Twelve ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes, nine ‘Future Stars with Kelly’ athletes and ten coaches attended the latest ‘On Camp with Kelly’ Get-Together at Leeds Metropolitan University’s Headingley Campus on Saturday 17 December.  Activities including the opportunity to experience training at altitude in the university’s environmental chamber.

The theme of the Get-Together was winter training and as well as a tough grass or aqua-jogging session led by Dame Kelly in the morning the athletes and coaches took part in an injury prevention workshop with OCWK physiotherapist Alison Rose and OCWK massage therapist Lesley Bryant.  They learnt a series of exercises to help correct imbalances and weaknesses as well as some useful self-massage techniques.

In the afternoon the athletes and coaches took part in a workshop on altitude training with English Institute of Sport Senior Physiologist Dr Barry Fudge who works with UK Athletics on their altitude training programme.  After learning about the theory of training at altitude the athletes had the opportunity to experience exercising in an altitude chamber set to 3000 metres above sea level.

Dame Kelly said: “I was pleased to return to the excellent facilities at Leeds Met where I came regularly for treatment with Alison Rose to host an ‘On Camp with Kelly’ Get-Together.  It was great to catch up with all the athletes and the end of the year and provide them with some motivation and inspiration for their winter training.”

European Junior 800m silver medallist Rowena Cole said: “I really enjoyed the Get-Together.  I found it really beneficial having the altitude talk as I had a lot of questions about it and I now understand a lot more about it.  The pool training session in the morning was really good, it was great to have Kelly there motivating us and telling us how to improve our technique.  It’s been great to see Kelly, all the ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes and team and I’m very thankful to Aviva for funding the day.”

‘Future Stars with Kelly’ athlete Phil Hurst said: 21-year-old Phil added: “The Aviva-sponsored Get-Together was very interesting, learning about self-massage techniques and stretching exercises will really help me stay injury free throughout the winter.  The altitude training workshop with Dr Barry Fudge I found great, the information and knowledge he provided has given me a good insight into the subject.”

David Randall, father and coach to new OCWK recruit Zac Randall added: “It was well worth traveling up to Leeds for the Get-Together.  To see the athletes interacting with their peers from all over the country and taking advantage of the opportunities to learn is great.  Plus we received the most understandable explanation of altitude training I have ever seen.”