Training Camp 2025
Friday:
On 12 September, members of the OUCCC trickled into the Roaches Bunkhouse (named, thankfully, for the surrounding mountains and not the six-legged inhabitants of the bunkhouse). With a maze of rooms, unknown neighbours, and green lights that would make Gatsby proud, the space was perfect (other than those who had the unfortunate pleasure of staring into said green light when trying to sleep).
After everyone had arrived, most of the group convened for a shakeout run — a gentle 7km around the nearby reservoir to loosen travel-stiff legs and mark the official beginning of camp. Returning just in time for dinner, we were greeted by the chili, a staple of the first night of training camp. This time, however, the chili had a distinct lack of salt, foreshadowing many culinary disasters to come. Spirits, however, remained high, for the real highlight of the evening was the Hat Pot game. Played this year out of a pot (given the lack of a suitable top hat), the game doubled as both an icebreaker and an induction into OUCCC lore. Freshers were baptised in the arcane references and eccentric personalities that make up the club. With a successful introduction to the club, we all turned in for the night.
Saturday:
Saturday began with the short trip to Buxton, where some of the group lined up for the parkrun, while others served as marshals. Performances varied with some treating it as a chance to stretch their legs, while others attempted to set a course record. The marshals decided to session afterwards, while the park runners returned to the bunkhouse. Some of the marshals, however, managed to take almost as long to begin their workout as the others had taken to sit in a café, wait for the bus, drive back, and shower. The afternoon offered a change of pace, with the group watching Buxton FC host Redditch in an FA Cup tie. Initial scepticism gave way to excitement as Buxton shrugged off a slow first half to score three goals in a surprisingly lively atmosphere.
The evening, however, will forever be remembered for the Rice Scandal. Tasked with the apparently straightforward responsibility of cooking rice for the group, due to a mix of poor hob assignment, large quantities, and general incompetence, turned what should have been a twenty-minute task ballooned into a ninety-minute ordeal, with the club forced to wait hungrily as the pot oscillated between patches of burnt grains and stubbornly undercooked clumps. The fiasco not only delayed dinner but also bestowed Matthew and Eralb with the monikers “Rice Boy 1” and “Rice Boy 2,” respectively. To their credit, all the fresher boys dutifully handled the post-dinner cleanup.
Dinner was followed by a game of Mafia, with Tamsin assuming the role of an unofficial fourth mafiosa and dispatching villagers with reckless abandon. The line between genuine gameplay and witch-hunt blurred beyond recognition. Ishmael, meanwhile, became a figure of suspicion not for his tactics but for his nervous fiddling with tinfoil, earning him the nickname “Tinfoil.” The game finished with the mafia discovered and many dead (thanks, in large part, to Tamsin’s witch hunt).
Sunday:
On Sunday morning, we split into groups for the long run. Some brave souls attempted the 24km option with almost 1000m of elevation (a route which also offered an impromptu ice bath for the fresher boys), whilst others went for the shorter option exploring the Ludschurch (Lads’ Church) canyon. Afterwards, the long long run group refuelled in a café, whilst the shorter long run group spent the afternoon in rainy Leek. Although we failed to find the highly anticipated leek from Leek, we trusted in Nate and Lauren’s internal compass to find the nearest ‘Spoons, where we took shelter, ate copious amounts of garlic bread, and watched the Manchester Derby. After a long day, we all returned to the Bunkhouse for a delicious spaghetti Bolognese and an OUCCC quiz – shoutout to Jemima for extensive Power of 10 research and meticulous scouring of hundreds of old Mark Hookway videos for her quiz round down memory lane.
Monday:
After the previous day of hills, everyone was relieved to hear that Nate’s planned Monday run route would only have 300m of elevation and would even feature a WWII Sherman tank sighting. However, we didn’t factor in the climbing over fences, squeezing through gaps in stone walls, running through farmyards, and entering a military training ground. Overall, the expedition was successful as Nate found his tank and we all returned alive. We then enjoyed the World Athletics Champs over lunch, before some people headed on a trip to visit Thor’s Cave. Although participation was limited by available car seats, this was not an issue for Kunov who ran there and back, a 20 mile round journey! After exploring the cave, and Sam testing out nature’s very own mud slide, we returned home – featuring a quick stop off at a teahouse – and got ready for the pub dinner. The hearty pub meal was well-needed and even offered Elrab and Chris two surprise dishes due to Ella’s order mishaps. After trekking back in the dark through farmyards and cow fields, we were ready for Bin Night, which was characterised by drinking games, karaoke (including a truly moving rendition of All of Me by John Legend from the Rice Boys) and endless Just Dance well into the night.
Tuesday:
On our last morning, people trickled out as others cleaned up the bunkhouse, ending a great training camp and starting what looks to be a great cross-country season!
