There is a two month break between Canberra and South Australia so it has given us a bit of breathing space to get everything we want to have done to the car, attended to.

 

 

There is quite a bit of work to be done following the rough Canberra roads and on top of that we have also been hard at work tying to get some weight out of the car. So far we have managed to eliminate 22kg and I reckon if we chop Dale off at the knees there will be quite a few more kilos there!

Recently, as part of the Women’s Driver Development Program I headed down to Canberra last month for the second of our two training camps run at the Australian Institute of Sport. The camp was also run alongside the Rally Development Program so there was a whole group of us down there braving the cold Canberra weather.

I found the camp not only interesting but also very beneficial. There is just so much to consider outside the rally car that has the potential to make dramatic improvements on your performance within the car. We covered many different areas from fitness, strength & conditioning and nutrition to psychology and media training.

We arrived around lunch time Monday and that afternoon launched straight into what we had all been waiting for….the beep test.(A fitness test where you have to run 20m intervals to beeps which speed up as the levels get higher.) But it was well worth it, especially as it meant that we could have a recovery session in the new recovery facility! The recovery basically involves sitting in a warm spa for a few minutes and then jumping out and spending from 1 to 3 minutes in an 11 º C pool and then back into the spa and so on. The pool is definitely a challenge although 3 minutes isn’t actually that much harder than 1 because after that everything is so numb anyway you can’t feel it! The self discipline really pays off and you feel great afterwards.

And as for the food…….. Ask just about anyone who has been on these camps and they will all tell you just how amazing the food at the AIS is! They have recently built a brand new dining hall which was just awesome. I think we all ate enough to keep us going for the rest of the week after we arrived home as well. They had two hot chocolate machines (which by Day 3 I had helped empty! I figured I was drinking it within the AIS dining hall after all so it can’t be that bad for you…. can it??)

The next day we spent on strength and conditioning, and psychology. They have a huge gym with just about every machine you can think of, and ones I have never seen before. We had both a group psychology session as well as some one on ones so it was good to get a chance to hear from other people as well.

On our final day, we had some more psychology followed by nutrition, cooking class and media training. In nutrition and cooking we looked at good recovery meals to eat at the end of the day which were also easy to prepare when we are away on events. In media training we were put on the spot in front of the camera. It’s a really good way to learn and helps so much, especially as you can compare how you are improving from previous visits.

Then it was all over, too quickly, for another year. Once again I took heaps away from it which will all, hopefully, help me in Rally SA. My next aim is to convince the AIS to make rally driving a scholarship sport so I can move down and live there permanently!

I would like to say a big thank you to Brock and Mark for organizing another fantastic camp and also for looking after us down there. Thanks also to CAMS for giving us the opportunity to go and experience the professional guidance offered by the AIS.

Molly

PS. Thank you to everyone who has visited my web site. The site has now had over 2000 hits which is very exciting. I welcome any suggestions you may have for the site, just send me an email through the ‘Contact Molly’ link on my website.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO MOLLY'S WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY

RallySport Magazine Subscription
Select Subscription Level
Select Subscription Length
Recurring Subscription Cost
A subscription to RallySport Magazine give you access to all our rally content from Australia, New Zealand and around the world – with news, features and experiences nobody can match. Our team are dedicated to providing an unrivalled experience which shares, supports and promotes the sport of rallying.
Already have an account?

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Account Details
Payment Information

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Show Your Support

Author

Title

Go to Top