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At the beginning of every year, I always set out what I plan to do in terms of my training goals and what competitions I aim to compete in. There’s always some small deviation from the plan, this can be down to many ever-changing factors, though the change of plans usually only really affects how I plan my training peaks, and how I’m focusing on different training elements.

For example, if I’m approaching a peak but find that my strength and conditioning isn’t what it should be, I may decide to scale back on max dives and spend a little more time in the pool, or perhaps my breath-hold isn’t up to scratch and I need to address this area of me training a little closer. On occasion, I have found that financially things might be tight and so I’ve changed my comp plans because of funds, but for the most part, the plan gets followed. If I find my training isn’t going so well and I have a comp just around the corner, I’d still go ahead with it, even if I may not be where I want to be, these are usually the periods where we learn the most about ourselves.

The planning of my comps and training usually happens at the end of the year in preparation for the following. I’ve found over the years that the shape of what the next year will look like usually starts to take form slowly as I come towards the end of the season, I find myself starting to see what I might want to do in terms of goals, and what competitions I fancy going to. 2019 was the first year that Vertical Blue didn’t go ahead, so throughout the whole of last year, I was pretty adamant that I would be there for the showdown in 2020. But after my invite came through and I reserved my spot I started to question if it would be the best plan for the overall performance of the year. It is for sure the best competition for results, because of conditions, but also because of the stimulus that an event like VB provides, it brings the best out of us.

For all of my previous VB comps I had been permanently based on the Island, and so it meant that I didn’t need to travel to and from the comp, instead, I would just slip back into training in a, once again, empty Blue hole. This time I would have to travel from the Philippines, meaning I would have to adjust to a completely opposite timeline, sync up, compete then head back to Asia and sync up once again. This isn’t really the issue, it’s more the fact that it was in the middle of the year, plus VB being such a big comp, after finishing it can leave you pretty spent, to say the least. With this in mind, combined with around the world trip will inevitably take a serious chunk out of training, realistically between 1-2months. I figured if I just spent this time staying in one place I could get much more quality training done, albeit not in the limelight that VB provides, but the same level of diving none the less.

So I’ve decided to stay put in Panglao for 7 months, starting from February until the end of August. Prior to arriving back in Panglao, I was staying with Adam and Erin in Australia, so both Adam and I started back at training in January. I’ve learned over the years to start back slowly and not try to put the foot down too fast, so January was very much prep before the training really begins. So lots of swimming and medium intensity but high volume pool training, focusing on generating a positive vibe for the upcoming season.

I’m targeting the first depth peak of the year to be in May for the Uba cup, scheduled from the 19-25th. After this first peak, I will scale back on the depth and head back to the pool along with more physical workouts again, not as long as the beginning of the year, only for a few weeks or so, then build back the depth for another peak in August before my time in Panglao comes to an end. What I’ve also found over the years is that if I set a really solid foundation for the first few months of the year, when I slip back into base training again I only need a few weeks to bring myself back up to fitness after a long stint of deep diving. This year in Panglao, there are no scheduled competitions in August yet, so if it stays like this then I’ll focus on hitting my targets in training if things go really well I may consider scheduling a record attempt or two, though only for the records I currently have, which are in CNF and CWTB, ideally, I’d like to make my dives in a competition environment.

After this second peak, I will do the same as the first, scale back to the pool and slowly build back up again. The last peak will hopefully be the best, this is the plan, but it is also important to keep the fire going all year and to enjoy the process as much as the end result. So my plan is to target Dominica for the Blue Element competition as my final peak and the end of my season, this comp is scheduled November 6-13th and is an epic place to do some big dives.

I competed in Dominica for the first time back in 2016 and I really loved it, conditions are perfect, zero current, good visibility and awesome surface conditions. The dive site is actually in an old volcano crater that creates a shelter from the outside ocean currents, and the surrounding topography provides shelter from the trade winds that blow from the east. All of this culminates for a very beautiful place to dive in, with the surrounding mountains as a backdrop.

So that’s the plan, my first depth peak in May, another peak in August to finish off my time in Panglao for this year, then ending the year back in the Caribbean for Blue Element.