Fitness Camp

Last week I was away at the Davis Mountains Fitness and Training Camp in Fort Davis, an hour and a half from Van Horn. Everyone sets their own pace and activities for the week, which accommodates people who like to sit on the porch and drink coffee all day or 88 year olds who want to train for their next half-marathon. All kinds of folks come to fitness camp to hike, bike, run, swim, do yoga or Pilates, or get a massage in this beautiful mountain setting.

My favorite day was Thursday. We got up before dawn to board a school bus that took us to our drop-off point, a picnic area. From there we ran 2 miles up the mountain to Wild Rose Pass, and then back down again for a total of four miles. Two and six mile options were also available. The bus took us back to a hot breakfast (with fresh biscuits!) and we dressed in our bike jerseys for the morning’s ride, a 40 mile roll back through Wild Rose Pass (photos above of the aid station and view at the pass) and down to Balmorhea State Park, a natural spring-fed cement pond.

The support you get from the staff inspires you to push yourself at your own pace. The running staff will videotape you if you want, and offer tips on improving your style. They’ll run with the pack each morning and accompany those at the back; a gentle supportive way to make sure everyone gets back on the bus in good shape. The bike staff will do the same--ride by you yelling, “looking good!” or if you’re not, riding with you for awhile to make sure you’re okay. And as you can see, they’re willing to fix tires for a small fee.

I get inspired every year by the folks at camp who range from doughy-looking folks in their 60s who attack the challenging 74-mile mountainous scenic loop ride with vigor, to sleek not-an-ounce-of-body-fat-on-‘em athletes. A happy combination takes place for me at camp--
I push myself and I relax simultaneously--which propels me through the year of workouts, deadlines and everyday stress.