Kids are never too old for summer camp - even if they happen to be grown college students, running cross country for one of the nation's premier programs.
That's why Michigan men's cross country coach Ron Warhurst and women's coach Mike McGuire took their squads up to Northern Michigan last week for their annual preseason training camps.
Getting away from the hustle and bustle of Ann Arbor the week before the beginning of classes allowed the runners to immerse themselves in five days of intensive training on the trails of Glen Arbor, a town in the Leelanau Peninsula. Considering that the Wolverines' season begins Saturday, the training was well-needed.
The Wolverines stayed on the campus of the Leelanau School, a boarding school on Lake Michigan. The runners took advantage of the beautiful setting, plunging into icy Lake Michigan after workouts and playing volleyball on the beaches.
Despite the fun times that came with the northern excursion, it wasn't just a tanning opportunity. Living in rustic cabins out in the woods allowed the men and women harriers to bond with each other.
Each day consisted of early morning warm-up runs and grueling afternoon workouts on the dirt roads of Leelanau County. Every run was followed by team swims in the frigid lake. The Wolverines attested to Lake Michigan's healing powers after long workouts.
"It beats us up because the training is really tough," senior Kevin Sullivan said. "But we have a great time. This is good for team bonding."
While physical preparation is a big factor in the preseason camp, team chemistry may be the biggest reason for each team's getaway. The hectic life on campus doesn't leave a lot of time for reflection and group dynamics.
"Everybody's together," Warhurst said. "They're talking about running, and they're talking about their goals 24 hours a day. When we get back to campus, everybody's social life is dictated by what they do in practice from 3 to 5:30 p.m."
Warhurst initiated the preseason getaway six years ago in order to help his team focus on the upcoming season. Since then, the women harriers and the Michigan volleyball team also have taken part in week-long sessions at the Leelanau School.
"Ann Arbor can be quite hectic this time of the year because of the massive amounts of people in town," Warhurst said. "It's kind of nice to get away from that, because we're going to have to go back and face it for the next nine months. This is a nice enclosed area where we can really focus on what we're doing."
The training will soon come in handy. The Michigan men's and women's teams compete in the Michigan Open at the Michigan Golf Course Saturday at 2 p.m.
The unscored meet will feature mostly unattached entries and will give the Wolverines the chance to get into a competitive rhythm before serious competition begins. Michigan is compelled by the NCAA to have the early meet because they began practice early at the camp.
"We're forced to start this early in the season by NCAA rules because of the preseason camp," McGuire said. "We're only allowed a certain amount of practice opportunities before our first competition. In a perfect world, neither coach Warhurst or myself would like to start this early.
"We're going to be low-key and use it as a benchmark to see where we're at."
The meet will also give McGuire an early glance at Michigan State's team, which is sending some runners to compete.
"We'll try to establish some people who have been training together in packs in practice," McGuire said. "We're hoping they'll do it in the meet. At the same time, we want to be beating some green shirts."
Warhurst said the open would give him a chance to see how some of the runners respond to competition - camp may have been strenuous, but it didn't provide the experience of a real meet.
"At home you can run anyone you want," Warhurst said. "If I travel I can only take 12 people. It will be real interesting.
"Camp gave us an idea of who's fit and who isn't, but I have to make a choice of which athletes I'll take to the first away meet."
A week ago the Wolverines were bonding on the shores of Lake Michigan - roasting s'mores around a fire. In this weekend's season opener, they'll be the ones feeling the heat.