Preseason Updates from Camp
8/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Aug. 30, 2015
The University of Michigan men's and women's cross country teams are away at camp, training at the U-M Bio Station in Pellston, Michigan, in advance of the season opener at Eastern Michigan next Saturday (Sept. 5). At camp, the student-athletes train in seclusion while coming together as a team. Under 24th-year head coach Mike McGuire, this week-long excursion has its own traditions -- including a special birthday dinner for Coach -- while each year is different with a new team creating its own memories. Below are updates from fifth-year senior Devon Hoppe, and more updates from senior Shannon Osika.
Senior Shannon Osika (Sept. 1)
On the team's excitement to get the season started ... "We are all amped up to get the season rolling. We have had a couple great workouts here. We just met with Coach Mike this morning and he went over our race plan (for Saturday), and explained who is running unattached. We have had some solid workout groups, so I think it is going to be the kind of race where we are all working together. As a group, I can tell we are pumped to put on the spikes and see what we can do right now."
On the team's recent day-trip to Mackinaw Island ... "We did a lot of tandem biking, which was a lot of fun, and a lot of relaxing. We went out on this big grass field and just sat down to read and chat with each other, but really we were spread out all over the place, so we would be walking around town and run into other groups of our teammates. We had a lot of fun, and we even went in the water a little bit, too."
On appreciating the value of camp a little bit more now that she is a senior ... "With this being my last year, it's crazy to think about. Some people (up here) get antsy and are excited to go back to Ann Arbor, but I try to remind them that come the middle of the season, when we are swamped with homework and have no downtime, we are going to miss this. Right now it's all about training and enjoying the down time and each others' company. We went to Camp Michigania today, and Mackinaw yesterday and of course the Bio Station is beautiful. Being a senior, I really try and remind the team to enjoy these eight days."
On the value of this weekend's race at EMU in terms of putting the team, especially newcomers, on the same page ... ""Coach Mike always tells us 'there is strength in numbers', and he's right. He likes it when we stay together and race in that way, and I think the newer girls are really embracing that idea, especially because of how he sets up our workouts. There are a lot of instances when we will be doing a hard 1,000m or a hard mile, and someone might end up in the back, but the team has been great about encouraging that person to come back up to the front. As a group I can see us getting into the habit of staying together. Hopefully that will continue when the regular season comes. We haven't been to Eastern Michigan (in my time at U-M), but normally this first race is fairly laid back, so it's a comfort to have so many teammates in the field because we are used to working out together. It's always a good starter race because it feels good to see so many familiar faces out on the course with you."
Fifth-year senior Devon Hoppe (Aug. 30)
On the main benefits of the Bio Station for this team each year ... "First and foremost, we are here to get really great training out of the week that we are able to utilize all the trails and the distraction-free zone that is the Bio Station, but we are also here to bond with our team. This gives us a chance to get to know our new teammates and just have a place where we are all together and focused on the same thing at once. It's a really special time."
On the training opportunities the Bio Station presents for the team, and how things change from day-to-day ... "The first day is just a day to get acclimated. It's just a regular run from camp and that's on Thursday (Aug. 27). Friday we did cruise miles, which we do on a flat rail trail that is crushed line and it's perfect for what we want to do. We go two miles out and two miles back, and it is perfect because Coach Mike goes along with us on the bike and times us, so that's always a fun one to do for the first workout. I actually had to come up a day late because I had a presentation for one of my classes.
On a few of the non-training activities the teams bond over ... "After the first couple of days of training, we split into morning and afternoon groups to run. When training is done for the day, we have time to hang out. Most of the time, we are recovering by eating and resting, but to relax we do puzzles and lay out at the beach. There are plenty of fun water activities like canoes and paddle boards. We are fortunate that we have access to pretty much everything here, so that can be the most fun part about camp."
On the tradition of celebrating Coach Mike's birthday (Friday, Aug. 28) at camp ... "It was so much fun. He secretly loves spending time up here with us and spending his birthday with us. We go to dinner together at a restaurant nearby, so that is a tradition we all like to take part in and it's a great way for the freshmen to see part of what we are all about. Our whole team is here, so all the girls go and afterwards we take a big team photo out on the lake and that has become tradition, too."
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard (shepchad@umich.edu)
Players Mentioned
