The boys in the 200m.info camp are currently busy making preparations for the March training camp to Le-Temple (south of Bordeaux). We will be spending 2 weeks there applying the finishing touches to our training, in preparation for the April regatta.

For those of you considering a training camp abroad I have included a brief description of the camp and what it’s all about.

The Journey

Le Temple is a long and tiring journey which is approx 15 hours drive from London area. In previous years we split the journey into 2 days with a stop over in Bordeaux https://www.envergure.fr/campanileen.html . We found the campanile to be a nice cheap hotel which has pleasant staff, clean rooms and most importantly a secure car park which is quite handy when you have thousands of pounds worth of equipment strapped to the roof.

The second day is much less tiring, a small 2 hour drive to Le-Temple will ensure that you arrive refreshed in time for lunch.

There is an option of flying to Bordeaux airport, which is quick and easy, however you must then rent a k1 of dubious quality and an extortionate price.

La-Base

La-Base is a multi sport training centre with accommodation, it caters for a wide range of sports from kayaking to Judo although it’s primarily used by rowers and canoeists/kayakers. It is also used by French junior schools.

A huge range of facilities are available including, basketball courts, swimming pool, 2 extensive gyms, sauna, TV area and common room.

Rooms

These are a simple affair, with just the basics, everything serves its purpose well with exception of the bathroom and the bunk beds. The bathroom is prone to flooding due to no recess in floor where shower water exits, also no door on bathroom. The bunk beds are a much more serious issue, they appear to be designed for children (not 190+ kilo of athlete).

The Food

This is my favourite part of the camp as the food is simply excellent, 3 meals per day are provided, with free wine with the evening meal. The food is served in an old castle 5 mins walk away from the rooms

The food served provides all of the nutritional content required by athletes, there is usually plentiful servings of meat (which pleases Gav immensely as he considers this as one of the best ways to fulfil his iron warrior lifestyle). Unfortunately there is no choice in the menu, so if you’re finicky, you go hungry.

The Water facilities

With the river just outside you window and the boat racks just under your window, its
quick and easy to get on the water. The river is simply the best I have ever trained on,
it is usually glassy with little water disturbance, extremely wide, and goes on forever, and the scenery is simply beautiful, this is magnified when you feel the sun beating down on you and you can feel the warmth of summer which is just round the corner.

Overall la-base is an excellent training camp location, in march its weather is comparable to an English may. The food is excellent, its in the middle of nowhere (no distractions). The cost of the trip is pricey, but when you consider the service that you get, and all your meals and accommodation, its actually very reasonable. Either way it beats paddling in the icy chill of England.

A sample 200m.info training camp day

7.00 – wake up
8.00- breakfast
10.00 – water session 1
12.30 – lunch
2.00 – gym session
4.00 – water session 2
6.30 – dinner
10.00 - lights out

Si - Reflection from Gav.

My good mate John has written the above and definately captured the mood of Temple-Sur-Lot. I shall miss not being on the camp with the boys this year. Not only is this an excellent place to train but the camaraderie and friendship is not to be missed either.

If any of you out there are captured by this article of John's and feel that this type of training camp in Europe is a viable option for you, then please contact us at 200m.info and we will assist you with further advice, tips and guidance.

My only closing comment with regard to any training camp you may embark on is to follow the 5 golden rules.

1. Have a training schedule set out before you get there.

2. Eat well and stay hydrated throughout the camp.

3. Early to bed and early to rise people - this is a training camp, not club Med ! :)

4. Have a few rest days scheduled in so you can take a chance to fully enjoy the wonderful local scenery/wine/cheese/coffee.

5. Take every session to the limit. In France (and often at home for that matter) I would ensure I was in the 'danger zone' or on the 'red line' by the end of a session. If I didn't physically retch then I knew I hadn't worked quite hard enough. By wanting to throw up I knew I had pushed my body to it's limit on that day, on that session. Whilst this type of training may seem silly or extreme to some, it worked for me and made the difference for me as an athlete between winning and losing.

Watch out for our training camp diaries which will uploaded shortly after our trip.