Lemni Skate
01-09-2011, 07:37
I, even though pretty out of shape, find myself as the assistant coach of a high school cross country team. We are planning on taking some of the kids this summer to do a trail run/backpacking trip on the southern Pennsylvania section of trail.
We have a support truck. I'm thinking, wt most, we'll have five kids and three adults. We want to start at Pen-Mar park and head north. These kids are in excellent shape and probably run between 25 and 50 miles per week (10 - 13 mile long runs each week) and two of the adults can also (1 will be leading the way, one will be sweeper in the back.
I will be the "special double secret sweeper" as I'm sure I'll be the slowest in the group (though I plan to have run a 10 miler by then).
Typical day should be:
Wake up with very short hike to support truck to trade in backpack for water bladder.
Trail run (3 - 6 miles) to support truck to pick up real backpack again.
Backpack to camp (6 - 9 more miles).
These kids are in shape, but none have carried backpacks. Packs shouldn't be too heavy since we will never have to carry much food (meeting support truck twice a day). It's a good thing they don't have to carry heavy packs as I'm not sure any of them weigh more than 120 lbs.
It looks like we'll hit a few places with swimming and showers and things available.
I want this to be a great experience for the kids that will hopefully get some excitement going about our teams; I also want it to be a great experience for anyone who runs into this pack of 8 people. The kids are great and as long as I've taught them trail etiquette I can't see them bothering many people (we definitely won't be staying in shelters unless it's a real emergency).
I'm going to require any kid who plans to participates to do two days of trail maintenance with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club this spring.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Things not to miss? Things to look out for? Things to avoid?
We have a support truck. I'm thinking, wt most, we'll have five kids and three adults. We want to start at Pen-Mar park and head north. These kids are in excellent shape and probably run between 25 and 50 miles per week (10 - 13 mile long runs each week) and two of the adults can also (1 will be leading the way, one will be sweeper in the back.
I will be the "special double secret sweeper" as I'm sure I'll be the slowest in the group (though I plan to have run a 10 miler by then).
Typical day should be:
Wake up with very short hike to support truck to trade in backpack for water bladder.
Trail run (3 - 6 miles) to support truck to pick up real backpack again.
Backpack to camp (6 - 9 more miles).
These kids are in shape, but none have carried backpacks. Packs shouldn't be too heavy since we will never have to carry much food (meeting support truck twice a day). It's a good thing they don't have to carry heavy packs as I'm not sure any of them weigh more than 120 lbs.
It looks like we'll hit a few places with swimming and showers and things available.
I want this to be a great experience for the kids that will hopefully get some excitement going about our teams; I also want it to be a great experience for anyone who runs into this pack of 8 people. The kids are great and as long as I've taught them trail etiquette I can't see them bothering many people (we definitely won't be staying in shelters unless it's a real emergency).
I'm going to require any kid who plans to participates to do two days of trail maintenance with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club this spring.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Things not to miss? Things to look out for? Things to avoid?