“A friend forwarded information about RBO to me for this virtual season. Since we live in Berkeley, I don’t think I would have really considered it if I had to drive anywhere, but since it was virtual, I figured, why not. I’ve run some races before and my kids have always loved looking at the medals and picking from the post-race treats. When I asked my older two kids, Cal and Reggie, if they wanted to do RBO, they asked, will we get medals? When I told them yes, they enthusiastically committed.

At first, they would goof around during the virtual practices, but as time went on, they were really engaged. They are very shy, so they never wanted to be featured or called out, but they were doing all the burpees and mountain climbers on our kitchen floor out of sight of the computer camera... We went to a track for each [virtual race] and I couldn’t believe how into it they were and also how much they pushed themselves. Cal loved it and it seemed like he could run forever... Reggie, not to be beaten by his brother, wouldn’t give up, even though he couldn’t run as fast. They both ended up doing a 10K for their last race. Even my 6 year old did a couple of 5Ks. I am so proud of them and more importantly, they are really proud of themselves.

I’m also so grateful for the youth sneakers. I bought them sneakers, but they wore them skateboarding and had holes in them, so they were either running with holey sneakers or in random shoes that were definitely not ideal for running 10K! They love the sneakers they picked out and are being very careful about them and only wearing them for running.

I can’t wait to sign up for an in-person season. We really love RBO and everything it stands for. Thank you to everyone who makes it happen. I know it’s a labor of love and I can tell you’re all very busy people, so I really appreciate that you make this happen for all of us. It makes a difference and it matters even if you can’t see the full impact right away. ”

“My experience with RBO has been really great. My most interesting moment was the fact that I found my own strength in running. At first I thought I was a slow runner but I found when I had to run 11 miles for the first time, that I could run the whole mile. My most challenging moment was my first half marathon which was last year, I stopped running at the 12 mile mark. That’s when my body shut down. I found motivation to continue because of the students around me and my mentor and the others. They motivate me to keep going and they compliment me on my running.”

“It took several tries for my friend to convince me to attend my first RBO practice. To be honest, the idea of waking up early on a Saturday to run was the exact opposite of something I would typically go for. But she was persistent enough and I eventually gave in and thought maybe it would be a fun activity with my best friend...

I didn’t see immediate progress but over the next couple of weeks, I was able to complete longer distances. It was a similar routine, at the beginning of every practice, I would stare incredulously at the idea of running a certain amount of miles and then some time later, I would be standing at the final checkpoint in disbelief that I had just completed that distance. My first RBO season was a series of personal milestones, week after week. I came into this program never running more than two and a half miles and by the end, I ran the half marathon. ”

“Last winter, I impulsively signed up for the half marathon... On my first day, I fell in sync with a man in his seventies. Immediately, he interrupted the solitary silence I was accustomed to while running, and introduced himself as Terry. He began to pepper me with questions. As the number of miles we ran grew longer and my breathless answers grew less frequent, his questions evolved into stories. As the weeks went on and the distances grew longer, he immersed me in tales of Boston marathons 50 years ago and backpacking trips in the Himalayas.

When Terry was unavailable, I ran with Iona who recounted travels with her husband or Vilma who described the colleges she was applying to. Each run became a window into someone’s life, more miles meaning more time to get to know my running partner of the day. The perfunctory “keep it up” or “you got this,” that I used to brush off gained meaning as I learned the names and stories of the people who cheered me on.

Even though I had never enjoyed running before, I began to look forward to these Saturday practices, not only to learn more about the people I would run with, but to engage in the community of Oakland. The sterile track at the back of my school left little to be marveled at, but running around Lake Merritt gave me countless people to watch go about their Saturday afternoons, buildings to duck into the shadow of, and nature to see, hear, and sometimes unfortunately, smell. I loved seeing the stalls of colorful clothing and vibrant vegetables, the people picnicking on green lawns, and the numerous food trucks. Every lap around the lake provided something new and interesting to look at.”

“The first thing I noticed when I arrived at my first RBO practice was how nervous I was, but also how welcome I felt. Every week I came back, I was motivated to run and found a sense of peace when I was there. One thing that really stuck with me is how happy I was after practices. I really enjoyed talking with mentors and now looking back, thinking about how all the connections I made by just talking with people has really shaped who I am as a person.”

“I will admit I did join RBO on a whim. My mother signed me up and I simply agreed to give it a chance. By giving BRO a chance I became committed to the program. I like what RBO does and what it stands for. It gives people an opportunity to learn more or to be better. I enjoy the people in the program because we run for a common goal.

When I started running the 5ks I could not stop the jitters before the race, the determination that I felt while running and the excitement at the finish line. It feels amazing, beating any other experience I have had so far. After running my first 10k I was determined that before I graduated that I would run a half marathon before I knew about the scholarship opportunity. I wanted to see how far I could push myself and to this day I know I can go farther.

Training for the half marathon was not easy. I would feel my body getting tired and need to stop. Running requires mental strength because the desire to stop and breath is crushing. Yet after pushing through with the help of the mentors, I learned that after the 4 miles the run gets better. The achy and tired feeling that was felt before is still there yet it was not the same. Instead, a feeling of determination kicks and you can do nothing but keep going forwards. ”

“A little over two weeks ago we started the 100 mile [Three Bridge] challenge. Today, [high school senior] David completed the last miles to reach 100 miles for our team... We are very proud of him and plan to keep running... Thank you for all your encouragement and support with running. We honestly would not being doing any of this if it weren’t for RBO. Here’s to 100 more miles! ...

As for [our virtual running challenge team], we thought it would be fun to add [5th graders] Emma and Bella to the team since it was so many miles and also to encourage them to participate in the team goal. My husband and I monitor our place and make a big fuss every time we move up on the leader board. I always share my new routes and routines the the family hoping to motivate them and be a role model...

Being part of RBO has led me to seek out other programs and groups... I love the way RBO has opened up so many doors to different healthy and free or low cost programs that promote health.

As a family we are very grateful for all the support and encouragement that RBO has provided. RBO gets [us] out and moving! Thank you RBO!!!”