<?xml version="1.0"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Travel - Tri247</title><link>http://www.tri247.com/index.html</link><description>Latest travel articles from Tri247</description><item><title><![CDATA[Desperate for an Ironman New York slot?]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_9257.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Although the event sold out in less than ten minutes Nirvana are offering complete packages which include a guaranteed entry. The cost of the entry is &pound;1,105 and they also need a &pound;50 deposit towards the accommodation package that you select. Their official event hotel is the Sheraton at &pound;225 per room per night or the Novotel in Times Square at &pound;185 per night - both have a JFK transfer charge of &pound;35.

Nirvana can also arrange flights for you and deal with the bike carriage as part of the package. For more details see their website or email mail@nirvanaeurope.com]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kinetic PB launch Tri Lodge training camp in Andalucia, Spain]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8973.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Details here of what looks like a very interesting new option for overseas, year-round warm weather training in Europe. Introducing... Kinetic PB.

Kinetic PB  (www.kinecticpb.com) is delighted to announce the official launch of their Tri Lodge training camp  venue in Cuevas del Almanzora, Almeria, Andalucia, Southern Spain.
&amp;ldquo;Our launch  is significant for all clubs and European athletes,&amp;rdquo; said Oliver Watts,  co-founder of Kinetic PB, &amp;ldquo;as we believe that we have the best swimming,  cycling and running training location in Europe. The climate in this region is  fantastic, being the warmest, driest and sunniest location in the whole of  continental Europe.&amp;rdquo;


The venue  was originally built in 2004 for the rowing and canoeing events of the 2005  Mediterranean games. The spectacular setting was completed with a budget of  &amp;euro;14.5m and has now been developed into a training lodge and event centre for  triathletes, cyclists and swimmers by Kinetic PB.
&amp;ldquo;We have  taken great care to choose the very best location for professional and aspiring  athletes who wish to train all year round. The venue was purposely built for  excellence and we will be continually enhancing the site,&amp;rdquo; added Watts.
The Tri  Lodge swimming channel is particularly impressive. An enormous 1,150m long and  115m wide offering controlled environment swimming. There are multiple buoys providing  courses for open water drills. This is supported by the Kinetic PB 25m indoor  pool and the nearby Mediterranean Sea.
Cycling in  Almeria is already recognised as one of the best places to train and offers a  complete range of challenging rides.
Within the  Tri Lodge facility, athletes can expect;

  Onsite timing system for races and training
  25m indoor pool (1.8m - 2.4m deep) 
  1150m open water swimming channel
  Transition zone
  Running and cycling routes (on and off road)
  Tri Lodge with massage room, stretching zone, meeting room,  dormitories, kitchen, lounge and changing facilities
  Corporate training facilities

Kinetic PB  has launched an impressive programme for 2012 which includes training camps  with Tanja Slater&amp;rsquo;s &amp;lsquo;Up and Active&amp;rsquo; and Tridynamic&amp;rsquo;s Andaluc&iacute;an camp with Joe  Friel. The 2012 Kinetic PB race event schedule provides everything from regular  multisport challenges to the open water swimming series along the beautiful  Almeria coast line. Swimming time trials in the lake and underwater video analysis  all add to the experience. 
Motorway  links make the site easily accessible, approximately 50 minutes from Almeria  airport, 80 minutes from Murcia and two hours from Alicante.
www.kinecticpb.com                    
Contact: Oliver Watts (info@kineticpb.com)
Telephone  +447976 275503]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tri Dynamic announce 2012 camps with Joe Friel]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8908.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Martin Boddie has been in touch to let us know that Tri Dynamic have announced their new series  of maximum personal attention triathlon training camps with Coaching Legend Joe Friel . Last year Tri Dynamic  organised a series of successful camps with the author of the Triathlete&amp;rsquo;s  Training Bible and Going Long in Scottsdale, Arizona, Tenerife, Barcelona and  the Official IM Switzerland Training Camp. On some of the camps athletes were  lucky enough to meet some of the super stars of triathlon including Alistair  Brownlee, Lisa Norden, Ronnie Schildknecht, Renata Bucher and Elite ITU Coach  Darren Smith. To get an idea of the amazing training and experiences on a Tri  Dynamic Camp check out their Gallery.
2012 Tri Dynamic Joe Friel Triathlon Camp  Line up:
Joe  Friel Andaluc&amp;iacute;a Triathlon Camp, March 17th-24th at  Kinetic PB experience the top class training facilities, rowing lake and  amazing riding in the sunshine.
  Joe  Friel Girona Triathlon Training Camp, April 21st-28th&amp;nbsp; stay in a  beautiful traditional detached villa in the heart of the perfect for cycling  Girona countryside.
  Joe  Friel Italian Triathlon Training Camp, May 12th-19th with  Special Guest Gordo Byrn + option to ride in Gran Fondo Nove Colli.
Joe Friel will be present at each workout, leading all the  rides and giving evening classroom sessions and Q&amp;amp;A sessions on a range of  triathlon related topics including pacing, nutrition, bike fit, training and  racing as well as analysing the swim stroke and running form of all  participants. He will be supported by top TrainingBible Coaching UK coaches Rob Griffiths, Mark Tickner and Will Newbery.

The first Tri Dynamic Joe Friel camp of 2012 will take place  in Andaluc&amp;iacute;a, SE Spain from 17th-24th  March 2012, based at Kinetic  PB. Pool and open water sessions , transition  practice and running intervals on the onsite trails will be based at this state  of the art facility in Cuevas del Almanzora which has a purpose built 1150m open  water lake, permanent transition area and on site chip timing system. It is  perfectly located with stunning rides on deserted roads and trail runs on the  doorstep taking in the beautiful Andaluc&amp;iacute;a countryside and coastline. Athletes  will stay in a 4* resort in spacious luxuriously appointed townhouses or detached  villas with their own pools, kitchens, living areas and dining spaces. Perfect  for families or larger groups, the villas can sleep up to 8 people and come  with their own pools, fully equipped kitchen, roof terraces and dining  room.&amp;nbsp; 
The second Joe Friel camp will take place in and around the  cycling mecca of Girona from April 21st-28th 2012. Tri Dynamic has  secured exclusive use of Girona Cycling where you will stay in a beautiful  detached stone villa with large spacious en suite rooms and its own 25m pool.&amp;nbsp; With access to some of the most stunning riding  and running in the world it&amp;rsquo;s no surprise why so many Professional cyclists  live in this area. You will have the opportunity to ride a local favourite, the  13.8km climb up to Rocacorba with an average gradient of 8.6%. Open water swims  will take place at a beautiful lake close by and meals will be provided by a  professional sports nutritionist throughout the week.
The third Joe Friel camp will take place in Riccione, Northern Italy from 12th-19th  May 2012. Athletes will be able to enjoy the wealth of cycling options  from the flat rides in and around the charming coastal towns, right up to the  lofty heights of the Barbotto Pass and the climb up to the Garfagnana Milestone.  Pool swims will take place in a beautiful 50m pool and open water sessions in  the Mediterranean Sea. The area is known for its great food and beautiful and  challenging riding. There is also the enticing option of extending the camp by  a few days to take part in the Gran  Fondo Nove Colli. Co-author of &amp;lsquo;Going Long&amp;rsquo;, former World Ultraman Champion  and founder of Endurance Corner, Gordo  Byrn will also be giving a talk to the athletes one evening to make this an  even more remarkable experience for the athletes.
For more information on the camps and to take advantage of the early booking  discount book before OCT 6th or visit www.tridynamic.co.uk or email info@tridynamic.co.uk 
Follow Tri Dynamic on Twitter and Facebook
Follow Joe Friel&amp;rsquo;s  Blog
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Anatomy of a Training Camp]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8516.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Earlier this season we brought you the toughts of top triathlon coach Steve Trew on how to choose a training camp. 
Following up on that, here we bring you the thoughts of top Age Group long distance athlete John Franklin on the elements that have made his recent training camp so positive. John has returned recently from two weeks in France at Tri-topia (www.tri-topia.com), the venue we first sent him to in 2009 to review (check that HERE). He enjoyed it so much that first time he has been back several times under his own steam since, and has now clocked up 10 weeks there over the past 18 months or so.
Did it work? Well, he won the Marshman Middle Distance Triathlon on Sunday (!),  but the objective here is to outline some of the key elements John has learned from his training camp experiences, whether you are at the front of the field or making your first steps into the sport to make the most of your time away while training hard. 

The Anatomy of a  Training Camp
            I have just  returned from another fantastic couple of weeks at Tri-topia (www.tri-topia.com). Unlike last year I  was working within a much shorter time frame and needed to get the biggest  &quot;bang for my buck&quot; possible in 14 days of training. For those at the pointy end  of age group racing, training camps provide a vital opportunity to train like  professionals (even if only for a week or two at a time), and log some big  mileage with even bigger recovery. 
I shared my time there with a whole  spectrum of people from complete novices to those looking to improve in their  second season of racing and athletes who wanted to rediscover their love for  the sport which had, for one reason or another, been lying dormant for some  time. At the end of each day it was enlightening to listen to everyone&#039;s  experiences and not only did we all learn something from each other but it made  me realise that the ingredients for a successful camp are broadly the same  whether you&#039;re hoping to complete your first sprint distance race or aiming for  sub-9 at an Ironman (I&#039;ll manage it one day!).
Challenge
  We all have limiters  in our daily lives; time is the most obvious one, be it through work, family or  social life we all have commitments which must take precedent over what is  basically a hobby. Sometimes motivation is lacking and for the city dwellers  amongst us basic geography can limit what is possible. A training camp is a  place where all of these limiters ought to be shed allowing you to really push  what you thought was possible. This can mean anything from your first open  water swim, your longest ever ride or run or backing up your typical weekend  workload for days without let up. During my two week stay, without exception,  everyone managed something they hadn&#039;t done before with the support of the  group and the help of Lee, Sam, Oli and Amy.
  
  Structure
  From beginner to  expert everyone at Tri-topia had a plan. I came with one courtesy of Alan &quot;the  sadist&quot; Couzens but other guests were provided with one on arrival. For some  people it was the first time they&#039;d followed a plan rather than just doing what  they felt like (which invariably meant a lot of one sport and not much of the  other two). The structure provided people with a focus and targets and meant  that after the week there was something to show for their efforts.
  Recovery and Nutrition
  I  love food and Lee&#039;s cooking is one of the reasons I keep heading back to France  but it&#039;s also the key stone when you&#039;re putting together the biggest training  block of your season. For me this meant 30-hour weeks (which I&#039;m happy to say  meant I could stuff myself with French bread and Nutella until I turned into a  baguette), but for those who were breaking into double figures for the first  time rest and relaxation when not training is just as important. Regardless of  experience, we all enjoyed our down time and cooling off in the Endless Pool  when the mercury topped 30 degrees.
  Enjoyment
  The main thing  everyone I met had in common is that we were on a training camp by choice, in  our precious holiday, for fun... and it showed. Despite everyone enduring tough  sessions the passion for the sport (fostered as always by Lee), shone through  even the most painful grimace. In the 10 weeks I&#039;ve spent at TriTopia since my  first visit in 2009 I have had the privilege of meeting some amazing people who  through their thoughts and actions have motivated me to go out and strive to be  the best athlete I can be. Even when my own passion is flagging (as it  inevitably does when you&#039;re suffering the chaffage of several thousand pedal  rotations in a chamois you failed to break in), seeing people who had never  complete a triathlon finish a sprint distance training session or watching a  first time open water swimmer finish 1km made me suck it up and smile while I  pushed my body through another 100 miles on the bike (thanks again Alan!).
  
  The race season is nearly here but regardless of how my season pans out,  I, like the majority of my fellow guests, will be heading back to TriTopia in  2012 for more.]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Choosing a Training Camp]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_8028.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Are you looking to get away for a week or two and get some traning done in the sun? How do you go about choosing your training camp and location? 
Steve Trew has been involved in triathlon for, well, a long time - and has been a participant and organiser of triathlon camps for just as long - and your Editor can vouch, from plenty of experience of them, that &#039;fun&#039; is an integral part of anything Steve organises.
With so many options out there, Steve has put his experiences together to give you a checklist for choosing a training camp, and strongly suggests that you &#039;do your homework first&#039;! 

The dream is of course...to be a pro! To be a full time triathlete,  all that time, all that freedom, all that training, and all that precious  resting time.
And then the reality hits in... up at 5.30am for the 6 o&#039;clock swim  session before rushing to the station to get you into work for 8.30. Grabbing  your breakfast on the gallop, lunchtime running, on the turbo as soon as you  get home. Fitting in the training whenever and wherever you can.
And always, always, always... that feeling of being tired.
Well, you can change; maybe not forever but certainly for that magic  amount of time when you dare to dream the dream. And how does it work? How can  you reach this magical status? Early retirement sounds pretty good... but you do  have to be a certain age to go for that!
The other, and the best option? The warm weather training camp!

Warm weather camps have been running for such a long time that I even  remember going on them when I was an athlete - and that really is a long time  ago. My first camp was back in 1984 in sunny Ibiza  and I simply loved it, the whole thing. Early morning sea swim, back for  breakfast, run session, lunch and a rest then a long bike ride and finally back  in the water to finish off the day (well, apart from the trips down to the  restaurants for copious amounts of food and wine).
And now, twenty five years on, the British triathlete is almost spoilt  for choice.  Club La Santa in Lanzarote, Cesanatico in Italy, Malta, the South of  France, the Balearic islands; even South Africa or Australia for the  adventurous. You choose, you pay, you go, you train.
So, assuming you&#039;ve made the decision to go warm weather training, what  should you look for? Venue, coaches, travelling time, reputation, cost (of  course!) how long the camp and coaches have been doing the camp, what other  athletes who have been say about it, how many athletes go back to the same  camp. There is no advertising as good as word of mouth and if one of your  training buddies raves about a particular camp then they&#039;re probably worth  listening to!
Costs
This is certainly one of the most important factors to consider, and  while I wouldn&#039;t say &quot;go for the cheapest!&quot; I would advise you to look closely  at what the cost of any camp includes and what are likely to be the cost of any  extras. The main break-down of costing will be travel (normally flight) and  accommodation, food, and training and coaching. So let&#039;s have a closer look at  these.
Travel
Is this included in the cost? You may think that &#039;yes&#039; is the obvious  answer, but you&#039;d be surprised at the number of camps that don&#039;t include travel  costs, insisting that it is cheaper for the athlete to book them themselves as  there are so many low cost airlines and bargain flights available. Well maybe,  maybe it is; but personally I&#039;d rather have the total package included. 
And if you&#039;re travelling from anywhere else but the four London airports, can you  fly direct? Do you need to get down or up to London? Is there a supplement from regional  airports? How much is the parking fee at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton  or Stansted if you decide to drive to the departure airport?
Do travel costs include transfers to and from the training venue? Again,  you would assume &#039;yes&#039;. But I have black memories of forking out fifteen pounds  to be taken from the airport to a well-known camp.
What about the bike? Airline prices normally have a hold baggage limit  of either 15 or 20 kg per person; a racing bike in a case or padded  bag will usually add up to a grand total in excess of that. How much is the  extra? Thirty pounds each way? Reasonable, I think. Sixty pounds each way? Not  so reasonable, or does the airline charge you per kg in excess of your  permitted limit? This could add up to serious money!
Is it viable to hire a bike at the camp? On one trip last year, I was  delighted to pay out 60 euros (around &amp;pound;50) for a superb bike in my size rather  than pay the &amp;pound;60 airline supplement and also have the hassle of taking the bike  to and from the airport in Britain, putting together and taking apart and  cleaning at the end of the camp. Of course, for the experienced triathlete  there&#039;s nothing like your own bike, but if you&#039;re quite new to the sport and  the camp you&#039;re attending has a good reputation then maybe a hire bike is a consideration.
Food and accommodation
Will you be staying in a hotel or in apartments? Is food provided or is  it self-catering? All these options have plusses and negatives, what you must  find out before parting with your hard-earned money is just what is included. 
It&#039;s nice to go out every evening and eat in different restaurants... it  can also be as expensive as you make it! Budgeting around &amp;pound;12 to &amp;pound;15 each  evening is certainly not extravagant but is entirely realistic in most training  camps/resorts, perhaps even a little more, so a two week camp adds on around &amp;pound;200.  Breakfast at, what say? &amp;pound;5 per head? Well, you&#039;re looking at the best part of &amp;pound;300  on top of the advertised price. Find out exactly what is included before you go!

Or, do you prefer to have breakfast and dinner supplied as part of the  package and just snack at lunchtime? My personal preference (and, to be honest,  this has changed with my advancing years...) is to have a self-service  breakfast on-site for when you&#039;ve finished the early morning session, and to  have the knowledge that after the day&#039;s training, you need only to edge those  aching limbs down one flight of stairs into the hotel restaurant where you&#039;ve  already decided on your meal by choosing from the menu the night before. 
Lunch can be a little more difficult. As it is entirely likely that  you&#039;ll be out on the bike most days, I wouldn&#039;t advise having lunch as part of  your package price. But, maybe the hotel or camp organisers will provide  something to take out with you? Again, find out before you pay and go!
Facilities
Is there a swimming pool on site? How many lanes, four, six, eight? How  big is it? 25 metres, 50 metres? Or is it a &#039;hotel&#039; sized pool with little  chance of doing a proper session? Is the pool always going to be available or  will you have to share it with holiday makers to whom the very idea of training  is anathema? Will you need to travel to the swimming pool? And if so, do you  have to pay to get in? How warm is the sea or lake going to be when you train?  Do you need to take wetsuits (extra luggage, extra weight, maybe extra cost)?

What about the roads? Is the country cycling friendly? As a rider on a  bike in Italy,  you are strictly first class! Some countries less so... Flat or hilly terrain?  Will you have vehicle support at least on those long rides - bonking two hours  away from the hotel is not to be recommended! What safety aspects are there,  particularly for riding? Will you be supplied with maps of the local area? Do  these maps give course profiles as well as distances? 
Is there a chance of being instructed on technical handling skills for  which you&#039;ll need a quiet area of some sort. Will technical support be  provided? If you&#039;re a novice it&#039;s great to have somebody on hand to help you  put the bike together and check everything before you start riding.
And what about running? Do you have access to a track? (or maybe you  don&#039;t want a track). Are there woods and forest trails to run through and along?  Is the camp very near to a beach so that you can enjoy (?!) running on the sand?  Again, as with cycling, will you be able to do some hill and resistance  training? Or will you be stuck with running along tarmacced roads?
Does the hotel or apartment block have a gym or fitness centre? Find out  before you go!

Coaching and Coaches
Perhaps the most important aspect! How good are the coaches on the camp?  Which athletes have they coached? Do they have a good reputation? Can they  coach athletes of all standards or do they specialise with elite athletes,  juniors, age-groupers, novices? The expertise of the coach is crucially  important to your enjoyment of the camp and the memories that you will take  away. Don&#039;t be afraid to phone up and ask the organisers or the coaches exactly  what they will do, how they will plan the sessions, how much you&#039;ll be expected  to do as an athlete.
Will the coaches have time to sit down and talk to you? One of the most  valuable aspects is just that, people who have time! 
How many coaches for how many athletes? What is the coach/athlete ratio -  one to ten, one to fifteen... Or more than that? How much input will you be  given for your needs? Will you be valued for yourself, whatever your standard,  or will you be one of twenty or thirty money providers? 
What is the standard of the other athletes going on the camp? Will you  be completely out of your depth when the world&#039;s best turn up, or will you be  so much better than everyone else there that you&#039;re wasting your time and  money?
The BIG question!
Will you enjoy it? Will you have a laugh? Will you come away a better  triathlete?
A huge part of going away on training camp is the friends you make, the  memories you take away, the dinners with too much wine, the silly jokes, the  singing of old songs at the top of your voice when you get to the top of a  mountain which had seemed impossible just thirty minutes before. Find out from  people who&#039;ve gone on previous camps just what you&#039;re letting yourself in for.
Finally. Be brave! Going on a training camp for the first time takes a  lot of guts and determination. You&#039;re going to put yourself on the line with  some people whom you&#039;ve never met before, whose standard you don&#039;t know. 

  
  
    
    
  

It&#039;s not easy - not for the first time anyway - but when you&#039;ve made that  step, when you realise after a couple of days that you&#039;re having the best time  of your life; that the pain and the hurt and the sweat and the odd tear are  really quite good fun... the shared disasters, the mishaps and, of course, the  good times. That PB in the pool, the first 50 mile bike ride, the open water  swim round the buoy 400 metres off shore... and you did it! You really did it!  Warm weather training camps? Oh yeah.
So what do you get from it?
Vitally important, of course, exactly what benefits will you get from  the camp? Sure, you&#039;ll come back fitter  (and maybe you&#039;ll even stick to those  resolutions of training harder!), but to me, the real benefits are how good a  trip away makes you feel. Physically, to have the sun on your back, to be in an  outdoor pool, to be running or cycling in shorts rather than being huddled up  in warm clothing against the cold and the rain will ensure that you get more  out of your training.
But even more important than that - but very much tied into it - is how  good you feel about yourself! Going away on camp makes you realise why you  started triathlon; the absolute buzz you get when the swim stroke suddenly  catches, when you realise that you&#039;ve been out on the bike for four hours and  you&#039;re still singing, when someone says, &quot;we&#039;ll fartlek it back to camp for the  next thirty minutes&quot; and you agree without even thinking about it. They&#039;re the  reasons why camps make sense, and that&#039;s exactly why they&#039;re so much fun. Go  on, sign up!
Steve Trew
(Steve Trew organises training camps in Great   Britain and Italy, he can be contacted on trew@personalbest.demon.co.uk)
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Joe Friel Tri Camp report]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_6937.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Martin  Boddie from Sports Tours International has been in contact with his report  from the SOLD OUT Joe Friel Middle &amp;amp; Long Distance Tri Camp which took  place recently in Mallorca. 

20  lucky campers escaped the wintry grasp of their home nations on board planes  that were not troubled by clouds of volcanic ash back at the end of March bound  for the sunnier climbs of Mallorca and the Joe Friel Middle &amp;amp; Long Distance  Camp. 
The location and weather for the camp were ideal although it had actually  snowed the previous week! The camp was at Club Pollencia on the North of the  Island. Camp participants had come from all over the world including the USA,  UK, Norway, Germany and Spain to learn from Joe Friel and his team. The  legendary Joe Friel was leading the week&#039;s coaching and he was supported by his  Head TrainingBible.com Coach, Jim Vance who is also a USA Triathlon Level II  Coach. 
Jim Vance is an Ironman PRO who as an age grouper won ITU World and  XTERRA World Championships. Jim originally started out racing Elite Olympic  distance events but then got injured and decided what any sensible triathlete  would do given the choice by his doctors of a lengthy lay off or go `longer and  slower`. So he entered IM Florida in 2006 and came third overall in his first Ironman!  His IM PB is 8:37:09. 
During  the week Joe and Jim gave a number of really useful classroom  seminars on the principles of Ironman racing, nutrition, training as well as  numerous swim, bike and run work outs honing athletes&#039; skills for their  upcoming races this season. The campers also featured several race simulation  activities including `real open water swimming manners` where everyone isn&#039;t as  polite as in your typical training session and how to cope with that. The camp  also covered bike handling skills, cornering and descending skills, climbing,  cadence and run technique drills. Each participant also benefitted from having  their swim stroke videoed and analysed with Jim Vance featuring an under water  camera which was very useful. There were a number of race simulation TTs  including one racing up a mountain to a Monastery and a long out-and-back TT to  simulate the Ironman bike leg. Several mountain goats were also passed with caution  as the group climbed up into the mountains! 

There  were also a few very special occasions on the camp. There was a 40th and 50th  birthday, you know who you are! Plus there was a couple from America called  Bill Herbert and Denise Goode, who had actually only just recently  married prior to the Camp and so the Joe Friel Camp was actually their  honeymoon! Bill is a heart surgeon and Denise is an ER nurse. Their eyes met  across the not so romantic medical tent at IM Hawaii and the rest is history!  They came on the camp in preparation for Ironman Lake Placid. So congratulations to  you both. 

Commenting  on the Camp Joe Friel said, &amp;quot;Overall the camp was a great success and  everyone went away having learned a lot, improved their fitness and also made  some good friends during their time in Mallorca. Good luck to everyone for your  races and the season ahead.&amp;quot;  
Summing  up the Camp Jim Vance said `I really enjoyed working with all the athletes  during this week. It was a fantastic group of people who were open to learning  and they bonded really well as a group. I could see some real improvements in  everyone at all levels of ability.` 
For  more info on Joe Friel 
www.trainingbible.comwww.joefrielsblog.com

For  more info on Jim Vance 
http://coachvance.blogspot.com/search/label/camps 

For  more info on Sports Tours International 
    www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk
  or  call 0044 161 703 8161 
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[World Championships Series signs official Travel Partner]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_6638.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Upsolut sports UK ltd and The Dextro Energy  Triathlon ITU World Championship London has signed up Sports Tours International  as its Official Travel Partner in a move that offers top-class support to  triathletes and their supporters on their journey to the season&amp;rsquo;s iconic event  in the UK, and to Upsolut events worldwide.
Established over 30 years ago, Sports Tours International is one of the UK&amp;rsquo;s  largest specialist sports travel companies, taking thousands of participants  and spectators to sports events around the world, including the ING New York  City Marathon, l&amp;rsquo;Etape du Tour and the Tour de France.
Triathletes in the UK and Ireland will be offered travel and accommodation  packages to the London event which takes place in Hyde Park on July 24 and 25th  and which will enjoy live TV coverage as the world&amp;rsquo;s best battle for titles  alongside members of the public who will seek to achieve their best in the  unique setting of the 2012 Olympic venue.
In a deal brokered by Upsolut Sports UK Ltd, Sports Tours International will  also become the travel partner for UK and Ireland residents wishing to compete  at the WCS Hamburg triathlon, the Vattenfall Cyclassics and the Skoda Berlin  Velethon until 2013.
&amp;ldquo;The signing of Sports Tours International offers us a proven partner in an  important sector. &amp;nbsp;We need to know that all the excitement of competing in  one of the world&amp;rsquo;s best events is backed by sound travel and accommodation  logistics&amp;rdquo;, said James Robinson Commercial Director of Upsolut Sports UK Ltd  today.
Commenting on the association Sports Tours International Chief Executive Chris  Bird said, &amp;ldquo; We are delighted to be associated with Upsolut and their iconic  events for the next 3 years. London will offer us an ideal platform to launch  our association and our international travel services to competitors and  spectators alike. Triathlon, cycling and running are at the very heart of what  we are about and we look forward to taking care of the travel needs of  competitors at every level. 
Accommodation packages for the Dextro Energy  Triathlon ITU World Championships London will be based at a number of nearby  hotels in a variety of price brackets (from &amp;pound;95 sharing a twin room, for one  night, or two nights for &amp;pound;159), and will include the services of experienced  Sports Tours International staff.
For more details visit: www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk
Meanwhile, entries for the 2010 event in Hyde Park continue to fill up.  &amp;nbsp;For further details on entries visit:  www.triathlon-wcs-london.org]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[2010 training camp directory]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_6391.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[With so many great training camps taking place around the world and at home, the 2010 Tri247 Training Camp Directory is bigger than ever. The top international spot without doubt is Club La Santa (pictured above) in Lanzarote. With guaranteed sunshine nearly all year round, and everything you need on site, it&#039;s no wonder that triathletes from all over Europe flock to the highly popular training destination year in year out. That said though, there are of course many different options and we hope you&#039;ll enjoy having a look through our comprehensive directory.

The directory is arranged by provider rather than in date order. Hopefully we have captured everyone but if there&#039;s a course or a provider that we have missed, please let us know at editor@tri247.com.



Blue Water Training Camps
w:&amp;nbsp; www.bluewatertrainingcamps.co.uk&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@bluewatertrainingcamps.co.uk

Mallorca

  TBC
  TBC
  TBC
  



British Duathlon
w:&amp;nbsp; www.britishduathlon.org &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@britishduathlon.org

Emberton / Olney, Bucks. 

  Weekend duathlon camps run regularly from January through to August - for all details check the british duathlon website.


  

Club La Santa
w:&amp;nbsp; www.clublasanta.co.uk&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; eventweeks@clublasanta.com
Also check out the dedicated Tri247 Club La Santa section. 
Lanzarote

  January 21 &ndash; January 28: Phil Price/Stephan Vuckovic duathlon training camp
  January 28 &ndash; February 2: Tanja Slater and team women only triathlon training camp
  February 4 &ndash; February 11: Joe Beer and team sprint/Olympic distance triathlon training camp
  February 11 &ndash; February 18: Robin Brew Olympic distance and IM Lanzarote triathlon training camp
  February 25 &ndash; March 4: Richard Hobson long distance camp
  February 26 &ndash; March 12: Ain-Alar Juhanson/Phil Price and team long distance triathlon training camp
  April 22 &ndash; May 6: Richard Hobson Volcano triathlon training camp
  April 22 - April 29: Phil Price beginners triathlon training camp
  May 13 - May 20: Phil Price and Rose Jones Ironman Lanzerote pre-race camp
  May 27 - June 3: Robin Brew Olympic and long distance triathlon training camp
  June 10 - June 24: Phil Price long distance triathlon training camp



Girona Cycling
w:&amp;nbsp; www.gironacycling.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; fiona@gironacycling.com

Girona/Spain

  February 13 - February 20: Early season cycling camp 
  February 20 - February 27: Early Season triathlon camp
  March 6 - March 13: Long distance triathlon camp  
  March 14 - March 21: Mountain bike camp 
  March 21 - March 28: Middle distance triathlon training camp 
  April 3 - April 10: Easter training camp 
  April 18 - April 24: Cycing Training camp 
  April 24 - May 1: Middle distance triathlon training camp 
  May 8 - May 15: Long Distance Triathlon Camp 
  May 16 - May 23: Tour of Catalunya Cycling Camp 
  May 30 - June 6: Beginners Triathlon Camp 
  June 14 - June 21: Golden Bike Cyclosportive Camp 
  June 28 - July 5: Banyoles Cyclosportive Camp
  July 4 - July 11: Tour de France Camp (Only 6 places left) 
  July 24 - July 31: Dali - Gaudi triathlon Camp 
  August 14 - August 21: Long distance triathlon camp 
  August 29 - August 5: Olympic distance race camp and Medieval Festival
  September 20 - September 27: Middle Distance Triathlon Race Camp 


Janet Whiting
w: www.janet-whiting.com e: jan@whiting1.plus.com
Tidworth Leisure Centre/Wiltshire

  April 10 - 11: Ladies only training weekend/triathlon training


  
Les Stables
w:&amp;nbsp; www.les-stables.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@les-stables.com

Dordogne/France

  Courses start from May through to September and run every week from Wednesday to Wednesday

 

Nice2Tri and RichardAllenFitness 
w:&amp;nbsp; www.richardallenfitness.com &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; booking@richardallenfitness.com

Malaga - Spain

  May 30 - June 23: Triathlon training camp (with Richard Allen)
  September 26 - October 18: Triathlon training camp (with James Stuart)




Outlaw Triathlon training camps (run by Simon Ward)

w:&amp;nbsp; www.onestepbeyond.org.uk &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; e:info@onestepbeyond.org.uk

Holme Pierrepont

March 21: Long distance triathlon training camp
May 16: Long distance triathlon training camp



Pyrenees Multisport
w:&amp;nbsp; www.pryeneesmultisport.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; ian@pyreneesmultisport.com

French Pyrenees

  April 24 - April 30: Calella triathlon camp (Costa Brava Spain)
  July 24 - July 31: Iron camp
  August 1 - August 8: Iron camp



Richard Hobson triathlon coaching
w:&amp;nbsp; www.triliving.co.uk&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; richardhobson@triliving.co.uk

Club La Santa/Lanzarote
  February 25 &ndash; March 4: Long distance triathlon training camp
  March 4 - March 11: Richard Hobson with Ful-on-tri triathlon camp (open to everyone)
  April 22 - May 3: The Volcano Triathlon Camp/triathlon training
 

La Garenne/France

  April 4 - April 11: Bike and run week
  September - November: Late Season Camps/triathlon training (dates to be confirmed) 



Sancture Sportifs
w:  www.sancture-sportifs.com e: sancture.sportifs@wanadoo.fr
French training base, located in the sanctuary of the Pyrenees Orientales.
Sancture Sportifs  offer athletes fully coached and supported triathlon training camps  at the same affordable prices all year round on B&amp;amp;B, HB or FB basis. No  minimum group size; flexible arrival and departure days; airport transfers (Girona or Perpignan); bike hire; bike fitting; individualized monthly training  plans... and much more.

Sport Active

w:&amp;nbsp; www.sportactive.net&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@sportactive.nete:&amp;nbsp; 

Spain/Mallorca

  March 31 - April 9 : Triathlon Camp/triathlon coaching and training in all disciplines 


Steve Trew - Personal Best Training Camps 
 e: trew@personalbest.demon.co.uk
Cesenatico/Italy

  May 11 - May 25: Triathlon training camp (one or two weeks available)



The Base Camps
w:&amp;nbsp; www.thebasecamps.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; train@thebasecamps.com 

Ambleside/Cumbria

  January 22 - January 24: Base Camp 15 Endurance weekend/base endurance triathlon training 
  March 19 - March 21: Base Camp 15 Endurance weekend/base endurance triathlon training 
  April 16 - April 18: Base Camp 15 Endurance weekend/base endurance triathlon training 



The trilife
w:&amp;nbsp; www.thetrilife.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@theTriLife.com

Provence/France

  May 29 - June 5 The Trilife in Provence/Triathlon training 


Aylesford/Kent, Bridgend/Wales and Surrey
Dates TBC


Triathlon Europe 
w:&amp;nbsp; www.triathloneurope.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; triathloneurope@gmail.com
One-Day Training camps (Details) 

January 31 - Richmond Pools on the Park

More one-day-camp dates TBC
Altitude Training Camps, Chamonix (Details) 
The accommodation is based  around a luxury chalet set in the heart of Chamonix which makes it ideal for our   training requirements and many&amp;nbsp;other relaxation and holiday   pursuits.

May 9 - May 15: Olympic and middle distance training camp
May 16  - May 22: Middle distance and Ironman training camps
July 7 - July 14: - Tour de France week


  

Tri-Topia
w:&amp;nbsp; www.tri-topia.com&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp;lee@tri-topia.com

Loire Valley, France
Tri-topia offers a relaxed and comfortable training environment in rural countryside and natural park with plenty of open water lakes. Facilities include gym, sauna and endless pool. Holidays tailor made to suit, fully inclusive and nutritious with much of the ingredients coming straight off the allotment and cooked to a high standard. Families welcome. Affordable prices. Use them as a base or take up one of their specific training weeks. Check out this profile. 

  May 22 - May 29: Ironman training camps
  More dates to be announced

  Enquire about other training weeks&amp;nbsp;to be formed to suit your&amp;nbsp;group or club. 
    
    
      Votwo
    w:&amp;nbsp; www.votwo.co.uk&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;e:&amp;nbsp; info@votwo.co.uk
    New Forest 
    
      May 14 - 17: Iron camp
    May 21 - 24: Novice camp 

    ]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to… race abroad]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_5728.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[With many athletes now preparing to head off abroad to the race, be that the World Triathlon Championships in Australia, World Duathlon Championships in the USA, or perhaps Kona or Clearwater, Andy Reardon shares some thoughts on how to make the best of your trip, and still race well. As you can see in the video below, Andy has had to be fairly flexible in his approach to training while overseas! 

You&#039;ve worked hard this season and been justly rewarded with a place in the world champs of whatever distance you are racing or you just fancy doing a triathlon in a different country.  Whatever your reasons there are several areas worth considering.  I&#039;ve made many mistakes over the years racing away from home and hopefully I can offer some advice to prevent you doing the same
Food/Nutrition
This can be a right pain as sports nutrition is very different depending on the country you are in. Find the number for a local tri/run/bike shop and see what they sell otherwise you may have to allow some of your valuable baggage allowance on nutrition.  If you decide to go with something you can buy locally then try it early so you avoid any possible stomach problems on race day.
Bike
It&rsquo;s nice to know where the nearest bike shop is in case of mechanicals. Try calling or emailing the secretary of a local tri club before you head out. They can normally offer advice on the best shops, mechanics and may even offer to show you around the course. Getting your bike out there can be very stressful and I always try to do as little walking with my bike box as possible.  It&rsquo;s heavy and awkward so it&rsquo;s well worth getting yourself and the bike delivered to and picked up from the terminal so you don&rsquo;t arrive at the accommodation with sore shoulders and back.
Choosing the right airline can also be fraught as some will offer cheap tickets but extort you on the baggage allowance for the bike. It&rsquo;s worth considering what state you will arrive in if you spend 12+ hrs cramped in like a sardine rather than spending that little bit extra for the legroom.
Course Recce
If you&#039;ve spent all that time and money getting to a race destination then it is definitely worth not just driving but actually cycling and running some or all of the course.  Depending on how early you arrive it can always be done as acclimatization. If you are racing an IM distance course then get picked up or dropped off at sections on the route so that you don&rsquo;t overdo it.
Accommodation
Book early!  Do lots of research and ask a local club but where you stay will make a huge difference to how you arrive on the start line. I always try to check out what kind of food they do for breakfast or get a self catering flat so I can make my own meals. If it&rsquo;s a hotel, will they do an early breakfast on race day? How noisy is the area? What are the beds like, where is the nearest pool? Do they have somewhere you can store your bike? Is there a spa?
Acclimatisation
There are many studies out there but how well acclimatised to your new environment you are will have a massive impact on your race.  The stress and lugging around of suitcases and bike will be equivalent to a hard training day so you will need to take it easy at first.  Then there may be jet lag to contend with and here I normally use a day per hour of time change.  Heat, humidity, altitude and for the nutters among us, cold will also take time to get used to and this should be factored in.  It took me almost two weeks to acclimatise in California in April and I&#039;m allowing five weeks for Florida!  This will be different for everyone and we&rsquo;re not all able to get the time off work, but do factor in as much acclimatization time as possible.
Packages
A number of companies offer package deals for high profile events and the extra  cash spent can often be well worth your while in saving the stress and hassle  of doing it yourself. Just please make sure that what is being offered suits  your needs. 
Unwind afterwards
Once the race is  over and whether good or bad the worst thing you can do is get on a cramped  flight and add the stress of travelling to the fatigue of racing. Take a  few extra days to enjoy the area. While I&#039;m preparing for a race I normally see  several places or attractions that I just don&rsquo;t have time to visit that I can  enjoy after the event. Some quality time to chill and enjoy the location  while getting some stretching and good nutrition onboard will make the whole  experience much more enjoyable. It&rsquo;s also a good way to start making up  to loved ones for all the sacrifices that they have made over the season!!
Good luck
Here&#039;s a glimpse of Andy dealing with some difficult overseas conditions...

]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[On-line registration is now open for the fourth EDF Alpe d’Huez Triathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.tri247.com/article_4350.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Cyrille Neveu, 2002 ITU World Long Distance Champion and IMG are proud to announce the official opening of on-line registration for the 2009 EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon, one of the major events on the international calendar.

The EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon will take place on the weekend of the 27th-30th July 2009. In just three years, the EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon has become one of the major races on the French and foreign triathletes&#039; racing programme.

Some of the world&#039;s best triathletes such as Marcel Zamora, Alexandra Louison, Gilles Reboul and Chrissie Wellington (winner in both 2007 and 2008), have raced the Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon. Chrissie Wellington declared: &quot;I love triathlons with beautiful scenic routes. In no other place could I find a better setting&quot;, and Julien Loy, 2007 and 2008 Long Distance Triathlon World Champion, added, &quot;The same sensations are felt by all, whether this is your first race or if you are an experienced runner, you&#039;re simply overwhelmed by the beautiful course scenery.

The triathletes will be physically challenged by this unique course &ndash; starting from the pristine waters of the EDF lake in Vaujany, then riding through the Parc des Ecrins and ascending its two passes: the Alpe du Grand Serre and the Ornon, before the mythical and much-feared ascent of the Alpe d&#039;Huez with its 21 hairpin bends. The final leg of the race sees the competitor ride through breathtaking landscape (at an altitude of 2000m) with green slopes on one side and snow-capped peaks on the other side before arriving in the heart of the mountain resort, Alpe d&#039;Huez. 

The fourth anniversary of the race sees the arrival of IMG, the world&#039;s premier and most diversified sports, entertainment and media company which will work closely with Cyrille Neveu, the co-founder of the race. The EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon is the latest addition to the catalogue of events owned by IMG (Mass Participation Sports division) who also own  the London Triathlon, the largest triathlon in the world (13,000 competitors), the Blenheim Triathlon (5,000 participants) and the Stockholm and Barcelona Triathlons. The goal of this joint venture is to make of the EDF Alpe d&#039;Huez Triathlon the not-to-be-missed event by the world&#039;s best long distance triathletes. 

For more information go to: www.alpetriathlon.com]]></description></item></channel></rss>
