Training

East Community Cross Country runs two things each summer: group practice three mornings a week, June 1 to August 19, and a four-day camp near Talkeetna in late July. Both are free. Most athletes do both, but nobody has to.

Cost, gear, and who-can-join questions are answered in the FAQ at the bottom.

Summer training
Jun 1–Aug 19 · 3 mornings a week

Coached practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, plus a plan for the days between.

See summer training →
Talkeetna camp
Jul 21–24 · 4 days, 3 nights

Four days at a lake, two workouts a day, swimming and a sauna in between. Registers separately.

See the camp →

Summer training

Jun 1–Aug 19 · 3 mornings a week

We meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, except camp week, July 21 to 24, when there is no practice. Practice starts at 10:30, and the group leaves the lot at 10:30, so give yourself time to get there.

The week

Mon
10:30–12:15

Strength, core, and spenst† at East High.

Wed
10:30–12:15

Hill intervals and bounding.

Fri
10:30–12:30

Long over-distance† run in the mountains.

Tuesday, Thursday, and weekends

Those days are on you. The plan for them is in CrewLAB, usually a ride, a roller-ski, or an easy run, and everything is easier to finish with a teammate along.

Where we meet

Monday is always East High. Wednesday and Friday move around: Hillside out of the Hilltop lot, Kincaid, Bartlett, or one of the Chugach front range trailheads. Check CrewLAB before you drive, because the spot sometimes changes the night before.

Carpooling

If practice is at a trailhead, a carpool leaves East High at 10:00 and comes back to East afterward. Anyone in the lot by 10:00 gets a ride. Pick up at East or at the trailhead, whichever is on your way.

The work

Mostly you'll run. Trails, roads, and mountains, every week, because running is the cheapest fitness there is and it carries straight over to skiing. Strength happens outside too, bounding and plyometric work on the hills, core on the grass; there's no gym in this program. The bikes and roller skis mostly come out on your independent days.

Helmets required

A helmet comes to every roller-ski and mountain-bike session. No helmet, no wheels. We hold to that every time.

Training groups

Plenty of kids show up worried they'll be the slowest one out there. That's what the groups are for. Everyone is one team, and we train in three groups by pace and training history, each with its own workouts and weekly load. A first-summer athlete is not handed a Comp racer's week.

Foundation

First structured training. You learn the workouts and build a base.

Devos

Development. Some training and racing behind you, ready for more.

Comp

Experienced racers pointed at state meets and the Besh Cup† series.

Who can join

Anyone entering 9th grade through 12th, plus graduates home from college for the summer; we push the graduates toward helping lead. Junior high is too early, so come find us in a couple of years. And you don't need to have skied, ever. Summer is all dryland.

What to bring

  • Water and snacks.
  • Trail running shoes.
  • A helmet on bike and roller-ski days.
  • Layers. An Anchorage morning can do sun, wind, and rain before noon.

We keep loaner roller skis and poles and can usually scare up other gear. Ask a coach.

Registration

Sign-up and the liability waiver are one form now, at the bottom of this page. You'll read the waiver there, you and your athlete each type your name to sign, and we email you a copy of the signed record. An athlete who is already 18 signs for themselves. Either way, the waiver has to be on file before the first practice.

If you signed up through CrewLAB in a past summer, we've moved sign-up and the waiver here. CrewLAB is still the team app; coaches post the weekly plan and meeting spots there, and we send the athlete's invite once you've registered. The CrewLAB page covers the app itself.

Register for summer training

Your first day

Register below before you come, then just show up: East High at 10:30 on a Monday, or by 10:00 if it's a carpool day. Bring trail shoes, water, and layers. You'll be running on day one, not roller-skiing, so don't buy anything. Find any adult, say you're new, and they'll get you into the right group.

If you'd rather ask a person something first, the contact form goes to a coach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up?

In the registration form at the bottom of this page. The waiver is part of the same form. Camp registers separately on the camp page.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Training and camp are both free, and donating or not changes nothing.

Do I need skiing experience?

No. Summer is dryland: running, strength, bikes, roller skis. Runners do fine here without ever having skied.

Who can join?

Anyone entering 9th through 12th grade, plus graduates home from college. Not junior high yet.

Do I have to do both programs?

No. They register separately. Do one or both.

What if I miss a session?

Come to the next one. The week's plan is in CrewLAB if you want to make it up on your own.

Do I need my own gear?

Trail shoes and water, plus a helmet on bike and roller-ski days. Roller skis and poles we can lend. Ask.

Register

Fields marked * are required.

Athlete

Parent or guardian

CrewLAB team app

Practice plans and schedule changes live in CrewLAB, our team app. Once your registration goes through, we send the athlete's invite by email or text. Give us at least one of the two.

Parents confirm the connection to their athlete inside the app after the invite arrives.

Another parent or guardian who should get their own invite? Optional.

Emergency contact

Insurance & physician

Medical

Photo and media release

About the Program

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

We are an informal, free, volunteer-run training group. We are not part of the school district or any club, and the adults are unpaid volunteers, not paid professionals.

East Community Cross Country ("ECXC" or the "Program", at ecxc.ski) is an informal, free, community-run training group for high school athletes. The Program is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or connected to the Anchorage School District, East High School, any other school, any club, or any business or commercial entity. Coaches and adult chaperones are unpaid volunteers and are not acting as paid professionals, certified instructors, licensed guides, or commercial trip leaders.

No fee is charged for participation. Voluntary donations may be accepted to offset shared expenses such as gas, campground fees, and group equipment, but no participant is required to donate. Many participants are under 18 and will not always be in the immediate presence of their parents during training sessions, travel, or the multi-day camp. Volunteer adults are responsible for supervision during scheduled activities and need parental authorization to obtain medical care for a minor if necessary.

Program Activities, Dates & Locations

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

This waiver covers everything the Program does in summer 2026: running, mountain biking, strength work, roller-skiing, and the July camp near Talkeetna, plus travel between activities in private vehicles driven by volunteers.

This Waiver and Release covers the Participant's participation in the following Program activities from June 1 through August 19, 2026:

  1. Running. Road running, trail running, and track workouts on paved and unpaved surfaces in the Anchorage area, including Kincaid Park, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, the Hillside trail system, and city sidewalks and roadways.
  2. Mountain biking. Off-road cycling on singletrack, gravel, and dirt trails, and on-road cycling on paved roads, bike paths, and parking lots. May include technical terrain, descents, jumps, and rocky or rooted trails.
  3. Strength training. Bodyweight exercises, plyometrics, free weights, and related conditioning at designated facilities and outdoor locations.
  4. Roller-skiing. Roller-skiing on paved roads, bike paths, and parking lots in the Anchorage area, which may include roadways shared with motor vehicle traffic.
  5. Multi-day camp. A training camp July 21 through 24, 2026, at a lakeside site near Talkeetna, Alaska (exact site and address provided to registered families). Includes overnight lodging in rustic cabins, group meals, and concentrated training, and may include hiking, swimming, boating, sauna use, and other outdoor recreation.

Transportation. Travel to and from Program activities and the camp is by private vehicles driven by volunteer coaches, parents, or other adult volunteers. By signing this document I specifically authorize such transportation.

Acknowledgment & Assumption of Inherent Risks

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

These sports carry real risks that no amount of care removes: falls, collisions, weather, wildlife, and in rare cases serious injury or death. Alaska law says a participant takes on those built-in risks, and you are agreeing your athlete does.

I understand and acknowledge that the activities listed above carry inherent risks that cannot be eliminated regardless of the care taken by volunteer coaches or other adults. Under Alaska Statute 09.65.290, a person who participates in a sports or recreational activity assumes the inherent risks of that activity. Inherent risks include, without limitation:

  • Running: falls; sprains, strains, and overuse injuries; collisions with vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, or wildlife; heat illness; hypothermia; getting lost on trails; moose, bear, and other wildlife encounters.
  • Mountain biking: crashes and falls at speed; collisions with vehicles, other riders, pedestrians, trees, rocks, and obstacles; mechanical failure; head, neck, spine, and orthopedic injuries; wildlife encounters.
  • Strength training: muscle and connective-tissue injuries; dropped or improperly loaded weights; equipment failure; injuries from improper form or fatigue.
  • Roller-skiing: falls on pavement at speed; collisions with motor vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, or other roller-skiers; road hazards including potholes, gravel, and debris; loss of control on hills.
  • Multi-day camp: all of the above, plus camping accidents; cooking and fire-related injuries; exposure to weather extremes; bear and moose encounters; water-related risks including drowning; sauna-related risks; food-related illness; distance from immediate medical care; vehicle accidents during travel.
  • All activities: the risk of serious injury, catastrophic injury, permanent disability, and death exists in all of the above activities and during travel between them.

On behalf of myself and the Participant, I knowingly and voluntarily assume all inherent risks of the Participant's participation in the Program.

Waiver and Release of Liability

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

You are agreeing not to sue the volunteers or the landowners who host us for ordinary negligence if your athlete is hurt, and to cover any claim brought on the athlete's behalf. This does not excuse reckless or intentional misconduct, and it cannot waive anything Alaska law says a parent cannot waive.

In exchange for the opportunity for the Participant to participate in the Program described above, and pursuant to Alaska Statute 09.65.292 where the Participant is a minor, I hereby release, waive, and discharge the volunteer coaches and adult chaperones (including but not limited to Geoffrey Wright and any other adult volunteers acting on behalf of the Program), any host venues or property owners on whose land Program activities occur, and all of their agents, representatives, successors, heirs, and assigns (collectively, the "Released Parties") from any and all claims for negligence, including any claim, demand, action, cause of action, judgment, loss, liability, cost, or expense (including attorney's fees and court costs) arising out of or connected with the Participant's participation in the Program, including travel to and from any Program activity or location, and including any injury, illness, or property damage the Participant may incur or sustain.

I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties from any claim brought by the Participant, by me, or by any other person on behalf of the Participant, on account of damages resulting from the Participant's participation in the Program, to the maximum extent permitted by Alaska law.

Limitation required by AS 09.65.292(b): this Waiver and Release does not release the Released Parties from claims based on reckless or intentional misconduct. Nothing in this document waives any claim that Alaska law does not permit a parent to waive on behalf of a minor. I acknowledge that nothing in this document guarantees that the Program or any activity will occur as planned.

Medical Authorization

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

If your athlete is hurt or sick and you cannot be reached in time, you are authorizing the volunteers to get them medical care, including emergency treatment and transport. Medical bills are the family's responsibility, not the volunteers'.

In the event of illness or injury to the Participant during the Program, I authorize the volunteer coaches and adult chaperones to:

  1. administer first aid and CPR as appropriate to their training;
  2. contact emergency medical services (911) and seek emergency medical treatment;
  3. authorize, on my behalf, examination, anesthesia, medical or surgical diagnosis, and treatment by licensed medical professionals, including hospital care, if the Participant's condition requires it and I cannot be reached in time; and
  4. transport the Participant to the nearest appropriate medical facility.

I am financially responsible for all medical bills, transport costs, and related expenses incurred on behalf of the Participant during the Program. The Released Parties are not financially responsible for any such costs. I release the Released Parties from any liability arising out of the good-faith exercise of this medical authorization.

Medications & Self-Administration

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

Your athlete brings and takes their own prescription medications. Volunteers can remind but never administer or supply them. Tell us about anything that could need an emergency response, like an epinephrine auto-injector.

I confirm that the Participant will bring any prescription medications they currently take and will self-administer them at prescribed doses. I understand that the volunteer coaches and adult chaperones will not administer or supply prescription medications, though they may remind the Participant to take them. I will provide the volunteers with information about any condition that may require an emergency response (for example, an epinephrine auto-injector for severe allergies), and I have disclosed the Participant's medications, allergies, and relevant medical conditions in this registration.

Code of Conduct

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

The ground rules: no substances, helmets on wheels, seat belts in cars, follow safety instructions, treat people well, stay with the group. Breaking them can mean being sent home at the family's expense.

The Participant and I agree that the Participant will follow these rules during all Program activities, including travel and the multi-day camp:

  • no use, possession, or distribution of alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, marijuana, or other controlled substances;
  • respect for other participants, volunteers, members of the public, and property;
  • compliance with safety-related instructions from volunteer coaches and chaperones;
  • no unsupervised departure from group activities or the camp location;
  • helmets at all times when mountain biking or roller-skiing;
  • seat belts at all times during transportation; and
  • no harassment, hazing, bullying, or discrimination of any kind.

Violation of these rules may result in the Participant being dismissed from the Program, including being sent home early from camp at my expense, with no refund of any donation made.

Electronic Signature, Adult Participants & General Terms

Plain-terms summary, for readability. The full text below is what you are agreeing to.

Typing your name in this form counts as a real, binding signature. An athlete who is 18 or older signs for themselves. Alaska law governs this agreement, and if one part of it is found invalid the rest still stands.

Electronic signature. I agree that typing my name into the signature field of this form and submitting it constitutes my electronic signature under the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act and the Alaska Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (AS 09.80), with the same legal force as a handwritten signature. I consent to conducting this transaction electronically and acknowledge that I will receive a copy of the signed record by email.

Adult participants. If the Participant is 18 years of age or older at the time of signing, the Participant signs this document on their own behalf: every reference to the Participant's parent or guardian assuming risk, releasing claims, or granting authorization applies to the adult Participant directly, and no parent or guardian signature is required.

Governing law and severability. This document is governed by the laws of the State of Alaska, and any dispute arising under it shall be brought in the courts of Anchorage, Alaska. If any provision of this document is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.

Acknowledgment. I have read this Waiver and Release of Liability, Assumption of Risk, and Medical Authorization in its entirety and I understand its contents. I am aware that it releases the Released Parties from liability for negligence and contains my voluntary and knowing assumption of the risk of injury or illness to the Participant. I sign it voluntarily and of my own free will. Where the Participant is a minor, the Participant has read this document and discussed its contents with me, and the Participant acknowledges and assumes the risks of participation.

Signatures

If the athlete is 18 or older, they sign for themselves and the parent signature is optional.