We are very pleased to announce that from the 3rd to the 5th April 2009, The TEAM CORE will be heading back to Rottnest Island for its annual "Boot Camp". Join other members of the team as you make your final preparations for the Busselton Half Ironman on the 2nd of May 2009. This really is a great opportunity to bond over the weekend and make true on our "TEAM" emphasis - just take a look at this clip from our last Boot Camp back in 2005 (right).
This year's camp is also open to friends and family of our TEAM CORE Half Ironman Group. They can join in our training activities or just come along for support. Places are open to the first 20 people to register, so please don't delay!
Will you escape The Island? View our 2005 HIM Boot Camp above!
Friday 3rd April:
We will be meeting at 6.00pm at the Northport Terminal at Rous Head for a 6:30pm departure to the Rottnest Island on Friday 3rd April 2009. We will be travelling with the Rottnest Express ferry company and the journey across the Gage Roads Channel (~20km) via Northport will take just 60 minutes. You will need to pay for 2 nights parking in the carpark adjacent to the ferry terminal - this should be $4.00 per day but space in the carpark cannot be guaranteed, so if you can get dropped-off, all the better!
Your bike and gear wil be loaded aboard the ferry and as they sit at the front of the boat, I'd suggest protecting your frame with a plastic sheet or blanket as the ocean spray can be a little bit of a nuisance on the trip across! Once we land at Thompson's Bay, we'll collect our keys etc from the accommodation office and transfer by riding our bikes to the Kingston Barracks where we will base ourselves for the weekend. Whilst this trip is only ~2km, I'd suggest packing lightly and perhaps packing everything in a rucsac rather than a case if you have one...this truly is a "Boot Camp"!
Our accommodation is in the form of two dormitories (a 10-person female room # 156F; and a 10-person male room # 179) and I'd suggest bringing a light sleeping bag / linen. Beds are in a bunk-bed formation and whilst this may sound a little 'military-esque', it is generally quite comfortable and all a bit of fun too! We'll split the rooms into a 'boys' and 'girls' dorm so that I don't have to check-up on any "camptime cannuddling"!
After everyone is settled in, we'll take a stroll back into Thompson's Bay for a meal at the Quokka Arms Hotel, washed down with a drink or two!
Click on the 2 maps below for a larger view of exactly where we are staying:
Saturday 4th April:
We'll be up bright and early for a light stretch at 6.30am followed by breakfast in the Mess Hall at 7.00am. Following breakfast, at ~8.00am, we'll take in a scenic couple of laps of the island on our bikes (each lap is ~25km) followed by a run of approximately 60-minutes. This brick session will be one of our last big sessions before the "Big Day" (2nd May) and as such you will all be expected to be in tip-top form with respect to pacing and your nutrition strategies. We'll be featuring a few intervals at your given race-pace to familiarise yourself with exactly what pace you should be aiming to hold at the Busselton Half Ironman. Whilst we had great weather for our camp in 2005, you should come prepared with cooler-weather and wet-weather gear in the eventuality of inclement conditions.
After the brick session we'll take a leisurely stroll into Thompson's Bay again and carbo-load at the world-famous Rottnest Island Bakery - yum! We'll then have a couple of hours to simply relax and chill-out before an afternoon open-water swim skills session, which on the last Boot Camp proved critical for many seeking to improve their navigation skills for Busselton.
Prior to dinner we'll have our traditional "Taper Time Tapas" event which includes drinks and nibbles and a presentation / informal discussion by Paul about how to make the best out of your 16-weeks of training and mental preparation for the big race as you go into your well-deserved taper. We'll then head into Thompson's Bay for an evening meal at the Rottnest Tearooms Bar & Cafe before heading over to one of the other bars for our annual pool & karaoke competition! Not to be missed!
Sunday 5th April:
There will be a casual jog at 7.00am for those who wish to do so and we'll then have a leisurely breakfast at about 8.00am in the Mess Hall and no-doubt recount tales of who was the biggest cheater in the pool tournament and who's voice sounded like they could make it to the top-20 in Australian Idol! We'll have to be out of the accommodation for 10.00am, so we'll collect our gear and head back into Thompson's Bay (for the final time!). Anyone needing to be back in Perth to spend some time with their families can hop on the 11.00am ferry back to Northport, or you may like to stay until 2.30pm and enjoy the experience of Rottnest Island for a few hours longer. For those staying around, a bit of snorkelling will be on the cards if the weather is fine and people are game.
What you will need to bring:
Bike and plastic sheet / blanket for covering your bike (where necessary).
Bike lock - essential if you will be staying till 2.30pm on Sunday.
Swim, bike and run gear (remember to pack warm gear as it may be a little chilly!).
Extra spending money for meals out.
Some smart / casual gear for our 2 evenings out.
Sleeping Bag
Usual tolieteries etc (the bathrooms are single-sex, but communal in nature).
A sense of humour!
How much it costs / what's included:
Your weekend Boot Camp on Rottnest Island includes the following:
Extended-stay return-ticket on the Rottnest Express Ferry leaving at 6pm on Friday 3rd April and returning at either 10.30am or 2.30pm on Sunday 5th April.
Rottnest Express Ferry bike transfer fee.
2-nights accommodation in the Kingston Barracks.
2-morning's breakfast at the Mess Hall.
Taper Time Tapas nibbles and soft-drinks (please provide your own alcholoic beverages where applicable).
2 days of top-class coaching and training tips that will ensure you have the best possible day at the Busselton Ironman on May 2nd 2009!
Total Cost = $220.00.
This really is a one-of-a-kind training experience and superb value for money. Trust us, you'll be very sad if you miss out, so register your interest today!
