Looking for faster times in Read, Right, Run

Nine-year-old Andrew Wilhite and 11-year-old Eli Clampett already have run better times for a mile than last year. But, as yet, 11-year-old Kevin Brotherton hasn't.

They are among about 50 St. Luke the Evangelist School kids entered in the Read, Right & Run program. The 26-week fun activity is sponsored by the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon.

The program ends next spring with a four-day Family Fitness Weekend April 1-4, 2004. Other weekend highlights will be two major 26.2-mile adult marathon runs.

Saturday, April 3, St. Louis hosts the 2004 Women's U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials. Sunday, April 4, the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon will be held.

In last spring's fitness weekend, Read, Right & Run kids ran their final miles in a downpour of rain. Despite that, St. Luke School has signed up more kids for this year.

Teacher Carolyn Landwehr is the school's coordinator for Read, Right & Run. She said, "Last year, the kids really enjoyed it. I felt I needed to do the program again this year."

Actually, Read, Right & Run is more than just running.

Kids are challenged to read 26 books, run 26.2 miles and do at least 26 acts of kindness.

(If you or your class would like to take part in Read, Right & Run, there's still time to enroll. For information, see the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon website at www.stlouismarathon.com or call the office at (314) 727-0800.)

Last year, Andrew Wilhite said his best time for a mile was 9 minutes, 47 seconds. But, by mid-October this year, the fourth-grader already had posted a time of 8 minutes, 2 seconds. He's hoping he can get under 8 minutes before next spring.

He said his favorite RR&R activity is "trying to beat my times for the mile."

Sixth grader Eli Clampett said his best time last year was 8:32. He's already gotten that down to 8:10 this year. He said the farthest he's run at any one time is two miles. He likes to run around the neighborhood with his older brother, Seth.

Fifth-grader Kevin Brotherton's best time last year was 8:31. But, he admits he hasn't been able to beat that time so far this year. Kevin said he sometimes runs in his neighborhood with his dad.

Most of the St. Luke kids know their exact times because they do their RR&R running during gym class. Their gym teacher times each of their mile efforts. These are listed on the Read, Right & Run record sheets each student compiles.

The record also is used to list each book they read and each good deed they do.

Nine-year-old Lauren Baxter is another of the St. Luke kids who's entered again this year. Although she likes the running, the third-grader said she likes the reading part the best.

She said she had fun running during the final weekend last spring. "But, I would have had more fun if it hadn't been raining," Lauren said.

Third-grader Lauren said she's already read several books for the RR&R program. She said her favorite book is "Herbie Jones." That's one of a kid's book series and she plans to read more of them.

Six-year-old Mikailla Northern is one of the younger kids who had experience in last year's RR&R. Teacher Landwehr said, "Mikailla and I ran hand in hand in the rain last spring."

The little girl also stayed around while her mother, Kim Fuhr, competed in last year's Spirit of St. Louis Marathon.

Mikailla said she also likes to read. "I read a lot to my mom," she said. One of this year's books was titled, "How Many Dragons Behind the Door?"

Even before reading, she knew the answer to the title: 12 dragons. "I looked in the back of the book and counted them," she said.

The kids do a wide variety of good deeds.

Lauren Baxter said her best deed was "cleaning my mom's car without her asking me."

Andrew Wilhite said his favorite was the time he helped his grandmother take care of his two-year-old cousin. "She was having a tough time so I took care of him so she'd get a rest," he said. "I played blocks with him and made him laugh a lot," he added.

Kevin Brotherton said he's done good deeds in school and home. "I helped the teacher by cleaning the boards," he said. At home, he and his sister, Abby, baby-sat a young cousin.

One of Eli Clampett's good deeds involved collecting waste paper and bringing it to school for recycling. Older kids at St. Luke do good deeds for an older resident who lives alone in the neighborhood.