A Day in the Life at Wingfoot Running Camp

Summer can be a time for extra work or a time for extra play. At Atlanta Track Club's Wingfoot Running Camp, 300 young runners got to experience both.

The camp is an immersive week-long experience that teaches students how to make friendships, have fun and run their best. Since its beginnings in 2016 as a day camp conducted out of the Club's headquarters on Armour Drive, the camp has grown into two sold-out sleep-away sessions (July 7-12 and 14-19) in which middle school and high school students experience dorm life at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and learn from college athletes, college coaches and guest speakers about how to improve their running both physically and mentally.

"I came here to build a bigger running community in Atlanta, and also to make more friends my age to run with," said camper Abby Reams. "This camp seemed like a great place to get better at running, but also learn more about it so that I can improve as I get older."

Her new friend from camp, Destinee Frink, added, "This camp is important to me because I don't have many people to run with at home. I've made lots of new friends so far and also got to learn more about the elite athletes and how they got to where they are today."

Parents, if you were wondering what your child was doing at camp, this one's for you:

Waking up at 6:15 to the sound of counselors playing that day's theme music in the halls and knocking on doors, campers jump out of bed for the 7a.m. run. After getting ready, they hop onto the buses with their groups to head to the scenic trail picked out for the day. With their pace group the campers start their watches and step one foot in front of the other, chatting as they go. Finished with the mileage assigned to their group and in need of a pick-me-up, campers head over to Coach O to grab some water, Powerade and popsicles. This is about the time when campers are bursting with energy, socializing and staining their tongues with their flavored ice of choice.

After rallying the troops, it's time to head out to the UAH dining hall, where the welcoming staff and heaping plates of mouthwatering bacon and eggs await the lively group, eager to refuel. Attentive counselors begin making their rounds of the bustling roomful of campers, starting conversations with. Campers and counselors help staff clean up before making their way over to the auditorium for the first speaker of the day.

As they make their way to the stage, the enthusiastic speakers − from physical trainers to brand ambassadors − are greeted with cheers by the campers, who soak in all the information, from the history of the brand adidas to how to properly fuel and train before meets. Kelsey Chmiel, an 11-time All-American for North Carolina State, even visited to hang out with the campers, and when Katelyn Tuohy, a four-time NCAA champion who now runs professionally for adidas, made an appearance on Zoom, they share their experience of being Wolfpack teammates.

Campers also heard from Atlanta Track Club Elite athletes Olivia Baker, Rob Heppenstall, Sadi Henderson, Gabrielle Wilkinson, Clay Pender and Aidan Ryan, getting the chance to ask them questions about their journeys toward becoming a professional, such as "How did you know which college was right for you?" and "Why did you chose Atlanta Track Club?"

With time flying by, campers head out to lunch before making their way over to the classrooms for a brief education series of their choice. The coaches and staff give campers information on how to best hydrate and how to be a leader, and offer more insight into how they can reach their running goals. These classes give campers the opportunity to interact and ask those burning questions about how to truly improve.

Finally, it's time for the day's effort-based training run. Each pace group gets a schedule for the week and follows the effort that is assigned to them for that day. It's in the 90s and humid, but that doesn't stop the smiles and cheers.

Wrapping up the last run of the day, campers head to the showers and dinner before the energy-filled activity planned for the night. Games each night range from volleyball tournaments to talent shows, bringing out the personalities of each camper. The celebrating, brainstorming, and laughing create friendships that could last a lifetime.

After a long day, the campers make their way up to their rooms for some rest, perhaps dreaming about the day to come.