Over the past few decades, no sport has probably developed more than running. From the early days of guys in short-shorts running on back roads to today’s society with just about everyone participating in a run or walk, running has become a mainstay in our society. And runs and walks are the new fundraiser of choice.
Those who participate in events tied into the running culture are as varied as the events themselves. There are new hardcore runners like Hilary Scheuermann, lifelong runners like Chris Peters, and communities that come together for running fundraisers, like the Mini-Thon 5K at Indiana Area School District. “I always feel so good after I run,” Scheuermann says. “Sure, there are times when I don’t want to go out there and do it, but I push through it and feel really good afterward.”
Running into love
Hilary Scheuermann, 23, is a homeschool visitor for the ARIN IU 28 parent-Child program, and serves as the head coach for the junior varsity and assistant coach for the varsity girls’ volleyball teams at Homer-Center High School. An athlete for as long as she can remember, Scheuermann participated in several sports when she attended Homer-Center High School, includ- ing volleyball, basketball and track. “I did the hurdles and the relay, but never long-distance running,” she says.
These days, she is often running several miles per day. In June she and her fiance, Kory Hubbard, participated in the Laurel Highlands Ultra, a race that traverses about 70 miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. Scheuermann did the 50K (a distance that is a little more than 30 miles) and Hubbard did the 70-miler. She says he got her hooked on long-distance running. “He was a long-distance runner when we met, and I started running to spend time together. Now we sign up for races and train together,” she says.
Training means running long distances of 10 miles or more, strength workouts with a personal trainer, and going up and down a lot of hills. Scheuermann also incorporated biking and swimming with the hopes of adding triathlons to her schedule this summer. “I love running and being active. I sleep better, I feel more relaxed, and of course, it means Kory and I spend more time together,” she says.
Passing the torch
Chris Peters, 42, a social studies teacher and track coach at Marion Center High School, been running since his teen years, and has never looked back. “I ran my first mile when I was in ninth grade, and I’ve run ever since. It’s part of my life,” he says. Peters ran his first marathon in 1997, and has competed in several since then. He has also participated in the Laurel Highland Ultra as a member of a relay team.
As the track and cross-country coach at Marion Center, Peters has passed on his love of running to his students. And he has also instilled it into his youngest daughter, Olivia, 11. “She is my runner. She loves running with me,” he says.
Running offers meditative moments for Peters, when he can block out the stress of the day. “It is the best relaxation for me. I get my thinking done while I run. I can be alone with my thoughts and think things through,” he says.
Peters also helps organize the MCXC Summer Classic 5K, which will take place Aug. 9. The cross-country fundraiser for Marion Center Area School District is now in its fifth year, and has become a popular event, Peters says. He says about 100 runners will participate in the MCXC Summer Classic this year. “It is a true cross-country 5K. we go on turf, trails, in the mud—all different types of terrain. It is a really fun event,” he says.
Color run for funds
To rev up its latest fundraising, Indiana Area School District has organized a running event. The inaugural Mini-Thon 5K Colors Run/walk kicked off in spring, hosted by the Indiana High School Leadership Seminar, which promotes leadership and service to others. The event raised money for the Four Diamond Hershey Medical Center, a facility that serves children with cancer and provides cancer research.
According to Amy O’Neal, of human resources and public relations for Indiana Area SD, the elementary students were involved in the project this year, something the high school students have done through their Leadership Seminar. Rebecca Hilditch, a senior at Indiana Area Senior High School, was a co-director of the race. “We fashioned our Mini-Thon after a huge version they hold at penn State. we have a danceathon, but wanted to add something to get more people involved and raise more money, and we came up with the 5K,” Hilditch says. Because color runs have become so popular, the two students decided to try it in their own district. “We were really happy with the results. The whole event raised $9,382 this year,” Hilditch says.
Students and other participants wore white, and throughout the run/walk got doused with colored powder. More than 150 runners and walkers took part in the inaugural event. “It was a lot of fun. It all came together, and it went so smoothly,” Hilditch says.
