300 students from five Detroit schools received their running shoes in preparation for the second annual Kids Marathon presented by Priority Health.
Kimberly Johnson took all necessary precautions to make sure her new running shoes fit correctly before she participates in her first Kids Marathon event on Saturday, Oct. 18.
After lacing up her shoes, she tapped her heels on the floor and took a few small steps before completing her test with a small jog in place.
"They fit nice, they feel nice, I can wiggle my feet. There's enough space," the fifth grade student at John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy said.
Johnson is one of 300 Detroit Public School Community District students who received free shoes on Wednesday, Oct. 8, along with free registration for the second annual Kids Marathon presented by Priority Health, part of the 48th annual Detroit Free Press Marathon presented by MSU Federal Credit Union. The students attend five DPSCD schools: Golightly Education Center, John R. King, Davison Elementary-Middle School, Bates Academy and Mark Twain School for Scholars.
Participants in the event range between the ages of 6 and 13 and must track their progress to complete the first 25.2 miles of the marathon by Friday, Oct. 17. The next day, they will finish their final mile near the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
Free Press Marathon organizers delivered shoes to the students three weeks after they were fitted for them. Vice President and race director Aaron Velthoven said delivery day is "one of my favorite days" as he sees children's faces light up when they get their new shoes.
"We were thinking deeply about how can we impact the city of Detroit more? How can we get the city of Detroit residents more involved in the sport or our race," Velthoven said. "And to see that idea go from just an idea to where now we've got 300 kids in the program is one of the most rewarding things in my career."
John Carson, dean of students and athletic director for John R. King, said that the school tries to "always be in the forefront of offerings" for its community members. Having the school involved in programs like the Kids Marathon serves as an incentive to keep students enrolled in the district, he said.
"We're always trying to offer something more to our community," Carson said. "Obviously, being a part of the Free Press Marathon, as well as giving shoes out, it's just another layer on top."
La'Nayia Collins and Destiny Valentine, both 11 of Detroit, are sixth graders at John R. King and say they look forward to participating in the event for a second time. The two are working out together after Collins said she nearly didn't finish the race last year due to an asthma flare-up.
This year, Collins is working on a new strategy to pace herself so her asthma doesn't bother her during the race.
"If I'm feeling weak, I will just pace," Collins said. "It's kinda like a jog, but a little faster, and at the end I sprint."
Carson said he just wants the kids to enjoy themselves.
"Just have a great time. Have a great time and enjoy the experience," Carson said. "I want them to come back ... raving students about their experience at the Detroit Free Press Marathon and hopefully looking to do it again and again and again."
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: [email protected]; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @EricGuzman90.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kids Marathon gives running shoes to students at 5 Detroit schools
Category: General Sports
