Geneva Robinson couldn't contain her excitement once she tried on her brand new running shoes.
The third grader from Bates Academy jumped out of her seat and initially tested them out by running in place. But when someone asked her for another demonstration, she danced, bringing smiles to the faces in the room.
Robinson was impressed with her shoes' color pattern which paired pink and shades of blue. But her happiest discovery was how well they fit.
"[When] I first put them on, they were a perfect fit," the 8-year-old said on Friday, Oct. 2.
Robinson is one of 800 youths between the ages of 6 and 13 participating in the third annual Kids Marathon presented by Priority Health, as part of the 49th Detroit Free Press Marathon. Each participant will
need to log the first 25.2 miles of the race by Friday, Oct. 17 before completing the final mile the next day along the Detroit Riverfront.
Since the Kids Marathon started in 2024, students from Detroit Public Schools Community District have accounted for half of the event's participants. About 400 students from eight DPSCD schools are taking part this year, up from 250 in 2024 and 300 in 2025.
Golightly Education Center, John R. King and Davison Elementary-Middle School are returning for a third year, while Mark Twain School for Scholars and Bates Academy are taking part for second straight year. Academy of the Americas, Edmonson Montessori Elementary and Fisher Magnet Upper Academy are participating for the first time.
In addition to the free shoes, each DPSCD student also receives free registration for the event.
The students were fitted for their shoes in September, and leaders from the marathon, Priority Health, MSU Federal Credit Union, Running Lab and DPSCD helped deliver the shoes on Oct. 1 and 2.
Robinson wasn't alone in her excitement for the shoes. Bates sixth grader Anthony Daniels also ran around the room and jumped around while wearing a running shoe on one foot and a red and black Nike shoe on the other to compare the two.
"It's not like these shoes that I have on now, Daniels, 11, said pointing to his Nikes. "Because these shoes I'm using right now, I'll sometimes accidently bend them when I'm playing football. But let's say I'm playing football in [the new] shoes, it actually feels good and I'm not bending my foot."
Ethan Mitchell, a seventh grader at Davison Academy, took part in the Kids Marathon last year and received his second pair at school on Friday. Mitchell said he outgrew his first pair and is excited to wear his new pair to school whether it's for playing sports or as a part of his wardrobe.
"I feel good about having new shoes because I get to have an opportunity to show people what I can do with the new shoes," Mitchell, 12, said.
Davison eighth grader Veronica Washington also participated in the race last year and said her new shoes helped her performance in the race last year.
Aaron Velthoven, vice president and race director of the Detroit Free Press Marathon, said delivery day is "one of the best days on the calendar" and gives him a chance to check in with the students to see how training is coming along and offer a bit more motivation.
"I tell everybody I talk to today, all the kids, 'We're gonna give you these shoes, but you gotta do a couple of things for me in exchange for these shoes. You gotta continue to train and work hard. You gotta hydrate the day before and the day of [the race]. And then you gotta go out there and give it your all,'" Velthoven said. "If they do those three things, they've earned it."
Running Lab co-owner Toni Reese was on site during both the shoe fitting and delivery events.
"I think what I love the most is just hearing their stories and how excited they are and knowing that on race day, they all say, 'Will there really be people lining the streets cheering me on?' And I get to excitingly tell them, 'Yes, and someone is going to give you a medal because you did a really good job'," Reese said. "And that positivity is incredible."
Contact Eric Guzmán: eguzman@freepress.com; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @EGuzmanreports.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: DPSCD students receive new shoes ahead of Kids Marathon race
