From Monterey Herald

Carmel, Calif., – July 23, 2025 - It started with a thought, then a phone call, some brainstorming and the willingness to provide a foundation.

In conjunction with the Big Sur Marathon Foundation, the Monterey County Juvenile Detention Center in Salinas has turned a vision into a reality with the inaugural Hall Half run.

Friday, ten incarcerated individuals between the ages of 17-23 will run 124 laps around a paved track inside the fences of the juvenile detention center. The 8 a.m. race will be an official half-marathon – 13.1 miles.

“These are the kind of things the Big Sur Marathon Foundation wants to be a part of,” Marathon Executive Director Jennifer Edwards said. “If we can change just one life, we’re all in. Our aim is to give these guys the tools and confidence to build a healthier, safer and active life.”

Probation Aide Isaiah Garcia, a former North County High football and basketball standout, had a vision for the 8 a.m. race.

“We wanted to give these guys a feeling of accomplishment in their training, having a goal and meeting the goal,” Edwards said. “I wanted to give them as real of an experience as possible.”

After Garcia initiated a call to the Big Sur Marathon Foundation, Edwards went out and met him and the runners. She toured the facility, bringing a measuring wheel, with which the runners mapped out 13.1 miles – with nine laps equaling one mile.

“The guys were receptive, eager to learn about training and incredibly respectful,” Edwards said. “None of them had any experience in training for a half-marathon.”

Or the proper training shoes. Edwards was able to get HOKA to donate shoes to the runners to help them with their training.

“They (HOKA) were more than willing when I told them the cause,” Edwards said. “There will be T-shirts and a race bib –  that the runners helped design – and finisher medals donated by our foundation.”

…“They knew I was a runner,” Garcia said. “They said ‘we’d like it if you could bring it back.’ I heard them out. The kids felt it was beneficial for them. But I wanted the race to be more realistic, other than running 124 laps around the track. So I reached out to Jennifer.”

The 10 runners have been committed to the training for the race over the past three months and are in the best shape of their lives.

“I would say halfway through the training, they got tired of the repetitive part of it,” said Garcia, who trains with them. “Now that it’s getting closer, you can see them being more anxious. There are a lot of nerves.”

Edwards pointed out that it’s been more than just helping them get fit. She also has them tracking their nutrition, how they feel before and after training.

“There are other benefits to running other than becoming fit,” Edwards said. “A runner’s high can be amazing. These guys have goals, something to focus on, a sense of accomplishment.”

The 10 have trained together throughout the process, learning the importance of camaraderie, how to chase a common goal.

“When they are able, I will make sure they will be able to run our” Monterey Bay Half Marathon in November, Edwards said….

For the Hall Half, Edwards has recruited 10 volunteers from the Big Sur Marathon Foundation who will click each lap for their assigned runner. A timing clock will be in place.

“We’ll have updates, motivational shout-outs,” Edwards said. “We’ll have hydration stops. It’s like a regular race. We wanted this to have a race feel to it.”

Throughout the process, Garcia has had other individuals in the detention center inquire about wanting to get involved with the training in the future.

“I’ve received interest from other kids,” Garcia said. “I told them, show me you want to do this. They may not see me looking, but I see others putting in the work. I can see this evolving.”

So can Edwards. She doesn’t see this as an experiment, but the beginning of something bigger and traditional down the road.

“Can I see it expanding? Absolutely,” Edwards said. “From what I think is going to happen on Friday, I believe this will grow, interest will grow. I feel really good about this project.”

Read the article here.