NAU's Center for High Altitude Training reaches out to natives

FLAGSTAFF — The Center for High Altitude Training, centrally located on Northern Arizona University’s main campus in Flagstaff, is a popular site where international Olympians visit to take advantage of an elevated training experience.

Recently, the Center for High Altitude Training has narrowed its outreach to athletes in local communities, particularly to Native American communities.

As early as mid-summer, the center will institute the Long Distance Running Program, an elite training program with emphasis on endurance running.

Natalie Harlan, Director of the Center for High Altitude Training said a focal point of the program will be the Navajo and Hopi communities of northern Arizona.

“We’d like to reach out to the Native American communities in the area,” Harlan said.

She said she hopes to improve the center’s communication with the Native American communities of northern Arizona by recognizing talented prospects among the Navajo and Hopi communities.

“There have been very successful Navajo and Hopi long distance runners in the past. We’d like to give them opportunities in the future,” she said.

World-renowned coach Jack T. Daniels will head up The Long Distance Running Program, offered each summer.

Coach Daniels, as well as others on staff at the Center for High Altitude Training, aspire to search for promising talent, essentially in local Native American educational facilities.

“He (Coach Daniels) will act as a talent scout in a way,” Harlan said.

Harlan said the program would also home in on young Native American prospects seeking coaching and guidance.

“A major part the Long Distance Running Program would be for talented youths,” she said. “We will be recruiting talent from schools across northern Arizona to be a part of the program.”

Coach Daniels will be added to the staff of the Center for High Altitude Training in late July. He was named the Worlds Best Coach in Runners World Magazine and has a doctorate in exercise physiology from Wisconsin, in addition to years of coaching experience.

Coach Daniels recently told the Center for High Altitude Training, “In all my years of altitude research and training distance runners, I can’t imagine a better place for this type of program.”

The program would also reach out to runners in the post-collegiate age group, which would provide opportunities for Native American endurance runners who haven’t yet reached their full potential.

“A lot of runners don’t reach their peak until their late 20s,” Harlan said.

On July 28 and 29, the Center for High Altitude Training will hold a Coaching Education Clinic, hosted by Coach Daniels. The clinic will cover a variety of issues including altitude training, sports nutrition, injuries obtained from running and prevention of running injuries. There are 100 seats available for the clinic.

“The program is getting a late start with Coach Daniels showing up in July,” Harlan said, “but it is getting started.”

More information on the Coaching Education Clinic and the Long Distance Running Program will be provided on the Center for High Altitude Training website at www.nau.edu/highaltitude within the next couple weeks.

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