Talent Squad winter training weekend, Jan 2015

Maroc Talent Squad training on Drummond Hill, Loch Tay

Maroc Talent Squad training on Drummond Hill, Loch Tay

As has become a tradition over the last few years Maroc Talent Squad held their winter training weekend away in suitably wintry conditions. This year they visited the Loch Tay area and took part in some tough physical and technical sessions.

18th Jan 15

The weekend kicked off on Friday evening with a head-torch run behind the accommodation at Weem. This climbed straight up into the forest where the path weaved below some awesomely big crags, which looked all the more impressive in the dark.

On Saturday morning Roger had planned some technical training at Drummond Hill. After a lengthy 3km warm-up to the start each of the athletes and coaches helped to hang some controls for the session, but by the time they had done this, many felt that they had already had a pretty tough session as a result of the 30cm of shin bruising crusty snow in the forest. This proved unbelievably hard work to plough through. Undeterred, everyone gritted their teeth and got stuck into at least one of the planned loops and several brave indiviudals even volunteered to collect the controls in again. Enough was enough though, and the terrain interval session planned for the afternoon was abandoned in favour of a jog back down to the cars and a short loosener jog with some strides on the Kenmore golf course. Back at the accommodation, showers followed by a good stretching session helped ease out some very tired (and in several cases cramping) muscles. Thre evning wound up with a discussion about planning for the forthcoming season and how to address our biggest weaknesses.

The forecast was good for Sunday and so an assault on Schiehallion was planned. The first challenge in this was sucessfully accomplished by managing to reach the car park with the cars. However, even on stepping out of the cars it was apparent that reaching the summit might be too much of a challenge in the bitter cold wind. In the end we made it half way up, but with various athletes starting to get cold and the wind already proving challenging to lighter bodies it was only sensible to turn back and save the summit for another day. Disappointment in having to turn back was soon forgotten with the thrill of the descent through the snow. Whilst most felt that they had had a pretty good workout by this time, Ewan Mc and Jake felt in need of a bit more, and so were unceremoniously ejected from the cars 10km away from the accommodation to enjoy the run back.

It was certainly a tough weekend but the effort that everyone put in is sure to reap benefits in the season to come - watch out for Maroc Talent Squad on the podium this year.

More photos in the Maroc Picassa Photo Gallery

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