English Institute of Sport
We are lucky enough to have The English Institute of Sport (EIS) based right here in our university campus, making Loughborough a great place to base a triathlon high performance centre. This makes up a large part of the Sports Development Centre which greatly supports performance athletes like myself.
The EIS helps to provide many facilities and support services for the Sports Development Centre, which are crucial for performance athletes.
Facilities include a modern indoor 50m swimming pool with excellent pool time every day and a pool side gym. Also an indoor and outdoor running track at the Hi-PAC (High Performance Athletic Centre) which we use regularly for our sessions. The use of these facilities is integrated into my programme. As well as these facilities the EIS also provide athletes with physiotherapy as regularly as they need it, and several doctors who work on campus to take care of the athletes.
One of the key services that the EIS provide is the strength and conditioning coaching, which is based in the main university gym - "Powerbase".
Whenever we have strength and conditioning sessions there is a coach present offering expert advice and guidance. I believe this is a vital service that the EIS provide, as without it our bodies may crumble under the stress of training and injury could take over. Without these facilities and support networks I certainly believe that it would be difficult to reach the level which I am currently at and without them I know I would have run into some serious problems on my journey!
