The holiday season is a time to relax, unwind, take a break right? For many yes, but for several local distance runners it was a chance to hone their skills. Two-time cross country state champion Julia Montgomery of Pine Crest joined 20 other high school runners in Tallahassee for the Florida State Winter Distance Camp. Montgomery had the chance to room with one of her toughest competitors at the 2A Cross Country Finals, Mackezie Wilson of Bolles. She says the whole weekend was a lot of fun.
"Getting to run the trails in Tallahassee together was a major plus. Everyone was really friendly and we all got along well. We had several lectures by Coach Braman about the various phases of training, what those different gears should be, and how much we should be running."
While the winter camp gave athletes the chance to bond with other runners and train it also served as a learning experience. Montgomery says one fact that surprised her was that training for the 5k should be about 6% anaerobic (working on speed and intervals) and 94% aerobic (getting in those long distance runs and building up miles). She adds that the highlight of the camp for her was the VO2 testing.
"They hooked us up to a tube that would measure our oxygen intake, and then we ran on a giant treadmill as they ramped up the pace until we couldn’t go anymore. It sounds terrifying before you get on, but its really exhilarating and the stats are interesting."
Circle Christian sophomore Denae Chapman attended the camp to get mentally ready for track and to get her love for running back. She says the experience was a great wake up call.
"Coach Braman gave us some information about goal setting for training and racing. Stuff like, every run has a specific purpose. For example, my parents always give me a certain pace for my long run, then im supposed to pick it up at the end. Being as competitive as I am, I would run with my boys team and crush the last mile at a crazy pace, pushing eac hother, or just full out! i learned at camp, however, that this actually does nothing for you but tire out your legs. If the long day is meant for a medium pace day, then i should stay at that! I also learned that vO2 workouts are extremely hard, especially mentally.The experience was very great and I had a lot of fun meeting new people and training on beautiful trails in Tallahassee."
It wasn't all hard work however. Between runs and lectures the kids did get to have some fun. Montgomery says the list of activities included movies and a trip to the Fun Station for laser tag, go carting, and some putt putt golf, making for a great camp experience.
"With all of Coach Braman’s lectures to implement in our practices, drills and training gears to use, and new friends to look forward to seeing once racing starts, we were all psyched to get back home and continue running. We all had an awesome time, I know I’ll definitely be coming back next year."
While the athletes in Tallahassee were learning, runners in Tampa were also gaining valuable knowledge at the Team Prep USA Winter Distance Project, a week long camp in Tampa. Cardinal Mooney senior Grace Casagrande was one of those 38 elite athletes in attendance. She is no stranger to the Team Prep USA camps having attended their summer camp and seeing those results pay off for her senior year of cross country. One of the top runners in 1A , she knew the additional workouts would help prepare for her a strong track season.
"I wanted to spend my free time during the winter break really preparing and building a strong foundation for my final track season. The workouts at winter camp included some of the hardest training I had ever done, including a track interval workout, a tempo to hill workout, and a long run, in addition to recovery runs and recovery protocol such as icing and stretching. I’m glad I spent my break training rather than relaxing at home because I truly enjoy training with the knowledge that it will give me a competitive edge on the upcoming season."
The athletes did however have some fun including a trip to Busch Gardens for New Years Eve. For Lincoln Park Academy freshman Caleb Pottorff, the camp was a true learning experience. He says he realized how to become more successful in life as well as how to become a runner.
"I learned so much over the past nine days and have had a great experience. The workouts are beyond intense and the atmosphere is filled with kids who want to be there and get the most of it."
These athletes are just another example of the extra hard work and dedication that it takes to go from good to great, and top ten to state champion.