Ascent Track & Field ClinicS
MIDDLDE-DISTANCE/DISTANCE SCHEDULE
What to expect
Spend 2 days learning from some of the best minds in the sport.
A CURRICULUM THAT’S DIFFERENT BY DESIGN
At Ascent Track & Field Clinics, we don’t want you to rely on us to make you a better athlete. We want to teach you how to do it yourself — practice after practice, season after season — so you can develop beyond the two days of our summer clinics.
That’s why the middle-distance and distance curriculum is intentionally designed to look different from what athletes might experience at a typical cross country camp. Rather than logging mileage or completing long aerobic sessions, this program emphasizes the development of the qualities that make distance runners durable, efficient, and fast. Athletes will spend their time learning a year-round framework for integrating technical skill, movement quality, and power development into their training; these are skills that too often receive less attention during high-volume seasons, but are every bit as important as logging mileage, and are crucial in preventing injuries.
Throughout the clinic, athletes will be taught a variety of training methods, including dynamic flexibility, sprint development, hurdle mobility, circuit training, general strength work, medicine ball routines, plyometric training, dedicated speed development sessions, and the “why” behind the work, such as the purpose of a lactate threshold session. Each activity is carefully chosen for its contribution to improved running economy, mechanics, resiliency, and competitive performance. Both athletes and coaches will leave with a clear understanding of how to structure these elements throughout the training year, not as supplemental additions, but as foundational tools that unlock faster times, healthier bodies, and greater long-term development for middle-distance and distance runners.
Clinic Schedule
An example from years past.
DAY 1
8:30-9 AM- Registration Opens
9:00- 9:15 AM- Staff Introductions
9:15-9:45 AM - Active Isolated Stretching
9:45-9:50 AM - Hydration break
9:50-10:20 AM - Dynamic Warm-Up
10:20-10:25 AM - Hydration break
10:25-10:50 AM - Easy run
10:55-11:25 AM - Proprioception Routine
11:25-11:30 AM - Hydration break
11:30 AM-12 PM - 'Keys to Long-Term Development'
12-12:45 PM - Lunch
12:45-1:15 PM - All Clinic Coaches' Panel
1:15-1:45 PM - Rope Stretch + Dynamic Warm-up
1:45-1:50 PM - Hydration break
1:50-2:30 PM - Medicine Ball Session & Bring Sally Up Challenge
2:30-2:35 PM - Hydration break
2:35-3:15 PM- Form checks and corrections
3:15-3:45 PM - 'Critical Ancillary Work: The Why Behind the Work' Non-Essentials'
3:45-4 PM- Stretch out, recovery yoga, mindfulness exercise
4 PM- Clinic concludes for the day.
DAY 2
8:30-9 AM - Registration
9-9:30 AM - Dynamic warm-up
9:30-9:35 AM - Hydration break
9:35-10:10 AM - Acceleration scramble circuit
10:10-10:15 AM - Hydration break
10:15-11 AM- Hurdle Mobility
11-11:05 AM- Hydration Break
11:05 AM-12 PM - Easy run and stretch out
12-12:45 PM - Lunch
12:45-1:15 PM - All-Clinic Coaches Panel
1:15-2:15 PM- Rope Stretch + Dynamic Warm-up
2:15-2:20- Hydration break
2:20-3 PM- General Strength Circuit, Foot Strengthening, and Cool Down and Stretch out
3-3:05 pm- Hydration Break
3:05-3:40 PM- Talk about Navigating a successful XC season and carrying concepts learned at clinic through this coming year, Q&A
3:40-4 PM- Stretch out, recovery yoga, mindfulness exercise
4 PM - Clinic concludes.
PAST COACHES
Group coaches from prior years. They may or may not be at this year’s clinics. Check individual clinic pages for staff updates.
JASON SARETSKY
Director of Track & Field/XC
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Distance
frequently asked questions
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Already signed up? Visit the info hub for an extensive FAQ and announcements for attendees.
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No. Any and all entrants are encouraged to attend.
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Though we have access to the indoor track, the 2025 Ascent Track & Field Clinic will be run outdoors, rain or shine, though we will also make use of the Gordon Indoor Track facility. In the event of thunderstorms, the clinic will be delayed until the weather clears.
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There are many hotels in the area, but the number of attendees means space may be limited, so we suggest reserving your room as soon you can.
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All event groups are represented. Sprints (55/60m, 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m), distance (800m, 1600m, 3200m, cross country), throws (javelin, discus, shot put), jumps (high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault), and hurdles (55/60h, 100/110h, 300/400ih).
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Title: Handling Shin Splints and Lower Leg Problems
Instructor: Boo Schexnayder, Director, SAC SpeedTitle: Keys to Speed Development for All Events
Instructor: Boo Schexnayder, SAC SpeedTitle: Starts and Acceleration: Key Concepts, Training Strategies, and Error Corrections
Instructor: Kebba Tolbert, Women's Associate Head Coach, Harvard UniversityTitle: Organized for Success: Effective Management Practices
Instructor: Tramaine Shaw, Director of Track & Field/XC, Northeastern UniversityTitle: What the High School Coach Needs to Know About NCAA Recruiting in 2025
Instructor: Jason Saretsky, Director of Track & Field/XC, Harvard UniversityTitle: Hurdle Rhythm: The Search for the Holy Grail
Instructor: Marc Mangiacotti, Men's Associate Head Track & Field Coach, Harvard UniversityTitle: Weight Room Without Walls
Instructor: Ryan Banta, Head Coach, Parkway Central HS -
The Ascent Track & Field Clinic located at Harvard is located at the Harvard Athletics campus. The address is as follows:
Gordon Indoor Track
69 N Harvard St
Allston, MA 02134
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The $25 fee partly covers the additional costs of insurance and rental of specialized gear (landing mats, poles, standards, etc).
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Holiday Pricing $299 through January 15
Early Bird Pricing $349 January 16 through February
Regular Pricing $399 March through April
Late Pricing $449 after April
Per NCAA rules, employees of Harvard University are eligible for a discount. Please email us for discounted pricing at info@ascenttrackclinics.com
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Holiday Pricing $175 through January 15
Early Bird Pricing $199 January 16 through February
Regular Pricing $225 March through April
Late Pricing $249 after April
Per NCAA rules, employees of Harvard University are eligible for a discount. Please email us for discounted pricing at info@ascenttrackclinics.com
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The terms track & field clinic and track & field camp are often used interchangeably, but we think they imply slightly different structures and goals. Here's the distinction:
Track & Field Clinics are short and focused, typically lasting a few hours to a couple of days. Our clinics emphasize technical instruction, skill refinement, and individualized feedback, and are marked by high coach-to-athlete interaction and a low coach-to-athlete ratio (it’s about 1:8 at our clinics). Clinics are ideal for athletes who want to improve specific aspects of their performance in a concentrated format.
Track & Field Camps tend to be longer in duration, often spanning several days or even weeks. Track camps may include a broader range of activities outside the sport-specific scope, that can sometimes be fun and recreational in nature, like an ice-cream social or camp dance. There is significantly more ‘down-time’ at a track camp, opposed to a track clinic, which is a more concentrated format.
The Ascent Track & Field Clinic rents Harvard University’s facilities, but is not owned, sponsored, or controlled by Harvard University.