A pack of freshmen running at you may seem concerning, except when it’s the annual Freshman 5k. The 5k marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next, not only for the freshman but for all grades as they watch the race on June 7. The freshmen class prepares throughout the year by running in their physical education classes and creating goals for mile times using the Nike Run App to meet requirements for the final race set by their teachers.

At the beginning of the year, the mandatory physical education classes were separated by friend groups, old middle schools and athletic ability. However, the weekly runs have brought the class together.

“At the beginning of the year, my class never talked to each other, but now we do because of the training,” said Summit freshman Kyla Wilson.

“We’ve bonded over how much we hate the experience, and sometimes it’s fun,” said another freshman at Summit, Mallory Barham.

A significant part of the 5k is enduring the race as a class, regardless of how fast or long you can run along with establishing grit within the students as they train. Summit freshman Cade Nitzschke is not looking forward to the final race.

“It’s a struggle to even run a mile and a half. I don’t know if I could run 3,” said Nitzschke.

Barham feels “they prepare us well by adding on distance increments.”

Most of the joy with the 5k is found within the upperclassmen who watch the freshman struggle with each kilometer as they reflect on their Freshman 5k. The deeply hated tradition has kept its grips on Summit; throughout the years of evolving traditions, the 5k has become ingrained into Summit’s culture as previous traditions, such as saying storm at the end of the national anthem and formal homecoming, have ceased.

Luckily for the freshman, this year, the 2024 5k will be a little more tolerable for the freshman with not only water stations but also Gatorade and lemonade throughout the race. Additionally, the seniors will be equipped with water guns and balloons to support the underclassmen during the race and cool them off in the heat as they enjoy their senior barbecue.

The physical education classes have had to manage their budget closely due to new training equipment that has been purchased, leaving the 5k with less funds for the 2024 year. Student Council has stepped in to upgrade the race using the profits from previous dances.

Freshmen are excited about the proposed improvements. “When I told my friends about the differences in this 5k, they got excited because it will be fun, and we will have something to look forward to each kilometer we go,” said Wilson.