Nearly 2,000 men of all races and all ages, some newly convicted and some decades into life sentences, reside at the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Rockview.
More than 100 of those inmates came together Saturday under the general idea that their lives may have been less troubled if they had had mentors to steer them away from the law-breaking path.
These inmates jogged around the prison yard track for eight hours Saturday at the 29th annual Pennsylvania Run-a-thon.
Most of the inmates took off their white cotton shirts during the race, deciding to run only in their government-issued ruddy brown uniform shorts, faded from years of repetitive wear and washing.
To stay motivated, several inmates carried radios blasting music as they walked. As they passed the starting point, they proudly shouted their marathon numbers to volunteer judges who tracked the number of laps. Some runners also asked to hear their final lap counts.
The Pennsylvania Run-a-thon began in 1979 at the request of Rockview inmates who wanted to raise money for organizations that provide one-on-one mentoring support for at-risk children, said Marie Hamilton, founder and former director of CentrePeace.
"It wasn't easy getting that first event off the ground, but it was quite amazing once we did. It's always quite amazing to see no incidents. The morale of the prison is high," Hamilton said.
She said many of the inmates have children and have told her they hope the money they raise will somehow help their kids stay on the right track.
"They all have their own stories. When you're talking to them, some say 'I'm thinking about my son.' It's not a padded running track. They aren't coached," Hamilton said. "They just feel good knowing they can do something."
Hamilton said the Run-a-thon started at Rockview, but by 1981, prisons across the state embraced the fundraising tradition. She said each facility chooses which organization it donates to, and at Rockview, all the money is given to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre County.
Big Brothers Big Sisters case manager Dallas Luke has been coming to the prison for the past four years to help track laps, interact with the inmates and cheer on the runners.
"I like coming and hanging out with the guys," Luke said. "I'm starting to know some of the guys."
After checking his clipboard, Luke said one inmate had already run 50 miles in six hours, with two hours to go.
Hamilton said that over the years the Run-a-thon has raised close to half a million dollars. She said the majority of the donations come from the inmates, but some community and family members also contribute.
"Just a little while ago I talked to an inmate who couldn't run this year, so he said he just gave $10, and that's like $1,000 for us because they don't have money," Hamilton said.
