Madrid & Kranz SRLA Teams Complete LA Marathon

Madrid & Kranz SRLA Teams Complete LA Marathon

     Strong in mind and body, that’s what Kranz Intermediate School and Madrid Middle School Students Run L.A. (SRLA) teams are.  Displaying unwavering courage, determination, endurance, and strength the athletes from Kranz and Madrid successfully participated in the 34th annual Los Angeles Marathon as part of the SRLA program. 

     The student runners were among 3,250 teens from SRLA programs at 185 schools across the county taking part in the grueling 26.2 marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica on March 24. In total, over 24,000 participants from all 50 states and 63 countries took to the streets for the scenic “Stadium to the Sea” course, which features a landmark every mile.  Running the 26.2 miles the students not only learned what it takes to finish the epic marathon, but discovered that hard work and determination will get them across any finish line in life.

       The focus of the SRLA program, which has been offered at Kranz and Madrid for many years, is to challenge students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by training them to run marathons.  Students train alongside their coaches and volunteer mentors to complete the Los Angeles Marathon, and through this life-changing experience, discover their best selves and learn how to make plans for the future.

      The SRLA program provided Kranz and Madrid’s runners with two pairs of sneakers and race day uniforms, as well as entrance into mini-marathons and other races prior to the L.A. Marathon.  Led by their dedicated coaches, from Kranz, Alice Shum, Edmundo Ayala, Marcos Garcia, Kenneth Gutierrez, Ruby Huesca and Peter Soto and from Madrid, David Dorf, Kristi Dorf, Jessica Dominguez, Janette Salce, Melissa Geary and Lupe Weimer, the two teams began training in September and participated in several running events including 5k and 10k runs as well as half marathons leading up to the final challenge of the 26.2 mile L.A. Marathon. Through participation in SRLA, the students learned to set goals and felt a great sense of accomplishment when they achieved their goal of completing the 26.2 miles.

         “Congratulations to these amazing students and their coaches for showing extraordinary physical and mental endurance, and for greatly representing their schools, the Mountain View School District and community,” said Lillian Maldonado French, Superintendent.  “We are extremely proud of all of them for showing great determination, focus and courage, and for achieving their goal,” she said.

          Proud of their L.A. Marathon Finisher medals, the students agreed that completing the marathon was a life-changing experience that challenged them mentally and physically, and required a lot of time and sacrifice.  But, in the end, showed them that they are capable of reaching goals and that nothing is impossible!

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