Ep197: West Michigans Total Trek Quest is keeping school-age boys running and feeling connected

Published: Sept. 2, 2020, 12:57 a.m.

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\\u201cI\\u2019ve been running every morning at 6 a.m. and then walking every afternoon or night with my daughter. I\\u2019ve run more since we shut down on March 16 than any other time in my life, I think -- like 500+ miles. So you can tell how I\\u2019m coping.\\u201d

West Michigan runner Vicki Cavanaugh joins Heather to talk about life during these interesting times. Vicki, who is involved with Total Trek Quest (TTQ), a program that assists third-, fourth- and fifth-grade boys in learning to run a 5K in the 5-county area in and around Grand Rapids, Mich., last was on the MRG show in 2017. More than 4,800 boys and their families have taken part in this program, which held a summer session for the first time this year.

\\u201cTTQ is adapting, adjusting, and pivoting. We sent out an email-based program \\u2018TTQ@Home\\u2019 the week of March 23 to try and provide some fun and movement in those first few weeks and month. When it started to look like this wasn\\u2019t going away, we began to develop a virtual summer TTQ program\\u2014complete with GoPro-filmed tips, virtual parent support meetings, and activity meetups, a modified curriculum to get the whole family involved, moving, and learning new things\\u2014and then we\\u2019ve added in person meetups. And to finish the season\\u2014a virtual 5k called the Challenge, Inspire and Achieve 5K the weekend of August 15-16. This has not been easy\\u2014we\\u2019ve all learned so much about everything we took for granted.\\u201d

Vicki also shares what\\u2019s kept her going strong throughout the past few months, as well as her hopes for the program and for all of us as we move forward.

\\u201cMovement can help us cope, brings us together, and helps make us healthy so we can withstand what we are going through.\\u201d

FIND HEATHER:

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Total Trek Quest

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A special thanks to the talented Jonny Tornga for producing the show.



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