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Burke Mountain Academy

TRADITIONS

THE LEGEND OF THE GMR.

It began on a spring day in 1975 when two staff members were talking about the unique Burke spirit and the students’ love for physical and mental challenges. One said, “You know, it would be fun to run the length of Vermont.” his imagination stirring, he said, “We could start at the Canadian border and run south to Massachusetts on Rte 100 past all the big ski areas…” And, so began the GMR- the 211 mile relay that embraces the best of the Burke spirit. The relay now runs south to north and each student runs a 4-5 mile leg, often in the company of friends, staff and family; relentless cheering and colorfully decorated BMA vans complete the picture.

Enjoy these videos from the 2016 and 2015 runs. The 2015 video includes historical footage.

GRIT-BUILDING WORKOUTS

Burkies work hard. We leverage the natural resources around us to develop grit-building workouts that push our athletes and teach them to focus on the process - what it takes to succeed at the highest level - rather than pursuing short-term, outcome-driven strategies. Over time, these workouts have become beloved BMA traditions. Whether it's hiking up the mountain with a bale of hay (or a friend) on your back, trudging through the infamous bog, doing knee-touch squats, or waking up at 6:00 AM for timed hike, most of our dryland training workouts are solidly type-two fun, and we welcome it

  • Hardcoriencation
  • Haggen-Dazs
  • Cycle-cross races
  • Timed Hike
  • 1.75 Run