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Trip Diary

The Ultimate SwimTrek Coaching Camp Guide: Which Distance Training Camp for Me?

By Olivia Weatherill , 01 February, 2019

Not sure which swimming coaching camp is right for you? We’ve gathered in one place all the information you need to know about our distance coaching camps. You may have some long-distance swim goals you’d like to achieve, but which camp will best help you get there? So, whether your focus is on your time, distance, or mental preparation, read on to see which trip is best for you and your needs.

SwimTrek currently runs 4 distance coaching camps:

Long Distance Training Camp – Montenegro

Channel Relay Swim Training Camp – Montenegro

Channel and Long Distance Training - Mallorca

10km Marathon Swim Camp - Mallorca

mallorca channel camp fiona

What you’ll find on all our coaching camps

All of our distance coaching camps are led by our incredibly skilled coaching staff. These guides have vast experience in coaching and completing incredible swims themselves, including Channel solo swims and relays as well as other marathon distance swims. They have first-hand knowledge of what you’ll be going through and are there to help you achieve your long-distance goals. They are also here to support you in all aspects of your open water journey from the mental to the physical; whether that be through their constant presence at feeding stations, coaching your technique to be more efficient, or encouraging you to reach your goals with accounts of their own experiences, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve at the end of your trip with us.

You’ll benefit from seminars from our coaches on a range of subjects that you may come across when training for and completing a long-distance event. Covering topics from mental preparation and feeding and hydration to stroke technique and hypothermia and fatigue, these talks are a great chance to learn from guides as well as having the opportunity to pick their brains on anything else relating to preparing for your swims.

You’ll also benefit from an excellent environment to train in. The destinations selected for our coaching camps have conditions very well suited for distance training and you’ll also be experiencing everything with your fellow tripmates for the duration of the camp. Mostly likely they will be in similar positions to you and will more than likely have incredible stories of their own to tell and be able to support you along the way. The sense of camaraderie you’ll find on the trips will certainly help you all reach your goals together.

mallorca channel camp

What you’ll find on our Mallorca Distance Coaching Camps

Both our Channel and Long-Distance Training and 10km Marathon Swim Camps provide the opportunity of swimming in cooler temperatures, often an essential part of training for long distance and sometimes a pre-requisite in that a qualifying time or swim distance may be required for an event. With water temperatures around 12-16°C, this provides the chance to mirror conditions of a prospective race or to meet the conditions of a swim environment needed to complete your qualifier. Both trips also provide the environment to train intensely for marathon distances, improve technique and endurance specifically over long distance and completing the distances by swimming in circuits. On our Channel and Long-Distance Training and 10km Marathon Swim Camps, you will also benefit from the trip being led by three guides rather than our usual two. Both training camps offer seminars and the chance to pick our guides’ brains, as many of them have completed challenging long distance swims themselves.

montenegro john rib

What you’ll find on our Montenegro Distance Coaching Camps

Our Montenegro coaching camps are new for 2019 and offer a slightly different type of long-distance experience from our Mallorca offerings. The most noticeable difference will be the water temperature, and with averages between 16-19˚C, this may be closer to the types of temperatures you’ll experience on your actual swim, particularly English Channel attempts. You will also benefit from three experienced coaches leading your trip as well as the stunning backdrop of the Montenegro fjords.

The key differences

The key differentiator between the trips are the respective focuses on distances and swim times. On the Channel and Long Distance Training Camp in Mallorca and the Long Distance Training Camp in Montenegro trips, swims are focused around the time spent swimming, whereas the 10km Marathon Swim Camp in Mallorca and the Channel Relay Swim Training Camp in Montenegro are geared towards reaching certain distances. Of our two new trips for 2019, the Channel Relay Swim Training Camp is more specifically suited towards those attempting a long distance relay event whereas the Long Distance Swim Training Camp in Montenegro is more appropriate for those training for longer events in moderately warm waters.

montenegro office trip olivia cat

The Channel and Long Distance Training Camp in Mallorca is best suited for:

• Those training for a challenging, long distance swim. It is a particularly well-suited training camp for swimmers planning to undertake an English Channel solo crossing. The camp builds towards completing a 6-hour swim, a mandatory pre-qualifier for a Channel solo swim.

• Those looking to gain from a variety of seminar talks, as guides cover topics from Mental Preparation and Feeding and Hydration, to Stroke Technique and Analysis and Hypothermia & Fatigue.

The 10km Marathon Swim Camp in Mallorca is best suited for:

• Those specifically looking to train towards completing set distances. It is an appropriate camp for those planning on taking part in a swim event of up to 15km, with the trip building up to a 10km swim.

• Those interested in long distance seminars, but not to the same depth as what is offered on the Channel and Long Distance Training Camp. A nutrition seminar features on the 10km camp as well as ongoing technique analysis.

• Swimmers looking to complete an English Channel relay swim. Relay swimmers don’t need to complete as long a qualifier time, so these guests may benefit more from training towards distances rather than times.

The Long Distance Swim Training Camp in Montenegro is best suited for:

• Those training for a challenging, long distance swim. It is well suited for those who will be competing in races where the water temperature will be more than 15 ˚C.

• Those looking to gain from a variety of seminar talks, as guides cover topics from Mental Preparation and Feeding and Hydration, to Stroke Technique and Analysis and Hypothermia & Fatigue.

• Those looking for a beautiful location to train in while they prepare for their event.

The Channel Relay Swim Training Camp in Montenegro is best suited for:

• Those training for a long distance relay event. It is particularly well suited for those attempting English Channel relays, as the camp builds towards a 2 hour swim, the length of time required for an English Channel Relay swimmers qualifying swim.

• Those interested in long distance seminars, but not to the same depth as what is offered on the Channel and Long Distance Training Camps. A nutrition seminar features on the Channel Relay Camp as well as ongoing technique analysis.

• Those looking for a beautiful location to train in while they prepare for their event.

montenegro split level shot trish

And that’s our guide to choosing your distance coaching camp! If you'd like to take our quick quiz to find out which coaching camp is for you, you can find this here. For any additional questions on which trip would be the best for you, our Customer Team at SwimTrek HQ are happy to assist further. You can contact the team via info@swimtrek.com or by calling +44 (0)1273 739713.

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