OUTriC Cornwall Training Camp 2021

OUTriC Committee
Jun 1, 2022
3 min read

For the second year in a row, Covid-19 cancelled our annual Easter training camp. However, by summer 2021, things had improved enough to allow Jenny, our TC officer, to organise a week of swim bike run fun on the coast in Tintagel, Cornwall.

OUTriC take over Tintagel highlights: SWIM 🏊🏊🏊

Being quite literally meters from the sea, there were no excuses not to get out the wetsuits on this training camp. A highlight for many was our Thursday trip to Bude Sea Pool - aka "coolest swimming location ever". There were also many opportunities to take a dip or surf some waves (surfboard optional) at the beach at various locations including Gwithian Bay, Polzeath, Trebarwith Sands & Merlin's Cave. The wetsuits were however ditched for a tough swim set completed in the much much warmer & less salty waters of Camelford Swimming Pool. Overall, the splashiest tri discipline get's a 9/10 rating this week.

OUTriC take over Tintagel highlights: BIKE🚲🚲🚲

Some may have mistaken this camp for an OUCC camp, and rightly so. The bike was a very important component of the trip and allowed for some pretty epic adventures around the Cornish coast. Any faithful followers will have already appreciated our big ride day to Land's End - definitely a huge and memorable day out! Throughout the week, rides occurred in every direction possible over to Bodmin, Bude and Penzance, and featured plenty of stops to try out Cornwall's finest delicacies along the way. Some massive gains were made on the hills with our total combined elevation topping Everest several times - for most of us accustomed to the flats of Oxford, it was by far our highest elevation week ever! As Tina and David triumphed on every segment south of the Cornwall-Devon border, the locals on strava will have almost certainly noticed our presence. If not, they certainly will have noticed the Oxford-kitted clan tearing it down some hairy descents and utilising their chemistry PhDs to build free standing bike towers. Overall it's a 9.5/10 for the two-wheeled speed machine (would be 10/10 if there were just a few less hills)

OUTriC take over Tintagel highlights: RUN🏃🏃🏃

Coast path runs/sprints/jogs/wogs (depending on how inspired by the fresh Cornish air you were feeling) were absolutely stunning😍!! With the weather generally very kind to us during the week, the coastal views were incredible, making running along the trails and climbs super rewarding. A number of keen beans also took advantage of Tintagel's finest and flattest cricket pitch for some speedy reps (sadly not pictured here because they were just a bit too speedy). Whilst they flew around the grass, the majority enjoyed some shorter brick runs along the cliffs, with some successfully managing to match their elevation gains on two wheels to distance travelled on two feet. Overall, the run enjoys an 8.5/10 rating this week

OUTriC take over Tintagel highlights: FUN😆

Forget transition, the 4th discipline of tri is actually FUN! As a forever "young and fun" bunch of energetic triathletes, we certainly had plenty of time to enjoy ourselves on this trip! From chilled walks along the coastal paths and many trips to the beach (ft. a fantastic attempt at re-creating the OUTriC logo), to BBQs, plenty of oggies (aka pasties) chips and ice creams, tasty snacks and communal cooking, a legendary quiz (including questionable Cornish Tricorn hat making skills...) and non-stop laughing, this certainly wasn't just a training camp. Fun gets an unmatchable 10/10 rating to round up our series of highlights posts.