Runners build community and confidence in the annual Juvenile Hall half marathon.

Celia Jiménez here, in sunny Salinas.

Under a scorching sun July 31, runners from Monterey County Juvenile Hall covered in sweat kept pushing through to the finish during the second annual Half Marathon organized by the Monterey County Probation Department and Big Sur Marathon Foundation.

R.G., 22, was sweaty and exhausted after the race, drinking cold water while eating a banana. “In Salinas, 70 degrees is hot,” he pointed out, still catching his breath. (Salinas Valley Now agreed to identify the participants by their initials only, consistent with confidential juvenile justice system record-keeping.)

R.G. says he likes participating in sports especially because he has time to interact with volunteers and his peers.

“It’s a good thing that warms up our hearts and makes us keep going,” R.G. says. “We got people that want to see us do better. That’s a blessing.”

The marathon is the culmination of a 12-week program at Juvenile Hall called the Concrete Steppers.

A phone call from Isaiah Garcia, a former probation aid and race director, to Jennifer Edwards, executive director of BSMF, spearheaded bringing the program and marathon to Juvenile Hall.

“Our missions are aligned: health and wellness,” Edwards says. “They’re building teamwork. They’re building resilience. They are building confidence.”

Runners run 124 laps inside Juvenile Hall to reach 13.1 miles.

“I feel proud of myself,” says B.H., 23, who has participated in the race twice. “It helped me in so many ways, just to mainly believe in myself to always have faith and hope.”

 For three months, wards trained three times a week, waking up at 5:30am or 6am. Training started with baby steps, at first running a mile and adding additional miles until they reached 13.1. “We all trained hard to get to where we are now,” B.H. says.

Juvenile Hall Division Director Michael Palmer says returning runners apply “positive peer pressure” and motivate each other to participate. In total, 25 started the program and at the end about half ran the half marathon.

This year, organizers implemented some changes, such as bringing food and spending time with the runners after the race. “It brings community,” Edwards says. “It helps the participants in this facility to understand that they are not alone.”

Edwards says runners are given the chance to participate in the Monterey Bay Half Marathon and the Big Sur International Marathon once they are released from Juvenile Hall.