Upcoming Events

May 15

•  School Budget Vote, BCHS, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

May 17

•  BCMS Art Show, 5-7 p.m.

May 18

•  Grade 6 Early Dismissal, 10:20 a.m.

May 22

•  BCMS Interim Report Cards on BC@Home

May 25-28

•  Memorial Day Weekend, NO SCHOOL

May 30-31

•  Book Fair

May 30

•  Literary Fair

June 4

•  BCMS Grade 6 Concert, 7 p.m.

•  BCMS High Honors Reception

 

 

 

   COMPLETE CALENDAR

 

BCMS News

Feet don’t fail me now – Runners share experiences at BCMS

Posted: June 3, 2011

 

Former Olympic gold medal winnerJoan Benoit (left) with Alana Hadley.

Bethlehem Central Middle School students were treated to a visit from former Olympic gold medal winner Joan Benoit and 14-year old runner Alana Hadley. Both will be competing in the Freihofer’s Run for Women on June 4 in Albany.

Benoit and Hadley stopped by to talk to students about the importance of physical fitness and believing in whatever it is they are most passionate about.

“It’s so important to follow your hearts and dreams,” Benoit, who won the 1984 Olympic gold medal in the women’s marathon, told the students. “It doesn’t have to be running, it can be anything you want – but when you find it, hold onto it.”

Hadley began training at a young age, running laps with her father. She said the first time she went running, she ran a mile. She spoke to the students about balancing training and the rest of her life.

“Balance is the key,” she said. “Running is only a portion of my life. I still have my academics, show choir and social life, so you have to dedicate time to each of them.”

Hadley, who has been described as a phenom in some running publications, ran the 5,000 meter in 17:09 last year as a 13-year-old.

Both Benoit and Hadley fielded questions from the audience about the importance of nutrition, the Olympic experience – and one student even asked to have the back of her shirt autographed by Benoit.

On her Olympic experience, Benoit recalled her memories from when she entered the Olympic stadium for the final mile.

“I started to think about what Bruce Jenner said after he finished his race in the 1976 Olympics. He said ‘Feet don’t fail me now’. And that’s exactly how I felt.”

Above all else, Benoit reiterated to the students to always be passionate about what is most important to them in life.

“It’s important to run your own race, no matter what you do in life,” Benoit said. “Once you buy into what you want to pursue, anything is possible.”