Each Tuesday and Thursday morning, long before the first bell rings, the gyms at Bayfield Primary School (BPS) and Bayfield Intermediate School (BIS) come alive with laughter, sneakers pounding the floor, and families moving together. Known affectionately as “Runner’s Club,” the 100 Mile Club gives students — and their parents — a chance to start the day with exercise, connection, and a sense of accomplishment.
“It’s another great day to be a Wolverine!” second grade teacher Sara Perkerewicz said as she swung open the gym doors Thursday morning and greeted the crowd with a bright smile. Parents and children poured in, ready to run.
At BPS, the morning begins inside with stretches and warm-ups before the group heads outdoors. Cones transform the playground into a rectangular track, and students race lap after lap, logging miles toward the coveted 100-mile goal. Perkerewicz, who is also an assistant track and field coach at Bayfield High School, said the setup isn’t just about movement — it builds routine and focus and produces other benefits for students and their learning experience.
Perkerewicz’s hope is to start kids running young and hopefully this can help build a strong track and field program in the future.
“One great benefit of running club is that running club reduces tardiness, so that is why it is in the morning instead of an after-school program,” she explained. “Also, it burns off a little energy and helps them focus on the upcoming school day.”
At BIS, physical education teacher Jenny Blackwell takes a slightly different approach. Students there check out pedometers each morning, clip them on to track their steps, and return them before heading to class. The system allows them to see exactly how much ground they’ve covered and keeps the goal of 100 miles tangible.
“It is a fun way to engage students first thing in the morning and get them ready,” Blackwell said as students jogged in place while waiting to turn their pedometers in at the end of the session. “For the kids who are really determined to hit the 100-mile mark, they do laps around the outside. Others mix it up with a game of tag in the middle.”
The 100 Mile Club itself is a national nonprofit program that began in California in 1993. Schools across the country now use it as a way to encourage healthy habits, resilience, and goal-setting. The program’s simple mission — help every child experience fitness, friendship, and fun by running or walking 100 miles during the school year — aligns with Bayfield’s focus on wellness and community.
Both coordinators say the program has quickly become a favorite part of the week. At BPS, about 40 children and 8 parents have already signed up, though Perkerewicz suspects even more have been inspired to join in. At BIS, Blackwell notes her club is “pretty much full” and buzzing with excitement.
The difference in structure reflects each leader’s background, and provides for a little variety in the experience as kids move from BPS into BIS as third-graders. Perkerewicz, whose own children grew up in the program, emphasizes the desire to preserve a tradition at the school.
“All my children participated in the [100 Mile Club] when they were in the primary school when Mrs. Garcia ran the program,” she said. “When I became a teacher, I thought it was important to keep it going because it had meant so much to my kids.”
Blackwell, new to running the club, is exploring ways to tie fitness into academics.
“We will be graphing and mapping out what we do across Colorado, to give them reference,” she explained. “I like finding ways for students to be engaged in the school outside of the classroom.”
The program is also a way to build accountability.
“If they don’t show up and earn the miles, they don’t get a medal,” Perkerewicz noted.
Both agree the presence of parents and volunteers adds another dimension.
“Volunteers are always welcome if you want to start your day out having fun,” Blackwell said. “I think it is a fun way for adults to engage with students, and students can see that adults care and are involved. It forms relationships throughout the school and community.”
Perkerewicz has seen the long-term impact as well.
“I have four kids that have run the full three years since starting in kindergarten,” she said. “I think that is just really special. I hope they continue to run as they move through the other schools.”
Beyond the medals and miles, the benefits of these clubs are backed by research. The CDC reports that students who participate in physical activity before or during school show better concentration, stronger memory, and improved classroom behavior. A review published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal also found that sports participation has a positive effect on academic performance.
For Bayfield’s Wolverines, the 100 Mile Clubs are about more than just running. They’re about starting the day with purpose, setting goals, and connecting across generations.
“Our running club brings people together through shared goals, support, and movement—building a stronger, healthier community one runner at a time” Perkerewicz concluded.
