This Summer Fuller got to go on a big adventure. We sent him to Steens Mountain High Altitude Running camp for a week. He was both excited and nervous about going. He had heard a lot about how hard the week was going to be from other runners who had gone, and I was glad that the high school coaches were going to be there all week to keep an eye on him. The first day was about getting used to the altitude, being at camp and getting a tour of the area.
DAY 2: BIG DAY Day two of camp is simply known as "the big day". They get the campers up very early, eat a good breakfast, make PB & J sandwiches for the road, and head out. They spend the rest of the day hiking and running 22 miles up and down canyons, across streams and through some beautiful country.
Fuller stubbed his big toes so many times this day that they turned deep purple an stayed that way for weeks after he got home.
After finishing the 22 mile event the campers have the option of running another 7 miles back to camp, or riding the bus back. Fuller chose the bus.
DAY 3: Lots of stretching, recovery runs, and camp life.
The guys of tent 3. Twenty smelly guys living together in a tent isn't exactly my idea of fun, but Fuller enjoyed it. They had a ton of fun and laughed a lot.
GATE-GUESS- GALLOP- This was a team event where they had run up and down a mile long hill as a group for a time. Then they had to run it again and try to get the time that they guessed they could do it in. The team that got closest to their time won.
But first they had to get pumped up!
Fuller's team came in second among the guys teams.
DAY: 4 The day started out with the counselors waking them up by banging metal trash can lids in their tents. I don't quite know how Fuller slept amongst all those smelly running shoes, but he didn't even seem to notice.
The event of the day was another team event called Cross Canyon. This was an 11 mile event where they were given a quote to remember as they ran, and someone from their tent had to be prepared to recite it later. The quote Fuller's group was given was : "I asked myself, Harland are you going to let fear run your life, let fear make every decision for you? I decided to face my fears head on." Harland Yriarte
DAY: 5 Steens Olympics- A series of several events- including the Uphill 5K- Fuller said this was the hardest, worst day for him.
They also competed in the super muddy tug of war.
Other notable things- skits, inspiring (but sometimes long) talks from the camp directors and college athletes, and the Basque dinner. The Basque dinner was apparently a "boys ask girls to be their date" dinner. There were more boys at camp than girls and Fuller's counselors were determined that everyone in their tent get a date. Fuller apparently took a nice girl from Idaho. The boys had to be gentlemen and get their dates dinner for them, provide them with nice conversation, and take care of their dishes afterwards.
Fuller's main thoughts on his experience at camp were 1) he suffered A LOT , 2) running at high altitude is not fun, 3) living in a tent with 20 guys IS fun, 4) he's dying to go back!
(I am so thankful the camp has a great photographer, who documented the week so completely!)
