100 Mile Club
The year was 1992. Bill Clinton was elected President. The European Union was formed. And Hurricane Andrew obliterated South Florida.
But a young 4th generation public school teacher from Norco was laser focused on Barcelona, Spain and the ’92 Summer Olympic Games.
In her second year as a classroom teacher in a career as a special education specialist, Kara Lubin was inspired by the triumph and sense of accomplishment of the athletes. And she wondered how to instill the same sense of personal victory in her students, who were managing various learning disabilities.
And that’s when Lubin lit upon the idea of the 100 Mile Club, which she launched in her classroom later that school year, in 1993.
Lubin writes, on the organizations’ website, that she was inspired by the philosophy of a family friend. A fella named John Wooden, who happened to be one of the most inspirational and successful coaches in, well the history of coaching.
Of note, was the Wizard of Westwood’s famed “Pyramid of Success.” For the non-sports-minded, Wizard Wooden won 10 NCAA Basketball Championships in 12 years at UCLA. Only one team has won as many as 2-straight in the 48 years since.
Lubin designed her own pyramid with challenging but attainable benchmarks, of walking 25, 50, 75 miles during the school year. The ultimate goal was walking a century, 100 miles. Even more. Each milestone came with a reward. All who stepped-up to participate was recognized for the achievement. The gold medal was bestowed upon all who rang up 100-miles on their meter.
In the 3-decades since, this single-classroom, local program has spread nationwide https://100mileclub.com/welcome/ inspiring countless participants to reach their personal goals, walking away with a sense of pride and achievement.
Anxious to celebrate its 30th year with a walk at the Auburndale Intermediate School in Corona this past Saturday, there was another obstacle to hurdle. Record rains from the seemingly never-ending “Atmospheric Rivers” this winter, that have replenished a parched California.
Hurdle? No problem! Nothing that 2-thousand pounds of trucked-in dirt couldn’t handle.
And as Kara Lubin exulted in the day’s sunny skies, walkers, skippers, joggers, and runners from 3 to 83 circled the Auburndale track, celebrating an idea that has become a national phenomenon.
Happy 30th Birthday and here’s to 100 more.
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