Bright Camp

Rolling out to Harrretville to climb Mt Hotham

Twenty athletes travelled to Bright in the Victorian Alps for the annual summer camp. There were a few nerves and plenty of excitement as they awaited the training & challenges that were to come, knowing they would be leaving Bright more resilient and robust athletes in 11 days time.

 

Bright is a perfect training location – mountains to ride, trails & paths to run, and nearby outdoor pools & open water swimming locations. Plenty of diversity to keep things interesting and when it gets hot- it’s a lot cooler at the top of the mountains!

Once everyone settled into the shared accommodation, we got together for our nightly team meeting to discuss the following days training, weather & logistics. With a wide range of athletes, abilities and upcoming races, there was individualisation within each training session.

 

Mt Beauty Swim Sessions

With a high volume of training, managing fatigue was crucial to get through the 11 days. It was the hottest Bright has been for the past 5 years with Bright’s daily temperatures exceeding mid 30’s every day with a couple of 40+ degree days. All athletes managed their fatigue and the hot temperatures, plus gained plenty of knowledge & experience in how to do so for future training & racing.

 

The camaraderie amongst all the athletes lifted each other to break barriers and achieve new heights. This was most notably seen on New Year’s Day when Gail (who is scared of heights) was climbing Mt Hotham becoming increasingly nervous of how high she was climbing. Each athlete encouraged her to keep going & that she was going to be okay. With the support of others and Gail’s courage she made it to the top- arriving to cheers, hugs & high fives from everyone. It was a very special moment.

 

Well done to all athletes who attended this year’s camp. You all stepped way outside of your comfort zones to grow as athletes and individuals. Looking forward to seeing the benefits of your time in Bright in your upcoming races.

Mt Buffalo (Vic was too tired to stand up)

Long run at the top of Falls Creek

5km into Mt Hotham climb… the Meg

Gail 8km from the top of Mt Hotham

Cooling off post long run

Lynda close to the top of Mt Hotham and loving it

Emma at the top of Mt Hotham