A training camp sounds like an awesome experience....and it is!! But it's important to consider the purpose of your training camp in the context of your season so you benefit positively from the camp training.
At our recent Trimarni advanced endurance camp in Greenville, the majority of our campers were training for an Ironman event in the next 4-8 weeks. With months of accumulated training behind them and a lot of resilience and strength, we gently overloaded them with intensity and duration but nothing that would risk injury, burnout, sickness or a health issue. We carefully stretched comfort zones but strictly enforced proper nutrition before and after every workout, sport nutrition usage during all workouts and adequate rest and recovery between sessions. Each workout was planned with the mentality that we will challenge but not break our athletes. We had no issues occur at camp in terms of injury, GI issues or bonking and many of our campers felt stronger as the camp went on.
Having said this, not every camp has the same focus but every camp should be taken seriously for what you do in the days after the camp may make or break your season. Interestingly, many athletes can feel strong during camp and then in the 24-72 hours post camp, they feel weak, run-down, sick and depleted. This isn't unlike what is felt after an Ironman. While it's expected to feel exhausted for a few days after a training camp, it's not normal to feel like you can't get back into training later on in the week. Although each athlete is different, there are risks to participating in a training camp and one of those is not being able to bounce back into structured training.....which kinda defeats the purpose of a training camp - to boost fitness.
Despite feeling superhuman during camp (not to mention enjoying the stress-free atmosphere without work, kids, laundry, commuting and other daily to-do's), most athletes are eager to get back into training way too soon which places extra fatigue on an already fatigued body. Considering that the heart, brain and other organs experience just as much stress as the muscles, tendons and bones, it is important to respect the body in the 24-72 hours and focus on recovery before trying to get fitter, faster and stronger. You must recover first for the magic of camp to take in effect.
Having said this - recovery does not mean laying around, staying up late watching Netflix, drinking beer/wine and indulging on fast food. Exercise does a body good when you can move blood and loosen out stiff joints. However, working out when sleep deprived, run down and exhausted and in an underfueled state does you no good - no matter how "easy" you take it. Sleep and nutrition should be top priorities in assisting in the recovery post camp and should come before any training session. If you can't get a good night of sleep or eat well, don't make yourself train. Get these lifestyle habits dialed in before easing yourself back into training for the sooner you get your diet and sleep schedule back on track, the sooner you'll be able to stay consistent with your training. And above all, be an active participant during every workout by listening to your body to ensure that you are actually recovering your body and not overworking it.
Although it's important to rest and recover the body and mind after a training camp, it's not always that simple. It's hard to rest a body that is extremely sore, depleted and tired - just ask any Ironman athlete who experiences post-race insomnia. This is why you really need to give your body time to recover and not "train" - but instead exercise with flexibility and attentiveness until your sleep, diet, GI tract, mindset and body return to good health again. You may struggle with motivation, tightness in the chest, fatigue, sleep issues, stiff joints and even question how in the heck did you put together so many great workouts throughout your training camp? This is all normal and expected so the more strenuous your training camp, the more cautious you need to be with your return to training.
Remember, consistency is the key to athletic excellence on race day. What you do on a daily basis matters more than what you can accomplish (or check-off) over the weekend or during a training camp. Be patient with your body and respect it, especially if it's not recovering as quickly as you'd like after a training camp. When you begin to feel healthy and normal again in the mind and body, that is a sign that you are almost ready to ease yourself back into structured training.
Listening to your body doesn't make you weak. It makes you a smart athlete who knows how to avoid injury, fatigue, burnout and sickness in order to prioritize health over training miles/hours. In the big picture, you'll accomplish far more than the athlete who is injured or sick from trying to get back to training too soon.