Individual runners and teams will have a great summer training experience at our Old School Running Camp. The 90 acre peninsula is criss-crossed by trails that run through an oak, birch, hemlock, and white pine forest. The forest trail system winds throughout the peninsula and follows the shore of the lake before connecting with over twenty miles of trails in the beautiful Sebago lake region of Maine.
The running camp will emphasize base mileage and strength workouts for summer training. Most of the miles will be run at moderate paces to help high school runners increase their summer training volume. Runners will also have the option of participating in a hill workout and a tempo run during the week.
The daily program will be directed by Bowdoin College cross-country Coach Peter Slovenski and a staff that includes current and former college runners. Coaches will combine traditional and old-fashioned exercises with modern exercise science to help runners improve technique, efficiency, and running economy. Runners will do daily stride drills on the field and hard packed sand beach. Runners will also learn a series of warm-up drills designed to improve running technique and speed.
Campers will improve their strength and power through our Spartan outdoor exercise curriculum that starts every morning with a morning dip in the lake.
Cross-training options will include jump rope, medicine ball drills, swimming, and splitting wood with an axe.
Recreational activities that enhance strength & conditioning will include tug-of-war and beach volleyball. Every run will be followed by optional periods when campers can elect to swim, kayak, canoe, play beach volleyball, or enjoy other summer activities by a lake in Maine.
Outside of the activity and coaching sessions the campers will participate in an old-fashioned summer camp experience with a mandatory one hour reading period after lunch for summer reading. Other recovery periods during the day will feature card games and board games, and exclude cell phones, texting, and computers. Each evening will conclude with a campfire that features contests and readings that contribute to the intellectual and character growth of the athletes.