ELANCO Regional for Students Scheduled

Running is a healthy activity, purported to offer benefits including improved cardio fitness, enhanced muscle and bone strength, and maybe even extended lifespan.

ELANCO School District youngsters in kindergarten through sixth grade have the opportunity to do a little running and test their speed in the ELANCO School District Regional Run for Fitness. The annual event will be held at the field along Tower Road, behind Garden Spot Middle School, 669 E. Main St., New Holland, on Sunday, Sept. 14. The runs will kick off with the kindergarten run at 2 p.m. First-grade students will run at 2:10 p.m., and second-grade students at 2:20 p.m. Third-graders will take off at 2:30 p.m., and fourth-graders at 2:40 p.m. Fifth-grade students will start at 2:50 p.m., with sixth-graders running at 3 p.m. Day-of registration and course walks will be held from 1 to 1:45 p.m.

Traci Tempone, Garden Spot High School (GSHS) cross-country team coach, who organizes the event, said that kindergarten and first-grade students will run a quarter of a mile, and second- through sixth-graders will run a half a mile. The top five runners of each gender in each grade will receive a place ribbon. All other runners will receive participation ribbons. Those who receive place ribbons will qualify for the Lancaster County Elementary Cross Country Championship held at Overlook Park on Sunday, Sept. 28. Racers will receive individual times, and times will also be posted on the Garden Spot cross-country website at https://sites.google.com/view/gsxc/home.

"It's a lot of fun having all those elementary students come and all race," said Tempone, who noted that about 100 area children take part in the ELANCO event each year. "There aren't a ton of elementary level running activities," she added. "It's nice to have something (for children)." Tempone did not discount the possibility that a future cross-country team member may be among the youngsters. "It might spark an interest in an elementary school runner," she stated. Tempone also lauded her team members' dedication to the event. "Our cross-country athletes work the run," she said. "They do the course walks. They do the timing. They do a lot of the work. I organize it, but they keep it running."

To register for the free race, students may visit https://tinyurl.com/4cjmayup. Tempone requests that students register by Thursday, Sept. 11; however, day-of registration will also be welcomed. "If they can get the registration done ahead, it helps, but if they don't, it's still good to come out," she said. "Come out and have some fun."

Readers who have questions may email traci_tempone@elanco.org.