NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS YOUTH PROGRAMS
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 10 | MAY 2012
QUOTABLES: “The most challenging part of Mighty Milers for my students is realizing they can
run longer than they thought they ever could. When they finally reach that specific distance, it is
as if a light bulb was turned on for them.”
JOAN PROPP, P.E. teacher, Sam Rayburn High School, Pasadena, TX
National Running Day…
Mighty Milers Style
Mighty Students Run Mighty Miles
Looking for a new way to celebrate National Running Day
on June 6? Check out what these Site Coordinators did last
year to make the day feel extra special. For help organizing an
event of your own, check out our free Events to Run guides at
www.nyrr.org/arunningstart. Don’t forget to send us pictures!
Christina Villena organizes a Field Day. All of the classes can
come out and complete a goal they’ve decided on together. This
is a great way to get other teachers involved in Mighty Milers for
a day! (Oakwood Elementary, Lakewood, WA)
Joan Propp’s Mighty Milers are in high school, so she’s in
the middle of planning a 12-Hour Run on their school track.
Younger students could complete a shorter Run-a-Thon with
families and classmates in attendance. (Sam Rayburn High
School, Pasadena, TX)
Tamela Thompson-Kennedy gets the local middle school
involved by holding a Buddy Run at the end of the school day.
They run with the Mighty Milers in her elementary school,
encouraging one another and making new friends. (Sandy Valley
Elementary, Sandy Valley, NV)
Students at Gardens Elementary in TX enjoy
a group run outdoors with great weather.
In New York City, over 2,000 Mighty Milers
celebrated together. The day included a
parade of schools on the track.
“Teller is a school with a lot of heart – healthy hearts, that
is!” says Site Coordinator Christine Baumgartner. Running is
such a hit at this Denver, CO school that now it has Mighty
Milers and a special afterschool running club, too. Two
teachers started the afterschool program for fourth and fifth
graders. Together, they run five miles a week through the
neighborhood. Sounds like fun!
Students at Teller keep track of their mileage with the help of
“Mighty Mile” tickets. Every time a student finishes a lap on
the track, they get a ticket. Once they reach enough for a mile,
they bundle them up, write their names on them, and give them
to Ms. Chris, the P.E. teacher, to get credit. She also motivates
her students with posters that kids can sign when they reach
different milestones, and acknowledges students at special
assemblies when they complete a marathon of miles.
“Mighty Milers also provides special leadership opportunities
for students,” shared Baumgartner. Fourth and fifth grade
playground assistants help younger students during recess
runs. They “provide encouragement to the primary students
as they hand out Mighty Mile tickets.”
Passing out Mighty Mile tickets
These girls from Aquadale Elementary
in NC got to try out MonsterTrax on
National Running Day!
At Linderman Elementary in MT,
Mighty Milers decorated their special
National Running Day t-shirts with
personalized reasons for running.
National Running Day
How Are You Celebrating National Running Day?
On June 6, runners all over the country will celebrate National Running Day, including Mighty
Milers! This is a special day for runners to have fun on a day all about running. People run
for all kinds of reasons – to feel healthy, to get faster, to spend time with their friends, and
more! Why do you like to run? What will you do to celebrate with your fellow Mighty Milers?
How will you celebrate National Running Day with your family and friends?
Tackling a National
Running Day obstacle
course in NYC.
That’s a great
reason to run!
Getting ready for
National Running Day
in New York City.
Running around at Solon Elementary in ME.
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Fun Facts:
In addition to being National Running Day, June 6 is
National Yo-Yo Day and National Gardening Exercise
Day. Do you think you can celebrate them all?
The Everest Marathon in Nepal is the world’s
highest marathon. This downhill race starts near
Everest Base Camp and finishes in the town of
Namche Bazaar.
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world,
capable of reaching speeds up to 75 miles per hour.
What’s the fastest fish? The Atlantic Sailfish, which
can swim up to 68 miles per hour!
New York Road Runners Youth Programs
212.423.2227 | [email protected] | www.mightymilers.org