“This trip to Portugal was a once in a lifetime experience and could not have been a better way to start our season.  For me, highlights of this trip included kayaking to a beautiful beach, surfing right across from our hotel rooms, and running in the hills up to abandoned mansions with guides from Sintra.  Spending time with teammates exploring a new continent, savoring new foods, and going on adventurous runs definitely got the team off on the right foot.  The trip was capped off by running and exchanging culture with Portuguese athletes at our meet.  I hope we carry on this mindset, trying new things and investing time into getting to know others and the world while enjoying the process of running!” 

Nathan Caldwell - Class of 2027

“Portugal was an amazing opportunity to be able to experience a different country as a team. Overall our trip to portugal was an incredible experience and it is hard to choose just one highlight. But, the first thing that comes to mind is when we ran up to an abandoned mansion as a team. This run was led by two people from portugal and we ran all 6 miles as a team. It was a super cool way to run with teammates I wouldn’t normally run with and not worry about the pace we were running or where we were going and just got to explore a new place as a team.”

Jenna Kerns - Class of 2028

“The Portugal training trip was a life changing experience. It brought the team much closer together and allowed us to broaden our horizons. For me, I loved the different training runs. We did trail running, workouts with Portuguese running clubs and a run to the top of a mountain overlooking all of Lisbon. For this upcoming season, I believe the team will have a better culture and a greater appreciation for the sport and the opportunities we are afforded. ”

William Kane - Class of 2027

“My favorite part of the summer was traveling to Portugal with the team. I loved racing and getting to meet and make friends with the running club athletes there. Outside of that, it was also great deepening my friendships with the current team members. I’m excited to see what we all can accomplish this year!”

Lauren Scott - Class of 2028

“Of many great memories from the trip, the one that stood out to me was meeting and competing against Portuguese runners. It was impressive how a shared interest like running helped us connect with people from completely different backgrounds. In our conversations, they often brought up how lucky we were to be able to train with a team and compete frequently in large meets. This provided me with an even greater sense of gratitude for the opportunities I’m afforded as a student athlete at Dickinson.”

Edward Liszka - Class of 2028

“My favorite memory from the trip was sea kayaking and seeing the amazing ocean and cliffs with my friends (and definitely not making it a race…). One thing I am going to take into the season is the joy of meeting other runners from diverse backgrounds. For me this looks like speaking to alumni at races and even building friendships off the field with opponents.”

Breanna Franchak - Class of 2027