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Three teens from the Youth Transition Campus ran alongside an estimated 6,000 runners in the Encinitas Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving.

“Our dedicated officers share a mission to support the community by helping those we serve restore their lives,” said Chief Probation Officer Tamika Nelson, “We are so proud to see these young people go the extra mile to serve as a model for their peers.”

To train for the 5K run, the running club youth and three Probation officers ran three times a week for a month. They got up early so the teens wouldn’t miss any school classes, Supervising Probation Officer Carlos Sanchez said.

“We got up at 5 a.m. and ran a minimum of one mile,” said a 19-year-old young man. “It’s hard, but I enjoyed it because it got my day started.”

He was happy to join the running club and plans to keep going with it, he said. Although he wasn’t a runner before, he was always athletic and was a “fanatic” about staying fit, he added.

The Probation Department uses the running club to help young men find a physical and mental outlet that can help with stress, mood problems, anxiety and self-esteem. It can also be a meditative time to refocus and set a positive goal, Sanchez said.

Sanchez, Deputy Probation Officers Ana Banuelo and Pascal Orozco also teach the teens about running techniques, injury prevention, diet, different types of running shoes and training.

“As a runner, I am proud of these young men and their desire to try something new. They get up early in the morning while other youth stay in bed,” said Sanchez.  “The youth also have to be exemplary in the facility, in order to participate in the running club.”

Running pushes him to keep going and do his best time, the young man said. The 5K was a fun experience, and he got to meet lots of people, but when he’s running, he views it as a mission.

“It’s tiring but it’s all a mental thing,” he said. “Honestly, I just think about my family, that motivates me when I’m running. Wanting to become a better version of myself motivates me.”

County Probation works to help youth grow, heal and build better futures, and that starts with safety, fairness and trust for everyone involved.