Published: September 24, 2008 10:54 pm            

Kids cover the course for fun run

GALVESTON — The kindergartners gathered in the grass at the edge of the school yard, as quiet as kindergartners could be.

With a shot, they were off, running full speed across the yard of Galveston Elementary School, the first participants in the 29th annual fun run.

The fitness event involves children from Galveston and Walton’s Thompson Elementary School in the Southeastern School Corp.

The event starts with kindergarten and then first grade, with students in these grades running 600 meters. Pupils in grades two through six run 1,200 meters.

As the kindergartners began their run, Lewis Cass High School cross country team members joined them, one leading the pack, several interspersed with the runners and a final runner loping alongside the last child.

Parents, grandparents, siblings and friends line the course, and the cheering is continuous, growing louder as the children pass. Finally, they reach the finish line and wind through a maze to have each child’s name written on a chart. Each one receives a ribbon and a bottle of water.

As they emerge from the maze, parents collect their small runners, giving hugs and taking pictures of their athletes with their ribbons.

Kyla Mennen, 5, from Thompson Elementary, admired her blue ribbon and said the run was fun.

Her mother, Melissa, said she signed Kyla up because “it just sounded like fun. It’s good for her. Anything for a little extra exercise.”

She said they also hoped to help Kyla’s school take home the traveling trophy, given to the elementary school with the highest percentage of children participating.

Devin Rector, 5, also from Thompson Elementary, said the race was fun, and “I had a good time.”

After the first-grade race, the second-graders began, running double the length of the first two races. Most began the race running, but by midway, several were walking the course. The first runner through the ending maze stood by his mother afterwards, head down, hands on his knees, to catch his breath.

Alex Reeser, from Thompson Elementary, said it was a hard run, but he ran the whole way. He was pleased with his ribbon.

The father of one second-grade girl lifted her off the ground as she received her ribbon, proud even though she was not the first one done.

“You didn’t give up,” he said.

Second-grader Breanna Tate, from Galveston Elementary, said the race was fun, even though it was hard. She walked part of the way, she said.

The best part?

“When I walked up that way,” she said, pointing to the finish line.

Stuart Whitcomb, Galveston Elementary teacher and event coordinator, said since the corporation started the fun run in 1980, 5,539 pupils have participated, covering 6,256,200 meters.

Danielle Rush may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com

        

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