Have you seen the pack of kids running through town? Have you seen them running around Cascade Lake?

The Running Club gets the run around and it’s all good. Offered by the Funhouse, these young runners get an early experience at a sport not offered at the school. Runners thawed out in late January and hit full training stride by spring, preparing for the Mazama 10K race held in the Methow Valley on Highway 20.

Coaches Julie Brunner, Jean Spalti and Kirsten Gustafson didn’t just take the 10 Orcas runners to Mazama and brave the heat, they ran with them too.

In the 10K, Grace Gustafson at nine years old was the youngest entry followed by Luke Pietsch and Ronan Rankin, both 10 years old running in their first 10K. Ronan Kau, 11, who finished third in the boys 19 and under bracket, and JoAnn Mietzner, 12, both ran their first 10K. Millie Kau, 11, ran in her second Mazama. Old-timers Olivia Brunner-Gaydos and Joie Zier, both 11, ran in their third Mazama with Zier finishing first in the girls 19 and under bracket.

For new, younger runners, Mazama also offers shorter race courses where Dominick Wareham, 11, ran in a 5K and Kathryn Aspinall, 8, ran in the 1K. Coach Brunner said both runners did “an awesome job.”

“They all did such an incredible job and it’s no small accomplishment,” she said.