The UC Riverside High-Altitude Training Camp Experience

Five Weeks of Elite Athlete Training Experience at Mammoth Lakes, CA

Running the trail to The Rock

Welcome to our web site for our elite training at high altitude – Mammoth Lake, CA. Here we have attempted to capture the excitement and energy of UCR's High Altitude Training Camp. It will give you an opportunity to see first hand the training and effort that is going into elevating the UC Riverside Cross Country and Track and Field programs.

If you would like to contact us, please do so by emailing Coach Irv Ray at irv.ray@ucr.edu and feel free to fill out an online recruiting questionnaire.

The University of California, Riverside Men’s and Women’s Cross Country/Distance Team programs are built on and annualized training program that emulates elite athletes training programs. The corner stone of the elite athlete training program is the high altitude preseason training at Mammoth Lakes, CA. And the improvement has been tangible, as UCR has had a pair of athetes qualify for the 2008 USA Olympic Trials - Brenda Martinez and Lisa Lopez.

Here at UCR we feel energized by a year-round aerobic training program. Seeing athletes make the needed improvement from high school level performances to NCAA Division I level performances has been the hallmark of the UCR distance program.

At UCR, we are fortunate to not have school starting until late September. This allows the cross country team the opportunity to have up to five weeks of elite high altitude training time at Mammoth Lakes, the home of Team USA Elite Training.

We train in a beautiful environment without the distractions of the busy, noisy city life. Mammoth Lakes is a unique, one of a kind training and living experience for UCR athletes. The benefits of this training can be viewed in the chart at right.

Click here to read the blog written by senior Raul Lara.

Click here to read the blog written by junior Danielle Evans.

Training Schedule

Training Phase for Highlanders is the middle of pre-cross country Base Phase. UCR basic training while at Mammoth is summarized in this format.

As you can see the elite cross country and distance team takes our training and preparation seriously and has an elite level of expectation in how we conduct ourselves as individuals in the classroom and in training and competition. We strive for the highest level of NCAA Division I and even USA Track and Field/Cross Country.