For the past 10 weeks, 30 Norman Carter students, from Grades 3 to 6, have been working hard, training for a 2.2 kilometre run called Marafun, which is held in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Marathon in Saskatoon.
Their hard work and determination paid off on the morning of May 25 as 28 participants proudly crossed the finish line.
This year was the third year that Marafun training was offered in the school. Started by Tracy McKenzie three years ago and joined by Melany Kowalchuk last year, the program reinforced the value of training towards something and the feeling of accomplishing it.
"I find that if you are training and working towards something, you will stick to it and succeed in that goal. The excitement of the students crossing the finish line brings tears to our eyes and we know that we have made a positive impact in their lives as well," says McKenzie.
Complete with after school cross training sessions on Wednesdays, Marafun runners also trained Fridays at lunch, to keep on the right track. Every Wednesday was a group training session, which saw some of the parents join in the exercises, some of whom participated in the marathon themselves. The hour-long training sessions offered a mix of cross training, running, stretching and conditioning followed by a fruit smoothie. Emails were also sent out to help the participants practise on their own time. The Norman Carter PACT group showed their support by paying the registration fees for the participants.
However, it was positive reinforcement and support from the leaders that kept the runners energized and motivated throughout their training, that made finishing the run that much easier.
It was a writeup in a Battleford school newsletter that caught McKenzie interest. A runner herself, who completed the half marathon (21.1 kilometres) and then joined the Marafun run on Sunday, says she "felt it was a very important program as it teaches the students about living a healthy and active lifestyle and also got families out training together."
With numbers increasing every year, McKenzie and Kowalchuk will continue to participate in Marafun "as long as the students continue to be excited about it."
So, on a slightly cloudy morning, the Marafun runners along with their leaders, joined force in a sea of yellow and proudly crossed the finish line, achieving the goal they had been working toward. And although the dark clouds littered small drops of rain as they started to cross the finish line and receive their medal for Participaction, these proud students were already buzzing with excitement for next years Marafun.
