As a runner in high school, I continuously pictured myself pushing to the next level to run for a collegiate team. Junior and senior year approached, and I received a few offers to run for schools. I was thrilled.

The summer before my senior year in high school, I decided to sign myself up for Nike Smoky Mountain Running Camp (SMRC) in which everyone had always talked so highly about. I had no idea what it would be like, except for a lot of time spent running.

It was, in fact, just that, but it was also so much more.

It gave everyone a chance on my team, who also went during the same week as me, to all bond and make friendships in which we would not have probably discovered. We also improved our team bonding skills through various activities by working together.

After five fun-filled, packed days, I came home after camp missing all of the friends that I had made and wished that it was more than just a week.

It was in that moment that I decided that I needed to go back as a junior counselor in training (JCIT) the next year. So, I filled out the paperwork and waited for a reply.

Months later, I got accepted!

The summer before college finally rolled around and it was time for me to stuff all of the Nike gear that I had into a suitcase and head on my way.

The camp was and still is held on University of North Carolina’s campus in Asheville, so we stay in their dorms while we are there. After I obtained the key, I headed straight to my room to meet my roommate, but she was nowhere to be found. I was afraid I would be by myself for the five days, but thankfully she arrived shortly after and we immediately hit it off.

The next day at camp I set my alarm for before 6 a.m. to wake up the campers, but who knew it would so fun. Two other counselors and I woke up our floor of campers up with whistles that sounded like a train-- loud and obnoxious, to say the least. I thought they were going to hate us, but they found it entertaining and couldn’t wait for the next day to see how they would be woken up again.

After waking up the campers, everyone headed to breakfast before we all filed into buses with our assigned groups. The groups were numbered (one through 16) based on pace and all went to different locations to give the runners some variation and scenery change throughout the week on their runs.

Following the numerous miles on the trails, we all jumped off the buses and immediately rushed to lunch since we were all starving.

Following lunch, we had “break-out sessions” in which the campers would attend a few classes that were primarily focused on running. These sessions were anything from nutrition habits to running trivia, but all of which were fun to attend because it was based around the topic that we all had in common.

When the classes concluded, we headed down to the track for a workout. Every day we practiced pacing for the 400 meter, 800 meter and the mile for the pacing contest at the end of the week. Each group had to guess the time that they would run these distances and the group that got closest to their guess, won.

By this point, everyone was hot, hungry and tired, but it was not even close to the end of the day.

After a few hours of free time and maybe a nap, everyone was ready to go for the night time activity. Each night was different and consisted of either a scavenger hunt, battle of the sexes, a talent show or a dance party. All activities were exciting and got the campers, counselors and even the coaches involved.

Bed time rolled around and we all had to make sure that each camper was present and in the correct room. Once everyone was asleep, the counselors all went on adventures to cook out, waffle house or stayed at the dorms and watched a movie. The counselors ran on about four hours of sleep every day, but somehow we all managed to make it work.

When I got home after the week, I slept for 15 hours straight, but camp was worth every ounce of sleep deprivation.

I am thankful for SMRC, the people that I met and the best weeks of my life.