Wingfoot Running Camp
Make sure to register early for 2025 as the 2024 Wingfoot Running Camp SOLD OUT both weeks!
Atlanta Track Club's cross country camp returns to the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 2025. Middle and high school
runners are invited to Wingfoot Running Camp at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. With 51 years of tradition and nestled in the foothills of the southern
Appalachian mountains, this week-long overnight camp is led by college, high
school, and elite coaches with college runners serving as camp counselors. The staff coaches alone have a combined total of over 500 years of camp experience and have coached more than 150 individual and team state champions! Guest
appearances will be made by college/professional coaches, college/elite athletes, and experts in competitive running at the top of their fields. Educational sessions will cover proper running technique,
speed, form, and team building. Runners will also learn about a wide range of
running-related topics including nutrition, sports psychology and footwear. Wingfoot Running Camp
is open to all entrants between the ages of 12 - 18, currently enrolled in middle or high school. Camp fees include all meals and accommodations in air-conditioned "suite style" dormitories with private restrooms.
In addition to a week-long camp experience, Wingfoot Running Camp offers a two-week session for campers. It's a great opportunity to relive previous trail experiences, enhance their training, and make new friends. The second week of Wingfoot Running Camp will feature different guest speakers, opportunities to sit in on new educational sessions, and more fun evening activities. Supervised activities and runs will be planned for the two days between camps, and housing will be provided. Campers should be prepared to pay for meals outside of the cafeteria and expect some free time.
The Coaches' Clinic is a week-long educational program led by veteran coaches and clinicians Eric Nelson and Tom Williams. Developed specifically for new and early to mid-career coaches, foundational topics are covered in-depth with opportunities for one-on-one mentoring. This clinic will prepare any coach for the upcoming season and many years to come. Networking opportunities with advanced practitioners and veteran coaches throughout the southeast will be provided and any head or assistant coach will find value in its instruction. More details can be found below. Coaches' meals and accommodations in air-conditioned "suite style" dormitories with private restrooms are included in the registration fee.
Wingfoot Running Camp and its accompanying Coaches' Clinic is solely operated by Atlanta Track Club, which is not affiliated with The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama or The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
View the highlight video of 2024's Week 1 of camp here or read an intern's blog of her camp experience here. (Created by intern Becca Brown)
View the highlight video of 2024's Week 2 of camp here. (Created by intern Alexa Lambert)
Date
- July 6 -11, 2025
- July 13 - 18, 2025
Location
- The University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Housing - Charger Village Addition - 601 John Wright Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805
Cost (Payment Plans Available at NO Charge)
One Week of Wingfoot Running Camp (includes all meals and accommodations)
Member / Non-Member Pricing
- $725/$775 through December 1
- $775/$825 through January 31
- $800/$850 through February 28
- $825/$875 through March 31
- $875/$925 through April 30
- $900/$950 through May 31
- $925/$975 through July 3
Two Weeks of Wingfoot Running Camp (also includes weekend accommodations between sessions)
Member / Non-Member Pricing
- $1500/$1550 through Dec 1
- $1600/$1650 through January 31
- $1675/$1725 through Feb 28
- $1725/$1775 through March 31
- $1825/$1875 through April 30
- $1875/$1925 through May 31
- $1925/$1975 through July 5
Coaches Clinic (includes all meals and accommodations)
- $425/$475
Wingfoot Running Camp 2023 and 2024
Camp Sessions
Training Sessions
Enjoy morning runs on the trails around Huntsville such as Monte Sano State Park or along the Tennessee River on dirt roads and afternoon Effort-Based Training (EBT) sessions on the spacious campus of UAH. Campers will be grouped according to fitness level, and groups will be led by experienced runners. A solid week of developmentally appropriate summer training that prepares athletes for the fall cross country season can be expected.
Educational Sessions
Campers
will be able to learn from experienced coaches and athletes from various levels (professional, collegiate, high school, and youth). By
the end of the week, campers will have learned about various topics, such as
training, recovery, nutrition, race tactics, and more. Campers will have
a chance to equip themselves with a knowledge base to be successful in our
sport. Examples of the camp education curriculum can be seen here.
Recreational Sessions
Outside
of daily free time, campers will have staff-led recreational
opportunities. These sessions will be fun, allow campers to meet new
people, engage with their peers, and develop long-lasting friendships.
Camp Guest Speakers Schedule 2025
2025 Guest Speakers will be announced soon!
2024 Guest Speakers
Week 1:
Sunday: Alan Drosky - Camp Director and Georgia Tech Track and Field and Cross Country Coach
Monday:
Atlanta Track Club Elite - Aidan Ryan, Gabrielle Wilkinson, and Clay Pender
Tuesday: Kelsey Pontius Beckmann - Meteor Nutrition
Wednesday: Clark Rivers - Marist School
Thursday: Rich Hughes - adidas History, Culture and Advanced Shoe Technology
Friday: adidas Elite Athletes - Will Sumner and Josh Hoey, adidas 800m Specialists
Week 2:
Sunday: Alan Drosky - Camp Director and Georgia Tech Track and Field and Cross Country Coach
Monday:
Atlanta Track Club Elite - Olivia Baker, Sadi Henderson, and Rob Heppenstall
Tuesday:
Dr. Kate Edwards - Founder of Precision Performance and Physical Therapy, and Author
Wednesday: Dr. Chris Stanley- Chair of the USATF Sports Psychology Committee
Thursday: Jim Jennings - adidas History, Culture and Advanced Shoe Technology
Friday: adidas Elite Athletes - Katelyn Tuohy and Kelsey Chmiel, adidas and NC State Athletes
Previous Guests Include
-Atlanta Track Club Elite (2024, 2023, 2022 - Olivia Baker, Jonathan Davis, Sadi Henderson, Rob Heppenstall, Emma Grace Hurley, Yolanda Ngarambe, Clay Pender, Aidan Ryan, Shane Streich, Gabby Wilkinson, Allie Wilson and more)
-Morgan Beadlescomb (2023 - Very Nice Track Club/adidas, 3:51 miler)
-Kelsey Chmiel (2024 - adidas/NC State, NCAA Champion)
-Dr. Kate Edwards - (2024, 2023 - Founder of Precision Performance and Physical Therapy, and Author)
-Josh Hoey (2024 - adidas, 1:43 800m runner)
-Rich Hughes (2024 - adidas Sports Marketing)
-Stephen Jayaraj (2022 - Head Coach, Holy Innocents Episcopal School, Atlanta Track Club Youth Team)
-Jim "JJ" Jennings (2024, 2023 - adidas Sports Marketing)
-Hobbs Kessler (2023 - Very Nice Track Club/adidas, Olympian)
-Matt McMurray (2023 - Head Coach, Marist School)
-Dunn Neugebauer (2022 - Assistant Coach, Holy Innocents Episcopal School)
-Clark Rivers (2024 - Track Distance Coach, Marist School, 15+ individual state champions)
-Dr. Chris Stanley (2024, 2023 - Chair of the USATF Sports Psychology Committee)
-Will Sumner (2024 - adidas, NCAA Champion)
-Marc Sylvester (2023
- adidas Sports Marketing)
-Katelyn Tuohy (2024, 2023, 2022 - adidas/NC State, NCAA Champion)
-Ron Warhurst (2023 - coach of Very Nice Track Club)
-Nico Young (2022 - Northern Arizona University/adidas)
2024 Educational Breakout Sessions (subject to change)
100 Level Courses
Building Your Pre-Race Routine
Choosing Proper Footwear
The Little Things
Pacing During Training and Racing
Running Mechanics
Running Vocabulary
Using an Effort-Based Training Chart
What is Effort-Based Training?
200 Level Courses
The Importance of Recovery
Long Runs
Racing Strategy
Running in College
Running Physiology
Threshold Training
300 Level Courses
Dealing with Injuries
Females and Running - Parts 1 and 2
Goal Setting
Psychology and a Racing Mindset
RED-S and Nutrition
The Role of a Captain and Team Leadership
Running Venues
Wingfoot Running Camp works to provide campers with new, safe running venues that are off of roads that highlight the natural beauty of the Huntsville region. Some of our venues are shown above in order...
- Ditto Landing
- Lime Creek Boat Ramp
- Hays Farm
- Cathedral Caverns
- Chapman Mountain Nature Reserve
- Monte Sano State Park
- UAH Intramural Grass Fields
- John Hunt Cross Country Course
- Madison County Nature Trail
Daily Schedule
6:00 AM
Wake up
6:30 AM
Depart For Morning Run
9:00 AM
Breakfast
11:00 AM
Guest Speakers
12:15 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Free Time/Recreational Session
2:45 PM
Educational Session
3:45 PM
Effort-Based Training
5:15 PM
Dinner/Free Time
7:00 PM
Recreational Sessions
10:00 PM
Lights Out
Wingfoot Running Camp - Coaching Clinic
A week-long educational program led by veteran coaches and clinicians Eric Nelson and Tom Williams. Developed for new and novice coaches, foundational topics are covered in-depth with opportunities for one-on-one mentoring. This week-long session will prepare any coach for the upcoming season and many years to come. Networking opportunities with advanced practitioners and veteran coaches throughout the southeast will be provided.
Coaching clinic topics that will be covered are listed below:
Setting Team Expectations and Coaching Philosophies
Recognizing and Cultivating Motivation
Principles of Training Overload, Adaptation, Volume, Intensity, and Variety
EBT- Effect-Based Training
Designing Building Blocks
Meso and Microcycles
Running Mechanics and Drills
Dealing and Preventing Overtraining
Recovery Strategies
Program Management and Communication
Cost
- $325/$365
Camp Director
Alan Drosky
30+ years of coaching at the NCAA Division 1 level
53 All-South Region athletes
17 All-ACC athletes
10+ years directing Smoky Mountain Running Camp
Georgia Tech Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
Associate Camp Director
Becky Megasi
Georgia Tech, Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
21+ years of coaching at the NCAA Division 1 level
Additional Camp Staff
Roy Benson
Coach Fink is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she coaches and works at Zachary High School. Fink has over 15 years of coaching experience, and over the years as a coach has worked with two Gatorade Players of the Year and four Metro Champions, as well as claiming two State Titles and four Runner-Up State Titles. Her athletes have success at the local, state, and regional levels.
Julie Fink
Bill Hackney
Director - High Performance
Eric Heintz
Director - High Performance
Coach Nelson held the Head Coach position at Pensacola Catholic School for 23 years. Currently, he is the Executive Director for Run Pensacola - Event Management. Coach Nelson is leading the agenda for educational sessions at camp this year.
Eric Nelson
Coach Scott has been the cross country and track coach at Harrison High School for the past 26 years. He has been successful in leading athletes to nationally recognized events.
Jason Scott
Coach Tillery has 20 years of coaching experience in Georgia. Fours years at Forsyth High School and 16 at West Forsyth High School. Prior to coaching in Georgia, coach Tillery coached at Escambia High School in Pensacola, Florida. Over his coaching career, he has acquired 12 Region Titles in Track and four Region Titles in cross country. At the state level in cross country, he's had a State Champion and 17 state podium finishers. In Track and Field, he's had three State Champions and five top-ten finishers at the State competition.
Clayton Tillery
Coach Williams has coached high school cross country for 25+ years. At the collegiate level, he was the Women's Cross Country coach at the University of North Georgia for 10 years. He has since retired and is currently the community coach for North Oconee High School.
Tom Williams
Returning Camp Counselors
Wingfoot Running Camp Intern Application
This opportunity is for upcoming high school graduates, Class of 2024. If you love helping others and are planning to pursue running in college. If you enjoy running on trails and making others feel welcome. We have an opportunity for you to make a difference in the lives of other runners while learning important skills as an intern.
We are seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to be Counselor Interns at Wingfoot Running Camp, one of the largest and best-running camps in the Southeast. If you have what it takes to be a part of our team, please fill out the form linked below and apply for this exciting opportunity to be a part of our Wingfoot Running Camp Family!
Additional Information
Housing
Charger Village Addition
601 John Wright Dr. NW, Huntsville, AL 35805
Link to the dorms campers will be utilizing
Campers stay in a private room in a suite-style dorm. Each suite has a common living space, refrigerator, microwave, and two shared bathrooms in addition to the four private rooms.
Refund Policy
No refunds. In case of a medical condition, you may transfer your registration to another person or defer to the following year with a doctor's note. For inquiries about this policy, contact: camp@atlantatrackclub.org
Questions
For additional questions contact camp@atlantatrackclub.org
Transportation Request
A charter bus to Wingfoot Running Camp will be made available for a fee of $135. For more information on payment, pickup, and drop-off locations email camp@atlantatrackclub.org
WEEK 1 BUS IS SOLD OUT!!
What To Pack
Below is a suggested list of items to bring to camp. The Atlanta Track Club is NOT responsible for lost or stolen items.
Running attire and shoes for 10 running sessions *double if attending both weeks
Casual attire and shoes for each day
Undergarments and sleeping attire
Toiletries and personal items
Sunscreen, lip balm, and bug spray
Towels
Extra-long twin mattress bed linens
Blanket, comforter, or sleeping bag
Pillow and pillowcase
Laundry detergent, if needed
Extra spending money for snacks or gear
Event Sponsors
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logo, company name
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