Today was all about pushing limits. Whether it was on the high ropes courses or in Sufferfest, the ELITEAMers really did a great job getting out of their comfort zones and discovering what they are truly capable of. The morning was spent at Northern Lights Rock & Ice in Essex, VT. Their crew put our 8 groups of 8 through all of the elements they had. The campers LOVED the challenges and the excitement and learned a lot about themselves.
In the afternoon, it was all Sufferfest. Plain old toughness, hard work and suffering. We talked about how a hard workout does more than build muscle, it builds character. The two hour grunt was met with smiles and determination and campers wanting more!!! Rocks, sprints, burpees, and a ton of jumps were involved, ending with a very refreshing river walk. I know I will be sore tomorrow!
Lastly, it was time for NEON, frozen yogurt and a movie – Cool Runnings.
A great day! It’s now 9:07pm, and as I write this, there is not a sound in my dorm.
COACHES CORNER
Northern Lights with Coach Morgan-
Today was an early day for the ELITEAM campers. We spent the morning at Northern Lights- a ropes course in Essex. The course was filled with elements that each camper faced in teams. The elements focused on team and individual achievement. My team as well as all the other teams, completed each element with smiles and high effort. Even the campers that have a fear of heights faced their fear and dug deep to finish each element. The element that was the common favorite among most of the campers was the zip line. The zip line was at the end of the high ropes course element, which made for a rewarding finish and ride at the end of the course.
Thoughts from campers:
Eliza- “scary! but so fun and rewarding” her favorite element was the zip line.
Alice- “so much fun, super fun, all different kinds of elements that tested your strengths” her favorite element was “leap of faith”.
Suffering with Coach Dan-
Suffer on 3! 1, 2, 3 Suffer!!! This afternoon the campers completed 100 burpees, a 100 yard rock sprint, a 100 yard rock throw, 200 sufferfest russian twists, 100 overhead rock presses, 100 rock sit-ups, 100 rock squats, 100 pushups, and a regenerating river walk. The campers total commitment and effort was inspiring as they motivated themselves by realizing that it is this type of workout that is going to set them apart from their competition. Overheard in the Sufferfest circle were quotes of “My legs are full of Suffer!” and “Are we done yet? (after the first set of burpees)”.
CAMPER QUOTES
We gave out 10 blogs, and only two came back. Thanks Colleen and Jillian!!!
What did you think of the “Northern Lights” ropes courses this morning?
Colleen- I thought it was fun.
Jillian- I thought it was really fun and challenging.
What was your favorite element? Why?
Colleen- Earthquake Bridge because it was just fun to run across.
Jillian- The Difficult Y because it made you push your limits.
What did you think of Sufferest? How much did you suffer?
Colleen- It was better than last year. I suffered a lot.
Jillian- I thought it was a good way to dig deep.
How did you push through the suffering?
Colleen- Kept suffering and dug deep.
Jillian- Focus and talk with your friend.
What made you laugh today?
Colleen- Sami.
Jillian- My friends and coaches.
Other Randomly Reported Camper Quotes-
“My feet smell worse than usual.”
“I’ve been falling asleep at every break”
After Mtn biking and 100+ pushups- “I feel like a T-Rex; with tiny weak arms.”
“I wish ELITEAM were 6 weeks long.”
