Cyprus Blog 2016

Day Eight – 5th October 2016

The final morning of the camp was the World Record Challenge session. Some records were broken, some just missed but when it counted the group came together as one to break the 800m freestyle record with seconds to spare!

The winner of the pancake challenge was Adam who managed to hold down 9, after Sam opted for a full English breakfast after eating 8.

It was then time to check out and catch the last hour or so of sunshine before we head back home.

Thank you Cyprus – we will see you again next year!

Pictures to follow.

Day Seven – 4th October 2016

Our final full day in Cyprus and the day began a little earlier than normal with a 6.40am meet. This was to allow for a few additional massages and also set up the equipment to allow for a combined land training and pool session.

At 9.30am we returned to the hotel for breakfast before the swimmers met again for a log book session at 11.00am followed by land training and team building exercises at midday.

The final afternoon pool session was 3pm to 5pm. It was then on to our final visit to the Haagen-Dazs ice cream store for some sweet refreshment. Coaches had coffee whilst some parents enjoyed a colder beverage.

Today was also the day that Stuart Edon returned his racing bike after clocking up 140 miles in the Cypriot countryside; Mark, Don and John returned their high performance yellow bicycles complete with baskets after clocking up 12 miles in 5 days; and it was also the day that Chris Williams natural hair colour returned.

The evening consisted of happy hour drinks whilst a thank you presentation to the coaches was made. It cannot be underestimated the hard work and dedication from Guy, Shirley, Dan and Alex that allowed for a successful camp. They were joined by a number of parents on key elements of the camp such as the running and sea swim and their effort and enthusiasm is admirable and great appreciated.

Our final evening meal in the hotel was around the pool as we enjoyed a Greek entertainment evening.

Tomorrow morning is another 6.40am meet as we have our final pool session and it centres on our World Record attempts. Each swimmer has chosen a World Record time to challenge and they can use any means to achieve the time such as fins and breaking the time into manageable chunks with a short rest period.

We will then return to pack and head home!

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Day Six – 3rd October 2016

Today was a repeat of the first full training session. We all met at 7.15am for the harbour run followed by the sea swim.  There were some fantastic performances from the parents who took part.  Take a bow Stuart, Helen, Ian, Darron, and Rachel; together with the masters Chris, Lynn and Gillian.

Following breakfast the swimmers departed for the first pool session of the day for 2 hours. After lunch there was an hour’s gym work before the final pool session of the day.

Haagen Dazs ice cream was again taken before we all met for “predrinks” at 7pm and dinner. The evening finished with the swimmers enjoying some pool, although the Don Briggs and Chris Williams double team hustled them out of their Euro coins together with a punch bag contest. Dons victory scream could be heard by the rest of the adults on the bar veranda who were listening to the beautiful harpist playing by the pool. Most people were in bed by 9pm as tomorrow we all meet up at 6.45am for the first of two pool session. It has been a long hot and tiring day!

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Day Five – 2nd October 2016

Today was the fourth day of the training camp and it is also the rest day! The time for everybody to relax the aching muscles and have a little fun and that only means one thing – water sports.

Thanks to Octopus Water Sports in Paphos, the swimmers and some of the parents enjoyed a fantastic few hours of jet skis, para-gliding, sofa rides and banana boats.

The afternoon was a mixed bag of sun bathing, playing in the pool and a little shopping! Almost everyone was feeling tired from previous days and took the chance for an early night, with the exception of Chris Williams who enjoyed a lie in to almost 3pm.

Tomorrow is a repeat of day one when some parents will participate in the morning run and sea swim before breakfast. The rest of the day will consist of 2 pool sessions and also land training. Ice cream will also be back on the afternoon menu.

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Today was also John & Lisa Flynn’s 25th Wedding Anniversary – many congratulations to them both. I am sure they will both have a belated celebration when John returns from the more important training camp. So in the spirit of last night’s Champagne presentation at Fat Mamma’s, which John missed due to quick toilet visit, we have tried to capture John celebrating this momentous occasion throughout the day.

John Flynn at Breakfast - he was getting poached eggs

John Flynn at Breakfast – he was getting poached eggs

John Flynn on the Jet Skis - he just pooped out for a bottle of water.

John Flynn on the Jet Skis – he just popped out for a bottle of water.

John Flynn getting the boat ready for the banana rides - he was getting a life jacket.

John Flynn getting the boat ready for the banana rides – he was getting a life jacket.

John Flynn on the sofa ride - he looking for real sofa.

John Flynn on the sofa ride – he was looking for a real sofa.

John Flynn sunbathing - he had gone to slip in to his jammers!

John Flynn sunbathing – he had gone to slip in to his jammers!

Day Four – 1st October 2016

Day four started with a little jog and a gentle stretch. After that the swimmers had some leisure time before a 2 hour sprint session between 3pm and 5pm.

Therefore our athletes took the well-deserved time off – to play in the pool! Some sort of water polo game took place with no obvious rules. Darron played on behalf of the boys and Chris on behalf of the girls. Despite several tussles and unnecessary dunking the overall result was a draw!

A little lunch was taken before the afternoon session and the usual Haagen-Dazs ice cream was forfeited as Saturday night in Cyprus is Fat Mammas time. Despite the crude name the food is actually very good with huge portions. The chocolate cake is famous!

The highlight of the evening was Adams birthday who had to enduring wearing a stupid hat whilst the restaurant sang happy birthday. After a little break the girls returned to sing to Mr John Flynn who is celebrating his 25 year wedding anniversary –but unfortunately John had disappeared to the toilet when the presentation occurred but did toast his wife as he enjoyed a glass of Champagne.

After an excellent night we all returned back to the hotel for a night cap with Don Briggs starting a sing song about a Russian horse.

Tomorrow is Sunday and is traditionally a day of rest. Our athletes will enjoy a relaxing day of jet ski rides, a sofa ride and some para-gliding before they return to training on Monday with full day of activities!

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Day Three – 30th September 2016

Today was Adams birthday and he celebrated it in great style.

First up was a 2 hour swimming session at 7.30am, followed by a 1 mile brisk walk back to the hotel for breakfast. The swimmers had a little break until 11am when they met up to completed their log books before a land training session.

The land training session took place in the grand settings of the hotel, just before the beach.

Stuart Edon took delivery of a high performance bicycle so he can continue his triathlon training; but he was no match for the 3 yellow bicycles hired by Don, John and Mark. The rather fetching yellow bikes come complete with a rubber chain, 8 gears of which only 4 work and a very handy basket on the front. The shop only had 3 bikes left – 2 men’s and a ladies bike and Mr Flynn has asked that the owner of the female bike remains a mystery.

The final pool session took place between 3pm and 5pm and was at a more relaxed recovery set. Still the Haagen-Dazs ice cream was richly deserved. There was a worry that they may run out of brownie to go with the ice cream but all fears were laid to rest.

The now usual routine of meeting for ‘happy hour’ drinks at 7pm was once again upheld with dinner taken at 8pm. Today however the whole restaurant sang happy birthday to Adam as the staff brought in a birthday cake.

It was then early to bed ready for 7.20am meet tomorrow for more land training.

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Day Two – 29th September 2016

Day two was as previously predicted – quite simply the hardest day of the camp! The parents knew it, the coaches knew it and by the end of the day the swimmers knew it.

Everybody met at 7.10am when the swimmers undertook some light stretching before commencing on a run to the harbour and then rendezvousing with the pack horses ie the parents at the start of the sea swim. In all a fantastic 22 swimmers (13 squad, 3 parents, 3 coaches and 3 masters) took part in the sea swim, all before breakfast.

After the usual omelettes and pancakes, everybody met at 10.20am to then make the 1 mile walk to the fantastic 50m pool in Paphos. The pool has been used by several international teams in the preparing when preparing for the Olympic Games.

The swimmers and parents then undertook a 2 hour session, before the parent swimmers departed for the hotel so they could enjoy the facilities. The real swimmers then had a break for lunch before the start of a 1 hour land training session which then flowed into a final 2 hour swim session in which the masters also took part.

Needless to say the Haagen Dazs ice cream at 5.30 was thoroughly deserved. Everybody then met at 7pm for pre-dinner drinks. An early night was definitely in order as the meet for day 3 is 6.55am!

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Day One – 28th September 2016

The first day mainly consisted of travel. Swimmers were travelling to Cyprus from airports in Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds with all three flights delayed 45 minutes due to issues in Cyprus.

Perhaps we will try to be a little more topical with this year’s blog so in the spirit of the Great British Bake Off we will be aiming for a Training Camp Show Stopper.

Taking 12 enthusiastic and excited swimmers, stretched and then soaked appropriately we will then add a little spice with the coaching team. Add a generous dollop of master’s swimmers and then topped with a strong base of parents – it will be slowly baked at around 30 degrees for a week before sprinkling on a little self-achievement and success.

Sorry – it will get better than this, I promise.

After arriving at different times late on the afternoon a meeting was held outlining the expectations for the week at 7pm. A drink or two was enjoyed before dining at 8pm and then it was early to bed.

Day two is traditional a tough day as the swimmers meet for a run at 7.10 and a sea swim before breakfast. The swimmers will then meet for pool and land training sessions from 11am to 5pm.

It promises to be a tough week!

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