How many marathons have you run this year?

For most of the students at PS/MS 164 in Kew Gardens Hills, the answer is at least two. That’s 52 miles over the course of the school year — three miles per week, one lap of the gym at a time. Thanks to a dynamic physical education teacher and support from the nonprofit running organization New York Road Runners, the Mighty Milers of PS 164 have collectively run almost 36,000 miles since September. And they’re showing no signs of stopping.

For running more miles than any other school participating in their youth running program during a “Miles for Books” initiative this spring, New York Road Runners awarded PS 164 students with the grand prize of 500 books during a celebration at the school on June 16.

“They’ve come to love running and they can’t get enough of it,” says Julianne DiDominico, the teacher who spearheads the Mighty Milers program at the school. “At first there were some students who thought, ‘52 miles by the end of the year? No way!’ Now they’re well past it. It’s a great achievement, and they just want to keep going.”

DiDominico, who teaches 3rd-8th grade, tracks her students’ mileage through the Mighty Milers program, which provides rewards and incentives for students based on the number of miles they complete. DiDominico decided to sign up for the free program in 2013 as a way of jump-starting her physical education curriculum.

“I was having students run laps at the beginning of class to improve their cardiovascular fitness, and motivating them to do laps is not so easy,” DiDominico says. “Kids who need that extra incentive have really come a long way because of Mighty Milers. They know how much they need to run to achieve the next level, and they work toward that. They’ve become so driven and goal-oriented.”

For most students, the goal is running 30 laps — or about one mile — at the beginning of each gym class. For students who are especially motivated, it means running extra laps around the schoolyard at recess. The top runner in the school, a 6th-grader, has run more than 230 miles this year. During the month of March, when students’ mileage counted toward the “Miles for Books” initiative, some teachers even joked about inviting students to jog in place next to their desks.

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Miller Photography

“Every grade and every single student was involved,” says DiDominico.

To motivate students who balk at the idea of running laps, DiDominico incorporates games that encourage students to keep moving. In some classes, students run their laps while bouncing basketballs, pausing to take a shot at the nearest hoop when the music stops. In others, students skip or sashay around the perimeter instead of running. To keep things interesting, DiDominico arranges obstacle courses and awards students “Fitopoly” money for participation.

“The incentives give them that immediate gratification, but the love of running will be instilled in them as well,” DiDominico says.

On a recent Monday morning, 6th-graders in Mighty Milers T-shirts emblazoned with the word “RUN” took turns chasing each other back and forth across the gym in a special game of tag.

DiDominico cupped her hands around her mouth to be heard over the stereo system — which she obtained through a grant from Mighty Milers.

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Miller Photography

“If you’re wearing navy pants, run to the other side!” she yelled enthusiastically. Several students shot off toward the other side of the room, giggling as they dodged a tag from the other team.

“It’s fun because I get to run with my friends,” said Yahav, a 6th-grader. “And I feel like I’m getting stronger and my body is working better.”