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World triathlon Champion Alistair Brownlee and his brother Jonny, who came second to his brother in Beijing this September, have an unsurprisingly grueling training schedule in the lead up to 2012. The British brothers, who are based at cosy student digs in Leeds, stick to a regimented 35 hours of training a week, including weekends. The pair swim, run and cycle, all before midday, and then go for long runs again in the evening. The boys claim to do 95 percent of their training together and believe their consistent top 10 positions come down to tactical co-operation and teamwork.

The mild winter weather has been a godsend for the young men, who complete their training week in and week out, rain or shine. But, this Monday, Alistair and Jonny escape to the sun at a British Triathlon training camp in Lanzarote. The Brownlees will be taking advantage of the island's facilities made famous by the Lanzarote Ironman triathlon event. The Brownlee brothers have certainly chosen a world-class training ground to get their teeth stuck into before the Olympics next year.

The Ironman, often referred to as the toughest of all tournaments of its kind, begins with a 3.8km swim off the coast by Porto del Carmen, followed by an intense 180.2km cycle through the beautiful scenic climbs of the Mirador de Haria and the Mirador del Rio, before a 42.2km run along the sea front to Playa del Honda, and back, in the beating sun. Places for the Lanzarote Ironman 2012 are fully booked, though spaces on the waiting list are available until April 2012.

Though you may not be able to join the Brownlee brothers at London 2012, you can definitely train on the same grounds as them: various triathlon training camps, catering for all abilities, take place in autumn and winter on the Island. Flights to Lanzarote land at ACE (Aeropuerto De Lanzarote), which is well served with frequent flights to and from the UK and Northern Europe. Taxis and Buses provide a good value service when travelling around the island.