At the start of fall break on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 11, many members of the Varsity and Junior Varsity Cross Country teams headed to Incline Village, Nevada to train at altitude in elevations ranging from 6,200 to 9,000 feet. The primary goal of the camp was to increase runners’ aerobic capacity and give them the chance to bond outside of regularly scheduled practices at NDB.
“What we know for certain is that, when you go to altitude, there’s less pressure. So, you can’t diffuse oxygen as quickly and as efficiently … [and] your body tries to adapt by adaptive blood chemistry,” said Cross Country Coach Tom McGlynn. “You produce more red blood cells, … so you can train a bit quicker and a little bit more intensely without hurting as much. This training boost can take place anywhere from a week to two weeks after.”
They began training on Thursday and continued all the way through Sunday morning. They typically started their day with an early morning long run before returning to the hotel to cook a protein-rich breakfast.
They were also responsible for taking care of themselves between runs, and popular recovery activities included foam rolling and using Normatec boots, a form of compression therapy that speeds up recovery time. Additionally, the students entertained themselves by getting a headstart on homework, eating nutritious foods and spending time with teammates in their downtime.
“Doing these compression Normatec boots for a long time helped me, especially my knee, which is kind of hurt,” said sophomore Junior Varsity Captain Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez. “That helped me and then, just like bonding with my teammates … [and] getting little naps in every time we could.”
One of the highlights of the trip was on the second day, when the team ran a 2,000-foot ski slope located in Diamond Peak Ski Resort. Although they ended up using the workout as more of a hike, the runners agreed that they were able to make memories through the shared experience because it was difficult to complete.
The Tigers also partnered with Incline HS for two of their seven runs, allowing them to experience the mentality of runners who had been running in altitude their whole lives and could motivate them through runs at faster paces. The team ran close to 40 miles in the four days they were in Tahoe, but they still had plenty of time for activities of their choosing.
A favorite memory was when the Tigers cooked dinner for each other. The underclassmen cooked chicken piccata and fettuccine one night, while the upperclassmen made stir fry the following night. Spending time together in the kitchen helped the team bond while also teaching them about teamwork and the importance of nutrition.
On the final night, the runners ate at a nearby Italian restaurant before ending the night with s’mores. By concluding the trip with a relaxing dinner, the team was able to enjoy each others’ company one last time before heading back to NDB.
