All of the fifth-grade students from Meneley Elementary School were getting last-minute instructions for their yearly Gobble Wobble Race on Wednesday.
"If you don't want to race, walk. That's OK. No one will care," said physical education teacher Ellen Lucas. "Walking is as good as running and it's something you can do until you're 97 or older. Have fun and get some exercise.
"Stay on the track and look out for rocks, glass and barking dogs. Check your shoes - are they tied?"
After the group of about 70 jogged in place to warm up and stretch, they headed outside to their mile-long cross-country course that ran across the street from the school, through the green belt and back around the school.
Each class at Meneley runs a grade-appropriate course with the youngest students doing their turkey run indoors.
As the students lined up on the orange cone-marked trail, someone asked, "Where do we go?"
"You'll find out," the P.E. teacher said. "Just follow the pack."
Jessie Jim, 10, stands out as the tallest in the fifth grade. Jessie has a strategy that helped her place well in last year's run.
"You either run or walk," said Jessie. "I start out jogging and then I run."
The boys took to the course first, with the girls starting as a pack a few minutes later.
"Ladies, take your mark, get set, go. Have fun out there."
No race times are noted and everyone is acknowledged for finishing. The top 20 are lined up for photos but all participants are celebrated.
"I used to do prizes for the top finishers but ones who didn't get a prize cried, so everyone wins now," said Lucas. "Now they say, 'Yay, I'm 37th!'"
"I want the run to be a positive thing so everyone gets a little turkey, even if it's made out of paper."
Kayla Strawn was one of the best-dressed runners with her knee-high boots and mini-skirt.
"I wasn't here yesterday so I didn't know we were running today," Kayla said. "It was hard to run because I have asthma. I'm OK now but I was wheezy in the course."
Last year Talice Gadwill came in last.
"I'm No. 16 - better than last year," Talice said. "I jogged then started walking to get more breath. When I started running again, I passed people. I run every day on Bluerock and in our circle with my friends' dogs."
The main competition in the Gobble Wobble Race was to see which fifth-grade class had the best finishers. All of the runners were flushed with either exertion or exhilaration and seemed glad for the chance to get out to run or walk.
Ellen Lucas is the physical education teacher for not only Meneley but also for Minden and Piñon Hills elementary schools. She has just a little time each week to get the idea across to children that exercise is needed for balance in their lives.
"The kids get P.E. once a week for a half hour," said Lucas. "It's a sad situation."
