from Triathlon Ireland website Earlier this month, our Development Squad athletes, along with Head Coach Chris Jones, and assistant coach, Mark Dempsey, travelled To Portugal for some warm weather training. Thanks to the Sports Council of Northern Ireland for organising an excellent training opportunity for our athletes.
Please read on for a further reports…
Following on from the successful training camps in 2008, and the progress that our development squad and senior athletes are making we have now embarked on a programme of camps in 2009. As the programme progresses the introduction of squad standards has assisted in attracting new high performance athletes, and raised the general standard and awareness of what it takes to perform at world class levels. Our sport has changed dramatically at all levels, especially high performance, and we’re now joining other Irish sports on the four year road that will hopefully lead to Irish Triathletes qualifying for the London Olympiad in 2012.
The next camp, in March, takes part in one of the strong holds of our sport, Limerick, at the University.
Report on Portugal Camp – Mark Dempsey
We had barely touched down in Portugal and all bikes were assembled and a quick run before turning in for the day.
Monday
Monday morning was an early start in the pool with the following session:-
Warm up was 1,000m mixed;
Main set 400-300-200-100-50-50-100-200-300-400-400;
Cool down 500m easy;
Total distance 4,000m
After the swim was an easy ride with 2 x 20min tempo blocks, then a cool down and back to the hotel. Later that evening was a group run on the trails.
Tuesday
Tuesday morning was another early start in the pool where the group was split up in two. Aileen Morrison and Emma Davis did a step test which consisted of 7 x 200 coming in on a time decreasing by 5sec, each 200 starting off at 2:40 going on 4:00 so we could check heart rate and lactate. With these results we can get a scientific look into conditioning levels, and suggest changes to their plans.
After food and a bit of a rest it was back on the track for some of the athletes and after a 15 min warm up, stretches and some drills, 3 x 8 x200m.
Wednesday
Wednesday was the turn of the boys for some hard work in the pool. Their session was 200m flat out, David Graham & David O’Toole did a sub 2:10 and then moved onto, 5x300m. All of the 300 were done under 3:30.
After the swim, we did a session on the turbo trainers. After a warm up, the main set was 8min, then 4min, then 3min, all by 3 at heart rates that were worked out in SINI labs in the first week of January. Then a run off the bike and to finish the day we headed back to the pool in the evening for the next swim session.
Thursday
On Thursday, we split up into different groups. Emma Davis, David Graham, Brian Jenkins and Rachel Boyd did my favourite set – 55 x 100. Starting off at 1 x 100 going on 2.05 then 2 x 100 off 2.00, 3 off 1.55 right down to 10 X 100 going off 1.20. This was a very tough 5.5km set.
While the others were working hard in the pool, David O’Toole and Aileen Morrison were preparing for a track set. The way things go on these camps, once you see Declan (sports scientist from SINI) you know you’re in for some hard work. David O’Toole did 4 x 2000m and Aileen did 3 x 2000m at above threshold.
The rest of the squad then did a cycle to recover from the swim. That night there was a table quiz called a question of sport and I won! A good nights sleep beckoned in anticipation of another hard swim in the morning.
Friday
Friday morning and we were back in the pool with 24 x100m best avg going on 1:45. Most did the 100m in sub 70s, with some doing a sub 65s. A well deserved breakfast was then followed by 4hrs on the bike. The bike started off well with the sun shining and smiles all around. So off they went and half an hour into the ride a right hand turn and long ascent (of about two hours). I was waiting for someone to crack and about 1.30 hours later someone did… Aileen. Not because it was hard, but we had to tell her to stop owing to bike problems.
Saturday
Saturday was an easy session in the pool with the start of the recovery phase of the camp. An easy swim set of 500-400-300-200-100-100-200-300-400-500, followed by start, exit and swim formation practice, followed by a cool down. The afternoon session was an easy bike ride for two hours. The day was finished off by watching Ireland v France.
I would like to thank everyone at the Sports Institute Northern Ireland, especially Jo, Declan, Dee and Richard. The staff at the hotel, the swimming pool and the track. Last but not least the athletes from all the sports for a hard and enjoyable week.
Mark Dempsey
