Students Run Los Angeles (SRLA) is a non-profit organization that has been supporting and providing students in Los Angeles with free mentoring from teachers and physical fitness opportunities for the past forty years.
The advisor is Louis Bonsteel, who is also the track and field and cross country coach. This year’s group consists of 25 students.
Destiny Escoto, Matthew Espinoza, Amy Gil, Mauricio Hernandez, Destiny Machare, Britney Martinez, Alyssa Mendoza, Jackie Moran, Melany Moreno Contreras, Fatima Acosta, House Aguliar, Alejandra Alvarado, Emily Asencio, Rudy Chavez, Derek Contreras, Brianna Corona, Kamilla Enriquez, Jose Nino, Marco Padilla, Jaquelin Rodrgiguez, Camila Rosales, Evelyn Salgado, Diego Tapia, and Richard Tejeda.
SRLA has one main mission; to challenge secondary school students in exploring the benefits and advantages of mentor assistance, character development, setting goals, and maintaining their health by training to successfully complete the Los Angeles marathon.
To train for their upcoming marathon, they start off their season with lighter runs, beginning at 3 miles to 6 miles, then 9 to 13, and right before their long awaited 26.2 mile marathon, they run an 18 mile.
For each event, students are given a themed shirt and earn medals at the end of their runs.
The community within the SRLA program is known to be extremely positive and supportive, members always encouraging each other and sharing positive remarks during their runs to uplift the community.
“It’s very supportive and very emotionally overwhelming but in a good way. You are so supported with every single race, it makes me kinda emotional. And I think that’s why when I ran the marathon I kinda started crying at the end because there are thousands of people who are believing in you and telling you, “you can do it.” says Kamila Enriquez, four year member.
Students and mentors maintain a healthy atmosphere by cheering each other on as they all work towards achieving the same goal; the completion of the Los Angeles marathon.
Our HP runners practice daily by running miles around the city with caution, their practices consisting of long distance running as they time themselves on the Nike run app to track their progress and PR’s. Their runs range from four to six miles, three to four times a week.
“It has benefited me to strengthen my mindset and know that everything is a process because running all those runs and races, it’s a process. At a certain mile you’re going to stop, you’re going to be thinking “I don’t want to do this anymore” you know, but when you’re at that finish line, it’s so rewarding.” said Destiny Escocto, a senior and first year SRLA member.
SRLA students gain the skill of discipline in the best way possible, their hard work as runners paying off when they accomplish their goals. These students wake up as early as three am on their weekends to attend these races.
“I would say having to discipline yourself because it’s definitely mentally challenging because it’s really long distance, it’s just really long distance running. And you have to talk yourself through it and calm yourself down and reassure yourself like yes you’ve got this.” says Destiny when asked, “What is the most challenging part of being in SRLA?”
Written By: Daphne Hernandez, Features Editor