High Performance Distance Academy

The 2026 High-Performance Distance Academy is scheduled for July 13th to the 18th, 2026. The focus of the camp is training and is recommended for motivated runners. All abilities are welcome; the only requirement is the desire to be better. Camp Website: www.CrossCountryRunningCamp.com HOUSING AND DINING | All campers will eat, sleep, and live in the same manner as a student-athlete at Virginia Tech. Campers will be housed in an on-campus air-conditioned Tech dormitory located close to training facilities. On-campus dining facilities will feed our campers and are only a short walk from both the dorms and athletic fields. Meals are all-you-can-eat and have an impressive variety of culinary styles and options to choose from. Virginia Tech’s Dining Facilities have been ranked #1 in the nation for college campuses for several years! TRAINING WEEK | Training will be based on individual experience. Our goal is a motivating and meaningful week of camp without injuries or over-training. Most days of camp will include two-a-day runs, but each run provides athletes with a choice between three distances and or often an option for yoga instead of running. Campers will also complete a pool workout, circuits, plyometrics, and daily strength training. Run routes throughout the week include time on the Virginia Tech Cross Country Course, Jefferson National Forest, and a vast network of trails surrounding Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech campus. There will also be plenty of free time to rest and hang out with new friends or jump into games of beach volleyball, ultimate frisbee, or pick-up basketball. Additional camp-wide activities in the past have included Mt. Lake recreation area, river tubing, hiking to the picturesque Cascades waterfall, and a day on the beach at Claytor Lake. ELIGIBILITY & COST | Girls and boys entering grades 8th – 12th are eligible to come to camp, whether you are new to the sport of running or a seasoned veteran. We also allow graduating high school seni