- March 28, 2024
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When Principal Patty Harrelson came to Spring Lake Elementary School about three years ago, she wanted a way to share her passion for running with the students.
That’s why she established the Running Club at Spring Lake Elementary. She started the club when she arrived at the school not only as a means to share her love of running, but also to teach students about discipline and to promote healthy habits. The Running Club also acts as a way to offer students a low-cost alternative to other organized sports.
“The Running Club is open for students of all ages,” Harrelson said. “The students try out, and they tryouts are basically, ‘Will you come and try to run?’ They don’t have to have any speed or skill or any prior experience. We just want them to stay healthy and really learn to grow their endurance. … It’s just teaching them to be disciplined and to be healthy.”
The Running Club meets every Monday after school and each member runs at least a mile. There are about 30 students in the club. In addition to regular running, members also participate in running activities — such as sprint events — to set personal records, or PRs as the members call them. In addition to running on Mondays, Running Club members also get to participate in real races and running events throughout the year. The Running Club hosts races on the campus that are open to the whole school.
“It’s full every year,” Harrelson said of the Running Club’s members. “Kids have enjoyed it, and it’s kind of a thing they look forward to joining.”
Harrelson is an avid runner who regularly trains and takes part in marathons and running events. She even hangs a large collection of bibs from the multiple marathons and running events she’s completed.
“I believe in providing a lot of opportunities for every kid to have a chance to shine,” Harrelson said. “It’s really exciting to see when they just take off (running). I really love it. I’m creating some rising runners. We always tell our kids when we go and run the New York Marathon, we’ve put their names on our shirts before … and take pictures and send them to the kids (and say), ‘You’re running with us.’ … Who knows? They might run the New York Marathon themselves one day.”
During one of the marathons Harrelson ran, she met a representative from the New York Road Runners, who would later become a sponsor of her Running Club. Through that partnership, Harrelson is able to offer a variety of incentives — such as T-shirts, keychains and backpack chains — to not just Running Club members, but to all her students. The only thing students have to do is to keep track of the amount of miles they run to earn points to be used toward incentives. The New York Road Runners also offers the school other prizes such as books and running shoes for students. The Running Club is sponsored by Track Shack Orlando, as well, which provides a new pair of running shoes to each Running Club member and pays for the entry fees for the off-campus races.
Students who accumulate 26.2 miles also earn a medal that marks the accomplishment of running the length of a marathon. Fifth-grader Anthony Aguilar is one of four Running Club students who earned his marathon medal in February.
“I joined the running club because last time my cousin … was here (in the Running Club), and I wanted to try it out because it was fun here and I wanted to get healthier,” Aguilar said. “My favorite thing about the running club is when we do PRs. On the basketball court, we have a (time) to beat (as we) sprint across. If we beat that (time) we have to say, ‘PR,’ and that’s what I really like about Running Club.”