Project Run Madera to host free track clinic
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Project Run Madera founder Alisha Brown founder hands a package of apparel her group donated to Madera South’s Angelina Aguirre. Brown and her group handed out shirts, shorts, sports bras for females and shoes to nearly 300 track athletes at Madera’s three middle schools and high schools.
Former Madera and Madera South track and cross country athlete Alisha Brown is doing more with her foundation, Project Run Madera.
Earlier this year, Brown and PRM was able to donate shirts and shoes to every track athlete at Madera Unified School District’s high school and middle schools. In addition, she donated sports bras for every female from those teams.
Now, Brown wants to help elevate track in the Madera community. She is hosting a Summer Track Clinic at Madera South High School on July 8-9 from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. The clinic is open to kids, grades 1-12. Coaching will be done by guest instructors and Madera and Madera South alumni.
Because of the donations to PRM, the clinic is free to participate in. Register at projectrunmadera.org.
In the early going, there are about 65 kids signed up for the clinic.
“It’s a little early,” Brown said. “I’m expecting about 100 kids to show up the day of. We can handle about 500 kids for the clinic.”
Brown wants to make sure kids sign up so they are able to get the right size T-shirt that comes with participating in the clinic.
“There’s still plenty of time to sign up,” she said. “The reason why I’m pushing for everyone to sign up immediately is so I can order the appropriate amount of sizes for shirts. I don’t want it to be on the day and we don’t have the right amount of sizes for the kids. I want to make sure everyone gets what they would like to have. We will make sure everyone will have a T-shirt, but they may not get the size they want if they don’t register in advance.”
Brown is hoping to get to 500 kids because of how many athletes she helped out previously.
“We served 300 kids with the Project Run Madera with shirts and shoes,” she said. “That was just middle school and high school kids. I don’t expect every kid from every track team to come out. If we can get a good portion kids from each school, it can be a really great turnout.”
Brown has four guest track coaches coming in. Allison Wilder is a professional triple jumper from Great Britain.
“I was on the same track team at UC Riverside. She soars through the air when she jumps. It will be an amazing person to learn from,” Brown said.
Krishan Curry is a retired elite middle distance runner. Bryan Adams is a UC Riverside alumni with Brown and is a Big West Conference 400-meter champoion. Tayler Fleming is also a UC Riverside alumni and is a hurdler.
“I have a bunch of volunteers and alumni coming out,” Brown said. “C.J. Albertson reached out said he wanted to be a part of it. People are starting to hear about it so we’re excited.”
Because of donations through her foundation, the clinic is free. The participants will even receive a special surprise from Brown.
“It’s a completely free event,” Brown said. “Nobody will pay out of pocket for anything. We have sponsors who have donated fruit, water, bars. There will also be a little surprise. I am super excited about it. It’s pretty cool.”
The first day of the clinic, a Friday, will be geared to the technical parts of running like mechanics, forms, drills, acceleration and howo to deal with the blocks.
“We’re getting technical with it. They will learn strengthening exercises. That’s the clinic part of it,” she said. “Saturday will be getting into friendly competition.”
