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Nadal - Day 5
Foundation Running Camp

Getting Ready To Run: Part III

by Samantha Nadel — posted on 8/26/2011
Samantha Nadel — who won the Millrose Mile for North Shore High last year — is preparing for the cross country season with other local standouts like Kelsey Margey and Brianna Nerud at a trip to the Foundation Running Camp in Copake, N.Y. She is chronicling her experience here at ArmoryTrack.com.

Day 5: Thursday, August 25

Today was the last full day of camp! I'm really sad about this. For the second year in a row, going to this camp was one of the best experiences I've had this summer. So for our second to last run of camp, we had an easy run. The girls one cabin was scheduled to run with the boys one and two cabins. However, Brianna Nerud and I spent a little too much time going to the bathroom and tying our sneakers before the run that our large group left without us!

So for most of the run, our mini group consisted of four people: Matt Walsh, Chris Mammone (on a bike), Brianna and I. It started raining as we were running, which is my favorite type of running weather. We saw the big group that we were supposed to be running with in the distance, but gradually we caught up to them. As we got really close, we planned to sprint by them yelling "Thanks for leaving us behind!" So we did that, and led the pack for the rest of the run. Today's run was actually the most fun on a run that I've ever had!

For the "breakouts" today, one of the sessions that we attended was called "College Recruiting 101" by Coach Rich Degnan (cross-country and track coach in Nassau County). He spoke all about the "right fit," scholarships, the advantages of being on a team, and specific colleges. He made a very interesting comment — he used to coach at C.W. Post — he said that you never know who is looking at your Facebook. His point was to "think about what you post on the internet!"

For the afternoon workout, my friends and I did Zumba dancing again. However, the mood was far from optimistic. My group of friends all got into a huge fight over essentially nothing, but it was complicated. Basically, it was a re-make of the movie Mean Girls, with the center conflict being major gossip between everyone (most of it was twisted around). But now that the fight is finally over (we hugged it out), I have more respect for my friends than I did before.

Off to the end of camp dance now (featuring D.J. Vanderblotten, formally known as Billy Buith). See you guys tomorrow!