With the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic coming up, ABC Action News anchor Wendy Ryan met two young ladies who will be competing.
The aunt and niece started running together over five years ago, and Gasparilla's half-marathon will be their longest race yet, side by side.
"It just like takes away a lot of stress and it feels good to get out and exercise," explained Alayna Fulford, 13, who started running at just eight years old.
Fulford has loved it ever since. She's competed in over 50 races.
"I love being outside. I love getting to meet all the people through it. I love the feeling before the race when like your nervous, but then you can just go. It's just everything about it," she explained.
"It seems like she could just run forever. It doesn't even seem to phase her," said Darla Surratt, Fulford's Aunt.
Surratt got Fulford into running in third grade. Now, both cherish the precious time they spend together.
"We're super close. We're like best buds," Surratt said with a smile.
Fulford agreed.
"It's like being sisters, kind of. So we get to talk about everything, and I just get to spend a lot of time with her, and it's really great."
The girls train four days a week, and they feel the benefits.
"It doesn't matter if we ran three miles or six or whatever. When you're done, you just really feel like, 'Wow! I really did something today!'' Surratt added.
"It's definitely got me in a lot better shape, and I feel really refreshed. And I do sleep better because I'm definitely wore out and tired,'' Fulford admitted.
As members of the Plant City Running Club, they also enjoy training and competing as a group, with no one left behind.
"We have people that will run back and forth amongst the different groups to try to make sure that everybody is together and feeling a part of it. And we have certain spots where we'll wait for everybody to catch up because we don't want anyone to run by themselves," Surratt explained.
The Gasparilla half marathon approaches will be Fulford's first 13.1-mile race, but maybe not her last.
"I just hope she has a good time. And I hope that she enjoys it as much as I do because I would love for that to be a race that we can do together annually," Surratt added.
ABC Action News is a proud sponsor of the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, which runs February 25 and 26.
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