The BISD Believers, a health and wellness running team that got its start in 2014, will send 55 runners to this weekend’s Rock ‘n’ San Antonio, marking a return to more normal activities after nearly two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
Twenty runners will compete at the marathon distance of 26.2 miles and 35 in the half marathon, said Anisa Ramirez, coordinator of Brownsville Independent School District health and wellness programs headquartered at the fitness gym between the Central Administration Building and Sams Memorial Stadium.
Ramirez and running coach Cindy Shears started the program seven years ago as a way to help BISD employees get into shape and enjoy the health benefits of a professionally coached running experience.
Starting with only a few runners back then, the program has grown to the point it’s hard to get in. Ramirez and Shears estimate some 400 runners have participated in the program over the years, and 200 are active currently.
The goal “is just to keep positive energy going and remind them that they can do all things,” Shears said.
Among the more notable success stories is Norma Ortiz, special education teacher at Besteiro Middle School, who weighed 295 when she started in the program and weighs 136 today.
“I loved to run when I weighed 295, but now I’m a totally different person,” she said. “I was hiding myself.” Now, with more exercise she feels better physically and emotionally.
Ramirez said Ortiz is one of the group’s mentors, helping motivate new members. Ortiz will be participating in her second marathon, the first being the McAllen Marathon in 2020.
Claudia Chirinos, librarian at Stell Middle School, is stepping up after previously running in 5K, 10K and half marathon events.
“This time around, my family decided they wanted to challenge themselves,” so, after 19 weeks of training she, husband Joel and daughters Miranda and Maya are all driving up to San Antonio to compete.
“The best thing is spending time together as a family,” Chirinos said. “It allows us to be healthy, especially now with the pandemic, plus the opportunity to meet other BISD Believers.”
She added that as a mother, San Antonio represents a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this together as a family.” She said her next goal will be to do a full marathon.
Cancer survivors Rita Tyler-Aguilar and Gloria Perez, who both teach at Pace Early College High School, and Claudia Gonzalez, who teaches at Manzano Middle School, will all run full marathons.
Tyler-Aguilar said running a marathon was on her bucket list. Perez said being part of the group keeps them motivated and expressed gratitude to BISD for supporting cancer survivors and providing wellness programs. Gonzalez said she survived a half-marathon and felt it was time to go the full marathon distance.
All three have more than 10 years cancer-free and said staying active is important.
BISD health and wellness are open to all district employees and parents.
