ANDOVER – You always hear about summer sports camps. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer and field hockey.
But a running camp?
High School kids going on long distance runs in the wee hours of the morning instead of hitting the beach, or playing the latest popular video game?
Who wants to do that?
Over a hundred kids do actually.
Held at Greater Lawrence Tech High School three days a week for six weeks over the last seven summers, the “XC Project Running Camp” which was formed through the Merrimack Valley Striders Organization, takes athletes of all ages, and from any sport, and breaks them down to three different groups: the Cross-Country Project; the Speed Project, and the newly added Sidney’s Rainbow Runners, which is designed for elementary school aged kids from 6 to 10 years old.
The first year of the camp, Director Fred Doyle had 24 kids sign-up. Last Wednesday, the number was up to 119, which included newcomers added every new session.
“Cross-Country is specific and we know what that target is,” said Doyle, the head boys and girls cross-country coach at Bishop Fenwick High School. “With the speed project, we started that last year. We would have a parent say that their oldest child loves cross-country but the middle child plays soccer and hates running so the speed project was created for that group.
“Then Mary Beth (Olson) and I met through the Merrimack Valley Striders and she had the idea of adding the elementary age kids program.”
The cross-country and speed projects are designed to help track and field and fall sports athletes who are “looking to become faster, stronger and more athletic.”
Sisters Nina and Colette (Coco) are soccer players, age 14 and 11, respectively. They are not distant runners whatsoever, but quickly signed up knowing that improving their speed and endurance will only help them on the giant soccer fields.
“I’m going to try out for soccer (at Andover High School) and the high school coach said that soccer is more than skills, it’s more about speed and being able to run fast and have endurance,” said Nina. “I want to get faster and have better (running) form. Soccer they really don’t teach you that much on form in running, it’s basically get the ball and shoot.”
Her younger sister will be playing on two soccer teams next year and is working on not only her speed, but finding different ways to get the ball and put it in the back of the net.
“I usually play midfield which is a lot of running and sometimes I would get cramps running back and forth,” said Coco. “My parents want me to be really fast. They notice when I play soccer that other girls are really fast and are scoring all of the goals. So I wanted to be able to run faster and get to the ball first.”
Last fall as a junior, Brendan Guenard carried a football as a running back (and also linebacker) for the Gr. Lawrence Tech JV football team. His season was interrupted by some injuries, but this past spring, he was healthy for the outdoor track season. He finished 18th at the Division 4 State Meet running a 4:37.69 mile. He has goals of really dropping that time.
“I decided to come to the camp because I wanted to convert to a cross-country runner. When I started doing long distance running for track this year and I was enjoying it and I just felt like I could improve more in running (than I could in football). I run the mile and I want to qualify for Nationals and to do that I need to get a 4:29 time,” he said.
At that same D4 State Championship Meet, Christian Reinoso, a soon-to-be junior at Gr. Lawrence High, finished second in the 400-meters and 23rd in the two-mile with times of 49.84 and 10:30.72. He is also returning as the cross-country team’s No. 1 runner. He’s extremely versatile between competing as a sprinter and a long distance runner, and he is returning to the camp, which helped him make that giant leap as a sophomore.
“Last year was my first time coming here and I met a lot of people. This camp has helped me a lot. Coming here has really helped me prepare for the cross-country (and track seasons). Coming here and meeting all of these new people, I was afraid and nervous, but now I’ve gotten along with everyone and I’ve made some friends,” he said. “I want to work on my speed. I feel like I have the endurance, but my speed lacks a bit. I want to develop a very strong kick so I can finish (a 5K) in the high (15 minute range).”
Read tomorrow’s Eagle-Tribune for a story behind ‘Sidney’s Rainbow Runners’.
You can follow Jamie Pote on Twitter at @JamiePote.