No pain, no gain.
It’s a phrase that fits easily into the sport of running.
But in the city of Rochester, New Hampshire, it’s taken on new meaning.
The St. Charles Runners is a group of children from the St. Charles Children’s home and the nuns who take care of them.
They've learned that running, can begin to take away some of the pain.
NHPR’s Keith Shields has the story.
This story was awarded first place in the 2006 Sports Special category by the New Hampshire Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
Stretching before a morning run. (Keith Shields, NHPR)
It’s seven o’clock in the morning.
I'm standing outside a large white Victorian building in Rochester, New Hampshire.
A group of about twenty-five runners stretch and psych themselves up for their morning ritual.
(sound kids having fun)
These boys and girls live at the St Charles Children’s home.
They've come from troubled families, placed here into the care of Catholic order of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Healing Love.
Almost every morning of the year, in all kinds of weather they run a four mile course around the city of Rochester.
The children are dressed in the standard running uniform . t-shirts and shorts.
The Sisters are in their own uniform.
They are covered from the top of their heads to their ankles in full, traditional blue and white habits.
On their feet, however, they've got newly purchased running shoes.
(sound, we’re all going to run only a mile... running )
As they head up Rochester's side streets, forty nine year old Sister Mary Rose runs in front with some of the faster children.
Thirty nine year old Sister Maximillion, stays in back pushing a baby carriage.
As she describes it, these daily runs began ten years ago as a desperate attempt to curb some of the serious behavior problems.
We had a family meeting to discuss what they could do when they’re feeling angry... and so we talked about jumping it out and running it out and swinging it out and a million things that they could do, but they never would respond to that. /// the only thing that worked is when we started doing it with them. and that was the real key to everything, so I started taking this girl on a walk just to wear her out because she was having such a hard time. So every time I’d see her having a hard time, “I’d say let’s go for a walk, lets go for a walk†(:26)
That walk evolved into a daily four mile run and then into competitions in five kilometer races.
Running in Rochester. (Keith Shields, NHPR)
Neither of the Sisters were runners and neither thought that they’d be doing some of their best work in running shoes.
Sister Mary Rose laughs at how little they new when they started...
(Sister Mary Rose) Actually Sister Maximilion and Sister Marinus began running ahead of me and I thought “I’d better start running, cause you know I’m going to have to be doing this.†By then, the kids were already up to 3 miles so I started running 3 miles with no practice... I couldn’t even talk at the end of the run, like the kids would be babbling on and I just be like (out of break) yes, no laugh). (Sister Maximillion) Well in the beginning…
Sister Maximillion.
it was so hard you know and we’d be running those road races and my prayer in my mind would be “Oh Lord, just let me cross the finish line without dying, you know have mercy Lord. (laugh) and now its just become a prayer of praise. I so grateful that I have legs that can run and eyes that can see (:37)
And children that behave better...
The sisters found the more they ran, the more the behavior problems decreased.
Today, just about every child who enters St. Charles is soon outfitted with running sneakers and set out the door to hit the pavement.
The veteran children help the rookies.
And soon those kids are the ones helping out the newest arrivals.
(young girl) “Ice cold water for you guys, Ice cold waterâ€
Its not only those in charge who’ve notice a change.
For the children of St. Charles running has become a highlight of their day.
(Girl Runner) I like running because it helps my body to feel good and happy once I get back and it gets all my negative energy out. I used to fight with my brother all the time. Now since I’ve been running I don’t usually get in much fights anymore. (Boy Runner) I’ve learned from running that it makes us real strong in like having faith in people and all that.
(running)
For many of the children here at St. Charles, the journey to their temporary home in Rochester has been tough.
The St. Charles Runners. (Keith Shields, NHPR)
Their forty five minutes on the road is their special time, when the children can begin to break down some very high walls.
Once again, Sister Maximillion.
I have many kids who talk to me about some horrific things that have happened in their lives and the running time seems to be the best time for them to do that. And sometimes its kind of odd because they’ll run down the street and they’ll be crying because they’ll be talking about some painful episode that happened in their life and you know you’re thinking oh my gosh what are people thinking, we’re running down the street and this child is crying. But a lot of time its because they’re releasing an emotional burden they just need to share and they’ve got your ear.
A handful of times a year, sisters Mary Rose and Maximillion and the children of St Charles, leave their white Victorian home to compete in local races.
They run as a team, the Saint Charles Eagles, complete with red and white t-shirts …for the kids anyway…that have a giant eagle on the front.
On the back of the shirts, there’s a passage from the book of Exodus, Chapter Nineteen that reads “I bore you up on eagle wings and carried you all along your journey.â€
You can see the team soar on Monday (later today)
The St. Charles Children’s home in Rochester, New Hampshire hosts their 10th annual Five Kilometer Road Race and fun run at Pease Air Force Base.
For NHPR News, I’m Keith Shields.
