*Triathlon trainining in Portugal? - advice please!

Iron Enthusiast

I'm heading off to the Algarve on holidays for just over a week, but unfortunately this trip really clashes with my preparations for IM. (not that i'm saying too much about this to my ever patient better half - she deserves a holiday from my IM problems!)

So, I've managed to rent a road-bike in advance and also know that there's a 50m pool near Faro somewhere, but i can't find any directions or details about it on the internet.

I was just wondering if anyone here happen to have any experience of training in the Algarve(especially just west of Faro), and subsequently any tips/advice on bike routes or access to laned off pools etc..? By all accounts the Portugese drivers are pretty lethal when it comes to cyclist so i'd be happy to do a 10k loop 10/12 times to be safe, even if it means i'll be bored stupid!

Many thanks in advance,

IE:pac:

hunnymonster

We got married in the Algarve in april and -aamadeus-- description of the wedding was "it was like an explosion in an oakleys factory or whatever the collective noun for a group of Ironmen is" so we have sussed out a lot of the details.
1. swim in the sea and forget the pool. If you absolutely need a pool there is a 50 meter one in Loule but the Portuguese pools are a bit funny. You'll have to join and pay a membership fee, have speedos, hat and flip flops and possibly photos for an id card. Alternatively, settle for 25m which a lot of the hotels have
2. I didn't think drivers were that bad. road surface was crap though. Inland has some nice hilly territory and along the coast there is a bike trail that runs the full length of the Algarve from West to East.

catweazle

No help from me but I will be watching this one, its looking like I will be dragged here for holidays myself in late July. What Ironman are you doing, I would be looking forward to some open water swims more than a pool.

Have you a link for where you are hiring the bike???

dare2be

Bring your wetsuit. Water very cold even in July

catweazle

dare2be wrote: »

Bring your wetsuit. Water very cold even in July

:eek::eek::eek: Crap No way will I get away with the wetsuit, this is being billed as a holiday not a training camp.

hunnymonster

we were fine without wetsuits in April so I would risk that one for the sake of relationship stability.;)

Iron Enthusiast

Cheers for all the advice Hunney Monster & D2B Nice part of the world to get married in with some serious coastal scenery!

My preference would definitely be to do Sea swimming but i'm a bit wary of heading out on my own as I'm not familir with the currents and wont have my wetsuit for extra bouancy if something goes wrong. (i'm probably being overly cautious but i much prefer swimming with others when in open water). Where i'm heading there tend to be quite large waves so you have to go out relatively far to avoid them if you just want to swim parallell to the coastline.

Hey Catweazle, i'm doing Challenge Copenhagen (my 1st iron distance) i'll PM you with that bike-hire link and also let you know how I get on with them when i'm ove there. Fingers crossed I wont be handed a solid steel mountain bike with no brakes when I get there:o) (although they have promised a road-bike)

The plan is hopefully just to get in 2 longish bricks and 2 solid swim sessions while over there along with a couple of shorter runs. As it's a holiday I can't be missing for too long so i'll be hoping to get out and back as early as I can to avoid the heat and being missed.
No doubt there'll be a couple of late nights and lie in's as well!:pac:

metal dog

Hi IE

Maybe you have checked this out already but I have found quite a lot of good route info on map my ride - I am heading on a non-training holiday myself next week near Girona but hope to get out for a day on the bike and have found lots of intereting looking routes from that source.

volcanicash

IE

The main roads in the Algarve are fairly dangerous for road biking. Though you do see the odd brave soul on them. If you can get away from the coast, about 10-15km back, there are super quiet country roads where the hills start. They run the length of the Algarve.

The sea is totally fine for swimming this time of year. Both temperature and waves. Unless you are as far west as Lagos or further, the waves aren't an issue for parallel swimming. I was swimming at Faro beach today and there was no problem staying in 30mins or more in togs

ecoli

catweazle wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek: Crap No way will I get away with the wetsuit, this is being billed as a holiday not a training camp.

You can jet ski on your holidays? there is your excuse and maybe even go so far as saying you wanted to take your OH and could even earn you brownie points

MisterDrak

Iron Enthusiast wrote: »

I'm heading off to the Algarve on holidays for just over a week, but unfortunately this trip really clashes with my preparations for IM. (not that i'm saying too much about this to my ever patient better half - she deserves a holiday from my IM problems!)

So, I've managed to rent a road-bike in advance and also know that there's a 50m pool near Faro somewhere, but i can't find any directions or details about it on the internet.

I was just wondering if anyone here happen to have any experience of training in the Algarve(especially just west of Faro), and subsequently any tips/advice on bike routes or access to laned off pools etc..? By all accounts the Portugese drivers are pretty lethal when it comes to cyclist so i'd be happy to do a 10k loop 10/12 times to be safe, even if it means i'll be bored stupid!

Many thanks in advance,

IE:pac:

Just back from Portugal Tuesday 15th and did a fair bit of running just West of Faro (Vale de lobo / Quinta Area).

There is a there nice 8.5 M loop starting from Lobo (praca), along the beach to the foot bridge (Quinta), up through Quinta (very Nice), back along the road to Vale de lobo (Careful as it narrow)...

Try the runs in the morning, as its above 25c most days, also the beach is fine of the sea is out (as the sand is hard) else its difficult.

Enjoy...

Iron Enthusiast

Thanks for all the good advice!

Drak that's exactly where i'll be training so i'll try your loop and let you know how it goes. There's lots of little hills that make running around there pretty bumpy so I agree with you about tackling it when the sun isn't too strong!

Will check out that no Metaldog and hopefully i'll find a few routes. Enjoy your holiday by the way, I know you've planned it into your training so have fun!

Cheers V.A. I'm still wary of swimming solo in the open water, even if it's just 20 m's from the shore (i'm cautious in open water) - hopefully i'll get lucky and find someone else interested in doing a bit of a sea swim as well, stranger things have happened!:pac:

Will let you know how I get on.