For participants of Let Me Run, the track is just the starting line. Through teamwork, mentorship and meaningful conversations, the program equips them with the tools to grow not just as athletes, but as confident, compassionate young men. From energizing Unity Laps to celebratory 5K finish lines, Let Me Run blends movement with life lessons that stretch far beyond the track.
More than a run club
Shruti Gupta
Let Me Run is a national non-profit organization dedicated to developing the physical, mental and emotional character of elementary and middle school-aged boys through interactive fitness. The nonprofit was first established in 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina and has been an influential presence in the Columbus community since 2014, reaching Dublin in 2016.
The program is designed to encourage the boys’ sense of camaraderie with one another while also empowering them to move through the world as confident individuals.
Shruti Gupta, regional director of Let Me Run, explains how each practice begins with an opening huddle, dynamic stretches and what the teams call a Unity Lap.
“The whole premise of (the Unity Lap) is that we have to stay together… even though we are all runners and we’re separate beings, we’re all one team,” says Shruti.
Shruti Gupta
Learning through laps
Kaspian Chan, a student at Scottish Corners Elementary, says he enjoys practice because he gets to spend time with his friends joking around and cheering each other on.
As a returning participant, Chan says that the program has helped him to learn that he and his teammates are capable of more than they could’ve imagined.
“I can run a lot better and faster than I thought I could… There (was) this one run where I had this record and I was like, ‘I’m never going to be able to beat it,’ then I beat it by like two minutes,” says Chan.
Not only do participants learn to pursue their own goals while in the program, they also develop skills to encourage and support other participants' growth.
Coaching cap
Shruti Gupta
While the program is designed to support elementary and middle school boys, there are several ways for older groups to get involved. High school students can become junior coaches, and adult members can volunteer as head coaches.
Kavin Gupta, a senior at Dublin Jerome High School and former Let Me Run participant, later returned to the program as a junior coach and developed an appreciation for his former coaches and their compassion.
“I really enjoyed coaching… and I learned a lot,” Kavin says. “And I think it’s really important (the kids) learn the people skills and the value of exercise at a younger age.”
5K festivities
Shruti Gupta
At the end of each season, participants commemorate their hard work with a 5K race paired with additional festivities. Before the race begins, the boys are welcomed with several stations to create posters and apply temporary tattoos and colored hair spray and create posters.
While the 5K serves to celebrate the participants' physical, mental and emotional development, the event is just as fulfilling for the coaches and families of participants.
“As a coach, (the race) was even more fun than as a participant because I was able to push my kids that I was coaching the whole year to keep going,” says Kavin.
Whether a participant, a coach or involved community member, the Let Me Run program inspires a personal commitment to chase your dreams and cross the finish line with a smile.
Katarina Guy is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
