As I turned into the gates the majestic buildings of Wellington College were rising up out of the mist creating a picture perfect setting for the November Squad Day. The sports facilities and extensive grounds matched the impressive façade of the school and were a far cry from anything I remember from my school days! No drafty changing rooms and battle scarred metal lockers here.
We commenced by meeting Liz and Dean who were leading the day and we had a chance to renew acquaintances and get to know each other over a coffee. Then it was straight into a packed itinerary, kicking off with a run session focussing on “drills & hills”. Liz talked us through the aim of the session with some demonstrations (which intrigued some of the other café patrons!) and we headed outside to find that the mist had cleared and the sun was glinting down through the trees. A jog round the grounds and the first few drills soon saw a pile of jackets and gloves building up on the ground as we quickly warmed up. Running drills are usually the first casualty of my busy schedule and my lack of skill and co-ordination shone through as we hopped, skipped and bounded through a succession of drills. We were all surprised at how hard we had to work to do the drills properly and what a good session they could make on their own or combined with a short run. Definitely an area for more work in the future. We then headed off through the college grounds to find a “nice” steep hill to practice some hill work. A particular revelation for me was how much harder this kind of session becomes when you work on running fast and hard DOWN as well as up and also how much fun it can be!
The next session focussed on strength and conditioning. Dean took us through a range of simple but effective exercises using only a theraband and a mat, so no excuse for neglecting this area when you are travelling on the grounds that you don’t have access to a gym!
Following the morning activities, we were more than ready for the lunch which was awaiting us in the café, before heading into the afternoon swim session, focusing on more drills (and in my case learning how to do them correctly) and the opportunity to have your swimming filmed. This doesn’t always make for comfortable viewing but it is an invaluable tool for you and your coach to analyse where you are in your swimming and what you need to work on. Sessions like this are also a great way to chart your progress, especially if you don’t have access to regular coached sessions in the pool.
The final session of the day was a turbo session. The hall was massive and well lit so no chance of hiding at the back! Liz took us through a challenging session focusing on cadence and over gearing which required both effort and concentration to do correctly. The cool down was more light hearted – but still a challenge which involved throwing and catching a basketball while sitting on the turbo!
All of the sessions were very inclusive and well-judged with the right balance between hard work, enjoyment and learning new skills. I certainly thought that the sessions were at just the right level and whilst they were both challenging and engaging I never felt out of my depth or unable to keep up.
All in all, a constructive and worthwhile training day, packed with useful and enjoyable sessions and plenty of practical advice to take back and use in your day to day training at home. Definitely looking forward to the next one in Loughborough next year.
If you enjoyed this article please consider sharing it!
"I think the concept behind the Masters Programme is excellent. I find the sessions easy to follow, particularly the swim sessions." Masters Year 2 Athlete