The kids at Our Lady of Lourdes School are running laps for their annual Cardio Club. Cardio Club is an afterschool activity bringing all grades together to run laps, burn some energy and get great exercise. OLL’s longtime PE teacher Natalie Peterson started the program about 16 years ago when she recognized how much it could benefit the students. She usually runs Cardio Club through February and March.

“Not only is it great exercise,” she said, “but it benefits the kids [by incorporating] fun socialization and parent involvement and it’s something all grades can participate in.”

The kids seem to enjoy running or walking to music blasting across the grounds and collecting “sticks” with each lap. “Mrs. Pe-eterson,” as they call her, records all the laps and tallies them.

“I recall the most miles one year was well over 2,000,” she said.

Parents like to join their children getting in a few laps as well. Junior high kids will help out (if not running) by handing out the sticks and tallying. Pe-eterson feels they should be an example to the younger kids and makes sure to involve them whenever possible.

Every Cardio Club member kicks into gear when they hear that “last song” come over the speakers. It’s always the same song to signal the end of their 30-minute run and they want to earn a few more sticks to beat the last number of laps.

For more information about Our Lady of Lourdes School, visit OLL’s website at www.ourladyoflourdes.us/school.