Auburn athletes spend all year showing off their skills, but it is the extra time that is put in that gives them the edge. Many people spend summers relaxing and taking time off, but for athletes, the summer is their time to rebuild for the next season.
The summer workouts for all sports range from sport to sport, and the difficulty depends on the coaches' sternness and the athletes' determination.
Cathryn Albright, a sophomore for the track and cross country teams, said summer is more about building up for the intense work-outs in the fall.
"We run about 45 minutes to an hour five or six days a week, so we usually do somewhere between six and eight miles a day," Albright said. "It is definitely more laid back during the summer."
The track team has an almost yearlong season, with just a few weeks of actual off time after its last meet in June. "The summer is really the only off-season that distance runners have, because we do cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring," Albright said. "Our main focus during the summer is just to get a decent amount of mileage and good general fitness."
While many sports, including golf and track, are just winding down, football is kicking into high gear.
Staying in shape and keeping up a regular work-out routine is the key to maintain the best athletic ability. Most sports require a summer work-out routine, but it is up to the athlete to get it done.
Mark Fleming, a junior on the track and cross country teams, said, "the workout is on our own, but many times the guys call each other up and run together while people are in town. We're definitely required to train, because if you don't, you would be completely out of shape in the fall."
Track is not the only sport training hard during the summer months.
The swim team's summer schedule includes three days of double workouts and three days of single workouts, Sunday being the only day of rest.
Kelsey Winters, a freshman for the swim team, said they are allowed some days to recover, but those a rare. Although it is not currently swim season, the team is expected to give its all. "We are expected to give everything up and just go for it," Winters said.
Most of the summer work-outs require the athletes to train on their individual time, but many still take the time to come together and train as a team. "It's one of those things where it's mandatorily voluntary," said Cole Moreland, a sophomore on the men's golf team. "Summer work-outs show dedication and devotion to sports, and as you can imagine. If I'm not working out, I'm not getting any better, a point that all our coaches press pretty hard."
Athletes have to be willing to give up some of the pleasures of summer vacation as well as maintain an intense training routine. The behind the scenes workouts of the summer are what give Auburn athletes the ability to play, run, jump and swim to victory.
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