TriCamp Majorca Windrush Week Blog
I am starting a new blog to let you all know how we are doing on TriCamp this week so that when camp time rolls around next year you are jealous enough to sign up! There are 22 Windrushers out here in Pollenca in the north east of the Island. We are split into two amazing houses about 5 mins apart. The group is also split into those for whom it is their second or third trip with TriCamp, and those for whom it is their first experience of anything like this...they are in for an experience and a half!
We flew in on Tuesday on two flights, from Heathrow or Gatwick and were picked up at the airport and taken along with our luggage across the island to the houses. After a reviving cup of tea we were shown around the house and allocated to our twin ensuit rooms which are so lovely!! Theose on the earlier flight headed out for a late lunch in the square whilst the later arrivals chilled out before dinner. We met our coaches for the week after the first dinner of the trip, prepared by the amazing in-house chefs, and went through the schedule. Following this it was time to hit the sack, 9:30pm isn't too early for bed, right?! I think that will be a recurring theme for the week!!
Wednesday morning saw us getting up for a pre-breakfast 5km gentle trail run on the edge of the town, followed by a big breakfast and time to digest before cycling the 7km to the pool, or the sea. The houses are split for swimming so that we can get more individual attention. The "original" house which I am in went to the pool on this day. After a pretty weird experience of what I am told is a dry land warm up for swimming, we were split into lanes for either technique filming or drill sets. Quick Nick showed us the way to do these drills properly.....if you push off hard under water and do butterfly kick, you only need to do the drill for 10m before you are at the other end....
Following swimming we headed home for an amazing and varied salad lunch, followed by a little nap. Eat, sleep, train, repeat is the mantra here!! Post nap there was a cycle briefing about how to climb and descend with both houses meeting in the original house. Then it was time to saddle up for the first proper ride. We split into two pace groups and headed out along a flat section initially for an hour to get our bearings and warm up. Then we faced the first climb of the week, 8km up to a cafe....This would be the first time many had climed up so far, but we all made it and endorphins were running high at the top. Time for a chill out and ice cream (watermelon and kiwi flavour anyone!) before the gentle twisting 18km descent on perfect roads back to the house. By then the sun had come out and we got home on a massive high...so high in fact that several of us decided to go for the plunge pool option...pic below.
So the end of day 2 came with more food, wine and beer, before all making our way to bed again at 9:30pm!!
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Permalink Reply by Caroline MacGregor on
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It's fallen to me to pick up the blog baton and tell you about day 3!
The first session of the day was our first open water swim of the year (apart from those of us who brave the icy waters of the lido in winter!). We jumped on our bikes for a 7km ride to the beautiful Pollenca beach and donned our wetsuits as we watched the sun rise over the calm, clear sea. After a bit of a warm-up on the beach we jumped into the sea (the water was lovely!) and did some sighting, drafting and swim start exercises before doing a few laps around the buoys. The Tri Camp boys gave us tea, coffee and Jaffa cakes following the swim and then we rode back in the early morning sunshine where a hearty brekkie was waiting for us.
Breakfast, shower and a power snooze later it was off to the track for some fantastic running technique coaching (watch our splits drop!) and a few sprints around the track - unused as we were to running in hot sunshine we were happy to plunge our feet into the pool to cool off when we got back. Yet another amazing meal followed and then we hit the bikes for our 60km ride, after slathering sun cream all over ourselves.
The circuit took us through some stunning Majorcan countryside and we had guided practice on long, pretty much uninterrupted roads riding together as a group in a chain gang, rotating the lead rider and other types of group riding. Back at the house we were given a much-needed stretching session and chill-out time before being fed yet more amazing food. Today's ride was pretty flat all the way which is just as well, given what follows tomorrow....
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Here are some pics of day 3
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Permalink Reply by Tamara G on
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Totally missing you all this year but I'm sure Lisa is doing me proud having taken my spot! ; ) Loving the pics.
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Permalink Reply by Claire Weinert-Aplin on
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Day 4: The iconic Sa Calobra!
Today started with transition practice for some. Others chose a run. And some just decided to stay in bed!
After breakfast, we set off in 2 groups on or bikes.For those of us that have done it before, we knew what was coming, for those that hadn't, I think the rest of us may have installed some fear in them! Sa Calobra is the iconic 10km descent to a dead end. A beautiful dead end, but a dead end. The only way out is to climb back up! But before we got to the descent, there was a short 20km, and that wasn't flat either! After regrouping after the pre-climb, we made our way down Sa Calobra, some more cautious than others, trying to take in the view, while keeping focused on the twists and turns of the road. Everyone made it down safely, and for some of us that was excuse enough for an ice cream.
After a short break, we started the climb back up. The steepest part of the climb is at the top, so it's key to keep something in reserve for those tighter hairpins and higher gradients. This time there was plenty of time to take in the view, just keep those pedals turning, and turning, and turning some more!
Waiting at the top of the climb was a delicious lunch, including Lou's lemon drizzle cake (too nice only to have one piece!) and after a well deserved break we started the 20km back to the house. A beautiful descent, with some "updulation" thrown in for good measure.
After a triathletes' pool party (i.e. legs in the cold plunge pool and a cup of tea), we're having a BBQ tonight. Can we keep Dr. Sausage away from the BBQ?
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Permalink Reply by Andy B on
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The time to worry about Dr Sausage is after the bbq ....
Great updates, keep them coming!
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Today's pic - before descending Sa Calobra
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Permalink Reply by Aine Cassidy on
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Day four at tricamp was thankfully slightly less action packed than the previous three. Technically our "day off" commenced with a 7km run or cycle to Pollenca beach. It was a beautiful sunny morning along a picturesque route so the jog was extremely pleasant despite tired legs from the previous days exertions.
Once at the beach it was into our wetsuits and straight out to sea for either some technique training close to the shore (involving a washing-machine simulation) or a 400m circuit 300m from the beach (navigating some fairly choppy seas). It was both refreshing and exhausting and many of us were thankful for the lift back to base in the van.
We were left to our own devices for the afternoon. Some of the group ambled to the beach (armed with 25 cans of lager) and a couple of energetic folks embarked on a 90km bike ride (the half iron man course).
Both houses came together in the evening for a yummy four course dinner at Mr Greens Sa Pabla. Our waiter James was quite a colourful character and took great of us - thanks James! (And thanks Laura for coordinating the evening).
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Here's us (and James) at Mr Greens
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Permalink Reply by Nick Flower on
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Day 5 of Tricamp: 3 rides were available - 60, 90 and 125km. After prepping our bikes (and learning the benefits of riding at the correct tyre pressure can bring) we all set off in our groups after sunrise!
I chose the 125km route (after enjoying my new cycling hobby a lot - Tricamp is a great place to get confidence from the coaches and by riding on good road conditions). So 7 of us took on the 3 hills ride..The first was a relatively "easy" 5km climb followed by another amazing lunch delivery by the house chef. Then onto another 5km climb and decent before reaching the big 14km climb. It took about an hour to get to the top and we were greeted by some amazing views along the way. We then finished the ride for 50km taking in some more amazing scenery including lakes, forests, mountains..a great way to spend a Sunday.
After the rides we all did a brick run around the town, had a bit of chill time and then back to eating the snacks and dinner prepared by house chef.
So as our new tshirts we also got this evening say, at Tricamp we Eat, Sleep, Train, Repeat!
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