It feels good to reach a goal.
Cole Sargent, a fifth grader at West Jefferson Elementary School, has reached a big goal: running 1,000 miles in six years as part of the school’s 100 Mile Club. He’s the first at the school to reach such a milestone since the club started six years ago.
Cole has been in the 100 Mile Club since kindergarten, and mom Darcie says she’s not only proud that he has gone 1,000 miles but that he set a goal and reached it.
“When he was in first grade, he decided to hit 1,000 miles by fifth grade," she said. "So he figured out how many miles he had to go each year to reach the goal. I’m proud of him for sticking with it.”
Cole ran 109 miles in kindergarten, 112 miles in first grade, and then he needed to up his game. In second through fourth grade, he ran more than 200 miles a year so he could finish his goal as a fifth grader.
Participants in West Jeff’s 100 Mile Club either walk or run around the school’s track before or after school three times a week, plus they can go on one five-mile hike or do a 5K a month. The club has 60 members, with about 25 who are dedicated to hitting the 100-mile goal each year, Club coordinator Christine Olsen said.
Olsen keeps track of students’ progress by scanning bar codes on individual cards. Six laps around the school track equal a mile.
On March 17, the last day of school before spring break, Cole and two friends, Rhyder Vanni and Max Diesburg, did the final 10 laps, so Cole could attain his goal. On the last lap, Olsen ran with them.
Cole said matter of factly that reaching 1,000 miles felt like he had run 100 miles 10 times.
Darcie and her husband Keith brought balloons and posters to celebrate Cole’s achievement. Olsen modified a 100 Mile Club medallion, so it said 1,000 Miles.
Darcie said Cole is not a big runner, only doing it to achieve his goal, but she guessed that Cole would run on the West Jefferson Middle School cross country team next year.
Cole said he didn’t have a new goal to work on achieving yet, while Darcie added: “Goals are good in life.”
