Southeast Trail and Road Runners’ Lynn Canal Running Camp recently completed an invigorating, exhausting week of running on our world-class trail system— as well as eating, attending workshops and conquering Olympic challenges together. This year camp included 40 teens, half from Juneau, and the rest around Alaska and the world (Anchorage, Kenai, Petersburg, Palmer, Houston, Haines, Skagway, Galena, Dawson City, Minnesota and Italy).
Runners participate in a variety of workshops throughout the week, including anatomy, injury prevention, yoga, nutrition, sport psychology, hula hooping and jump roping. Our thanks to the many talented community workshop leaders who shared their time and expertise: Annie Albrecht, Jamie Bursell, Cori Stennett, Jenny Strumfeld, Lesley Kalbrener, Mary Aparezuk, Karlynn Welling, and a special shout out to TMHS XC Coach Scott May for offering his workshop time, ideas and yoga mats.
Thank you to Southeast Trail and Road Runners, especially to treasurer Brian Laurent, for putting up with our many requests, flurry of emails/texts and bombardment of receipts after camp (somebody should pay this guy!). We appreciate the John Caouette Memorial Fund and Juneau Community Foundation for ongoing and seed support for this unique holistic running camp. Other major funders supporting operations, stipends and scholarships include the Douglas-Dornan Foundation, Dr. Greg Allen, Juneau Emergency Medical Associates, Juneau Community Foundation and Valley Medical Care. Thank you to Eagle River United Methodist Camp for hosting us each year and hats off to Tracy and Sergei for putting up with our enthusiasm late into the night.
Additional supporters include John P. Bursell, M.D., Bryce Iverson, MRV Architects, Juneau Physical Therapy, John Walsh and Co., RMC Engineering, Secon, Chris Francis, Sandi Pahlke, Scott and Denice McPherson, Dr. Ben Pinney, DMD, and other Juneau individuals. Rainbow Foods, Nugget Alaskan Outfitter, Foggy Mountain Shop, Coppa, and Breeze In provided a variety of camp essentials, from fresh food to awards to local treats. Jessica Schalkowski and the United States Forest Service were gracious collaborators, exposing 40 aspiring runners to brand new trails and adventures.
Thank you to the Iverson, Smith, Wallace, Taylor-Roth, McKenna, Norman, Morley, WIlliams, Monk/Blust families for transporting and housing out-of-town campers. Katie Krehlik, Maddie Hall, Allie Ostrander, Kaleb Korta, Kenny Fox and Justin Jones joined us as inspiring and creative camp counselors while Chef Greg Smith creatively envisioned and executed in detail the feeding of 50 folks, 24/7, and provided the best meals in town— with support from Sara Poor in making pizza dough for all! John Nagel, Geoff Roes, Matt York, Bob Marshall, Guy Thibodeau, Alli Rosen, Paul DeSlover, Jack White, Elizabeth Ramseth, JJ Hinderberger and Kenny Frick provided support and safety in guiding campers on memorable and muddy adventures.
In October, Trail Runner Magazine named Juneau one of the top 10 trail towns in America. Our camp attendees agree! LCRC is grateful to all of you who maintain and improve these trails, and mostly to the many people from our community who joined us to ensure the health, enthusiasm and support for next generation of runners. If we missed thanking you personally, it is not because we’re not grateful, it is because you are one of many who support youth running in Juneau and we can’t read our own hand-written notes.
Merry Ellefson, Hilary Young and Tristan Knutson-Lombardo
Lynn Canal Running Camp directors
