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Young runners are going the distance
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .More than 200 students from the Mahoning and Trumbull Counties participated the Young Provincial Runners cross country matches. The runners race in four distance races each year.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .The Young Provincial Runners, founded 10 years ago, raced in a 1 kilometer loop around the Wick Recreation Center for their cross country races. The final race will be Thursday.
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
Elementary school students from all over the Valley are proving that it’s never too early to be a distance runner.
The Provincial Young Runners was founded 10 years ago by race director John Zajac and Ursuline track coach George Stroia. It is intended to get kids involved in distance running at a young age. Since it is not a contact sport, and there is no team member limit, everyone is included in the race and no one is left out.
“It’s not about competition,” Zajac said. “We want kids to understand they can have fun by just running.”
The group includes boys and girls throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties and participates in four cross country races against other schools.
Schools that participate regularly include Austintown’s St. Joseph and Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Boardman’s St. Charles and St. Luke elementary schools, Canfield’s St. Christine Parish School, Girard’s St. Rose Elementary, Hubbard’s St. Patrick Elementary, Poland’s Holy Family Elementary and Struthers’ St. Nicholas School.
The first race was Sept. 16 and the final race will be Thursday.
The races take place by the Wick Recreation Center in Mill Creek MetroPark. The young runners race in a 1-kilometer (1,000 meters) long route, which equates to a little over a half a mile. First through sixth-place ribbons are awarded and everyone who finishes after that receives a ribbon for participating.
“Most have never run like this before or have never seen a cross country race,” Zajac said. “It exposes them to a whole different sport.”
Zajac said participation has increased drastically compared to 10 years ago. During its first year, the Provincial Young Runners only had 30 participants. Currently, more than 200 kids from Mahoning and Trumbull counties participate. The young runners range from kindergartners through sixth-graders.
The final race will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. Following the race, the runners will celebrate the completion of their season with a picnic.
Zajac said the running program has proven itself to be a stepping stone for future distance runners.
“A lot of kids go through this and gravitate to seventh and eighth-grade cross country and then on to high school distance running,” Zajac said. “There are kids who started with us that are still doing distance running.”