Blair’s SRLA Team Conquers 2014 L.A. Marathon: A Look Back at The Journey
Students Run LA, or SRLA, made a big impression on Blair teacher Ms. Veronica Yepez five years ago when she ran her first marathon. She remembers how an older SRLA student came to the assistance of a young SRLA runner he didn’t even know, helping him push through the pain and keep running.
Ms. Yepez’ dream of bringing the SRLA program and this rewarding experience to Blair students finally came true this year. On March 9th, all 11 Blair SRLA students successfully finished the 2014 ASICS L.A. Marathon!
The Blair SRLA runners are pictured above with their finisher medals. Back row, l-r: Ms. Veronica Yepez, Arturo Lumbreras, Eris Albert-Minkler, Bao-Hieu Gauvreau, Tal Lifshitz, Noah Syed. Front, l-r: Mr Raul Delgado, Sebastian Menchaca, Mark Israel Tan, Mark Daniel Tan, Christian Felix, Ms. Maria Teresa Garcia. Not pictured: Saidy Amador, Jason Magzul.
The process began a year ago with an extensive application and interview process, after which Blair was named as one of only ten new schools added to SRLA. Blair is the only SRLA school in the foothills area. Ms. Yepez, along with her close colleague in Blair’s International Academy, Ms. Maria Teresa Garcia, and Blair P.E. instructor Mr. Raul Delgado, signed on to lead the students.
Blair students responded immediately after hearing in the morning announcements about the opportunity to run in the marathon. About 30 students showed up for the first sessions in September. Only some had prior interest in running. One student was eager to get his first pair of Nikes (supplied by SRLA); at first some couldn’t even finish a lap. Some students needed transportation to get physical exams. One was “too eager” to join, according to his family.
Senior Saidy Amador had enjoyed running in a past running club at Blair, and immediately knew, “I want to do this!” Saidy is a Diploma candidate in Blair’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, and Coordinator Ms. Karen Law pointed out training for the marathon can count for the Action part of Saidy’s CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) requirements. But Saidy had already determined not to miss this chance to run, and not for the CAS hours.
By October, students had to commit to multiple race dates, in addition to training three times a week. They committed to healthy eating, and 7th grader Noah Syed even gave up his beloved Cocoa Puffs for nutritious breakfasts. In working up to the 26.2 miles of the marathon, the SRLA students (and coaches) participated in a 5K, a 10K and a half-marathon, in addition to longer and longer training runs. SRLA had given Blair ten runner spots (later increased to 12 maximum) and these spots were given to those who maintained their grades and had excellent training attendance. The students who stayed in the program had to work very hard to successfully balance running with their other commitments. Three of the five high school runners are seniors, with college applications and other senior year responsibilities, and several of the runners are active with student government (ASB).
Students had running assignments to complete on their own in addition to training after school, especially for weekends and during the winter break. In January the group started weekend practices together at 7:00 am. Along the way almost everyone endured some kind of injury, and with each month came another, longer, race. The teacher-coaches describe the students’ dedication with awe, and continually mention how inspired they were by the students. Ms. Garcia said the first half-marathon they ran, in San Dimas, is a great example. The race was hard, but once they overcame and succeeded, the more they wanted to achieve. Success was infectious and motivated them to press on.
The youngest runners on Blair’s SRLA team shatter the often difficult reputation given to middle schoolers. “Look what they did!” exclaimed Ms. Garcia. Six of the team are in 7th or 8th grade. These middle schoolers impressed the older students with their team spirit, affirming their teammates with, “Good Job!” after every practice.
The students built strong bonds with each other, and coming from very diverse backgrounds was no obstacle. Running provided opportunities to build deep friendships—even when alongside teammates according to running pace rather than common interests. Experiencing such strong support from team members has made a lasting impact. Said one runner, “Not one person ever felt like ‘I’m the slowest one,’ or ‘I can’t do this.’ ” Two runners are new immigrants to the United States and from Blair’s International Academy. One had been very reluctant to speak English, but through running he came out of his shell and his confidence has spilled over into academics.
Parents also got involved, driving students to races and setting up “aid stations” for water and snacks. Sydney Minckler, mom of 7th grader Eris Albert-Minckler, trained alongside her daughter and the Blair students and ran the marathon herself! Even the name on her race bib was not Sydney, but “For Eris.” On the night before the marathon the students’ families all gathered and got to meet each other at a “carb load” dinner. Family members also watched and waited at the marathon. One mother found a place to watch about three miles from the finish line, and saw other runners falling to the ground, struggling to finish. At that moment it hit her hard just how tough it is to run 26.2 miles. Her nervousness mounted, and she was quite worried, but when her daughter ran by she saw her daughter looked strong! At the conclusion of the marathon, parents were visibly moved with pride, with shining faces and even tears. Parent Amy Syed described, in her words, this “truly marvelous experience.” “Everything I did as a parent, whether big or small during the six months of training, felt so rewarding and worthwhile in that single moment when I saw my 12-year-old son at the finish line of the LA Marathon,” said Syed.
For the entire 26 weeks preparing to run the 26 miles, the students were well taken care of by their committed coaches. Blair staff Ms. Yepez, Ms. Garcia and Mr. Delgado covered their own expenses and gave countless hours of their time without compensation. By successfully tackling the same marathon challenge as the students, they modeled perseverance and hard work.
Not just excellent school teachers, their talents extended to SRLA training. Jean-Luc Gauvreau, father of 8th grader Bao-Hieu Gauvreau, noticed Ms. Yepez’s expert coaching included all the things veteran marathoners had told him about. For example, the longest training race intentionally allowed students to learn the sensation of depleting your body’s stored energy, a physical barrier usually encountered around Mile 20. As prepared runners they therefore were not afraid, and knew to anticipate this and refuel in time.
When students ran on streets near Blair, coaches would drive around in their cars to pass on water or snacks and ensure the safety of each child. Says Syed, “they had the students write down the names of the streets and the route so they never felt lost. No wonder [my son] Noah is our family navigator now.” During the race itself, the teacher-coaches made sure to accompany slower runners. As Gauvreau traveled farther along the marathon route to see his daughter along the route again, he saw Mr. Delgado waiting for Blair runners, instead of Delgado going ahead at his personal pace. By going back and forth checking on students, Blair coaches ran farther than a marathon! The Blair runners battled the daytime heat during the marathon, but finished well. Some had been running more than seven hours. After the finish line, they walked an additional mile to the SRLA gathering place!
Other Blair staff members also supported their colleagues and the students by showing up to cheer along the marathon route. Saidy Amador said Principal Trudell Skinner and IB Diploma Coordinator Ms. Law were there “at the perfect moment” when she was struggling at the 18 mile point. Other staff on the route included Ms. Rhyna Vasquez rooting especially loudly for her International Academy colleagues and students. A couple weeks after the marathon, the students made a presentation to the Blair teaching staff, and the staff responded by rising to give them a standing ovation.
This six-month-long journey is a source of pride to all at Blair, an inspiration and also a validation of what Blair Vikings are about. The training races got longer and longer, requiring more time, and usually getting up while it was still dark. Everyone experienced sacrifice but stayed focused. This was definitely both a physical and a mental challenge. As Saidy Amador described it, “Your body can do it, but your mind is the one telling you, you can’t.” You can’t see it through if you are “listening to that voice telling you: you could be hanging out with friends, you have that class…It takes will inside yourself.”
Having seen they can push themselves farther than they thought, SRLA students are making ambitious future plans. Tal Lifshitz plans to do other marathons so she can create a P.R.—her personal record. Saidy Amador wants to be an intern with the SRLA program on top of attending UCLA. With what they have learned from their training, as proven with past SRLA students from other schools, these runners will set and achieve higher academic goals for themselves. Noah Syed’s mom says he has developed confidence, a sense of accomplishment and a team spirit—qualities that will help him succeed throughout his life. As Ms. Yepez remarked, now that these students have done the marathon, they are less afraid to go after any challenge in life!
Congratulations to Blair’s 2014 marathon finishers!
Eris Albert-Minckler, 7th grade
Saidy Amador, 12th grade
Christian Felix Cabral, 12th grade
Bao-Hieu Gauvreau, 8th grade
Tal Lifshitz, 11th grade
Arturo Lumbreras, 8th grade
Jason Magzul, 7th grade
Issac Sebastian Menchaca Guillen, 7th grade
Noah Syed, 7th grade
Mark Daniel Tan, 11th grade
Mark Israel Tan, 12th grade
Mr. Raul Delgado
Ms. Maria Teresa Garcia
Ms. Veronica Yepez
About SRLA
SRLA was founded 25 years ago, focusing on at-risk students and inspiring them to achieve dreams. The months-long training and grueling marathon provide a tangible experience of success, and SRLA students go on to high rates of high school completion, compared to their schools. This year 100 schools applied to join SRLA, and only 10 were accepted. Of the almost 30,000 marathon runners, around 3000 were SRLA students. From one teacher and a handful of students, the program has grown to 450 teachers and 3000 students in 180 schools. The SRLA program covers expenses for students for all the training races and the marathon, and two pairs of running shoes and marathon gear.
For information about SRLA at Blair in 2014-15, contact Ms. Yepez.
Blair High School, 1201 South Marengo Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 396-5820 or visit blair.pasadenausd.org.
