Hannah Rushing

Sophomore Sophie Pellegrino runs at cross country practice. This year is Pellegrino’s second year as a member of the club.

As the cross country season ends, runners will continue training during the winter as members of the half marathon club, sponsored by Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Katie Hashley and social studies teacher Mel Trotier to train for the GO! Half Marathon.

“It is a 20 week program that starts on Nov. 21 and will end on the day of the half marathon, April 9,” Hashley said. “The purpose of the club is for students to set personal goals on being physically active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

For the first time, the club will be involved in community service to help runners encourage other runners.

“Students will have the opportunity to volunteer at other organized runs or help elementary students practice for Read, Right and Run. It is important to us because the GO! St. Louis organization is a non-profit wanting to help people be healthy and fit,” Hashley said.

Sophomore Sophie Pellegrino and freshman Anjali Shah ran cross country during the fall and will be joining the club. This will be Pellegrino’s second year and Shah’s first.

“It’s a lot easier than cross country. We are not pushed to go fast,” Pellegrino said. “I joined the club again because it was my favorite experience from freshman year. It gives you a different perspective on life and is an experience that you cannot top, and it really helps get you in shape.”

Shah is joining the club to challenge herself to run 13.1 miles, 4.1 more miles than her farthest mileage of seven miles.

“I wanted to see what it was like to run 13.1 miles and if I was able to handle it. The club also offers a lot of free entries to other races, so that is another perk,” Shah said. “I think it would be similar to cross country because of the running, but cross country has hilly courses while the half marathon will be relatively flat since it would be downtown.”

Practice will take place after school three to four times a week. Long runs will be held at Forest Park for 10 weeks leading up to the half marathon.

“We stretch quickly and then run together at an easy pace so no one gets left behind. Without running during the week, the long runs on Saturday would be harder,” Pellegrino said.

New members who join will receive running shoes, two race shirts, a finisher’s jacket and a free entry into the GO! Half Marathon, the All American 5K and the 5K or 10K Great GO! Halloween races.

“It will be exciting to have new members and last year’s finishers set new fitness goals and achieve the ultimate goal [of] 13.1 miles,” Hashley said. “Any student should join the club if they want to get involved in a fitness program and set individual goals for themselves.”