Lanzarote Testimonial - Nicola Kaye

What are your sporting interests?

Nicola KayeI came from a running background, but these days there’s a lot more cycling. Swimming gets a look in whenever I can find the motivation! 

What made you decide to go on the Serpentine Lanzarote trip? 

The first time I went to Club la Santa with Serpentine was back in 2014. I’d started to get into triathlon a bit more seriously and it looked like a great way to put in a good training block, while getting away from the UK Winter and making some new friends and training buddies in the process. 

What were your aims before the trip?

I wanted to take advantage of the quiet roads and good weather to put in lots of miles on the bike. I was also looking to pick up some training tips from more experienced triathletes. 

Did you fulfil your aims?

Absolutely. The roads around Lanzarote are excellent, with great tarmac, and a variety of routes;  from climbing mountains to lunching by the coast, there’s something for everyone. The coaching is excellent, with experienced swim, bike and run coaches on hand to offer advice on training, racing, nutrition and much more more. 

Were you able to train with other Serpies of similar standard?

Absolutely. There’s a big group who head out each year (c. 100) with a good mix of runners and triathletes so you’ll always find someone to train with, be it laps of the pool, miles on the bike or a hard track session. 

Were there a sufficient variety of sessions available to take part in? 

This is probably one of the best features of the Serpentine training week at La Santa and the reason I’ve returned year after year. This year was my 5th at La Santa with the Serpies. I’ve considered other training weeks with other companies, but I’ve never found one that I felt met my needs as much as the Serpie trip. I like the variety it offers, with numerous swim, bike and run sessions on offer each day so you can pick and choose what suits you. 

What were the facilities like at Club La Santa? 

The facilities are top notch. It’s such a luxury having 3 outdoor 50m pools and an open water lagoon on site that even someone like me who really struggles for swim motivation can drag myself out of bed at 7am to hit the pool.  Swim, bike and run aside, one of the great things about La Santa is that you can mix their own activities with those offered by Serpentine. The stretching and yoga classes are excellent and each year there’s always new activities to try, such as aerial yoga and trampolining. It’s also a great opportunity to put in some strength training and there’s a fully equipped gym on site together with various other classes such as TRX. 

Would you have any tips for anyone going on the trip for the first time?

Relax and remember it’s a holiday too!! In all seriousness, it’s a great opportunity to get in a good block of training, but it’s very easy to overdo it on the first couple of days and then feel exhausted for the rest of the week. Have a look at the schedule provide by Serpentine, together with the activities on offer at La Santa and try to make a rough plan for the week. You don’t need to stick to it religiously, but it’ll help you make the most of your time there. 

It’s also a great opportunity to try new things. If you’ve not done much cycling previously, you can hire bikes from La Santa either for a half or full day and you can join one of the easier rides. It’s a much more pleasant way to improve your cycling than on the busy, central London roads. 

Can you sum up your Club La Santa experience in one sentence?

It’s a great week spent with friends and training buddies and having a good balance between training and socialising. It’s always a highlight to my year which probably tells you why I’ve been on the trip for the last 5 years!