SLE Students Run Race

SEELEY LAKE - In many ways, the Jan. 23 SLE Ice Run was the junior version of Seeley Lake's Snow Joke half-marathon run. For one thing the Ice Run was about half the distance of the half marathon. Another difference was that the Ice Run was organized and run by a junior crew – fifth through eighth-graders from Seeley Lake Elementary School (SLE).

The project was guided by SLE fifth-grade teacher Andrew Wyatt. Wyatt said when he raced in the 2015 Snow Joke he noticed some elementary students racing. He felt they would have benefited from knowing more about what to expect in a race and how to build up endurance. He decided to offer an elective class that would fill that need. Wyatt wanted the class to have both an educational component and a community component and decided the best way to meet all those goals was to have his students organize an actual race.

The six students who elected to take the Snow Joke Training and Race Preparation class decided to hold a 1K fun run as well as a 10K race.

Eighth-grader Caleb Maughan said it was hard to figure out the route because they wanted the race to start and end at SLE Outside and the distance had to add up to six miles (10K). He said they used Google maps to figure it all out and then they ran the course. Maughan said he didn't run the Snow Joke last year but after taking the elective he plans to run it this year.

The students made a YouTube video promoting the event [see SLIR at Youtube.com]. They also made race signage and spray-painted bright orange arrows (green for the 1K) along the snowy, icy course so there would be no confusion about the route. Wyatt said, "They thought that was the coolest thing ever."

To make certain no one got lost, the students positioned themselves at street junctions and cheered the runners on, at the same time making sure everyone went the right way. Student race directors had cell phones to message Wyatt in case any problems arose and to keep the race timers abreast of the pace of the front runners.

Logan Maughan, Caleb's older brother, crossed the finish line first with a time of 53.07. Close behind him was Wyatt Stout at 53.10, followed by his brother Johnnie at 59.18.

Wyatt Stout said the hardest part was the big hill. For Maughan the hardest part was the straight stretch just after the hill. He said, "It seems like you've come so far but you have that exact same distance to go back."

Maughan said he handled the down hills without too much trouble. He said he attached snow cleats to his shoes, so the hills weren't too slippery. He added he couldn't imagine going down the hill without them.

The Ice Run was followed by an awards ceremony at SLE Outside where hotdogs and other foods were available.