KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Though not all at once, students at Shannondale Elementary School and elsewhere in Knox County are running their own marathon.
"I try to get in at least two miles each time," said fifth-grader Eden Perkinson.
"You just practice and practice," added Peyton Huffaker, a kindergartner at Shannondale.
A few days every week after school, the students in the fitness club run around the track, logging how many laps and how many miles they run each day.
"I like it because if I don't get to see my friends earlier, I get to see them at the track," first-grader Joshua Bivens said.
They're working up to 26.2 miles, the equivalent of a marathon.
"I did this last year and really liked it. It helped me keep track of my running, and it pushed me a lot," said fifth-grader Annalee Castleberry.
"It makes me feel good because I know that I am getting fit," fifth-grader Ava Curtis said.
The Shannondale students joined hundreds more for the first mile of their journey in January when they ran through Zoo Knoxville.
They'll run their 26th mile on Saturday at World's Fair Park for the Covenant Kids Run.
The online registration deadline has passed, but participants can still register in person at the Health and Fitness Expo at the World's Fair Exhibition Hall on Saturday, March 30 before the pre-race activities kick off at 4:30 p.m.
You can find more info about the Kids Run at knoxvillemarathon.com.
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