Staff Spotlight:
From 100 Mile Club Kid to Team Member!
Remember the thrill of chasing down popsicle sticks on a dirt track? Mason Torres does. As a kid who grew up with 100 Mile Club, we’re excited to share how this program shaped him and why he’s dedicated to its mission. 100 Mile Club is more than just running; we’re shaping the future of athletes and leaders. Let’s have Mason share a bit with you!
Hello!
I’m Mason, and I joined the team back in June. However, I became a 100 Mile Club kid at McKinley Elementary in Corona, California, in 2009, even before my kindergarten days. I’m currently pursuing my bachelor’s degree in business administration, along with a minor in creative writing, at the University of California Riverside, and I feel very thankful to be able to work for a non-profit that was a constant in my youth.
My 100 mile journey started when I saw my brother with his 100 Mile Club T-Shirt, and being the younger brother, I of course wanted one too. At the start of every year, 100 Mile Club was always something I looked forward to, and whenever it was time for P.E., I sprinted out of the classroom to get onto our dirt track, racing my classmates to see who could get there first. My teachers would have us keep track of our laps with popsicle sticks, and I’ll always remember in second grade when they brought out colored ones, which made us all go crazy and want to collect them all in one session (even though we had to return them at the end.) Sometimes we wouldn’t even stop to grab our sticks, just snatch them up as we blew past our teachers with their hands outstretched, and our eyes were fixed on that next lap. When they would yell across the field to finish the lap we were on, that’s when the real race began, as every kid on that track turned into Olympic sprinters to finish their run.
I believe in the importance of movement in any capacity, especially at a young age. I’ve been playing sports since I was four, and even now I’m a collegiate track athlete at UCR. The mission of 100 Mile Club resonates with me because just like when I was younger, it gives youth the opportunity to not just get moving, but more importantly, make it fun. Activity is important for a multitude of different kinds of health, and 100 Mile Club makes it accessible and adaptable to everyone of any ability, and I find much beauty in that.
I’m so thankful to have found 100 Mile Club again. I’m proud to wear my shirt once again, and just like we preach, Run Like a Kid!
-Mason Torres
