Updated: Marco Students Look Like Pros at LA Marathon

Updated 10:05 a.m.

Eighth-grader Cassie Duran is a Los Angeles Marathon veteran. She’s running her second 26.2-miler today, Sunday.

“I just wanted to try something new, a challenge,” said the student. “I’ve always loved running. I mean, who get’s to run the LA Marathon? I do!”

Several websites estimate only 1 percent of the world’s population ever runs a marathon. Twenty–eight students at San Juan Capistrano’s Marco Forster Middle School can count themselves among this elite field.

”It teaches you so much, [such as] discipline,” Duran said. When she started training last year, the farthest she had ever gone was 1 ½ miles. Today, wearing her plastic trash bag—they’re easier to ditch than a jacket—she looked like a pro.

“I’m so grateful. This race is so amazing,” Duran said.

The LA Marathon organizers changed the course last year. Instead of a loop starting and finishing at the Coliseum, it now starts at Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium and ends at the Santa Monica Pier. Coach Ray Perez has been leading the local kids as part of the charity, Students Run LA, for its eleventh straight year.

Perez is what you call a late bloomer. He didn’t run his first marathon until he turned 50, 17 years ago. After his sixth, he thought he’d call it quits. “Then Marco Forster comes along.”

Students Run LA targets at-risk to give them a “life-transforming experience.” The Marco Forster students are sponsored by the San Juan Capistrano Rotary Club and Aquatic Technologies.

Marco  students started training six months ago to the day, said volunteer Carla Kallen of San Juan Capistrano. She was part of the inaugural team, and even though her daughter is now graduating college, she still runs with the middle schoolers.

They ran three times a week after school and did a long, slow, distance run on Saturdays, Kallen said. To prepare, the kids participated in some 5Ks, 10Ks and even two half-marathons. They’re ready for today.

Eighth-grader Helen Payne is also a repeat runner this year. She said her favorite landmark—the race boasts a famous landmark every mile—was Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. She completed the race in 4 hours, 50 minutes last year and is looking to better her time.

As the kids shuffled from their seats in Dodgers Stadium to the starting line, Perez shouted after them: “Ever water stop, two glasses everyone, every one!”

***

12 a.m. Sunday, March 20

Twenty-eight students are living up to their mascot's name. The  students boarded a bus Saturday, headed for the Los Angeles Marathon Sunday.

The Roadrunners are staying in a Santa Monica hotel. The 26.2-mile race begins at Dodger Stadium and ends at the Santa Monica Pier, passing Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grauman's Chinese Theater and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills along the way.

The students have been training with Ray Perez and are sponsored by the San Juan Capistrano Rotary Club. They are among 25,000 participants, making the LA Marathon the fourth-largest in the United States and in the top 10 worldwide.

Stay tuned to Patch for on-the-scene updates about the Marco Forster Roadrunners. Race time is 7:24 a.m. Sunday.

Editor's Note: This version of the article corrects the number of students participating in the LA Marathon.