NorWesters and West Van Track Clubs Hold Successful 2nd Annual Cross-Country Camp

27 athletes participated in the 2nd annual camp held in the resort community of Whistler BC. There was virtually an equal mix of boys and girls aged 14 – 18 and all levels of ability. Athletes were quickly arranged into appropriate training groups in order to maximize the experience for each camper. Those older and more experienced were prescribed more challenging workouts and activities than the younger newcomers and in the end everyone felt they were tested to the max and came away eager to put into practice what they learned at the camp.

Each day the camp program included two types of physical activities, a social activity and the daily highlight for many – cooking meals using menus learned in our nutrition workshop. All of the athletes got along and no one was left behind in our quest to have fun and get stronger as cross-country runners. As coach Frank Reynolds pointed out at the beginning of the camp the goal of the camp was to place fun at the top of the list and throughout the 5 day camp most of the athletes had smiles on their faces during each activity. Reynolds pointed out how easy it is to get full participation when the coaches put a little more effort in designing activities that accomplish the goals of improved endurance and strength but are done in fun ways.

Ashley Weber, one of the 3 coaches along with Cindy O’Krane, designed interval workouts that embraced the concepts of hard work; team building and fun by having the athletes form teams and run relays when doing interval training. For strength workouts relays included teams that wheel barrowed, piggybacked, swam and leap-frogged their way to victory. In addition, the workouts with professional trainers at Meadow Park Rec Centre put us through our paces with posture and technique strength drills and outdoor circuit training using parachutes, hurdles, Velcro bands medicine balls and many other pieces of equipment that promoted agility, coordination and balance.

But it wasn’t all hard work and sweat. During the 5 days the athletes became good friends and shared good times down in the village or up in the Alpine trails of Whistler. Our scavenger hunt and games nights were really well received and the ingenuity of the teams trying to find an Olympic athlete to get an autograph or get a Lawyer’s business card provided many a laugh and some excellent forging by one of the teams.

As the camp came to a close both the coaches and campers had an awards night and shared their pros and cons of the camp. As Reynolds, Weber and O’Krane went over the evaluations, they were humbled at the overwhelming responses by the campers to how much they enjoyed their 5 days. With the camper’s feedback to reflect on, the coaches feel they can do an even better job for next year’s camp. So all cross-country runners who want to get a jump on the competition and at the same time have a tremendous time and unforgettable experience put next year’s 3rd Annual Whistler Cross-country Camp on your calendar from August 26 – 31, 2005 and commit to being there. We look forward to seeing you then.