This year I thought it might be interesting to tally up my running mileage, as well as my general activity level as measured in daily steps by my Garmin Vivofit (to see a more general overview of what running camp is like, go here and view my photo-journal).

To start, here is a summary of the camper workout agenda:

Monday
Morning: Hill Running Clinic – total of about 3 miles
Afternoon: Strides and Drills Clinic
Evening: 3.5-4 miles easy run to the Black River for a swim

Tuesday
Morning: Track Intervals/Reps – 3×800, 3×400, 4×400 relay race (plus about 2 miles warm-up & cooldown)
Evening: Optional 5K trail race (~2/3 single track trails, very challenging courses!!!)

Wednesday
Endurathon Day – 10 miles biking, 3 mile hike up and down mountain Pisgah or Hor, 6 mile run along Lake Willoughby (see map below), 10 miles biking home

Thursday
Morning – Yoga, then up to 11 mile run on Stowe bike path (out-and-back, campers choose distance)
Evening – optional run/bike/swim/boating

Friday
Morning – Tempo/Fartlek Workout (30/60/90sec on with equal off x 3, then 6 min tempo), optional 2.5 cooldown back to Outdoor Center
Afternoon – optional run/bike/swim/boating

Saturday
Morning – 10 mile “Ridge Run” at 5:30 AM before check-out (see map and elevation below)

As a coach I did not do all of the workouts with the campers (e.g., I was filming during the track and fartlek/tempo runs, though I did manage a PR of 62 seconds in the 400m relay!). However, I did add on some solo runs here and there. For example, I did the 7-mile “Lake Loop” around Great Hosmer Pond three times over the course of the two weeks I was there – very hilly with lots of steep, short ups and downs.

The first week I was not great about tracking my run mileage, but I did so carefully for the second week and wound up covering about 51 miles total. That was my second 50+ mile week of the year, and with the elevation change (~4000 feet total climb for the week) it was easily my toughest training week of the year. Exactly what I needed heading into a 50K this Fall! I know at least one of the campers ran 57 miles, and some of the other coaches did even more.

Running is really only one part of the story when it comes to camp though. We also have yoga sessions, bootcamp, cycling options, swimming clinics, kayaking, etc. And just walking from place to place on the Outdoor Center property makes for a lot of general activity and exhausting days. To give you an idea of the general activity level, here are my Garmin Vivofit totals from the two weeks – the blue bars are days when I was back at home (I came home to watch my oldest son perform in a drama production):

So last week I averaged almost 22,000 steps per day between running and walking around! Unfortunately the calorie burn is mostly offset by the amount of food I ate in the dining hall…we’ll see where my weight ends up after a few days recovery, but my guess is pretty similar to when I left.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend a week in the summer, I highly recommend a running camp like the one at Craftsbury. You’ll learn a lot, eat well, and cover a ton of ground on your feet. Personally, running almost 100 miles in two weeks over the hills of northern Vermont has done wonders for my leg strength, and I could tell a difference from week one to week two. Now I just need to keep the training chugging along for another month and a half to be ready for the Vermont 50K!

As a final side-note, there was also some talk about a new “Trails to Ales” 4-day weekend camp for next Fall – the goal would be to do a long trail run each day followed by trips to various craft breweries in Vermont. Any interest???

I thought I’d write up a photo-heavy post to give you an idea of what it’s like to attend/coach at the camps, so I put together a list of 10 things I’ve done since arriving last Sunday.

1. Presentations and Gait Analysis. My role at the camp is to serve as the exercise physiologist, gait analyst, and shoe guy (in addition to general coaching duties). I kicked off the week with a presentation on training physiology – gotta love a place where you can lecture while barefoot and in running gear (photo by Caleb Masland)!

I filmed the runners at the track while they ran an interval workout, then we met as a group and went through the videos. Always fun to look at the variation in form among a group of 20+ runners.

2. Coaching Clinics. My friend and coach Caleb Masland joined us this year and he has led clinics on strides and drills, training theory, and the goals of various types of workouts.

3. Post-Run Swim in the Black River Bubble Pools. After a packed day on Monday, the campers ran 3.5 miles over hills to the Black River, then we hiked up to a little swimming hole. Better than an ice bath!

4. Wine and Cheese. On two nights during camp week we have wine and cheese on top of the hill overlooking the lake. Great way to end a busy day!

5. Living in Dorm-Style Housing. Accommodations aren’t fancy, but there’s something nice about the simplicity of being in a no-frills place that lacks cell coverage (Craftsbury is a bit remote!). I’ve been staying in a place called Cedar Lodge, which is the main housing unit at the Outdoor Center. There are also cabins for those who want to upgrade to something a bit comfier, but to be honest the only time I’m really in my room is to sleep, and I don’t really need much more than a bed.

6. Yoga in a Yurt. Always a good reminder of how inflexible I am, and that I should take advantage of the fact that my wife is a yoga instructor and do it more often. Coach Donna (at center in the image below) was our instructor this week.

7. Hiking Mt. Hor. We do lots more than run (though we do a lot of that!), and one of the highlights of the week is Endurathon day where the campers bike 10 miles, hike up and down a mountain (Mt. Hor or Mt. Pisgah), run 6 miles to a beach, then cycle 10 miles back home.

8. Running Along Lake Willoughby. This is one of the highlights of the week for me. We do a six mile run in the middle of our Endurathon, and the route offers incredible views of Lake Willoughby. This year a thunderstorm rolled in while we were on the run, and I ran the final mile in a downpour. Unfortunately, lightning meant no swimming, and the return bike ride was canceled.

9. Eating Great Food. The dining hall is one of my favorite spots, and the Craftsbury dining staff makes some amazing food. They source as much of the food as they can locally, and they even grow produce and raise chickens and pigs right on property owned by the Outdoor Center.

10. Hanging in a beautiful place with good people!

For more about the Craftsbury Running Camps, check out the Craftsbury Outdoor Center website.

Going into Labor Day weekend I’m feeling a sense of calm, and I’m more reassured than ever that setting off on a new path was the right choice. Instead of having to teach on Labor Day (we never got it off), I’ll be coming back from a 4 day camping trip with my family. Being able to do things like this more regularly was one of the major driving forces behind making the decision to let go of the old job.

I left school in May not really sure how things would shake out going forward. I had a bunch of options that I wanted to pursue, this blog being a major one. I did realize quickly though that having some work outlets outside of the house was going to be beneficial to my mental health. I love working at home, but sometimes I go a little stir-crazy if I don’t get out of the house for a bit to interact with other people. I also found that it was at times difficult to explain to my kids, who were home on summer vacation, that Dad was working and shouldn’t be interrupted.

Fortunately I’ve been able to make some solid headway in cobbling together a new career around running, and I thought I’d share a few of the things that I’ve done. In this post I’ll cover my time as a coach at the Craftsbury, VT running camps.

Craftsbury Running Camps

Last winter I received an email from an Olympian. I can assure you that this isn’t an everyday occurrence for me! Lynn Jennings competed in the Olympic Games three times, and won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters in Barcelona. She is now the director of the running camps in Craftsbury, VT, and was wondering if I might be interested in giving some lectures on exercise physiology at the three adult camps this summer.

I love teaching, and this seemed like a great opportunity to combine what I loved about my old job with my new career path. We worked things out so that I was a staff coach for Marathon Week, and then I returned as a guest speaker for Masters Week and Open Running Week. I spent a good chunk of July up in Northern Vermont, and it was a phenomenal experience. It might have been the most enjoyable job I’ve ever had!

If you’re not familiar with the Craftsbury Outdoor Center running camps, they’re basically a place for adults (or kids – they have high school camps as well) to go for a week to run, play, learn, eat incredibly good food, and have wine/beer and cheese parties instead of arts an crafts. It’s like heaven for a runner!

Not a bad place for a run!

In addition to hosting camps (sculling and cross-country skiing in addition to running), Craftsbury is a training center for world class skiers and scullers. Being in the presence of such high-level athletes each day gives the place a special feel, and it’s a great place to provide a spark to help you take your training to the next level.

My role at the running camps this summer was to start off each week with a lecture on training physiology that would set the foundation for learning about various training approaches and why they are beneficial to a well-rounded running program. I lectured on metabolic pathways, VO2max, lactate threshold, running economy and things like that. I also gave presentations on running shoes an running form, which were from what I understand new additions to the camp program.

On the second day of camp the athletes went to the track for a workout, during which I filmed them from the side, front, and back with my high-speed camera. Then, later in the day we did a group gait analysis – it was super-insightful to do it in this fashion since we were really able to see how variable people are and we all learned from one another.

Me Filming at the Track

My duties for the week were frontloaded, so after the first two days I was more-or-less off and able to enjoy the program with the other campers as the other coaches stepped in to share their knowledge. We did workshops on hill running, strides and drills, training plan development, race strategies, track workouts, tempos runs, and more (even a yoga class and a 5K trail race held on-property!). It was very comprehensive, and the other coaches were incredible. For the week that I coached I was joined by Lynn, Laurie Greenberg (a top New England ultrarunner), and Maria Stuber (an elite cross-country skier). In subsequent weeks I also got to work with Jess Cover and Greg Wenneborg.

Coaches Lynn Jennings and Jess Cover

Each day involved multiple workouts, multiple instruction sessions, and incredible food. Craftsbury’s mission includes sustainability and affordability, so the camp is actually very reasonably priced for a week (just over $1000 with housing and all food included) and the food is almost entirely from local sources. Plenty of options for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike, and way better than most restaurants in my opinion. Twice during the week we had a wine/beer and cheese party – we were totally spoiled!

Wine and Cheese Party – I Spy a Hillstead Farms Growler!

The things I loved most about Crafstbury included:

1. The Location – Craftsbury is remote! It’s way up north in Vermont, so far that I got a text message from Canada on my way up (Canada is very friendly!). There’s no cell service, so it’s a place where you can really cut loose from the everyday grind. It’s also incredibly beautiful – rolling hills, farms, lakes, rivers, etc. The hills mean that workouts are tough – bring strong legs!

2. The Low-Key Atmosphere – for campers and coaches alike the schedule is jam-packed, but campers can opt in or out of any of the planned events and activities. Runs can be shortened or lengthened to meet the needs of each camper (coaches drove vans and could pick-up or drop off runners along the way). There is no pressure to do everything. It’s also not fancy – housing is dormitory style with no air conditioning, but by the end of the day you are so dead-tired it doesn’t matter. I came to love my little room. Campers often hang out for a beer at the end of the day or just chat in the living area. It was fantastic to get away from the distractions and bustle of home for a bit.

Cedar Lodge – My Home for Half of July

Dining Hall Porch

3. The Camaraderie – by the end of each week the groups become very close. We all work hard together every day and strong bonds are developed through the process. For example, Wednesday is Endurathon Day and it lives up to its name. Ten miles over hilly roads on a bike, 3-4 mile climb up and down a mountain, 5-6 mile run to Lake Willoughby, then another 10 miles on the bike back home. It was one of the toughest workouts I’ve ever done, but it was an incredible bonding experience to get through it together. Many of the campers return every year and part of the reason is that it’s a chance to spend time with others who have become good friends over the years.

Craftsbury Marathon Camp 2013

Craftsbury Masters Camp 2013

Craftsbury Open Running Camp 2013

On top of Mt. Pisgah

On The Dining Hall Porch

4. The Water – one of the things I came to appreciate most about Crafstbury was that almost every hard workout ends with an opportunity to jump in some water body. Whether it’s Big Hosmer Lake (the camp is on Hosmer), the Black River, or Lake Willoughby, natural water bodies are everywhere. Jumps in the water often replaced showers – since we did multiple workouts per day, showering would have been impractical after each (and you need to bring a lot of running clothes!).

Lake Willoughby

Big Hosmer Docks

Black River

5. The Food – Amazing, just amazing.

There’s so much more I could say about how awesome the place is, but I’ll leave it at that for now. I honestly felt guilty that this was a job for me – it was more like a vacation, and I had an absolute blast. I’ve been invited to return to coach again next year, and I’ll definitely be there for at least one full week camp and perhaps as a guest speaker again at the others (I don’t have the schedule yet). If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, feel free to ask any questions you might have in the comments or shoot me an email, and I hope to see you next year!

For more information about the running camps, check out the Craftsbury Outdoor Center website.