LAST DAY OF CAMP: Mike and Bill talked about what to do after your race is run.

Bill Beaumont tells us that as soon as your run is over, your body starts rebuilding and repairing your muscles. You need to help your body by refueling.

You need fluids, of course -- water and sports drinks -- just as you did before and during the run. A race or heavy workout wears down your muscles, Bill says, so you need carbs for energy and protein to repair the muscles. An expert at the University of Pittsburgh says you should refuel within 15-30 minutes after your run, to help your body recover faster. Some studies say you can do it within an hour.

Bill likes to start refueling during his cooldown run. He aims to have 10 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs, from fuel like sports drinks and granola bars. You can get the protein and carbs you need from other foods, too; yogurt and a granola bar will work, or cereal and skim milk (if you're back home). Or, head over to the convenience store and get some chocolate milk!

During the rest of the day, you need to drink lots of water, eat well and take a nap if you feel like it, Bill says.

PREPARATION PAYS OFF: John McBrearty's grandson worked hard during school and became an All-American. It's all about desire, determination and setting goals.

It's common for your muscles to feel sore after a race or hard run, especially one or two days later, Bill says. Ice is great for sore muscles and injuries, because it reduces inflammation. If Bill's foot is sore, he'll put ice water in a bucket and stick that foot right in there.

You don't have to use a bucket, though -- and if your knee or hip is hurting, a bucket won't help anyway! Runners have other tricks. Michael Leary says you can get an Ace bandage from the drugstore, fill a plastic Ziploc bag with ice and strap the bandage around it. That way you can walk around with it on, if you want. You can even use a bag of frozen peas!

Anytime you're sore after a run, icing the injured area is a good idea, Mike says. Do it immediately, 20 minutes at a time. You can do it two or three times a day, and the next day, too. If an injury persists, you should see a doctor.

Aspirin or other anti-inflammatories can also help, Mike says. But don't take them before you run! They can mask the pain of an injury; you might be hurt and not know it.

When you run hard and the body burns carbs, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and contributes to soreness, Bill explains. Light exercise will help get it out of there, by getting blood circulating.

Your cooldown run after the race starts the process. The day after the race, try swimming, bicycling or a massage. A short, very easy run the next day also can help.

Bill says there's a rule of thumb that for every mile you race, you should take a day to recover. The day after Bill does a race, he takes an easy 20-minute bike ride. The following day, he'll do a short, easy run. The third day after his race, he starts slowly increasing his distance and intensity.

And remember, don't do any more racing until after you are able to resume your hard workouts.

COOLING OFF: After a run, our campers take a break.

Here are a few more important things to remember about running:

Make sure your shoelaces are tied properly! Mike says that a minute or two before you start a race or a run, you should retie your shoelaces with a double-knot to make sure they're secure. Running with untied shoelaces is dangerous! Another good reason for that last-minute check is to make sure your feet feel good, and your socks aren't bunched up. That can be uncomfortable during your run, and you don't need that distraction.

It's always a good idea to wear socks, because they reduce friction between the foot and shoe, Mike says. Bill reminds you to wear good ones made of "technical fibers," like the Coolmax brand and others.

Runners wear watches, but during a race, it's a good idea to take it off -- it's another distraction. You can have people along the course shouting out your times.

We talked earlier this week about drinking fluids (hydrating) during a race, and how you should start two hours beforehand. Mike says he recommends water in addition to sports drinks -- maybe 8 to 10 ounces should be sports drinks, like Gatorade. He says he has seen racers who couldn't quite reach the finish line because they didn't hydrate and ran out of fuel, and they had to crawl to the finish. Don't let that happen to you!

We also talked about nutrition and supplements. Some supplements make lots of claims, but "There's nothing in a bottle that's going to make you run faster," Mike says. You don't need them! Just take a good multivitamin every day. However, if you're doing hard training and racing, and especially if you're a girl, iron supplements (along with Vitamin C) are a good idea. But never exceed the dosage on the bottle, and half the iron dosage on the bottle is probably fine, Mike says.

Mike says middle school runners should have fun with their running and start training 12 weeks before a race, but don't need to be doing the serious training that high school runners need to do their best. All of our campers should start doing base training now with slow, easy runs. When you have a good base -- in other words, you've put in some mileage -- you can intensify your training program.

PART OF OUR 'CLASS OF 2006': Happy trails! And remember, your friends at Amelia Island Runners are always ready to answer your questions and offer encouragement!

The president of our running club, John McBrearty, shared another inspirational story with our summer campers. He said his grandson started playing volleyball as a boy but his school didn't have a team, so he practiced with a club many miles away, because he wanted to be the best he could be. He worked hard, and by the time he graduated from high school, many colleges were recruiting him.

He went to California and kept working harder than anybody else on the team. He could jump higher than guys who were taller than he is, because he had the determination and goals. He got to travel to places like Hawaii, and twice he was voted a collegiate All-American! He graduated this year, will play some pro ball and wants to get into coaching.

"It's something you can do if you have the determination," John told our campers. It's all about setting goals, and working hard to make them happen. As Mike added, "Desire is the most important thing."

All of us at Amelia Island Runners want to thank everyone who attended our summer camp this year. We also thank you for reading about it! We hope it will help you be a better runner, and give you a boost to get out there and do your best.

Our camp is over for this year, but your road to becoming a better runner is right in front of you -- and we are here to help you, every step of the way! Our club has training runs every week; the days and times are on our main webpage. And if you have any questions about running, we will do our best to answer them for you. Just e-mail us at this address: runnernews@aol.com. We are a nonprofit club with members of all ages and abilities, who share a love of running. We want you to succeed -- and we know you can do it!

We'll see you on the run! Have fun!