WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — This year, the Boston Marathon allowed the first 70,000 registrants to opt for a virtual run rather than traveling to Massachusetts.
That's what Elease Anderson opted for. Anderson is a PE Coach at East Point Academy in West Columbia and decided to let her kids in on the fun.
“I chose to do the Boston Marathon virtually and it just came to my mind one day ... let’s just do it at the school because I’m always training around the school and the kids see it, and I thought that’d be really cool to have some students sign up and run some laps with me because it can get a little boring at times just going around and around," Anderson told Street Squad.
26.2 miles were tracked on an app as Anderson ran laps around the two East Point Academy campuses in West Columbia, “When it got tough and especially mile 15-18 when I was like ‘I just want to stop my body hurts – ok let’s be done,’ the kids were like 'NO, keep going!' and they made posters and cards for me and they kept cheering me on so definitely that motivation from people I know, that always helps," Anderson said.
And after completing the marathon successfully, Anderson wants her students to know: “Dream big and go for those dreams. And one thing I want my students to know is there are going to be hard things in life and have those people with you and continue to work hard at your dreams and your goals and you’ll do great.”