Travel solutions: Fitness Breaks

The Caribbean
Improve your swim stroke in the Virgin Islands
In March and April, the temperature in the Virgin Islands is 30°C out of the water and not much cooler in it. A far cry from the enclosed waters of your local pool, there’s surely no better place to improve your technique and endurance.

Every spring, SwimTrek takes small groups of ten to 12 on a six-day swim tour of the Caribbean. You’ll be swimming up to 4km a day – that’s equivalent to 160 lengths of a 25m pool – but you don’t have to do it all in one go. Although there will be one long swim, the others are shorter as you hop from island to island. As you go, the coaches will offer advice on how to better your speed and efficiency, with video analysis in the evenings so that you can see where you’re going wrong – or right. You’ll need to be a strong and confident swimmer to take part, though; this isn’t an option for beginners or intermediates.

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SwimTrek (020 8696 6220/ www.swimtrek.com). The departure dates for the Virgin Islands are March 24 and 31. It costs £995 per person, excluding flights. Other UK, short- and long-haul tours are available.

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Bike skills in southern Spain
Road biking can increase your endurance over long distances, while mountain biking off-road along technical single track – obstacle-strewn paths only marginally wider than you – is both thrilling and superb for improving bike-handling skills and core stability. International Bike 51 runs regular road and mountain-bike courses in Andalusia.
International Bikes 51 (00 34 647 011 807/www.interbikes51.com).Camps cost around £395 per person per week, half-board. Excludes flight to Málaga.

Adventure racing in Lakeland
Adventure races typically involve running, biking, navigating and kayaking, but there are also surprise challenges, such as climbing and rope courses. BaseCamp is an adventure racing training camp that takes place from April 6-8 in the Lake District and primarily covers foot and bike navigation skills.
BaseCamp (07738 429 909/ www.theadventureracingcoach.com). £75 per person, half-board.

Fell running in the Highlands
Head off-road to the Highland trails with a Wildoutdoors fell running and navigation weekend on March 23-25, led by UK Athletics coach Adrian Davis. For £130 you get coaching in orienteering, race planning, an individual assessment and guided runs in the Scottish mountains.
Wildoutdoors (01337 831196/ www.wildoutdoors.info).

Jessica Eveleigh