Running Camp Revisited

From Claire McEvoy

This year was the first year I ever did a cross country camp. I didn’t know what to expect at first, but by the end of the week I was more than happy I made the decision to go. Driving into the camp, I could tell it was going to be an amazing place to run. Camp Canadensis has a very camp-like feel to it; the campground is huge, and there are tons of cabins and buildings like an arts and crafts center, a dining hall, and a theater. There’s also a decent sized lake in the middle of the camp, that I went in almost every day during the week to go kayaking, and two pools with water slides that I used a few times as well. Even though the cabins in the camp don’t have air conditioning, in the end it didn’t matter because I spent almost no time in the cabin. RunningWorks has activities planned for us throughout the day, with lots of free time in between. There are some optional things to do, but all the runs (2 per day!!) are mandatory. The whole time I was there I never did the same trail twice. I liked this a lot because it is a nice change of scenery, and to be able to run down a new path every run made me look forward to every day. Entering the camp, one of my main concerns was that it would be too hard. If you backed down from doing camp this year because you thought it would be too challenging, I really recommend that you do it next year!!! The camp was definitely difficult, but physically it wasn't anything harder than what we do at practice. The two runs a day may sound intimidating, but the coaches break up the runs so you get the same amount of mileage in as you would back home. You're also placed into groups based on your personal best times, so you're running with girls that are just as good as you. Also, if you get placed in a group that's too fast or too slow for you, it's easy to switch. Some days we didn’t even do two runs, especially if we had a workout in the morning. Then, in the afternoon we would go “aqua jog” in the pool or just do core and abs. Although running was obviously a huge part of the camp, it wasn’t the only thing that we did.

Aside from all the motivation and running related things that I did at camp, I also had tons of fun kayaking, swimming, and just hanging out with the girls that came up. In all honesty, my favorite part of camp wasn't the running. It was super fun being able to talk to girls from other schools about different places that we’ve both ran on our runs, but my favorite part was hanging out with the other RBR XC girls. Even though the entire team wasn’t in Canadensis, I never felt more involved in a team then on that last Saturday. All 12 of us weren’t in the same cabin, but we were right next door and still saw each other every morning and throughout the day. By the end of the week, I wasn’t even tired of being around any of the girls, and I remember wishing that the camp would last maybe three more days. The best part of camp was being able to do something you absolutely love doing alongside people who love it just as much, with no distractions to get in the way. Before I left, I had so many people give me the weirdest looks when I told them I was going to running camp for a week. They would ask me why I would ever do that to myself, but I promise at running camp there’s no one like that at all. Everyone understands the undeniable passion that comes with being a runner because they have it themselves. To be completely honest, before running camp I had some serious doubts about this upcoming cross country season. I lowkey struggled to find the love that I know I used to have for this sport. Needless to say, I know running camp changed my perspective on things. It gave me newfound motivation that I needed, and it also created bonds with my teammates that make me want to have a great season, if not for myself, then for them.

At camp, we also had the opportunity to learn more about running and about our forms as runners. We had gait analysis, where one of the coaches took a video of us running and then went over it individually, pointing out important things to focus on in our form when we run to prevent injury and conserve energy. There were also tons of optional talks, about nutrition, college, race day prep, and other running related things. The great thing about cross country is that you're constantly surrounded by people going through the same pain that you are, and everyone wants to get better and improve themselves. At the camp, I was surrounded by 160 campers who all had these ideals; and the staff did too, just with a little more experience under their belts. It's truly a week like no other to be surrounded by this much constant motivation; even though I was doing two runs a day, there wasn't a point when I was tired of it or I wanted to go home. It's very reassuring to hear tons of stories from college athletes and more, that all start with the same "I love running" as yours. So, if you didn't do the running camp this year, I highly recommend you think about doing it next summer!! It's hard to describe in words how different I felt coming out of that camp, and how my perspective has changed in terms of how I now view running. I have a newfound appreciation for something I've always loved, and I am thankful to know I share this with the other girls who went to RunningWorks.

New Blog

Welcome to the new RBR Girls Cross Country Website. Check back often for updates on your favorite team.

See all returners Tuesday, May 31st in room 140 for a mandatory meeting. Spread the word to any new members.

Excited to meet our new freshman on July 5th at our first team workout!!