“Stomach aching, the wind upon your face, lungs gasping for a breath of fresh air. Over 2,000 athletes from sixty middle schools experienced just that, running a long-distance cross-country course and being a part of the day’s nonstop action and excitement at the 11th annual Run4Fun, sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Foundation (AAF), at Griffith Park. The all-school’s champion was Belvedere, followed by Sepulveda and Will Rogers.
The athletes, whose ages ranged from 11 to 14, had started preparing for the December 13 competition ten weeks before, practicing on the school PE field and emphasizing speed and endurance during their training sessions.
“The kids showed great interest and they were willing to show up for some pretty intense practices,” observed Sepulveda coach Troy Mac, who coached his 11- and 12-year-old girls into winning the team races. “Through it all, the runners formed a lot of good friendships and learned that hard work definitely pays off.”
“It’s just fun to get an award and to see what place I would get out of everyone,” said Giovanni Loza, a seventh grader from Rogers Middle School in Long Beach. “I learned to pace myself during the practices. Before, I used to run as fast as I could at the beginning.”
Coaches and families of the participants showed up on the clear December morning to support their young superstars, providing words of encouragement before the competition and cheering each competitor across the finish line. Said Hank Castillo, who coordinated the event with Melanie Bischoff, “The AAF’s whole goal is to get middle school kids involved in fitness and physical education so that when they grow up, they understand the importance of staying fit. The mission of the AAF is to carry on the legacy of the 1984 Olympics. We offer alternate activities to try and keep kids from turning to violence.”
From the very first whistle to the final moment of sweet triumph as they approached the finish line, the runners gave it their all, dazzling the huge crowd with their determination to succeed.”
