CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Lace up those shoes and head to the start line, Coastal Bend!
The Beach to Bay relay marathon is set to take place in just a couple of days.
First Edition reporter Madeline Salinas joined an early-morning practice session with young runners from the Metro E student running team, where they told us exactly how they were feeling ahead of the big race.
Mario Rodriguez and Brooklyn Walker are nervous but exited to face the challenges of the marathon through teamwork.
Mario said he started running only a year ago and instantly knew it was meant for him.
"This actually feels like something I really want to do," said the young athlete. "I just kept going with it. It just got real easy."
This will be Brooklyn's first time running a leg of the long-distance race. The track athlete said she is looking forward to the run and she enjoys practicing with her teammates, despite facing some nerves.
"I'm excited, but also scared at the same time, because a lot of things could go wrong," she said, before her teammate Mario chimed in.
"It feels really good, 'cause you know you can always rely on the team to lift you up."
3NEWS also spoke with race director Doug McBee, who first began his involvement with the marathon working as an equipment manager 33 years ago.
McBee said he has seen the run grow exponentially through the years and enjoys being part of a Corpus Christi tradition that dates back nearly 50 years!
"It's just fun. It's a sense of accomplishment."
McBee spoke briefly about what it feels like to have runners and people who want to kick off their fitness journeys come from all over the state to participate.
You can also hear him speak about his love for the race and share some information about course details in the interview below:
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