Two weekends ago my friend Liza and I attended the TARC Trail Running Camp held at the Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA. TARC (Trail Animals Running Club) is a local trail running group with active members mostly in New England but in other states as well. I have been interested in running with them for quite some time but haven't up until now.
What a great start to the summer! If you are thinking about signing up for the Trail Running Camp with TARC don't even hesitate. This trail running camp was the perfect opportunity to get some quality time on the trails, try out new/test old gear, share experiences with seasoned and novice trail runners.
Camp Overview
The camp was held Friday to Sunday and consisted of camping, eating, and of course trail running.
Friday - Arrival
Friday started out with everyone arriving about 6-7pm. Westwood isn't that far outside of Boston but we rented a car to get down there. I was surprised how quickly we made it, even with traffic! We set up our tent immediately while there was still daylight and chatted with other campers before dinner. Tents were set up in a big grassy area across the road from the lodge where we would spend most of our time for meals and talks.
There was an amazing spread for dinner that first night. Campers were instructed to bring something to contribute to a potluck (TARC-luck) for Friday's dinner. There was so much yummy food. I couldn't get to it all. The rest of the meals, TARC provided. We were also instructed to bring our own dishes and utensils to cut down on waste. Bravo TARC! I really like that philosophy. The overall mindfulness, from bringing out own plates, to picking up trail trash as we past really impressed me about this group of people. Any little bit we runners can do for our environment will help us preserve the trails and be able to enjoy them much longer.
After dinner, there was a great talk about training and base building. I learned a lot here about listening to my body and a lot of prior knowledge was reinforced. Slow down and get your running cadence up, folks!
What's camp without getting to know your fellow campers?
After the talk we all went outside to the campfire circle for an icebreaker. There was an orange tossed around and people were supposed to catch it, introduce themselves, tell an embarrassing running story, and share a goal for the weekend. Lots of interesting stories were shared. But, even more interesting was the lack of hand/eye coordination among us runners. That orange was dropped more times than it was caught. I guess we'll just stick to what we do best! :)
After getting acquainted, we (all of us; no pace groups just one big family) went out on a night run. This was my first night trail run ever. I've been on night hikes and road runs at night but never a night trail run. It was riveting. We set out from the campfire circle at about 8:30pm. It was pretty dark by that point. No easing into it. The trails were rocky and root-y and the pace reflected it. I couldn't tell how many people had actually run on trails at night before but everyone seemed to be taking their time.
TARC 100, the race put on by TARC in the fall, is held at Hale Reservation. This weekend gave folks an opportunity to preview some of the trails that are a part of the race. We ran on mostly single track mildly technical trails (tree roots and loose rocks were the biggest obstacle in this section) and ran across two sandy beaches (not my favorite). Being able to test out trail running at night with a group was probably the part of the weekend I was most looking forward to. One thing I will note is that it's much more difficult to avoid sticks lying on the trail at night than in the day. I kept getting tripped up and scratched by branches. Nothing bad just annoying. Thankfully no one fell that first night.
Saturday
Saturday was the only full day of the weekend. It began with breakfast, a pretty light spread. I had peanut butter on toast, a banana and some coffee. There was also some vegetarian egg dishes for those who wanted something warm and leftover fruit and donuts from dinner. I tried leftover egg dish at lunch. It was delicious. The amazing kitchen volunteers lead by Alyssa really outdid themselves this weekend. There was something for everyone and plenty of it. Thank you, guys!
After breakfast, we set out on our morning runs. We split up into groups by desired distance. I was in the group going about 8 miles with Seamus Foy as our fearless leader. There was one group going about 10 and another going 25 miles. Since the groups split more on distance rather than pace, the leaders were cognizant of slowing down and waiting at critical points in the trail. In our group, we had a variety of paces but for the most part managed to stay together.
Seamus started our run with a practice in mindfulness. He lead us through a series of breathing exercises and encouraged us to listen to our bodies and our surroundings. I don't practice meditation much but it was an interesting way to slow down before the run. Being self-aware and aware of your surroundings is a powerful part of ultra running (especially when the going gets tough). Thanks, Seamus for taking the time to lead us in that experience.
Our group also got lost a lot. :) The trails at Hale are pretty windy and it's easy to set off on a path only to find yourself back where you started. It was okay though. We were all having fun running (and hiking) and getting to know each other. In the end, miles are miles anyway and we were back in plenty of time for lunch!
The bulk of Saturday was spent in the workshops. After our morning run, we got cleaned up and had lunch. The first workshop session started shortly after. There were five sessions to choose from and time for each participant to visit any 3.
Liza and I chose to do Developing a training plan (first), Fastpacking 101 (second), and Sports Psychology (third). I had originally planned to do yoga but I was feeling hot and tired from the morning run so opted for an easier session.
Developing a Training Plan with Scott Traer
Fastpacking 101 with Jeff List
I didn't get a pic at the Sports Psychology talk with Dolores Christensen. I think I was too tired at that point. Yep...too tired to raise the iPhone and snap a pic :\ Or perhaps I was too busy listening.
It was really interesting hearing about the difference outlook can make on a runner's performance. Dolores' research had her follow a handful of runners at a hundred mile race (the TARC 100 I think). She noted the differences in attitudes and behaviors of the ones who finished vs. the ones who DNF'd (Did Not Finish). The power of positive thinking really is a thing and she had graphs to prove it. Dolores also found that the ones that accepted pain as a part of the process, not ignoring it or fighting against it, were able to push through it.
I completely agree with Dolores' findings. Sometimes I get asked "how can you run that far"? I think really it comes down to "I think I can so I do". Sure, its uncomfortable at times but it's supposed to be. For the most part, I think anyone can finish a marathon and I'm beginning to start to think that anyone can finish an ultra too. It might not be the fastest thing ever but it's possible. Embrace the pain and get it done! Obviously, you also have to put the training miles in...
After the last talk, there was time to chill out before dinner. We just sort of lounged around the fire circle not doing anything at all.
Dinner... then there was a really interesting panel discussion held Saturday evening. We got to hear from 4 different runners about their experiences from training to racing, injury prevention to balancing family obligations. West Highland Way was thrown around a couple hundred times and I think we might all already be registered for the 2017 event (maybe?). I unfortunately didn't get a picture of this either.
Saturday evening was our second night run. Again, night runs were probably my favorite part of the weekend. Even though I was tired there was no way I was missing an opportunity to go out again at night. This time we broke up into 2 groups (one going about 3 miles and another slightly longer on a more challenging section). The groups again tried hard to stay together to accommodate the different paces.
We set off just at dusk. It wasn't very dark yet and our leader, Josh Katzman, challenged us to keep our headlamps off for as long as we could to get our eyes adjusted. It really worked, we went pretty far in the fading twilight without needing our lights. We covered different trails than the night before which gave us more preview of what the TARC 100 course is like.
We came across this really pretty pond about half way through and took some group pics right before coming across the biggest water snake I've ever seen.
Well technically, I've only ever seen two water snakes but this was the bigger one! All a reminder to keep a lookout when stopping near water!
Saturday night while folks were out learning tongue-twisting camp songs around the fire (led by Mike McDuffie), I went into the lodge to watch the film Finding Traction about Nikki Kimball's record hike along the Long Trail. Good movie. I would recommend seeing it if you're into ultra-running and FKTs (Fastest Known Times).
Sunday farewell
Sunday came. Our last day. We woke up, packed up our things, aired out the tent, and went in to breakfast. After breakfast some folks went out on the last run of the weekend. We opted not to. I was just not up to running. My ankles were feeling sore from not being used to trails and I didn't want to over do it. I had gone 13 miles total for the weekend which was about what I had expected to do and which was much farther than I'd ever gone on trails before. Liza and I opted for a walk instead and left Hale early (around 8:30am).
Pack List
I felt like I brought a lot with me. Over half the trunk was filled with my stuff. For the most part, I needed all of it.
tent
tarp
camp chair
dish and utensils
coffee mug
3 pairs of run shorts (not including the one I was wearing, so 4 total)*
3 t-shirts (plus the one I had on)
1 long sleeve
1 sweater
1 pair of jeans
Underwear!
2 pairs of run shoes*
flip flops (invaluable for when not running)
hand towel
baby wipes (there were no showers at Hale)
toiletries
Nathan Fireball running vest
1 handheld water bottle
trail snacks (shot bloks and cliff bars)
head lamp (night runs!)
flashlight
bug spray
baseball cap
signature bandana for running ;)
buff
frisbee
*I ended up only using 2 pairs or running shorts because I ended up rinsing out the first pair to wear again and I skipped Sunday's run. I only used one pair of shoes since it was a dry weekend and I didn't go through any puddles.
Takeaways
I ended up running 13 miles total over the weekend. That may not seem like much but its the most I've ever done on trails.
A few takeaways really stuck in my mind from the weekend.
Thank You!
A great degree of gratitude to all the organizers and volunteers. Josh Katzman, camp director, Seamus Foy for leading our group on that great long run Saturday morning, Alyssa and the kitchen crew for feeding us so well, and the countless other volunteers and speakers for making it fun and taking time to impart your trail knowledge.
This camp is exactly what us New England runners need!
I felt incredibly taken care of at TARC camp. I left tired yet relaxed and much more knowledgeable about trail and ultrarunning. There's nothing like getting out there, getting experience on the trail, and learning from other runners. That brings me to a big THANK YOU to the other campers for just being awesome! Thanks for openly sharing your experiences and trail runner quirks with us all. The trail stories and the laughter made this weekend unforgettable. Please stay in touch!
Camp Overview
The camp was held Friday to Sunday and consisted of camping, eating, and of course trail running.
Friday - Arrival
Friday started out with everyone arriving about 6-7pm. Westwood isn't that far outside of Boston but we rented a car to get down there. I was surprised how quickly we made it, even with traffic! We set up our tent immediately while there was still daylight and chatted with other campers before dinner. Tents were set up in a big grassy area across the road from the lodge where we would spend most of our time for meals and talks.
 |
| Tent village |
There was an amazing spread for dinner that first night. Campers were instructed to bring something to contribute to a potluck (TARC-luck) for Friday's dinner. There was so much yummy food. I couldn't get to it all. The rest of the meals, TARC provided. We were also instructed to bring our own dishes and utensils to cut down on waste. Bravo TARC! I really like that philosophy. The overall mindfulness, from bringing out own plates, to picking up trail trash as we past really impressed me about this group of people. Any little bit we runners can do for our environment will help us preserve the trails and be able to enjoy them much longer.
 |
| Friday TARC-luck |
After dinner, there was a great talk about training and base building. I learned a lot here about listening to my body and a lot of prior knowledge was reinforced. Slow down and get your running cadence up, folks!
 |
| Friday evening talk |
What's camp without getting to know your fellow campers?
After the talk we all went outside to the campfire circle for an icebreaker. There was an orange tossed around and people were supposed to catch it, introduce themselves, tell an embarrassing running story, and share a goal for the weekend. Lots of interesting stories were shared. But, even more interesting was the lack of hand/eye coordination among us runners. That orange was dropped more times than it was caught. I guess we'll just stick to what we do best! :)
 |
| Alyssa introducing ice breaker |
 |
| Icebreaker |
 |
| Night run |
TARC 100, the race put on by TARC in the fall, is held at Hale Reservation. This weekend gave folks an opportunity to preview some of the trails that are a part of the race. We ran on mostly single track mildly technical trails (tree roots and loose rocks were the biggest obstacle in this section) and ran across two sandy beaches (not my favorite). Being able to test out trail running at night with a group was probably the part of the weekend I was most looking forward to. One thing I will note is that it's much more difficult to avoid sticks lying on the trail at night than in the day. I kept getting tripped up and scratched by branches. Nothing bad just annoying. Thankfully no one fell that first night.
Saturday
Saturday was the only full day of the weekend. It began with breakfast, a pretty light spread. I had peanut butter on toast, a banana and some coffee. There was also some vegetarian egg dishes for those who wanted something warm and leftover fruit and donuts from dinner. I tried leftover egg dish at lunch. It was delicious. The amazing kitchen volunteers lead by Alyssa really outdid themselves this weekend. There was something for everyone and plenty of it. Thank you, guys!
After breakfast, we set out on our morning runs. We split up into groups by desired distance. I was in the group going about 8 miles with Seamus Foy as our fearless leader. There was one group going about 10 and another going 25 miles. Since the groups split more on distance rather than pace, the leaders were cognizant of slowing down and waiting at critical points in the trail. In our group, we had a variety of paces but for the most part managed to stay together.
 |
| Saturday morning run group pic |
Seamus started our run with a practice in mindfulness. He lead us through a series of breathing exercises and encouraged us to listen to our bodies and our surroundings. I don't practice meditation much but it was an interesting way to slow down before the run. Being self-aware and aware of your surroundings is a powerful part of ultra running (especially when the going gets tough). Thanks, Seamus for taking the time to lead us in that experience.
Our group also got lost a lot. :) The trails at Hale are pretty windy and it's easy to set off on a path only to find yourself back where you started. It was okay though. We were all having fun running (and hiking) and getting to know each other. In the end, miles are miles anyway and we were back in plenty of time for lunch!
 |
| Waiting for the group to catch up |
The bulk of Saturday was spent in the workshops. After our morning run, we got cleaned up and had lunch. The first workshop session started shortly after. There were five sessions to choose from and time for each participant to visit any 3.
-
Form/plyometrics for runners with Doug Giuliana
-
Developing a training plan 101/Ideas for training with Scott Traer
-
Sports Psychology/current research/mental strategies with Dolores Christensen
-
Fastpacking 101 with Jeff List (and possibly Donna Utakis)
-
Human pretzels (aka, yoga) with Annette Florczak
-
TARC Test Kitchen (practice making awesome food for running/recovery!) with Alyssa Adreani, Surjeet Paintal and Chris Lay.
Liza and I chose to do Developing a training plan (first), Fastpacking 101 (second), and Sports Psychology (third). I had originally planned to do yoga but I was feeling hot and tired from the morning run so opted for an easier session.
Developing a Training Plan with Scott Traer
 |
| Scott Traer, elite ultra marathoner sharing training knowledge. |
Fastpacking 101 with Jeff List
 |
| Jeff List showing us how he sets up camp. |
I didn't get a pic at the Sports Psychology talk with Dolores Christensen. I think I was too tired at that point. Yep...too tired to raise the iPhone and snap a pic :\ Or perhaps I was too busy listening.
It was really interesting hearing about the difference outlook can make on a runner's performance. Dolores' research had her follow a handful of runners at a hundred mile race (the TARC 100 I think). She noted the differences in attitudes and behaviors of the ones who finished vs. the ones who DNF'd (Did Not Finish). The power of positive thinking really is a thing and she had graphs to prove it. Dolores also found that the ones that accepted pain as a part of the process, not ignoring it or fighting against it, were able to push through it.
 |
| me on Saturday morning (with my new Nathan Fireball vest) |
After the last talk, there was time to chill out before dinner. We just sort of lounged around the fire circle not doing anything at all.
Dinner... then there was a really interesting panel discussion held Saturday evening. We got to hear from 4 different runners about their experiences from training to racing, injury prevention to balancing family obligations. West Highland Way was thrown around a couple hundred times and I think we might all already be registered for the 2017 event (maybe?). I unfortunately didn't get a picture of this either.
 |
| hanging at the campfire Sat evening |
 |
| Me and Liza before Sat eve run |
We set off just at dusk. It wasn't very dark yet and our leader, Josh Katzman, challenged us to keep our headlamps off for as long as we could to get our eyes adjusted. It really worked, we went pretty far in the fading twilight without needing our lights. We covered different trails than the night before which gave us more preview of what the TARC 100 course is like.
We came across this really pretty pond about half way through and took some group pics right before coming across the biggest water snake I've ever seen.
 |
| Group night pic. (photo cred: Mark Weber) |
Well technically, I've only ever seen two water snakes but this was the bigger one! All a reminder to keep a lookout when stopping near water!
 |
| This guy was just below a board crossing over a dam. |
Saturday night while folks were out learning tongue-twisting camp songs around the fire (led by Mike McDuffie), I went into the lodge to watch the film Finding Traction about Nikki Kimball's record hike along the Long Trail. Good movie. I would recommend seeing it if you're into ultra-running and FKTs (Fastest Known Times).
Sunday farewell
Sunday came. Our last day. We woke up, packed up our things, aired out the tent, and went in to breakfast. After breakfast some folks went out on the last run of the weekend. We opted not to. I was just not up to running. My ankles were feeling sore from not being used to trails and I didn't want to over do it. I had gone 13 miles total for the weekend which was about what I had expected to do and which was much farther than I'd ever gone on trails before. Liza and I opted for a walk instead and left Hale early (around 8:30am).
 |
| On our walk we came across these pretty lily pads. |
 |
Pack List
I felt like I brought a lot with me. Over half the trunk was filled with my stuff. For the most part, I needed all of it.
tent
tarp
camp chair
dish and utensils
coffee mug
3 pairs of run shorts (not including the one I was wearing, so 4 total)*
3 t-shirts (plus the one I had on)
1 long sleeve
1 sweater
1 pair of jeans
Underwear!
2 pairs of run shoes*
flip flops (invaluable for when not running)
hand towel
baby wipes (there were no showers at Hale)
toiletries
Nathan Fireball running vest
1 handheld water bottle
trail snacks (shot bloks and cliff bars)
head lamp (night runs!)
flashlight
bug spray
baseball cap
signature bandana for running ;)
buff
frisbee
*I ended up only using 2 pairs or running shorts because I ended up rinsing out the first pair to wear again and I skipped Sunday's run. I only used one pair of shoes since it was a dry weekend and I didn't go through any puddles.
Takeaways
I ended up running 13 miles total over the weekend. That may not seem like much but its the most I've ever done on trails.
A few takeaways really stuck in my mind from the weekend.
- Building a good base is probably the best thing I can do. Run lots of slow easy miles.
- Miles are sllooooww on the trail and that's okay.
- I'm capable of much more!
- Buy a better headlamp (everyone else with their fancy petzls put my kmart headlamp to shame. I couldn't see anything with my dinky light.)
"It's only as hard as taking that next step"
-Unknown
Thank You!
A great degree of gratitude to all the organizers and volunteers. Josh Katzman, camp director, Seamus Foy for leading our group on that great long run Saturday morning, Alyssa and the kitchen crew for feeding us so well, and the countless other volunteers and speakers for making it fun and taking time to impart your trail knowledge.
This camp is exactly what us New England runners need!
I felt incredibly taken care of at TARC camp. I left tired yet relaxed and much more knowledgeable about trail and ultrarunning. There's nothing like getting out there, getting experience on the trail, and learning from other runners. That brings me to a big THANK YOU to the other campers for just being awesome! Thanks for openly sharing your experiences and trail runner quirks with us all. The trail stories and the laughter made this weekend unforgettable. Please stay in touch!
A wonderful recap! Happy trails...
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, dkdk. Glad you enjoyed it! Happy trails to you too!
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience. I'm signed up for the 2017 camp. Really looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Andrew! Glad you found it helpful. This year I'm taking on the North Face Endurance Challenge which falls on the same weekend of the camp so I won't be there. You're going to have a great time!
Delete