This Way Up: Passing on a passion for running

First, I'd like to apologize to the young mom I nearly leveled. My excuse: I was watching all the high-spirited kids who were scampering past me, faces aglow with sunshine, fresh air, and exercise.

I was trying to keep pace with Judy Wexler, the avid runner who was partly responsible for this exuberant chaos. As I panted, she was generously dispensing compliments and encouragement:

"C'mon, girls, only a minute to go!"

"Tie your shoe, sweetie."

"Looking good, boys!"

Every so often, she would blow a whistle, the signal to run for three minutes or to walk for one. We kept moving for 26 minutes, completing several laps around Bridge Valley Elementary School in Furlong, Bucks County.

Before the run, the students in Grades 2 through 6 had warmed up with calisthenics and stretching and then competed in relay races to activate fast-twitch muscles and blow off steam.

The kids at Bridge Valley - 235 are involved, or about 40 percent of the eligible students - meet for these runs every Tuesday. The day I joined was the fourth week of this spring 10-week season. Now in its fourth year, the noncompetitive running program has spread to nine other elementary schools in the Central Bucks School District, with more than 1,500 children participating.

"I just want to share my passion for running," said Wexler, 46, who lives in Jamison and whose daughter, Brooke, 10, is in fifth grade at Bridge Valley. "I want the kids to realize how easy it is, no matter how fit or unfit you are. Anybody can do it. You just take one step at a time."

The Bridge Valley program is called "Just Running" but encompasses much more. The goal is to battle obesity and to build strength, endurance, and confidence by encouraging kids to turn off the electronic gadgets, go outside, and move and use their bodies.

"We're anti-technology, anti-computers, anti-television, and anti-text-messaging," declared Wexler, who grew up in Abington and began running in college to sweat off the freshman 15. "It's all about going outside and being one with nature."

Guest experts talk to the kids about nutrition, yoga, stretching. Students can earn charms, bracelets, and a T-shirt for reaching mileage goals and performing good deeds. Besides the weekly school-sponsored trot, the students are urged to run on their own and to recruit family and friends to join them.

They log and report their miles to Wexler, who records them on a spreadsheet. The group's mileage is also plotted on a U.S. map. Already, the kids are halfway across the country. The aim is to reach California and return to the East Coast. Over 10 weeks, many students will run between 50 and 75 miles.

The students are divided into color teams, and at Bridge Valley, Team Turquoise consists of 10 autistic runners.

"It's a great sport for them," said special-ed teacher Brie Van Reed. "They can run with the other kids and not be singled out."

At Bridge Valley, the students are training for a 5K race for autism on April 16. The culminating event for the entire districtwide program is the iRun4Life Kids Only 3K Race on May 14 at Doylestown Central Park.

The running program has flourished because of many enthusiastic parent volunteers, who organize and monitor the weekly training runs, chart progress, and provide post-run snacks (usually something healthy, such as fruit).

Last year, the parents formed iRun4Life, a nonprofit umbrella group to oversee, sustain, and promote the program and to help other schools set up something similar.

"Running is fundamental," said Ivy Stock, president of the iRun4Life board. "Kids are natural runners, whether they're running to the bus stop or chasing fireflies. We're trying to create a healthy culture where running and being active are normal parts of the day."

Stock, 42, directs "Linden Let's Run," the running program at Linden Elementary in Doylestown, where her three children are students.

"We want kids to understand that running and getting fit are fun. That's our main objective," Stock said. "There's nothing more beautiful than seeing them run with smiles on their faces."

That was certainly the case last Tuesday.

"I definitely like it," said Josh Crecca, 11, a Bridge Valley fifth grader who plays football, baseball, and ice hockey. "It gives you a chance to get outside and talk to your friends before you do your homework. It's just a nice time, and it helps you get fit and gives you more stamina for other sports."

Third grader Kayla Gallagher, 9, was effusive.

"I love running," she said. "It makes my heart beat fast. I ran out front of the pack and didn't stop for water and still had lots of energy at the end!"