Palouse kids rack up miles

Top left to right: Berlyn Hegg, Caleb Zehm, Kaleb Gibler, Macy Brantner, Lexi Brantner, Ethan Cook. Bottom left to right: Alexa Rojas, Kennedy Cook, Kodi Mae Gibler, Lionardo Rojas, Jazmyne Beard, Mason Parzuchowski. Not pictured: Calvin Heusser, Dane Syke, and Cameron Merrill.

From March to May, students from Palouse Elementary School participated in a new after-school running program.

Lead by physical education teacher Amy Heusser, a group of 16 kindergartners through fifth-graders participated in the program, in conjunction with the Bloomsday Association, which puts on the annual Bloomsday race in Spokane.

The students ran three times per week on colored courses laid out on the football field, aiming to reach mileage goals.

Several achieved the total distance of 7.46 miles for the Bloomsday length, while 14 of the 16 runners reached the half-marathon total of 13 miles while assistants Landen Morton and Christi Jackson achieved the marathon distance of 26.2 miles total.

“The success of the program was felt throughout the school and the local communities,” said Heusser. “They also learned a lot about running and the opportunities to participate in competitive events.”

High school students assisted Heusser in the program, including Morton, Courtney Fleener and Zach Ryber.

Morton and Fleener ran in the Bloomsday race.

Heusser said she hopes to continue the program next year.

“I just want the communities of Garfield and Palouse to see that running competitions are fun. My goal is to get families involved,” she said.