Training for a Marathon...Training for Life
This project's parent organization is Students Run America
It operates in United States
It uses Outdoor pursuits
Entered the Sport for Health and Well-being Award
More about Training for a Marathon...Training for Life
Students Run LA (SRLA) creates a safe, supportive community at 180+ public schools, welcoming more than 3,250 students of all backgrounds and abilities to train alongside their volunteer teachers to complete the Los Angeles Marathon.
With obesity and lack of physical activity all too common in low-income, minority neighborhoods of Los Angeles, SRLA provides students with an opportunity to develop a passion for an easy, accessible sport – long-distance running.
Through training for a Marathon over the course of seven months, SRLA students self-discover how to change their lives. While they may not enjoy running to start, they learn both that they can do it and that they like it. They learn that they can’t run well if they haven’t had enough sleep or are smokers; that they feel better, both physically and mentally, if they run a few times a week; that drinking water rather than soda helps them lose weight; and that running relieves stress in their lives. Self-discovery is far more powerful than being told to do something, and the behavior changes are more lasting. Over time, students take all of these lessons home to their families and create a culture of healthy living.