere to rule #5.
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| Dropping the motorpacer is a good look too...! |
5. Smile
Chrissie Wellington smiled to keep her mind off the pain of racing and also to put off the opposition. For your sake, it is important to smile most of the time because you never know when or how someone will pap you at an inopportune moment. It is all about trying to ensure you hold that elegance and poise that you fought so hard for in Rule 4 above.
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| Papped. |
6. Eat like crazy
I personally feel most triathletes are lying when they say they do triathlon because they enjoy the sports or the competition or the sense of achievement. It is more likely that they just like food. A lot. If there is one week in the year when you are allowed to eat lots, it is on a training holiday. That’s why the t-shirt says train, eat, sleep repeat right?!
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| Dean, having earned his "Copobanana" ice cream... Not sure what the bear is all about though?! |
7. Don’t sing. Ever. Unless you can actually sing
I didn’t want to include this one as I love my singing voice, but sadly it has come to my attention that I am the only one in 7 billion who actually does. Therefore, no matter that sea shanties got sailors through rough oceans, or soldiers used songs when on gruelling marching, Philip or other equally gifted singers may not sing on any ride or run to keep morale high. If, however, your name is Adelle then you are more than welcome to serenade the peloton.
8. Be supportive of others…unless they are better than you.
We’ve all been a beginner, we have all been the one struggling at the back of the group wishing everyone would slow down. Keep peoples morale high by giving them a chance to keep up. You have no idea how much that would mean to them coming from someone they perceive as being significantly better. Generally speaking we split our groups up so that doesn’t usually happen, but if you are doing intervals in the same place, give everyone a big cheer.
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| Coach Ed demonstrating extensive sympathy and encouragement. |
9. Don’t treat every session as a competition
It is really simple – you are here to train. Training is training, not a competition. The first person home on the training holiday, does not mean they will be the first over the line at Kona. Complete the session as you are instructed – you will get more out of the week. No one likes a show off…unless they then have a comeuppance!
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| Relax and enjoy yourself...who knows you may find yourself ahead of the super keenos! |
10. Make the most of being out on training holiday
You are in a 5-star training environment and you are doing training with some expert coaches and a great group of people who will bring some interesting thoughts and experiences. Use this as a way to make new friends and potentially training buddies going forwards.
See you in the sun.