All eyes were on Pennsylvania state high school track champions when they arrived to surprise all 159 Buckingham Elementary school runners at the iRun4Life program on April 6.
CB East track team senior captains Carissa Cannon, Kelly Martin, Carolyn Smith and Mollie Story ran a victory lap around the gym with their coach, Steve Martin, all taking time out of their spring training season to inspire the next generation of athletes.
In between cheering from the elementary students, the committed collegiate runners shared what they love most about running.
“Running on the CB East track team has given me some of my favorite memories: bus rides with my teammates, long days at the track, becoming a medalist at states and qualifying and running in the New Balance Nationals event in NYC,” said Story. “My teammates are my closest friends. We support one another as we strive to achieve our running goals. I can hear them screaming for me as I race around the track at our meets.”
Story and her fellow captains didn’t just share inspiring words with the Buckingham Elementary running club; after putting down the microphone, they led the students in running laps after Martin ran warm-up exercises.
The momentum Martin and the girls track team captains gave to Buckingham students is part of iRun4Life, a Bucks County nonprofit organization established to assist elementary schools promoting fun, noncompetitive running programs. Many Central Bucks, Council Rock and Pennridge School District school PTO organizations lead iRun4Life programs, a popular after-school activity to support exercise, healthy nutrition and giving back to the community.
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