Plan Your Holiday Training Camp

For athletes with a day job the holiday break away from work can provide extra training time. A training camp is simply consecutive days of participating in a sport(s). It is an excellent way for master athletes who generally have limited training time to give their fitness a boost. A training camp doesn't have to be anything formal or involve travel and can be done individually, with a friend, or in a group. My husband and I are planning a three week training camp for Nordic skiing at our home in Hailey, ID over the Xmas/New Years break. 

Here are some tips to have in mind for your training camp.

• Focus on endurance workouts, keeping your heart rate in the low-moderate zone. Some high intensity work is OK especially if you will be racing over the winter but to much will make it difficult to keep going day after day.
• Prepare for your training camp by engaging in the activity you will be doing before your consecutive workouts. The longer your camp the earlier you should start. Although we haven't been able to snow ski yet my husband and I have been roller skiing for over two months in preparation for our time on snow.
• Eat Well - although quantity is typically not a problem during the holidays, quality may be an issue. Try to stick to your typical training diet and calorie intake most of the time and avoid filling up on comfort food, alcohol, and high fat sweets. Having adequate nutrition before, during, and after your workouts is essential for multiple day exercise. Remember the first hour after exercise is the prime time to refuel your muscles for tomorrow's workout.
• Vary your workouts to prevent overuse injuries. During our Nordic camp we plan to do both classic and skate skiing along with walking the dog, ice skating with our relatives, running, hiking and Telemark skiing.
• Use your recovery strategies - stretching, massage, baths, foam rolling, posture exercises, etc. and aim for an extra hour or more of sleep per night. If you don't feel recovered, do an active recovery workout with a shorter duration and lower intensity.
• Remember this is your vacation and a special time of year. If you aren't able to complete your workout don't worry, it's probably because there is something more important you need to do!