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LA
Marathon March 2, 2008 SOAR
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"Coach, I don't know if I can
make it." She said it plainly as
her eyes welled with tears.
It was Mile 22, and 16 year old
Priscilla Hernandez had just "hit the
wall", a term used by long distance
runners to describe a complete and utter
meltdown of mind, body, and spirit.
As I assessed her condition, trying to
find words of encouragement, I reflected
on the day's events. Priscilla was
having a tough day. Blistered by
Mile 6 and bandaged by Mile 10,
Priscilla had become dehydrated and
listless by Mile 19, and now at 22,
more than 6 hours into the race, she
stood at the edge of the abyss,
dangerously close to heat exhaustion.
"Listen kid, I believe in you.
This is just another race, and you and I
are going to finish this one together.
We're almost home. You own this thing.
Don't let it beat you."
She hung her head for a moment,
then met my gaze and managed a smile.
And in that moment, I knew that she had
dug deep, and found the strength and
inner courage to achieve the impossible.
Priscilla Hernandez finished the
LA Marathon on Sunday in 7 hours 22
minutes and 5 seconds, forever changed,
and you, my friends, were with us every
step of the way. For that, I am
eternally grateful.
Of the 25,000 or so official
registrants, just over 17,000 would
complete the full 26.2 . The winner
would cross the line in just under 2
hours 14 minutes, receive a check for
$100,000 dollars, and drive home in a
new car.
As for me, I'll keep my 7:22,
the memories of one kid's courage, and a
smile shared at 22.
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2007 Students
Off
And
Running (SOAR)
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Mission
Santa Clarita Track Club's
Students Off And Running
(SOAR)
helps at-risk youth
living in Santa Clarita
build life skills and
establish healthy
relationships with peers
and adults through
training for and
completing the Los
Angeles Marathon.
Vision
Santa Clarita Track
Club's Students Off And
Running (SOAR)
aspires to be an after
school program available
to all schools
throughout the Santa
Clarita Valley that uses
the vehicle of marathon
training to empower
students and provide
them with tools for a
healthy and constructive
future.
Goals
The ultimate
goal of SOAR is
for students to
participate in a
truly life
changing event:
running a
marathon. Beyond
achieving a
fitness
challenge few
can aspire to,
students walk
away from the
program with a
lifetime of
lessons. In
addition to
increasing
physical fitness
and activity,
students gain
knowledge about
health and
nutrition, see
alternatives to
risky behavior,
increase
self-esteem,
build resiliency
to current and
future
obstacles, learn
how to set and
achieve goals,
and develop
positive peer
and adult
relationships.
Students also
gain the
potential to
translate their
remarkable
accomplishment
into improved
school
performance and
academic
success. Seeing
the fruits of
their hard work
upon crossing
the finish line
will provide
SOAR
students with
the confidence
they need to
succeed both in
and outside the
classroom.
Objectives
SOAR
establishes
running groups
at participating
schools and
implements a
seven month
training
program. Each
running group
operates under
the guidance of
adult “Leaders”
who may be
teachers, school
staff or
community
members and need
not have prior
running
experience.
Running groups
maintain a 6:1
student-Leader
ratio allowing
for valuable
one-on-one
adult-student
interaction.
Weekly goals are
set in a
non-competitive
environment that
stresses
endurance
building as
opposed to
speed. Starting
with one mile
the first week
participants
gradually run
additional miles
each week until
they are
prepared to take
on the 26.2 mile
course. During
training,
leaders
emphasize
messages about
nutrition,
exercise,
conditioning,
injury
prevention and
general
well-being.
Leaders also use
this time to
mentor students
and create a
supportive
environment
where students
can talk about
personal, family
and academic
challenges and
develop the
confidence to
apply themselves
and overcome
those
challenges.
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Santa Clarita Track Club, Inc, 27900 Youngberry Dr, Santa
Clarita, CA 91350-1756
Copyright © 2004 sctc-storm.org All web site design, text,
graphics, and contents therein are protected by U.S. and
international copyright laws. Any use of materials on this
web site-including reproduction, modification, distribution,
or republication-without the prior written permission is
strictly prohibited. The Santa Clarita Track Club reserves
the right to refuse service to anyone. Typos on this or any
page on this site are intentional for people who look for
such things.
Legal Disclaimer
Please note that all results
posted on this website are for information only, and are not
official until ratified by the Valley Youth conference. They
are subject to change as we review them. Please help by
reporting any result that appears to be in error to
Alan Bingham |
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