Training camps are some of the most enriching periods of time for rowing teams.
Days are filled with volume and intensity, alongside team bonding activities and excursions. Here, athletes are given the opportunity to strengthen their relationships with each other and clarify their goals and ambitions.
Volume is most often the priority for coaches when creating the training plan, the goal being to prepare athletes for the upcoming racing season and begin the year on high hopes, with athletes seeing improvements both technically and physically while also accelerating their program forward with enthusiasm and motivation.
Training camps, in my opinions, can make all the difference in a programme’s trajectory further down the line, come racing season.
These camps usually take place in favourite holiday destinations that feed into every rower’s desire for sunshine. However, other than an unfortunate tan line, athletes all focus on increasing speed and efficiency to ultimately become better rowers both physically and mentally.
With training being twice to three times a day, it is the norm for these training camps to be placed on a pedestal by rowers, the time spent in their new venue seen as perfect opportunities to tackle and change their weaknesses and make them their strengths.
For most of these athletes it is most probably the only time during the year in which they can place their full attention on being a rower, with little to no other distractions.
For the Harvard Radcliffe Women’s Crew, we escape Boston’s winter climate by holding our annual winter training camp in Sarasota, Florida. As this was my first time joining their fleet, I wanted to share with you all my experience. Come along for the ride…
It’s Day Five of the two-week camp.
Waking up at 6:30am is increasingly becoming a struggle. With new blisters surfacing daily, my hands burning with pain, I prep my bag for the day ahead: a 20k row with high-intensity intervals in the morning, followed by another 18k UT2 paddle in the afternoon.
Trekking down the stairs, I walk into breakfast which consists of oatmeal, eggs, and a banana. Fueling for the big session ahead is necessary to be able to survive and benefit from the daily volume.
Once breakfast is demolished, we leave for Fort Hammer in minivans. This 20 min drive is either full of silence or energy depending on which senior driver you grab a seat with. Arriving at our destination, we stumble out of the minivan, our bodies yearning for rest but our minds rearing to go.
Each day tackled one part of the stroke and today we were placing out utmost attention, or what we had left anyways, on the recovery sequencing.
As soon as blades and launches are out, we begin our dynamic warm-up, ending with core. With four eights going on the water, each with their own designated coach, motivation to make technical changes and prove that you are a ‘boat-mover’ – as they say – is high, with us all working together while also competing with each other.
As we push off the landing stage, we’re grateful for the warmth and brightness of the morning. The sun hides behind some clouds, but the water is flat and tranquil. Perfect rowing conditions.
24k later, the session is finished. We wash down the boats, quickly debrief the session, and make our way to DaySprings: our lunch venue.
We enter their dining room hungry, with stomach grumbling, ready to eat. After engulfing our buffet style lunch, we make our way back to our beds for a long-awaited nap before our second session two hours later.
It’s 2pm. I’ve awoken from my nap. Scoffed down some dried mango. And changed into my rowing unisuit. Time for another 18k tech row.
For our afternoon sessions, we drive to Benderson and row on their 2k racing course, repeating the loops a dizzying number of times. For this session, we’re thrown into smaller boats, pairs and fours, the focus being on feeling the boat and making the technical changes to then transfer back to the eights.
The session usually revolves around drilling to make sure we firstly understand and know how to make a change, and secondly to make the change into a habit, changing our old, wrong ways into more efficient and faster ones.
The session goes by fast and as we land onto the dock two hours later, not only physically exhausted from the days expense but mentally drained from the focus of our session. We are all relieved for it to be the end of the training day. But ultimately, we end the session on a high as we reminisce the free speed and efficiency gained from the technical focus.
So much can be gained from these long yet all-too-necessary technical sessions.
While on the drive back to the hotel, we discuss dinner options as we’re free to choose where to have our supper. For tonight, we decide on Chipotle, a Mexican chain just across from out hotel. After a long, hot shower, we walk over to Chipotle, famished and ready to eat.
After dinner, it’s around 7pm. We are exhausted from the long day and eager to relax and lie down so tonight I decide to watch some TV and catch up with friends. At 9pm, my eyes start closing.
Tomorrow will be another big day with some more battle paddling on the water. Sleep is a crucial part of recovery and so as bedtime nears, we all start settling down, our pummeled bodies aching with fatigue but excited to see what new-found speed can be found tomorrow…
As student-athletes, these training camps are embraced within our team as it’s the only time in which we can solely place our focus on rowing.
With volume significantly higher than what we are accustomed to, these camps are painful, but this is why they are so important. They allow us to reach new limits and set new standards for when we return to our boathouse.
With nothing to think about other than your technical changes and mental attitudes, so much can be gained and as a result, they define how races will fare a few months later. With goals set loud and clear, I am so excited to see what we can produce come racing season.
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