Group of people participating in outdoor cross-country running (smuki (123RF))
The temperature is cranked to highs as steep as the hills feel on Ramstein Air Base. Carol S., 16, runs with sweat dripping off her face as she mounts another piece of the trail swaying throughout the woods, her cross country team in tow.
In the thick of pre-season training, now is the time to turn up the scale of her work. She earned an impressive 15th place at All-European Championships last year, and as both a senior and team captain, she’s hungry for more.
Originally, the pre-season cross-country training was only meant to be June 30, July 9, and July 16, but has morphed into something much more serious. Now, the program is every Wednesday and Friday from 1000-1200, according to the official team Instagram page. This year’s captains, Carol S. and Chris D., 17, worked together to plan the workouts. But beyond workouts, they aim to build cohesion within the team.
Team dynamics are a crucial aspect of the Royals’ success. Carol S. has aimed to make a stronger team on a personal level.
“Summer training gives me an outlet to make friends and exercise. It’s hard to feel motivated when you run alone or want to work out, but in a group it becomes so much easier”
— Carol S.
Chris D. shares a similar sentiment.
“I want the team to grow. Not just grow in size but also grow a bigger love for this sport and develop a stronger running culture. Ramstein cross-country has the potential to become a state-level team, but the work to get there starts now,” he explained.
While the team bonding is well underway, the individual aspect of cross country looms overhead. With shrinking European qualifying times comes a greater pressure to succeed, seeping into the pre-season activities. Carol S. and Chris D. began planning for this time during the spring.
“Carol and I had to pick a day and time, stick with it, and hope for the best,” Chris D. said. “We were able to build a consistent group that now meets up multiple times every week.”
While the season doesn’t start until late August, beginning early allows for an extension that may increase the chances of taking home a gold for the Royals. In terms of personal development, it may prove to be better for the overall wellness of the athletes. Without a strong foundational knowledge, it’s easy to get injured and start dropping runners.
“Summer training builds your base to prepare you for the actual season. That way you can see the most progress and avoid injury.”
— Chris D.
As the temperatures increase, so does the intensity. The competition is becoming fiercer every season, especially with schools like Stuttgart and Vilseck bringing out runners that consistently place high. Now, pre-season work is essential for securing top spots at meets and the European Championships in October. In response, the Royals continue to up the ante. According to Carol S., these pre-season workouts will be quite demanding.
“Anyone planning to join should know the first couple weeks are going to be extremely difficult, but it will get better over time,” she said. “Quitting the first week is gonna seem like the best choice but it’s good to stick it through.”
The Royals use the method of progressive overload to gradually add mileage to each team workout. They also add in other types of exercise in order to effectively introduce the members to the training used at Ramstein, but also to bring together the team.
“These summer practices help build the team bond. When we are out here doing these long runs and workouts together, the group starts to feel like a family,” said Chris D. “And because of that, everyone is more inclined to encourage and push each other to new levels.”
young man and woman running at forest trail (spotpoint74 (123RF))
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
