10k Run Part Of Blue Ridge Academy Wellness

This past Saturday, the boys group from Eckerd Academy of the Blue Ridge (EABR) competed in the Annual 10K Run Above the Clouds, in Suches Georgia. The annual event, along with a fall festival, raises money for the local school.

For 3 months the groups have been involved in EABR's Wellness Program. The fitness portion is done every day. The activity varies, but always starts and ends with stretching. Running, aquatics, and even working out on Olympic rings are a few of the different activities the youth have participated in.

The program is challenge by choice, the students determine the level of activity, types of activity they will participate in. Along with the physical portion, students are taking nutritional classes so they can learn total health and well being. The students are taught how to keep themselves healthy and the proper way in which exercising is to be preformed. The program allows students to build self-esteem and life long habits that will enhance their quality of life.

The students are now taking advantage of a fitness trail about .3 of a mile that is located at the lower end of the property. Construction of a second fitness trail has begun around the lake that is on property, with plans of having workout stations at different intervals around the trail. Along with planned construction, students are now able to be active everyday with planned workouts and physical fitness tests every Friday.

The boys groups set a goal to run in a 10K race, and selected the Run in the Clouds as their target event. The girls group has selected a 5K race later in the year. Using the wellness program as a way to train for the event, the groups began training about 3 months ago. Using sound physical fitness routines, and good nutrition, the goal of accomplishing the event in less than 1 hour and 10 minutes was set. The race itself is on varying terrain from gentle sloping hills to a few longer uphill gradients.

On race day the group showed up early and began their stretching routines and continued hydrating. Registration went well, and everyone in the group decided they wanted to participate in the run. All the boys were anxious, but confident as well. All the runners were instructed to line up, and the command to go was given. As the group took off, the Eckerd Academy group stayed in a uniformed line. The first few miles were easy, and as the race went on, the group maintained their set pace and stayed together. About halfway a few of the kids began to slow down. Instead of the group leaving them behind, they encouraged each other, modified their pace, and continued running as a group. The last mile the boys realized they were almost finished and together kicked in one more burst. As they crossed the finish line, onlookers cheered, and the boys celebrated their success. And, because of their pace, the group, running together allowed the Master Counselor running with them to finish first in his age category! The students received their race shirts, and before they left, the entire group asked if they could run another race this month!