LA Marathon

Alejandro

Eighth grade, Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School

 

This was my first year running for Student Run LA.  The day of the marathon was the day that I have been working for, since the beginning of the first SRLA meeting.  

Before the race took place, I had to just look back to all the good memories I had gone through with the SRLA team at my school. Like remembering that we had gone to the LA Kings Holiday Ice Rink to ice skate, but then the fun part was when I got to meet NBA player, Chris Paul and his family. I got to talk to him for while, but only for an interview for my school newspaper, www.bulldogbugle.com.  Another part of being in SRLA was when the whole team ran to Jack’s Wholesale Candy & Toy because we had accomplished running 18 miles.  The fun part was running in the rain, just to go to get candy from a store. 

         Now the day before the LA marathon, the whole team went to go eat at this restaurant called “Palermo Ristorante Italiano.”  We had problems while trying to get to the restaurant, like we took the wrong subway and we got there late. We may have gotten late to the restaurant, but I had fun during the trip to the restaurant because I took a lot of selfies while on the bus and while walking to the restaurant. When I finally got to our destination, I walked through the doorway and was happy to see that the restaurant has an Italian theme. The food was so delicious that I kept on getting more and more food. Yes, I wasn’t suppose to eat a lot before the race, but I still ate.

          On the day of the race, I put two alarms (my phone and my dad's phone) so if one didn’t work at least I would have another alarm. I woke up at 4:00 and got at school at 4:35 and then waited until 4:45 for the bus to come. The bus then came and took my school’s SRLA team to the Dodgers Stadium, where the beginning of the race started. I waited there for the morning until 7:30.

 

         
         Standing in the line for the race to begin, I was feeling anxious, nervous, and worried, but then I calmed down by remembering all the memories I have gone through with my SRLA team, remembering the good and fun memories. Next thing you know I hear the horn to begin the race.  I had just lost my partner, Moises, who I was going to run the whole marathon with.  I start running to try to find and catch up to my friend, and eventually I did.

           I ran with Moises for the whole marathon. It was great to have a friend who  supported me throughout the race because it would have been harder if I would have ran by myself. We ran all the way throughout the marathon. I saw many of my teachers and cheerleaders from my school that went to support me. I felt happy that I had support from my teachers and the cheerleaders because they kept on screaming to me that you are almost done, you can do this.

           When I saw the twenty-four mile mark, I was tired, walking, feeling exhausted, and felt like I wanted to give up because of the hot weather, but I told myself that you didn’t come this far to just give up. I told my friend, Moises, that we should begin to start running again. So we did.  When I turned around the corner, I finally saw the the finish line. I ran, and ran , and ran. When I got closer to the finish line, I heard people in the crowd screaming, hurray, hurray, you’re almost done!I  Then I started running faster and faster.

 

Finally, I was finished. I started to walk, to go get my medal. I felt happy that I had finished my first marathon. 
  

Jennifer

Seventh grade, Animo Jefferson Charter Middle School

This was my first year participating in SRLA. I have experienced running from one mile up to eighteen miles. All the races have been a great and fun experience. Practicing before every race with the team running to different places has also affected me by meeting and interacting with new people, and I have learned many running techniques.  I  overcame a lot of obstacles along the way during practices and races while preparing for the LA Marathon.  With the day finally coming up to run 26.2 miles, I felt super nervous but excited.

 I had never ran that much so it was a new experience for me. There was a big difference between the marathon and the other races. I seriously thought I was not going to get that tired. I was running through mile 18, and I started feeling frustrated. Running in the sun had a big impact on me because the heat bothered me and I couldn’t concentrate well. While I was running, I started feeling pain and the thing I kept on thinking of was the number of miles I had done.

      When I was running I felt  like stopping and giving up but with the support of people I didn’t even know, I kept on running. I even got to meet someone from another school. I noticed that even while running you can interact with new people that help support you. Having a partner by my side really helped me keep on going and work together. I also enjoyed seeing people running with costumes it made it seem fun. There were people running as Elvis, Mario, Ghost, Minnie Mouse, and much more.

 

      

While I was running I just kept on waiting for the water stations to come.  I loved this day and really want to keep on running. I will say to never give up because either you or even other people you don’t know will push you and you will eventually achieve your goal. 

This was the Best Day of My Life because I got to experience running 26.2 miles even though it was super tiring and almost killed me, but also because I met another SRLA runner, Andrew, along the way that helped me achieve my goal.  Even though we barely met each other, I felt super happy and we became great friends, running together and sharing things about our life!!

 

        

 I will never forget this moment when I ran my first marathon. This has inspired me to keep on running for the rest of my life!! I also accomplished one of my hopes which was to inspire others to stay active and run. I will continue practicing and participating  in future events. 

I would like to thank Andrew for keeping me company and making my first marathon a GREAT experience!! I also want to thank the coaches for all their support and for training me to become a better runner and achieve in life!! Thanks to my team members for being there for me through tough times and supporting me. I will consider my team and coaches as my family because we have gone through funny, sad, exciting, and a lot of emotional moments together. 

I have learned many new things by joining SRLA. I know that I will no matter what I will join SRLA for next year!! I realized that good things come to those who work their butt off and never give up!! The most important thing I learned is that you have to stay motivated because LIFE will  try to beat you up a lot and you have to be PROUD of each and every challenge you came through because the physical and emotional SCARS of those challenge are MEDALS of BRAVERY of NEVER GIVING UP!!!!!    

 

Friendship Run by Mt. Gleason Middle School

On February 2, 2014 the Hansen Dam 18 miler took place.  This was a really important race for me.  It was the last race before the marathon, there was a qualifying time, and it was 18 miles.  I knew this would not only be a physical challenge, but a mental one.

Before the 18 mile race I was a nervous wreck except for occasional confidence boosters.  The pressure of a qualifying time, it being the last race before the marathon, the normal pressure of worrying, and a general lack of enthusiasm made this race quite ominous.  My friends and I did not pass one night without texting each other about how scared we were one week before the race.  Closer and closer the race crept up our back and the more and more scared we became.  The worry of having to go to the bathroom, lack of sleep, lack of food or lack of energy was completely freaking me out!  The thing that made me the most worried was my time.  The only thing I could think of was finishing the race under 4:50 or there would be no marathon for me. 

  It was a dark, cold Sunday morning.  The day of race had finally but sadly come. Truth be told, I prayed for an injury to occur so I would not have to run.  Unfortunately there I was in bed awakened by a text that read “I am worried about today” I got dressed ate breakfast and at 6:10 AM was standing under our tent mentally and physically preparing myself for what I would experience.  5,4,3,2,1 At that moment I said a quick prayer and off I went.  I immediately I felt the pain of every footstep shoot up my calf   It had begun, the longest 3 hours of my life.  My breath began to elevate in sound, my heart was pounding and my legs were burning.  At that point I knew that only being positive would get  me through the pain, the nervousness, and the negativity.  Slower and slower the miles went by.  The first four miles were pure hell.  I felt as if I was walking through fire. Then came mile seven and I got my second wind.  Step by step I was closer to the finish.  My mind set was that after I finished the dam I knew that I would be that much closer to finishing my first 18 mile run.  There I was at the final stretch sprinting my way past the finish line fighting back the tears, and as my foot crossed the pad I knew I had done it.  

When I was handed my medal I experienced mixed emotions.  Some involved a sense of achievement, pride, excitement, relief, and pain.  I was proud of myself for completing something I never thought possible.  I always thought of myself as someone who quits when they think they cannot go any further.   This race was the first wakeup call to the fact that I can do anything.  It also showed me that I should be thankful to every coach, adult, and friend, who told me I could do it because without them this would not be possible.  I was so happy and proud of myself.  It was truly a boost of confidence that I don’t think I could have gotten from anything else.  It was a feeling I will never forget.         

  All the pain, self doubt, and fear I felt was incomparable to the joy I experienced after the race.   I am overjoyed that I joined SRLA because the confidence I gained from knowing I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible, is indescribable.  I know this race was a true eye opener and all around great experience. I will never forget this truly great day that will remain in my memory forever.

By: Giselle Mota (1^st year runner)

Southern California Half Marathon

Blair High School:

This is Blair's first year with SRLA and the first team from Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area.  We are very excited to take part of this wonderful program.  I first heard of SRLA during the ASICS LA Marathon when I saw thousands of students in the Pavilion at Dodger Stadium when I did my very first marathon.  Throughout the race I witnessed such great camaraderie amongst the student runners.  My most challeging moments where turned into the most memorable because I realized that these young individuals had made it so far.  It helped giving me the push that I needed.  One learns so much about themselves during a long race and I knew that our students would take so much from such experiences.  Today, I am brought to tears of what our students have accomplished and the growth we have seen from them.  Blair's team leaders Teresa and Raul have been great support in Blair's running family.  We are looking forward to the next races that once seemed impossible but now we approach with confidence and excitement. 

 

-Veronica Y, Blair Team Leader

 

Saidy, Senior at Blair High School

 As we began the half-marathon my mind was blown away at the turn of the first corner we took. About 1500 students and leaders wearing SRLA t-shirts ran along the trail that I’d soon be running on like ants on a sand hill. In that moment I had gained one more reason why I love running which is that I never run alone. Seeing how so many people had chosen to wake up early on a Saturday morning to run 13.1 miles along with me reminded me of the reason why I joined SRLA in the first place. That reason was to accomplish a goal. That morning our goal was to run 13.1 miles however, we all know that that was just a stepping stone for the marathon. Although 26.2 miles may seem impossible there was a time when running a half-marathon was only a dream but SRLA helped me make it a reality. I am truly grateful for the people I have met, the lessons I have learned, and everything I have achieved through SRLA because I never did it alone. Now as the marathon approaches with each day I feel confident in my ability to finish it because I know I will not be running it alone.

Tal, Junior at Blair High School

This is Tal, an 11^th grader at Blair High School who came from Israel a month after our team started training.  She came into our team and hit the ground running as if she were there from day one.  This is what she writes:

After every race that I have participated in, I always come to the same realization. Running incredibly long distance is as much as an individual sport as it is, for lack of a better term, a team sport. It is very self-centered, in the sense that you are all alone, mentally and physically competing against yourself. However, I found that you can run for as long and as fast as you can, but what makes it fun, is the enthusiasm and excitement that is shared between the runners. Not to mention the support that is shared between all the participants, as if we were all one big team.

After running for over an hour and a half in the Southern California Half-Marathon, I remember feeling tired. Maybe it was because of my lack of sleep, or because I was feeling nauseous that morning, but I recall wanting to stop running and walk my way to the finish line, which, by the way, was very foolish of me. However, the feeling of being cheered on by runners and volunteers alike was the most divine feeling at that time. And it most certainly propelled me straight to the finish line, without a second thought.

As mundane as it sounds, the weather was great for a race. I probably would have liked it better if there were some clouds to block the sun, but that didn’t discourage me from running and finishing the race.

As for the highlights from the race, I remember enjoying the live band that was posted somewhere along mile 4 or 5. Also, my friend absent-mindedly ran into a pole, while we were talking during the race, which was very funny. I also clearly remember that by the time I reached mile 13, I wished I could go back in time to build Marathon a little closer to Athens, so I wouldn’t have to run that pesky 0.1 mile, which I always seem to forget about.

I also overheard two girls fighting over what they were going to eat after the race. One girl said she didn’t want to get fries, while the other ensured her that by the end of the race she will passionately crave some french fries. As for myself, after the run, I kept my tradition and stopped by Costco for a victory churro and sundae.

Since my pacing-buddy had to use the restrooms during the race, I allowed myself to stop my own stopwatch during that time. By the end of the race I beat my (only) personal best time by a total of five minutes. I couldn’t have been more proud. Prior to joining my SRLA group at school, running was only a fun hobby. Never would I have imagined that I would run and finish, not one, but two half-marathons. I can’t wait for March.

Pomona Holiday Half Marathon.

Wow, I am so excited!  This is my first blog and I get to write about my favorite race, the beautiful and swag-filled Pomona Holiday Half Marathon.  This is my pre-race intro paragraph written Saturday night and I have made my arm warmers from tube socks, set out my running clothes and am wondering what color this year's (always awesome) dry-fit shirt will be.  The past three years have been red, green and white last year.  What other Holiday color is left?  Blue?  Answer to come tomorrow, along with whether I have accomplished my 1:55 goal time... good night for now.

When I took my dogs out at 5 am, my car had frosted over! I went to school in the dark and met the kids.  Everyone showed up!  It's always a good sign when we have zero no-shows, but I don't think our bus mates were happy to share the bus with 38 of us.  Squeeze in everyone!  Looked like a cold race morning, but by the time we lined up for the race (8 a.m.) it was actually sunny and rather warm. Leave your gloves and tights on the bus, we won't need them today. Spray on some sunblock instead.  Free Santa hats for everyone!  Some people got reindeer antlers!  Everyone is festive and merry!  Artificial snow is blowing across the start line.

 The non-SRLA runners left at 8 and we started at 8:30.  The first couple miles were insanely crowded (why are people walking at mile 2?) but once we got to the Pomona Speedway, it opened up a bit.  Then we went up... and up... and up.... until mile 7.  Past Raging Waters and a beautiful lake.  Past the walkers from the 8 a.m. start.  Then, up again on the other side of the lake.  Past Running Santa.  Past the running elves. Back onto the Pomona Speedway. Suddenly, it's mile 12!  My running partner, Hector, and I are at 1:41, way ahead of goal time.  Forcing it this last mile, (and feeling a little pain), we run past the spectators and across the finish line at 1:49, 6 minutes faster than our goal time!

Now for the swag!  The shirt is red again, with a new design even cooler than the 2010 shirt.  The medal is another snowflake.  Every year it's a snowflake, and just like real snowflakes, the design is never the same.  But it's always beautiful and this year is no exception.  Time for some healthy snacks and water and a complimentary massage. 

After checking our results, 14 of our 38-member group has broken the 2-hour mark!  Excellent results.  Everyone finishes, no one is injured, no one fails to complete the course in the allotted SRLA time limit.  Best. Race. Ever.  Time to pile back on the bus, go home and soak in the tub.... practice again tomorrow.  Happy Holidays everyone (and see you at the next race January 11).

Universal Studios Backlot 15K Race Recap

• Cortines High School Student Experiences
• Returning Student Runner - Zeltzin Talking to myself for over an hour, I ran three laps around the backlot of Universal Studios today. As a fourth year returning runner, I was not too jolted by the actual course; however, I hadn't remembered each lap being as long as they were.
• 
  When my school arrived at the location of the race this morning, each of my team members had their arms crossed trying to keep their bodies warm. We weren't the only school trying to fight off the cold weather because as I looked around, I saw other teams doing group exercises to warm up their bodies.

  After about forty minutes of waiting in line to use the porta potty, I arrived at the start line and began to wait for the race to begin. My friend Maribel and I stood next to each other surrounded by hundreds of other students talking about school, the party they went to the night before, and what they are going to do after the race.

  Finally, the buzzer sounded and a stampede of young teenagers ran off toward a clear destination. I began to take step after step focusing on the crowd in front of me. As I approached the treacherous hills I stayed calm, trying not to over-exert myself and taking small steps to reach the highest point. After the incline was over, the rest was a breeze. I ran freely down the hills and steadily on the flat surfaces, until I reached my second lap.

  Once I had to do the entire thing over again, my body was weak and feeble. I ascended up the hills for a second time, repeating "just keep swimming, just keep swimming," to myself trying to prevent my legs from walking. I reached the peak and was finally able to speed up as the flat ground greeted my tired legs and guided them down the hilly course.

  The biggest difficulty for me and a lot of the other runners were those tiresome hills. For some reason, I had more energy toward the end of the race than when it first started. It could have been because I was looking forward to eating something afterward and I already knew what to expect. Nevertheless, I ran through the third lap faster than my first two and I did not stop until I reached the finish line. Okay maybe I stopped once, but that was only to pick up a bottle of water.

  So I finished the 15k in an hour and thirty-six minutes. Thats pretty impressive for someone who only had two hours of sleep. I know, I sound ridiculous, but hey--the run wasn't that bad to be honest. Well, that is the recap of this morning and unsurprisingly I did knock out right when I lied down on my bed. Slept like a baby.

  
  

  

  New Runner - Erick Running the 15k today was a great, hilarious experience with my team. It was amazing to be running as a freshman and meeting new people along the way. Today I felt my team and coach helped me believe I could handle obstacles along the way. Sure today was pretty hard because of the hill, but it was FUN. It was so cool seeing all of the sets and students running with smiles on their faces. Finishing the race today with my fellow friends, made me think this will be the best 4 years running with SRLA. I will make the funniest memories with them too. In it to run 26.2 miles with the team. GO SRLA

  
  

  

  New Runner - Alex The volunteers and family members roared loudly with enthusiasm as we runners persevered through nine miles. For some of us, it posed as little a challenge as a normal workout. The rest of us, including me, trained ferociously to reach this point. This is my first year in SRLA and I'm willing to give it everything I've got because this is my last year in high school, my last chance to make a difference- to leave my mark as a student of my school. 

  
  

  As the bus drove towards our destination, I pondered about how I would start and finish the run. With every minute, my heart pounded with excitement and a bit of anxiety. During our arrival, the weather breathed cool air on all of us as we exited the bus. I tried not to worry about the cold, but my heart said otherwise. As we ascended the steps to the starting area, I found myself shaking with excitement. The anxiety dissipated. I had trained not only my body, but my mind as well, to keep running no matter what the circumstances are.

  
  

  Finally, the horn screamed and I turned my music on, ready to persevere. In the beginning, I didn't know what to expect. The entire space of the first area had been like an animal herd where everyone tried to pass each other to get a feel for the run. I slowed down and waited for the majority to progress ahead to avoid injury; I know some people dressed in less than I did and needed the warm-up more than I did. In addition, I some runners were wearing backpacks and other weights! I respected all of these people and wanted them to finish first.

  
  

  When the space grew larger, I set my pace and ran at a consistent pace. My mind and eyes locked forward on the road. As I progressed through the first lap, I felt all right and kept up the pace. Towards the end, I saw so many supporters and they cheered zealously for all us even if we didn't know each other. The volunteers had done the same, encouraging us from beginning to end. When the second lap manifested, my legs started to grow heavy. Nevertheless, I maintained a focused mind. I had not taken a sip of water since before breakfast; when the second lap approached its end, I took a little drink of water and then poured it all over my head. The feeling was great! Finally, the third lap began and I refreshed myself. I sped up quite a bit with this feeling and hoped to retain my speed. However, the situation was soon at odds with my tired my legs as they transformed into weights during the hills. It was as if I ran in slow motion, trying to hold my legs up and strong. When the encouragements showered, I knew I couldn't let up. Everything up until now had meant something. I can't afford to let that go to waste. With the remaining energy I had, I sprinted and caught sight of the finish line. The cheers from everyone really influenced my mindset throughout the run. When I crossed that finish line, victory seemed like paradise. I conquered those hills, baby! I mean, those bagels tasted awesome. 

  
  

  This had been my first run with hills, so this has a place in my heart. I'm so glad to be a part of this community! Future runners and veteran runners, I salute to all of you who are willing and who had been willing to discipline yourselves in overcoming these obstacles. Of course, I'll continue doing the same because that's what SRLA represents.

  
  

  

  
  

  New Runner - Leslie  Running the 15k has been one of the best experiences of my life. I really enjoyed being part of this race, since it was my first. This course was difficult due to all the hills but it was fun because I recognized different sets from movies and TV shows. Lastly, this was a great experience because after I crossed the finish line I felt great about myself and increased my confidence.

  
  

  

  
  

  New Runner - Vaness  Oh so early in the morning, for anyone especially on a Sunday, when we’re all supposed to be in our warm beds before the weekend ends. Not for us, my team of SRLA runners at VAPA and I were up before the sun to head to our 3^rd race of the season. As for every race, I was really excited to run this race; I had no idea what to expect, and surely I was not disappointed.

  
  

  As always the crowd of SRLA students devoured us, so many runners. I loved seeing everyone as devoted to run as I was. At the start of the race we were caused each other a traffic jam, but the real struggle came for me with all those hills. I personally don’t like running on hills. When I was running those dreadful hills and wanted to stop, I looked around, looked at the determined expressions on everyone's face, and followed their lead, killing those hills (well most of them).  The best part about this race was the movie sets I got to see. I mean who would t want to run in front of Whoville, or a giant crashed plane? It was all very epic, and I loved it. During the final lap, I felt all the positive energy from everyone, the people cheering us on from the sides, the volunteers, security, and especially my fellow runners. When I saw the finish line, I busted out all the strength I had to finish strong. And I finished strong. Just like the beginning of the race, the end was crowded with runners. We all began as one giant clogged up bunch and we ended as one team (eating bagels and banana slices) scattered in success. 

  
  

  

  
  

  Returning Runner - Larry  SRLA has changed my life. Running with my team helps me realize that you are never alone when facing challenges like the Universal 15k Huge hills are nothing when I run with my team. Although when I do finish running and start driving, I want a car from Whoville. It's only every runners dream!

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

La Puente 10k Halloween Race Recap

John Burroughs Middle School Student Experiences

New Student Runner - Submitted by Jiho 

The morning before sunrise was freezing, and I had only worn shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. I hopped in place, trying hard to warm myself up from the piercing cold. It was dark, with a spooky, halloweenish feeling to it. It was like a fairy tale, with the big monster of fog that enveloped us all in the blinding, blurry mess of shadows. The beginning of the bus ride was like a spooky roller coaster, with black darkness rushing toward us in a blur of who knows what. I imagined the bus to be a warm, safe, cozy place from outside, but when I got in, cold air rushed around the place, making me flinch or shiver every few minutes.

After a long hour of bus riding, we got to our location and off the bus. As soon as we got off the bus, our first destination was the porta-potties. When using them, you must not look down into that hole, you must not imagine what you are sitting on, and you must plug your nose at all times. After stretching, taking pictures, putting on our bibs, and using the porta potties, we headed to the location of the start line. There were people everywhere. As far as my vision could take me, all I could see were people with pink numbers on their bellies, talking and dancing to the music. I don't know if this was just me--but everything seemed so romantic. The sunlight peeked out from behind the buildings; showering my vision and making it seem almost lovely, despite the noise, the lasting smell of the porta-potties, and the music playing. People danced to quite a few songs, and then the speaker blared. My heart throbbed and I could see thousands of other people before me, behind me, around me, all working towards more or less the same goal-the medals, the shirts, the pride.

"3...2...1...BEEP BEEP," the speaker blared, and I could feel my legs starting to move, and I could feel other people's presence next to me, surrounding me, but my head was in the clouds, soaring, and dreaming of my goal. The hill was steep. It didn't look like it from a distance, but after running up for quite a while, your legs started to throb and you could tell--it really was steep. The thing I hoped for most was to enjoy the race, and to try my best. I can't expect myself go really fast and finish it in less than an hour or so. All I hoped for was to plaster a smile on my face, and really feel the moment, really feel what I was doing. I was running a race. It may not have been the full marathon, or even the half marathon, but I was running A RACE, and the joy of that kept me going. The two signs of hope in the 10k: the water stations, and the finish line. Whenever you see these little things, your heart leaps, as if to say, "YOU'VE DONE IT" and those little accomplishments lead to pleasure. Yet, I wish I had taken a picture of the water cups on the floor! There were so many, it feels like the whole road was a trash can of people spitting water, pouring it on their heads, and throwing leftover water with the cups on the floor. I felt very sorry for the person who had to clean all those cups, and the people who have houses on that street. The cups were also very good for stress. When you squeeze them while running, it helps you go on, and to control the pain. While I ran, my hands got very shaky, and I found it very hard to hold my phone, and a banana slice. Even worse, the banana slice still had the peel on it, and I tried to peel it. My fingers fumbled on the banana slice, and I eventually gave up and swallowed the slice, peel and all.

Then, I could see the finish line. The crowds cheering us on, telling us, "You've done well!" and "Just a little more left!" These people standing on the side, though I don't know them by name, helped me tremendously. I felt that they came to cheer us on, and we've got to try our best, for them. To show them we're trying. To show them they’re helping. When I saw the finish line, it was a grand sight. The electronic billboard on the side told the time, and when we had crossed, Lily and Salma and I, it was 1 hour 15 minutes, and 14 seconds. My heart lept, and I felt the pain finally come to me, and the relief, and the joy. I DO run for joy. It isn't just because I had no reason and just picked anything, but the joy after you finish the race, I could jump and skip and dance. People stared, but I didn't care, I was in my own happy world, a world full of joy, and pain. "Without the dark, we'd never see the stars", from Stephenie Meyer. There is no joy without pain. After the race, we took the buses back home. When I looked at the students in the bus, I saw at least three people blinking their eyes, dazed. The ride went by quickly, because my eyes kept closing, and I couldn't keep myself awake. When we got off the bus, I took one more look at my medal, and my shirt. Things to keep until I'm old, along with the memories of running. Of joy.

 Returning Student Runner - Submitted by Salma

This is my second time running the 10k at La Puente. I've got to admit, it was just as fun as the last one, but there were some differences. Last year I decided to run along with the fastest runner on our team. By the second loop, I felt really tired but kept on pushing myself to keep up with him. Near the end, I just gave up and walked the last bit. 

This year was different because I decided to run at my own pace. I was a bit slow at first due to my leg feeling a bit weird. Soon, it got better and I was off running comfortably. I saw some really interesting and creative costumes, such as a man who looked like he was riding a horse and a zombie. In the end, it was fun indeed and I did enjoy it as much as I did last year.

Race Recap-Say No To Drugs -5K

3300 runners.
Beautiful morning.
Positive energy.


Below are two recaps from SRLA runners, one a veteran and the other a first year.

We look forward to sharing more experiences throughout the season.

From Dominic:

S.R.L.A. (Students Run Los Angeles) from Alexander Hamilton High School and other runners took part in the 5K run at Dockweiler Beach. Seeing various ages of people from middle school children through adults, I was amazed to see so many people eager to run! There were so many volunteers who distributed shirts and snacks for which I am grateful. I do look forward to the next race with SRLA.

-Dominic
1st year marathoner-in-training




From Chiara:
The first race of the SRLA season consists of a three mile course with a view of the beach, providing new runners with the most pleasant and least strenuous run of the approaching months.
With a team notorious for its energy and close bond, Hamilton runners all adjusted to the early morning and bus leave. Within only five minutes of arriving to Dockweiler beach and disembarking we were bundled together in a penguin pack of warmth before the race.


The greatest thing about the program and running with other school groups is the shared sense of experience; while it was only three miles there was a continuous stream of encouragement from leaders, fellow runners, and other supporters on the sidelines. The training and mileage acquired during practice had evidently paid off with an easy finish, afterwards piling back on the bus to celebrate the accomplishment with both new and returning runners on the team.

-Chiara
4th year marathoner-in-training