Lundahl Fitness Challenge Teaches "Mental Toughness"

More than 40 eighth-graders were organized into 10 co-ed teams with names like “French Toast,” “2Legit 2Quit”and “Fantastic Four.” The 26.2 mile multi-event team marathon featured 12 miles of running/walking, 7.55 miles of biking, 4.25 miles of inline skating and 2.4 miles of canoeing in addition to exercises on team-building and orienteering. Students traveled throughout the city of Crystal Lake, beginning and ending at Lundahl Middle School and hitting other District 47 schools as designated checkpoints along the way.

The event, now in its 14th year, was designed to test students’ physical, mental, social and emotional limits, according to event founder and organizer Fred Kaiser, physical education and health teacher at Lundahl Middle School. “The Fitness Challenge marathon is an educational experience that finds the best in students during their most challenging times,” says Kaiser.

Kaiser emphasized that students don’t participate in the challenge for a grade, extra credit or to raise money for a cause, but rather because they want to compete to see who is the best at a very demanding physical (and mental!) test. It is a race to see which teams complete the course and how fast they can do it. The dynamics of the event, team structure, time constraints and race elements allow for a multifaceted learning experience that requires the pooling together of resources for success.

“At first we didn’t think much of winning but as we started our [first] lap around the track we realized teamwork was the key to winning,” said Lundahl eighth-grader and participant Cristina Lehman, who was part of the winning team “Abusement Park.”

To participate in the Challenge, students had to submit a three-page application, log 10 hours of community service, and undergo six weeks of training, which included lessons in canoeing and a class on orienteering. The goal was to teach students the elements of success: a willingness to take a risk, a commitment to integrity, the determination to stand and a sense of passion.

Lundahl eighth-grader and Abusement Park team member Jake Poulos said, “It was really hard and tiring, but it was one of the funnest things I’ve ever done.”

Team Abusement Park came in first place with a time of 4hours and 50 minutes—the second fastest team in the history of the race. “This was the fastest group of participants we’ve ever had and all the teams did a fantastic job,” said Kaiser. “We had some equipment issues with roller blades and bikes with wheels falling off, but with some quick, creative problem-solving everyone was able to push forward. We are grateful to our parents and community sponsors for helping us make this event a success.”

According to Kaiser, the marathon is one of those accomplishments in life that, upon completion, is remembered forever. He says that although an experience like this can be challenging, stressful, painful, exhilarating and joyful, it becomes an invaluable learning experience that cannot be learned in the classroom alone and must be experienced firsthand.